SHAFT MONITORING SYSTEM

Abstract

A monitoring system for monitoring behaviour of a rotating shaft is provided. The system includes a phonic wheel which is mounted coaxially to the shaft for rotation therewith, the phonic wheel having a number N of teeth in a circumferential row. The system further includes a first sensor configured to detect the passage of the teeth of the phonic wheel by generating a first alternating measurement signal which includes (i) a primary oscillatory component having a frequency of fN, where f is the rotational frequency of the shaft, and (ii) a secondary oscillatory component of frequency f when the phonic wheel precesses such that each revolution of the shaft a clearance between the phonic wheel and the first sensor cyclically varies between a maximum value and a minimum value. The system further includes a processor unit configured to determine the durations of successive first speed samples, each first speed sample being a block of integer n successive cycles of the primary oscillatory component of the first alternating measurement signal. The secondary oscillatory component of the first alternating measurement signal, when present, produces a cyclical variation of frequency fin the durations of the successive first speed samples. The processor unit is further configured to detect any such cyclical variation of the first speed samples and to compare a detected cyclical variation of the first speed samples against a threshold variation to determine therefrom if the phonic wheel is precessing.

Claims

1. A monitoring system for monitoring behaviour of a rotating shaft, the system including: a phonic wheel which is mounted coaxially to the shaft for rotation therewith, the phonic wheel having a number N of teeth in a circumferential row; a first sensor configured to detect the passage of the teeth of the phonic wheel by generating a first alternating measurement signal which includes (i) a primary oscillatory component having a frequency of fN, where f is the rotational frequency of the shaft, and (ii) a secondary oscillatory component of frequency f when the phonic wheel precesses such that each revolution of the shaft a clearance between the phonic wheel and the first sensor cyclically varies between a maximum value and a minimum value; and a processor unit configured to determine the durations of successive first speed samples, each first speed sample being a block of integer n successive cycles of the primary oscillatory component of the first alternating measurement signal; wherein the secondary oscillatory component of the first alternating measurement signal, when present, produces a cyclical variation of frequency fin the durations of the successive first speed samples, and the processor unit is further configured to detect any such cyclical variation of the first speed samples and to compare a detected cyclical variation of the first speed samples against a threshold variation to determine therefrom if the phonic wheel is precessing.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, further having a second sensor configured to detect the passage of the teeth of the phonic wheel by generating a second alternating measurement signal which also includes (i) a primary oscillatory component having a frequency of fN, where f is the rotational frequency of the shaft, and (ii) a secondary oscillatory component of frequency f when the phonic wheel precesses such that each revolution of the shaft a clearance between the phonic wheel and the first sensor cyclically varies between a maximum value and a minimum value; wherein the processor unit is further configured to determine the durations of successive second speed samples, each second speed sample being a block of integer n successive cycles of the primary oscillatory component of the second alternating measurement signal; and wherein the secondary oscillatory component of the second alternating measurement signal, when present, produces a cyclical variation of frequency fin the durations of the successive second speed samples, and the processor unit is further configured to detect any such cyclical variation of the second speed samples and to compare a detected cyclical variation of the second speed samples against the threshold variation to determine therefrom if the phonic wheel is precessing.

3. The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the second sensor is positioned on an opposite side of the phonic wheel to the first sensor.

4. The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein the processor unit is further configured to issue an engine shutdown command on either (i) loss of the respective alternating measurement signals from both of the sensors, or (ii) loss of the respective alternating measurement signal from one of the sensors, and a determination that the phonic wheel is precessing based on the respective alternating measurement signal from the other one of the sensors.

5. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein N/n is four or more.

6. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the phonic wheel is configured such that the, or each, sensor also provides a once per revolution signal.

7. A gas turbine engine for an aircraft, the gas turbine engine comprising: an engine core comprising a turbine, a compressor and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor; and a monitoring system according to claim 1, for monitoring behaviour of the core shaft, the phonic wheel being mounted coaxially to the core shaft for rotation therewith.

8. The gas turbine engine of claim 7, wherein the monitoring system monitors for bowing of the core shaft, the bowing causing the phonic wheel to precess.

