Aircraft Engine Power Control for Energy Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft energy protection methods are inadequate for both low-energy and high-energy situations, as they reduce maneuverability and fail to address high-energy risks, leading to hazardous conditions.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that automatically detect engine failures, measure aircraft parameters, and adjust engine power to maintain energy protection while ensuring maneuverability, by calculating speed thresholds and modifying individual engine powers to achieve a total power balance, with optional asymmetry correction and pilot-controlled deactivation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If maximum power is automatically applied to non-failed engines, then energy protection is improved, but maneuverability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protection function dynamically adjusts engine power based on real-time aircraft parameters and detected failure conditions, rather than applying fixed maximum power. The system modifies individual engine powers progressively to reach a determined total power level, allowing the aircraft to maintain maneuverability while achieving energy protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the power parameter of controlled engines based on detected failure conditions and measured aircraft parameters. By calculating speed thresholds and determining appropriate total power levels, the system adjusts engine parameters to maintain safe energy levels while preserving pilot control and maneuverability.
2Reliability
If maximum power is applied to protect against low-energy situations, then low-energy protection is improved, but high-energy risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously measures aircraft parameters and uses this feedback to determine appropriate power levels. By monitoring the aircraft's energy state and adjusting engine power accordingly, the system protects against low-energy situations while avoiding the creation of high-energy risks that would result from uncontrolled maximum power application.
Solution Approach 2:
The system calculates speed thresholds and determines total power levels based on current aircraft conditions. This parameter-based control ensures that power is increased to protect against low-energy situations only when necessary, while automatically preventing excessive power application that would create high-energy risks.
3Reliability
If automatic protection function is activated, then safety is improved, but pilot control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The protection function applies partial power modification only to controlled engines rather than all engines, and only to the extent necessary to achieve energy protection. This partial action maintains pilot control over the aircraft while providing sufficient protection, avoiding the excessive control restriction that would result from complete automatic power management.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically detects failures and measures parameters to determine when protection is needed, reducing the burden on pilots. However, the system is designed to work alongside pilot control rather than replace it, allowing pilots to maintain authority while benefiting from automated safety monitoring and assistance.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method and device for protecting an aircraft comprising at least one wing-mounted engine arranged on each of its wings against at least one of a low-energy situation and a high-energy situation during flight in which at least one engine is a failed engine. A control unit is triggered to activate a protection function, as a function of the number and position of failed engines. The control unit controls at least one non-failed engine, and the protection function is activated when activation conditions are met. The activation conditions indicate that the aircraft is either in the low-energy situation such that the total current power of the aircraft is less than a predetermined minimum power or that the aircraft is in the high-energy situation such that the total current power of the aircraft is greater than a predetermined maximum total power.