Patent classifications
F05D2270/44
Output power management for engines
Methods and systems for operating an engine are provided. An engine core temperature is monitored. When the engine core temperature is below an engine thermal limit adjusted for a level of deterioration of the engine, an output power of the engine is set in accordance with a reference power based on non-thermal limits of the engine. When the engine core temperature is near or above the engine thermal limit adjusted for the level of deterioration of the engine, the output power of the engine is set to a value lower than the reference power based on non-thermal limits of the engine to reduce the engine core temperature.
Autonomous safety mode for distributed control of turbomachines
A distributed control system for a turbomachine and method of operating the distributed control system are provided. In one aspect, a distributed control system includes a central controller and a distributed controller communicatively coupled thereto. The distributed controller has one or more associated local actuators and one or more associated local sensors. The actuators and the sensors are communicatively coupled with the distributed controller. If a communication link between the central controller and the distributed controller becomes faulty, the distributed controller enters an autonomous safety mode. In this mode, the distributed controller uses a combination of its own associated local sensors and past commands received from the central controller to autonomously govern its associated local actuators to maintain safe operation of the turbomachine.
Oil life of oil in a gearbox of an air turbine starter
A system and method for predicting a remaining oil life of oil in a gearbox of an air turbine starter of a vehicle. The method includes generating a temperature data, generating an environmental data set by an environmental sensor, predicting a remaining oil life based on the temperature data set and the environmental data set and scheduling a maintenance event in response to the prediction of the remaining oil life.
ADAPTIVE MODEL PREDICTIVE CONTROL FOR HYBRID ELECTRIC PROPULSION
A hybrid electric propulsion system includes a gas turbine engine having at least one compressor section and at least one turbine section operably coupled to a shaft. The hybrid electric propulsion system includes an electric motor configured to augment rotational power of the shaft of the gas turbine engine. A controller is operable to determine hybrid electric propulsion system parameters based on a composite system model and sensor data, determine a prediction based on the hybrid electric propulsion system parameters and the composite system model, determine a model predictive control optimization for a plurality of hybrid electric system control effectors based on the prediction using a plurality of reduced-order partitions of the composite system model, and actuate the hybrid electric system control effectors based on the model predictive control optimization.
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING A THRUST REVERSER OF AN AIRCRAFT
A method for controlling a turboj et engine thrust reverser during an aborted aircraft takeoff, the thrust reverser including doors movable between a stowed position, an overstowed position and a deployed position; door actuators to move the doors between the stowed, overstowed and deployed positions; a device for locking the doors in the stowed position, moveable between a locking position and an unlocking position; and a lock actuator to move the locking device between the locking and unlocking positions. The method includes decreasing the engine speed of the turbojet engine by following a setpoint value below a first engine speed threshold value at which the aerodynamic forces being exerted on the doors are equal to the forces developed by the door actuators; controlling the door actuators to bring the doors into the overstowed position; controlling the lock actuator to bring the locking device into the unlocking position.
Predictive pump station and pipeline advanced control system
A method and controller for operating a pumping station. The method includes receiving (1102), by at least one controller (910, 952), sensor data (712) of a first pumping station (900) corresponding to a liquid being transported from the first pumping station (900). The method includes predicting (1104) arrival of the liquid, by the at least one controller (910, 952), at a second pumping station (900). The method includes executing (1106) one or more pump models (720), by the at least one controller (910, 952), according to the sensor data (712) to determine an optimal pumping configuration. The method includes operating (1108) one more pumps of the second pumping station (900), by the at least one controller (910, 952), according to the optimal pumping configuration.
Pump management system
A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product for managing pumps in an aircraft. Flight information about an operation of the pumps in a pump package in the aircraft is received by a computer system. The flight information is received from the aircraft. A number of times that an abnormal switching occurred for the pumps within a window of consecutive flights is determined by the computer system when the abnormal switching is identified from the flight information. A set of actions is performed by the computer system when the abnormal switching occurred a number of times for the pumps within the window of consecutive flights that exceeds a set of thresholds for the abnormal switching that is considered healthy for the pumps.
SPRING LOADED SLEEVE VALVE WITH CONTROLLED CLOSING FORCE
A sleeve valve includes an inlet port and an outlet port. A sleeve is movable to close flow from the inlet port to the outlet port. The sleeve valve has a sleeve biased to an open position at which it allows flow from the inlet port to the outlet port by a spring. Pressure in a pressure chamber urges the sleeve to a closed position at which it blocks flow from the inlet port to the outlet port. A line pressure conduit communicates the fluid chamber into the pressure chamber. Pressurized air is supplied to the pressure chamber through a selectively closed valve. The selectively closed valve is opened to allow the flow of high pressure air from a pressure source into the pressure chamber to move the sleeve to a closed position. A bleed air system for a gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
METHOD OF EVALUATING AIRCRAFT ENGINE COMPONENTS FOR COMPLIANCE WITH FLOW REQUIREMENTS
A method of evaluating compliance of a component of an aircraft engine with flow requirements has: obtaining experimental data from experimental testing on a prototype of the component; obtaining a digitized model of a production model of the component, the digitized model including digitized apertures having geometrical data corresponding to that of apertures defined in the production model; computing a nominal mass flow rate through the digitized apertures using the geometrical data and flow parameters from the experimental data; correcting the nominal mass flow rate of the digitized model to obtain a computed mass flow rate of the production model; and assigning at least one parameter to the production model, the at least one parameter indicative of installation approval of the production model of the component for installation on the aircraft engine when the computed mass flow rate is determined to be within a prescribed range of the flow requirements.
Method and control unit for controlling the play of a high-pressure turbine
A method for controlling the clearance between the blade tips of a high-pressure turbine of a gas turbine aircraft engine and a turbine shroud, including the controlling of a valve delivering a stream of air to the turbine shroud, this method further including the following steps: the detection of a transient acceleration phase of the engine; the receiving of an item of data representative of the gas temperature at the outlet of the combustion chamber of the engine; a valve opening command, to deliver the air stream to the turbine shroud or to increase the flow rate of the delivered air stream, if the transient acceleration phase is detected and if the gas temperature at the outlet of the combustion chamber is greater than a first temperature threshold corresponding to a degraded clearance characteristic of an aged engine, this threshold being less than an operating limit temperature of the engine.