9. The gas turbine engine of claim 7, wherein the monitoring system monitors for a blade off event from the core shaft, the blade off event causing the phonic wheel to precess.

10. A gas turbine engine for an aircraft, the gas turbine engine comprising: an engine core comprising a turbine, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor; a fan located upstream of the engine core, the fan comprising a plurality of fan blades; and a gearbox that receives an input from the core shaft and outputs drive to the fan via an output shaft so as to drive the fan at a lower rotational speed than the core shaft; and a monitoring system according to claim 1 for monitoring behaviour of the output shaft, the phonic wheel being mounted coaxially to the output shaft for rotation therewith.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 10, wherein the monitoring system monitors for a fan blade off event from the fan, the blade off event causing the phonic wheel to precess.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0063] Embodiments will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the Figures, in which:

[0064] FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of a gas turbine engine;

[0065] FIG. 2 is a close up sectional side view of an upstream portion of a gas turbine engine;

[0066] FIG. 3 is a partially cut-away view of a gearbox for a gas turbine engine;

[0067] FIG. 4 shows schematically a speed measurement system which can also be used to monitor for blade off and shaft bow events;

[0068] FIG. 5 shows schematically an alternating measurement signal detected by a speed sensor, the signal having a sinusoidal wave pattern as its primary oscillatory component;

[0069] FIG. 6 shows schematically a precessional orbit of a phonic wheel of the monitoring system relative to a clearance limit at successive locations on the orbit during a single rotation of the phonic wheel;

[0070] FIG. 7 shows schematically at top a reference alternating measurement signal for normal rotation and at bottom the actual alternating measurement signal at location A from FIG. 6;

[0071] FIG. 8 shows schematically at top the reference alternating measurement signal and at bottom the actual alternating measurement signal at location B from FIG. 6;

[0072] FIG. 9 shows schematically at top the reference alternating measurement signal and at bottom the actual alternating measurement signal at location C from FIG. 6;

[0073] FIG. 10 shows schematically at top the actual analog passing speed of the phonic wheel over a speed sensor for a single rotation of the wheel, and at bottom the corresponding measured digital passing speed;

[0074] FIG. 11 shows schematically the respective analog passing speeds of the phonic wheel over two 180 apart speed sensors;

[0075] FIG. 12 shows schematically the respective analog passing speeds of the phonic wheel over two 135 apart speed sensors;

[0076] FIG. 13 shows schematically part of an engine structure having a phonic wheel and speed sensors for blade off monitoring; and

[0077] FIG. 14 shows schematically part of an alternative engine structure having a phonic wheel and speed sensors for blade off monitoring.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0078] Aspects and embodiments of the present disclosure will now be discussed with reference to the accompanying figures. Further aspects and embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0079] FIG. 1 illustrates a gas turbine engine 10 having a principal rotational axis 9. The engine 10 comprises an air intake 12 and a propulsive fan 23 that generates two airflows: a core airflow A and a bypass airflow B. The gas turbine engine 10 comprises a core 11 that receives the core airflow A. The engine core 11 comprises, in axial flow series, a low pressure compressor 14, a high-pressure compressor 15, combustion equipment 16, a high-pressure turbine 17, a low pressure turbine 19 and a core exhaust nozzle 20. A nacelle 21 surrounds the gas turbine engine 10 and defines a bypass duct 22 and a bypass exhaust nozzle 18. The bypass airflow B flows through the bypass duct 22. The fan 23 is attached to and driven by the low pressure turbine 19 via a shaft 26 and an epicyclic gearbox 30.

[0080] In use, the core airflow A is accelerated and compressed by the low pressure compressor 14 and directed into the high pressure compressor 15 where further compression takes place. The compressed air exhausted from the high pressure compressor 15 is directed into the combustion equipment 16 where it is mixed with fuel and the mixture is combusted. The resultant hot combustion products then expand through, and thereby drive, the high pressure and low pressure turbines 17, 19 before being exhausted through the nozzle 20 to provide some propulsive thrust. The high pressure turbine 17 drives the high pressure compressor 15 by a suitable interconnecting shaft 27. The fan 23 generally provides the majority of the propulsive thrust. The epicyclic gearbox 30 is a reduction gearbox.

