URI_Research_Magazine_2009-2010_Melissa-McCarthy

“Given the fact that a relatively large percentage of jet engine instrumentation is outsourced to local and regional companies, there are great opportunities for commercialization.”

University of Rhode Island a world leader in thin film research. One of the operational constraints of the sensors is that they do not perturb the flow of air through the engine. Therefore, the dimensions of the sensors have to be less than the boundary layer thickness and thus, the sensors are typically comprised of metallic and ceramic thin films. In addition to promoting aviation safety, the sensor technology has other commercial and military applications as well. Within 90 minutes of URI’s Kingston campus are two Pratt & Whitney gas turbine engine facilities where jet engines are designed, fabricated and tested for both commercial and military customers. Given the fact that a relatively large percentage of jet engine instrumentation is outsourced to local and regional companies, there are great opportunities for commercialization of Gregory’s work. In cases where temperature, gas velocity, g-loadings and other conditions inside an engine environment are quite severe, sensors are integrated rather than added on. High-temperature sensors for such harsh environments being developed at URI’s Sensors and Surface Technology Laboratory make it possible to monitor the structural integrity of jet engine components under operational conditions, thus providing unique solutions to the instrumentation engineers at Pratt & Whitney and other companies supporting them. For example, Professor Gregory’s research is driving

toward wireless sensor technology so that engine performance can be monitored in real time without having to connect the engine and its suite of sensors to wires. Gregory, a former NASA fellow, has been continuously funded by NASA since 1992 to develop high-temperature sensors for harsh environments. During this time, he and his team of researchers have worked with international companies such as Rolls-Royce and Siemens, as well as domestic companies such as General Electric and Honeywell. In the past several years much of the funding for his research has come from the National Science Foundation, the Department of Homeland Security, the Navy and the Air Force. In total, the Air Force and NASA have awarded URI’s College of Engineering more than $1 million over the last three years for the development of an all ceramic thermocouple – temperature sensor – that will allow them to test its engines in the most severe environments imaginable. Airport security systems receive a lot of attention these days, but one of the most effective ways to make airline travel safer for the flying public is to ensure that the planes and the engines used to power them remain durable and reliable as the fleet of commercial airplanes age. Due to Professor Gregory’s research, URI is leading the way.

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Research & Innovation 2009-2010