Patent classifications
F05D2270/052
CONTROL FOR ELECTRICALLY ASSISTED TURBINES
In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, there is provided a method of accelerating a gas turbine engine. The method includes adding torque to a core of the gas turbine engine to accelerate rotation of the core by controlling fuel flow to a plurality of fuel injectors of the gas turbine engine. The method also includes adding torque to the core by powering an electric machine that is operatively connected to the core. In embodiments, controlling fuel flow to the plurality of fuel injectors is based on feedback from the electric machine.
Hybrid gas turbine engine starting control
A system includes a gas turbine engine having a low speed spool, a high speed spool, and a combustor. The system also includes a low spool motor configured to augment rotational power of the low speed spool. The system further includes a controller configured to cause fuel flow. The controller is operable to control the low spool motor to drive rotation of the low speed spool responsive to a thrust command while the controller does not command fuel flow to the combustor.
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPERATING AN AIRCRAFT HAVING A TURBOPROP ENGINE
Methods, systems, and assemblies for operating an aircraft having a turboprop engine are described. The method comprises obtaining a measured torque of the turboprop engine from a mechanical torque piston measurement system and displaying the measured torque in a cockpit of the aircraft. During operation of the turboprop engine, a torque measurement saturation condition of the torque piston measurement system is monitored to detect when the torque piston measurement system is outside of an operating range. A synthesized torque of the turboprop engine is determined based on one or more actual engine operating parameters of the turboprop engine. In response to detecting that the torque piston measurement system is outside of the operating range, the synthesized torque is displayed in the cockpit of the aircraft.
Gas generator speed limit and power recovery
An exemplary aircraft includes a turbine engine having a gas generator spool and a power spool, the power spool operational to drive a rotor, a first generator coupled to the gas generator spool, and a controller operable to increase a load on the gas generator spool when the gas generator spool is on a speed limit thereby increasing a speed limit margin in order to increase power available from the turbine engine.
Systems and methods to operate a dual-shaft gas turbine engine for hydraulic fracturing
Systems and methods to pump fracturing fluid into a wellhead may include a gas turbine engine including a compressor turbine shaft connected to a compressor, and a power turbine output shaft connected to a power turbine. The compressor turbine shaft and the power turbine output shaft may be rotatable at different rotational speeds. The systems may also include a transmission including a transmission input shaft connected to the power turbine output shaft and a transmission output shaft connected to a hydraulic fracturing pump. The systems may also include a fracturing unit controller configured to control one or more of the rotational speeds of the compressor turbine shaft, the power turbine output shaft, or the transmission output shaft based at least in part on target signals and fluid flow signals indicative of one or more of pressure or flow rate associated with fracturing fluid pumped into the wellhead.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO OPERATE A DUAL-SHAFT GAS TURBINE ENGINE FOR HYDRAULIC FRACTURING
Systems and methods to pump fracturing fluid into a wellhead may include a gas turbine engine including a compressor turbine shaft connected to a compressor, and a power turbine output shaft connected to a power turbine. The compressor turbine shaft and the power turbine output shaft may be rotatable at different rotational speeds. The systems may also include a transmission including a transmission input shaft connected to the power turbine output shaft and a transmission output shaft connected to a hydraulic fracturing pump. The systems may also include a fracturing unit controller configured to control one or more of the rotational speeds of the compressor turbine shaft, the power turbine output shaft, or the transmission output shaft based at least in part on target signals and fluid flow signals indicative of one or more of pressure or flow rate associated with fracturing fluid pumped into the wellhead.
HYBRID GAS TURBINE ENGINE STARTING CONTROL
A system includes a gas turbine engine of an aircraft, the gas turbine engine having a low speed spool, a high speed spool, and a combustor. The system also includes a low spool motor configured to augment rotational power of the low speed spool and a high spool motor configured to augment rotational power of the high speed spool. The system further includes a controller configured to cause fuel flow. The controller is configured to control a thrust response of the gas turbine engine to a thrust target between zero and a thrust level to move the aircraft during engine start and during engine idle. The controller is also configured to control the low spool motor to drive rotation of the low speed spool responsive to a thrust command while the controller does not command fuel flow to the combustor.
Method for controlling a turbomachine comprising an electric motor
A method for controlling a turbomachine comprising an electric motor forming a torque injection device on a high-pressure rotation shaft, in which method a fuel flow setpoint Q.sub.CMD and a torque setpoint TRQ.sub.CMD provided at the electric motor are determined, the control method comprising: • a step of implementing a first fuel control loop in order to determine the fuel flow set point QCMD, • a step of implementing a second, torque control loop in order to determine the torque setpoint TRQ.sub.CMD comprising i. a step of determining a torque correction variable ΔTRQ.sub.CMD as a function of a transitory speed setpoint NHTrajAccelCons, NHTrajDecelCons and ii. a step of determining the torque setpoint TRQ.sub.CMD as a function of the torque correction variable ΔTRQ.sub.CMD.
METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A TURBOMACHINE COMPRISING AN ELECTRIC MACHINE
The invention relates to a method for controlling a turbomachine comprising a gas generator, the turbomachine comprising an electric machine forming a device for injecting torque into/removing torque from one of the low pressure/high pressure rotation shafts of said gas generator. Said method comprises a step of implementing a fuel control loop in order to determine a fuel flow setpoint into the combustion chamber, and comprising, in the event that at least one operability limit is reached, determining a corrected fuel flow setpoint, said corrected fuel flow setpoint exhibiting a difference in relation to the setpoint. Said method also comprises a step of implementing a torque control loop in order to determine a torque setpoint for the electric machine, and comprising determining a torque correction quantity as a function of said difference, said torque setpoint being determined as a function of said torque correction quantity.
Method and system for model based control for variable pitch fan engines and turbo-shaft, turbo-propeller engines
A method and control system for an aircraft engine comprising a gas turbine driving a fan propeller with a mechanical gear-train and a dedicated pitch change mechanism for the fan propeller includes a fuel flow signal input; a pitch change mechanism signal input; a controlled plant for relating a pitch change mechanism pitch angle (BetaP) and a fuel flow (Wf) to at least two controlled outputs and a set of constraints. A decoupling control decoupling the controlled plant and/or the constraints into two separate single-input single-output (SISO) control loops for the first and second controlled outputs and a decoupling control decoupling the constraints from the decoupled controlled outputs and the constraints from one another provide gas turbine and fan propeller coordinate control while coordinately controlling constraints and outputs. A feedforward control can compensate the load change effect on engine speed and fan propeller rotor speed control.