[0081] An exemplary arrangement for a geared fan gas turbine engine 10 is shown in FIG. 2. The low pressure turbine 19 (see FIG. 1) drives the shaft 26, which is coupled to a sun wheel, or sun gear, 28 of the epicyclic gear arrangement 30. Radially outwardly of the sun gear 28 and intermeshing therewith is a plurality of planet gears 32 that are coupled together by a planet carrier 34. The planet carrier 34 constrains the planet gears 32 to precess around the sun gear 28 in synchronicity whilst enabling each planet gear 32 to rotate about its own axis. The planet carrier 34 is coupled via linkages 36 to the fan 23 in order to drive its rotation about the engine axis 9. Radially outwardly of the planet gears 32 and intermeshing therewith is an annulus or ring gear 38 that is coupled, via linkages 40, to a stationary supporting structure 24.

[0082] Note that the terms low pressure turbine and low pressure compressor as used herein may be taken to mean the lowest pressure turbine stages and lowest pressure compressor stages (i.e. not including the fan 23) respectively and/or the turbine and compressor stages that are connected together by the interconnecting shaft 26 with the lowest rotational speed in the engine (i.e. not including the gearbox output shaft that drives the fan 23). In some literature, the low pressure turbine and low pressure compressor referred to herein may alternatively be known as the intermediate pressure turbine and intermediate pressure compressor. Where such alternative nomenclature is used, the fan 23 may be referred to as a first, or lowest pressure, compression stage.

[0083] The epicyclic gearbox 30 is shown by way of example in greater detail in FIG. 3. Each of the sun gear 28, planet gears 32 and ring gear 38 comprise teeth about their periphery to intermesh with the other gears. However, for clarity only exemplary portions of the teeth are illustrated in FIG. 3. There are four planet gears 32 illustrated, although it will be apparent to the skilled reader that more or fewer planet gears 32 may be provided within the scope of the claimed invention. Practical applications of a planetary epicyclic gearbox 30 generally comprise at least three planet gears 32.

[0084] The epicyclic gearbox 30 illustrated by way of example in FIGS. 2 and 3 is of the planetary type, in that the planet carrier 34 is coupled to an output shaft via linkages 36, with the ring gear 38 fixed. However, any other suitable type of epicyclic gearbox 30 may be used. By way of further example, the epicyclic gearbox 30 may be a star arrangement, in which the planet carrier 34 is held fixed, with the ring (or annulus) gear 38 allowed to rotate. In such an arrangement the fan 23 is driven by the ring gear 38. By way of further alternative example, the gearbox 30 may be a differential gearbox in which the ring gear 38 and the planet carrier 34 are both allowed to rotate.

[0085] It will be appreciated that the arrangement shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is by way of example only, and various alternatives are within the scope of the present disclosure. Purely by way of example, any suitable arrangement may be used for locating the gearbox 30 in the engine 10 and/or for connecting the gearbox 30 to the engine 10. By way of further example, the connections (such as the linkages 36, 40 in the FIG. 2 example) between the gearbox 30 and other parts of the engine 10 (such as the input shaft 26, the output shaft and the fixed structure 24) may have any desired degree of stiffness or flexibility. By way of further example, any suitable arrangement of the bearings between rotating and stationary parts of the engine (for example between the input and output shafts from the gearbox and the fixed structures, such as the gearbox casing) may be used, and the disclosure is not limited to the exemplary arrangement of FIG. 2. For example, where the gearbox 30 has a star arrangement (described above), the skilled person would readily understand that the arrangement of output and support linkages and bearing locations would typically be different to that shown by way of example in FIG. 2.

[0086] Accordingly, the present disclosure extends to a gas turbine engine having any arrangement of gearbox styles (for example star or planetary), support structures, input and output shaft arrangement, and bearing locations.

[0087] Optionally, the gearbox may drive additional and/or alternative components (e.g. the intermediate pressure compressor and/or a booster compressor).

