The present application discloses a method of determining one or more fuel characteristics of an aviation fuel used for powering a gas turbine engine of an aircraft. The method comprises: determining one or more performance parameters of the gas turbine engine during a first time period of operation of the gas turbine engine; and determining one or more fuel characteristics of the fuel based on the one or more performance parameters. A method of operating an aircraft, a fuel characteristic determination system, and an aircraft are also disclosed.

The present application discloses a method of determining one or more fuel characteristics of an aviation fuel suitable for powering a gas turbine engine of an aircraft. The method comprises: determining, during use of the gas turbine engine, one or more exhaust content parameters by performing a sensor measurement on an exhaust of the gas turbine engine; and determining one or more fuel characteristics of the fuel based on the one or more exhaust parameters. Also disclosed is a fuel characteristic determination system, a method of operating an aircraft, and an aircraft.

The present application discloses a method of determining one or more fuel characteristics of an aviation fuel suitable for powering a gas turbine engine of an aircraft. The method comprises: determining, during use of the gas turbine engine, one or more exhaust content parameters by performing a sensor measurement on an exhaust of the gas turbine engine; and determining one or more fuel characteristics of the fuel based on the one or more exhaust parameters. Also disclosed is a fuel characteristic determination system, a method of operating an aircraft, and an aircraft.

The present disclosure provides methods for controlling volumetric flows of streams into a combustor, and particularly in a combustor utilized in a power production method. A controller can be used to receive a variety of inputs, carry out calculations, and output one or more signals that adjust one or more parameters of one or more of the streams entering the combustor. Such adjustments can be effective to normalize a volumetric flow rate between the combustor and a turbine immediately downstream from the combustor without requiring direct measurement of the volumetric flow rate between the combustor and the turbine immediately downstream from the combustor.

A fuel conditioning and control system provides dynamic control and steady state operations of a gas turbine provided fueled by supercritical liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The fuel conditioning and control system comprises a storage for LPG fuel; a fuel delivery sub-system connecting the storage to turbomachinery; and a control system. The gas turbine includes a gas turbine core control that provides at least one operational data of the gas turbine to the control system. The fuel delivery sub-system includes at least one sensor for sensing at least one property of the LPG fuel in the fuel delivery sub-system, where the at least one sensor providing data on the at least one property of the LPG fuel to the control system. The control system analyzes the data on the at least one property of the LPG fuel and at least one operational data of the gas turbine for dynamic control of LPG fuel to the gas turbine under dynamic and steady state conditions.

A fuel conditioning and control system provides dynamic control and steady state operations of a gas turbine provided fueled by supercritical liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). The fuel conditioning and control system comprises a storage for LPG fuel; a fuel delivery sub-system connecting the storage to turbomachinery; and a control system. The gas turbine includes a gas turbine core control that provides at least one operational data of the gas turbine to the control system. The fuel delivery sub-system includes at least one sensor for sensing at least one property of the LPG fuel in the fuel delivery sub-system, where the at least one sensor providing data on the at least one property of the LPG fuel to the control system. The control system analyzes the data on the at least one property of the LPG fuel and at least one operational data of the gas turbine for dynamic control of LPG fuel to the gas turbine under dynamic and steady state conditions.

A state quantity acquisition unit acquires a state quantity of a target apparatus including a temperature of the target apparatus. A load specification unit specifies a load history of the target apparatus, based on the state quantity. A remaining life calculation unit calculates a parameter related to a remaining life of the target apparatus for each of a plurality of degradation types, based on the load history specified by the load specification unit.

A method of optimizing the operation of a fleet of gas turbine engines is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (a) measuring respective values for plural control actuator settings within each of the gas turbine engines; (b) deriving, based on data external to the operation of the gas turbine engines, a desired performance modification of the gas turbine engines; (c) determining, based on the measured control actuator settings, one or more respective trim signals for varying selected of the control actuator settings to achieve the desired performance modification; and (d) transmitting the trim signals to respective electronic controllers of the engines to vary the selected control actuator settings accordingly.

An aircraft that includes a hybrid-electric propulsion system is provided. In one aspect, the hybrid-electric propulsion system includes at least one propulsor that includes a gas turbine engine and an electric machine mechanically coupled with a spool of the gas turbine engine. When idle operation is commanded, electrical power is provided to the electric machine to cause the electric machine to apply torque to the spool and fuel provided to the engine can be reduced. Thus, the electric machine is controlled to provide a power assist to maintain the engine at the commanded idle speed whilst reducing fuel consumption.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for controlling thrust produced at takeoff by at least one engine (114, 116) of an aircraft (100). At least one input signal comprising input data indicative of a speed of the aircraft is received (202). The speed of the aircraft is compared to a first pre-determined threshold. Responsive to determining that the speed is below the first threshold, a thrust limit for the at least one engine is determined (204) from the input data and output to the at least one engine a thrust limitation signal for causing the thrust to be limited according to the thrust limit (210).