[0088] Other gas turbine engines to which the present disclosure may be applied may have alternative configurations. For example, such engines may have an alternative number of compressors and/or turbines and/or an alternative number of interconnecting shafts. By way of further example, the gas turbine engine shown in FIG. 1 has a split flow nozzle 18, 20 meaning that the flow through the bypass duct 22 has its own nozzle 18 that is separate to and radially outside the core exhaust nozzle 20. However, this is not limiting, and any aspect of the present disclosure may also apply to engines in which the flow through the bypass duct 22 and the flow through the core 11 are mixed, or combined, before (or upstream of) a single nozzle, which may be referred to as a mixed flow nozzle. One or both nozzles (whether mixed or split flow) may have a fixed or variable area. Whilst the described example relates to a turbofan engine, the disclosure may apply, for example, to any type of gas turbine engine, such as an open rotor (in which the fan stage is not surrounded by a nacelle) or turboprop engine, for example. In some arrangements, the gas turbine engine 10 may not comprise a gearbox 30.

[0089] The geometry of the gas turbine engine 10, and components thereof, is defined by a conventional axis system, comprising an axial direction (which is aligned with the rotational axis 9), a radial direction (in the bottom-to-top direction in FIG. 1), and a circumferential direction (perpendicular to the page in the FIG. 1 view). The axial, radial and circumferential directions are mutually perpendicular.

[0090] In the exemplary arrangement for a geared fan gas turbine engine 10 shown in FIG. 2, an output shaft 50 from the epicyclic gear arrangement 30 transmits torque to the fan 23. A phonic wheel 56 has a circumferential row of teeth whose passage is detected by a first variable reluctance speed sensor 60 mounted to a stationary structure of the engine. The phonic wheel and speed sensor are used to measure the rotational speed of the output shaft, and hence of the fan, the measurement being used for control and monitoring purposes by the engine's EEC.

Speed Measurement

[0091] A speed measurement system using the phonic wheel 56 and the first speed sensor 60 is shown schematically in FIG. 4. Although not shown in FIG. 2, the system may have a second variable reluctance speed sensor 60 positioned on the opposite side of the first phonic wheel 56. The phonic wheel has a number N of regularly spaced teeth. These are typically square edged and of uniform circumferential thickness, such that the rotation of the phonic wheel past each sensor induces a respective alternating measurement signal having a sinusoidal wave pattern (primary oscillatory component), as shown in FIG. 5. The speed measurement system (typically embodied as part of the EEC) has a signal conditioning function which detects zero crossings and uses a reference clock to measure the time for a speed sample of n successive complete cycles (the beginning of each cycle being a zero-crossing point from the previous cycle and the end of each cycle being the corresponding zero-crossing point to the next cycle). A processor of the EEC then uses this timing information to derive the rotational speed of the output shaft 50 and fan 23. In FIG. 5 each speed sample is shown made up of n=3 successive cycles. The two sensors 60, 60 provide redundancy, and improve measurement accuracy.

Blade Off Detection

[0092] A fan blade off (FBO) event from the fan 23 produces an out of balance (OOB) in which the output shaft 50 precesses. If the precession is large enough, it can lead to the loss of both of the speed sensors 60, 60, which of itself is a robust indicator to the EEC that there is a problem and engine shutdown can be initiated. Particularly, if the fan blades are composite rather than metal, blade failures tend to be partial (i.e. loss of only a top section of the blade) rather than total. Such partial loss of a fan blade can produce a precession that does not lead to loss of the speed sensors. However, in this case, as explained below, characteristic changes in the speed measurements taken by the phonic wheel 56 and the speed sensors 60, 60 can be used by the EEC to detect the precession and hence the FBO event.

[0093] On loss of a fan blade, the loss of balance in the fan assembly forces the phonic wheel 56 into an OOB precessional orbit as illustrated in FIG. 6, in addition to the fan rotation speed. The frequency of orbit is once per revolution of the fan. The outer circle represents the clearance limit for which a higher OOB will lead to elimination of the speed sensors 60, 60 by impact with the phonic wheel. The phonic wheel is rotating in a clockwise direction in FIG. 6.

[0094] The time between each phonic wheel tooth passing a given speed sensor is a combined response of fan rotational speed and a secondary oscillatory component due to the precessional orbit which is a simple harmonic component on the relative time of zero crossings. In addition, the amplitude of the signal changes dependent on proximity to the sensor.

[0095] This is illustrated in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 to reflect speed signal changes for phonic wheel positions A, B and C on FIG. 6 with the sensor 60 at top dead centre (TDC). For each figure, the nominal signal (i.e. without FBO) is provided to illustrate the change.

[0096] With reference to FIG. 7, the effect of the OOB when the phonic wheel 56 is at location A is that the phonic wheel is closer to the sensor 60 such that the amplitude of the signal is increased. However, the phonic wheel is also at peak relative speed to the right due to the OOB component, so the measured speed is higher than the actual rotational speed. Thus, in FIG. 7 the additional motion reduces the time for the teeth to pass the sensor.

[0097] With reference to FIG. 8, the effect of the OOB at Location B is that the relative motion between the phonic wheel 56 and sensor 60 transitions through zero. Thus, the measured speed matches the nominal signal.

[0098] With reference to FIG. 9, the effect on the sensor 60 when the OOB moves the phonic wheel 56 through location C is that the relative motion of the phonic wheel teeth to the sensor is to the left, which appears as a reduced rotational speed relative to the nominal signal.

[0099] The net effect of the change in time for each phonic wheel tooth against the nominal time at a steady state rotational speed measurement is illustrated in the top half of FIG. 10 as a continuous line. The actual variation is digitised into N cycles and over one rotation is split into N/n speed samples. As long as the measured speed signal varies at a level greater than a threshold limit determined by the measurement system accuracy, the precessional behaviour around the actual (nominal) speed can be identified, as shown in the lower half of FIG. 10.

[0100] FIGS. 7 to 10 illustrate the approach of the system to monitoring for blade off at steady state conditions. Thus, for a single sensor 60, the speed samples from a previous cycle's rotation can be used as a reference for the average speed such that, if the measured speed signal from a sample differs from the average by greater than measurement accuracy limits with a phasing that matches the time of one rotation. However, the system can also monitor for blade off events in transient conditions by taking account of rate of change on the moving average.

[0101] The monitoring can be made more robust by the use of the two diametrically opposed sensors 60, 60. In this case, as well as each sensor providing the measurement characteristics discussed above, the phase oscillation between the two sets of measurements provides another indication of a failure event. Specifically, the opposing speed measurement from the second sensor 60 is 180 out of phase with that from the first sensor 60. This is illustrated in FIG. 11. The two sets of measurements periodically match and diverge twice per revolution.

[0102] Monitoring of the phase oscillation between the two sensors 60, 60 can be performed continuously, i.e. it does not need to be triggered by other events such as a measured speed signal from one of the sensors varying at a level greater than the threshold limit. Such continuous monitoring of OOB helps to reduce any confirmation period required by the EEC.

[0103] Although locating the second sensor 60 diametrically opposite the first sensor 60 is convenient, other angular positions between the sensor locations can be accommodated. For example, FIG. 12 shows two sets of measurements from the speed sensors 60, 60 at 135 separation.

[0104] Advantageously, having two sensors 60, 60 allows the monitoring system to rely on the relative phasing between the two sets of measurements, thereby removing effects of engine acceleration.

[0105] It is possible for the initial precession on FBO to impact just one sensor and then for the OOB to reduce without impacting the remaining sensor. In this case, loss of one of the sensors 60, 60 and detection of phase oscillation on the remaining sensor within a time window can also be used as a robust indication to the EEC that there is a problem.

[0106] In support of blade off detection, the number n of successive complete cycles is preferably selected so that each shaft rotation has at least four complete speed samples. Increasing the sample rate (i.e. by reducing n and/or increasing N), even to the limit of setting n=1, can improve the sensitivity of the monitoring.

[0107] Following a blade off event, the torque characteristic between the fan and the driving turbine changes due to the reduction in the fan drag. This leads to a torsional oscillation component as the shaft untwists, resulting in damped oscillation on the rotation until the shaft twist reaches a new equilibrium. Effectively, the shaft acts as a spring with a resonant frequency and a stiffness factor. However, this effect is secondary relative to the OOB variation on shaft speed.

[0108] The monitoring system can include a confirmation time to allow for transient disturbances on speed samples (e.g. caused by ice shedding or lightning strike). Additionally, or alternatively the system can filter noise effects on the speed samples for comparison between signals from other sensors. If the phonic wheel 56 also provides a once per revolution signal (e.g. by having one tooth which is shorter or longer than the other teeth), then this can be used to help determine when noise signals or transient disturbances have caused an additional reading.

[0109] In a variant system, the monitoring system includes a further phonic wheel with respective sensor(s) at the other end of the shaft. Depending on the rigidity of the shaft, a corresponding absence of speed signal variation can occur, or a similar precessional coupling to the fan rotation can occur, potentially with a phase difference related to the torsional stiffness of the shaft. This further information can be used to confirm the blade off event detected by the first phonic wheel and its sensors.

[0110] In the above discussion, the sensors 60, 60 are assumed to be statically located on a rigid engine structure that does not move as the shaft precesses. However, if the structure to which the sensors are mounted is not isolated from the FBO OOB, then the movement of the sensors also has to be accounted for. This movement also has once per revolution component which can expect to be reduced relative to the phonic wheel if the sensor installation is also linked to additional structure.

[0111] As an example, FIG. 13 shows a hub 62 for the fan 23 attached to the end of the output shaft 50, which is in turn located in the engine by bearings 64. The phonic wheel 56 is mounted to the shaft on the opposite side of the bearings as the fan hub, and the speed sensors 60, 60 are mounted to a relatively rigid portion of engine structure 66 which also carries the bearings. Following an FBO event the shaft rotates with an OOB component moving the bearings 64 and the engine structure 66, but the structure progressively damps the OOB force such that at the phonic wheel position there is reduced forced movement and there is significant relative motion between the phonic wheel and the speed sensors. Nonetheless, the effect of the forced movement at the speed sensor location is to effectively increase the threshold OOB which can be detected.

[0112] In contrast, FIG. 14 shows the phonic wheel 56 mounted to the shaft 50 on the same side of the bearings 64 as the fan hub 62, and the speed sensors 60, 60 mounted to a significantly less rigid portion of engine structure 66. In this configuration, the sensors may move with approximately the same magnitude of OOB as the phonic wheel, yielding little or no relative motion that can be detected by the monitoring system.

[0113] Although discussed above in relation to an FBO event, such a system can also be used to monitor for a compressor blade off event.

[0114] The EEC can store the relative time for tooth passing during normal (non-OOB) rotations of the phonic wheel 56, and use the stored relative time to filter apparent noise on OOB measurements. This filtering can be further enhanced if the phonic wheel 56 also provides a once per revolution signal (discussed above) as EEC can then determine which teeth are contributing to any given speed sample. In this way, the EEC can better accommodate phonic wheel machining tolerances or revised tooth profiles.

Shaft Bow

[0115] The monitoring system for shaft bow is similarly configured to that for monitoring for blade off events (i.e. an adapted speed measurement system), but is typically installed on the shaft 27 of the high pressure spool.

[0116] In the case of monitoring for shaft now, the shaft rotation speed is generally much lower (typically just a few hundred rpm at the point in the start of interest compared to typically over 1000 rpm for FBO monitoring). Additionally the amount of OOB is much lower (typically up to 0.05 mm for shaft bow monitoring compared to typically about 0.2 mm for FBO monitoring). These factors make it more difficult to detect shaft bow without increasing the resolution of the clock cycle for zero crossing detection. Nonetheless, a monitoring system to detect the presence of shaft bow is possible.

[0117] The measure of OOB can then be used to regulate engine start. In particular, knowing the amount of OOB allows resonant frequencies of the spool to be avoided, e.g. by limiting the air supply and hence engine cranking speed. As the OOB reduces the engine speed can be increased. While the start sequence is still extended, the active monitoring of shaft bow allows the start to be optimised, and typically reduced in overall time.

[0118] It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments above-described and various modifications and improvements can be made without departing from the concepts described herein. Except where mutually exclusive, any of the features may be employed separately or in combination with any other features and the disclosure extends to and includes all combinations and sub-combinations of one or more features described herein.