Aircraft Engine Signal Gating for Vibration Health Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engines often lack the capability to measure and analyze certain operation parameters, such as vibrations, due to the absence of dedicated sensors and incompatible controllers, leading to potential damage and performance degradation without effective health monitoring.
Innovation Solution
A health evaluation device is introduced to monitor health parameters, such as vibrations, and communicate with the engine's controller via a communication link, preventing operation parameter signals from being transmitted when thresholds are exceeded and sending fault signals containing mutually-exclusive codes to trigger health responses, allowing for minimally-invasive retrofitting without re-certification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a health evaluation device is introduced to monitor health parameters and prevent operation parameter signals from being transmitted when thresholds are exceeded, then engine reliability and safety are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A health evaluation device is introduced as an intermediary component between existing sensors and the controller. This device monitors health parameters (such as vibrations) and selectively prevents operation parameter signals from being transmitted when thresholds are exceeded, without requiring modifications to the existing engine control system or sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The health evaluation device is designed to work with multiple types of sensors and communication protocols, making it applicable to various gas turbine engine configurations. The device can monitor different health parameters and interface with different sensor types, providing a universal solution for engine health monitoring.
2Measurement precision
If dedicated sensors and controllers are installed to measure and analyze operation parameters, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system utilizes existing sensors and communication infrastructure already present in the gas turbine engine, making them serve dual purposes: their original function plus health monitoring. The health evaluation device processes signals from these existing sensors to extract health information, eliminating the need for additional dedicated sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The health evaluation device acts as an intermediary that enhances the functionality of existing sensors by adding health monitoring capabilities through signal processing and threshold comparison, rather than requiring new dedicated sensing equipment.
3Reliability
If extensive hardware or software modifications are made to enable health monitoring, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but ease of manufacture and installation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The health monitoring capability is segmented into a separate, standalone health evaluation device that can be independently manufactured and installed. This modular approach allows the monitoring function to be added without modifying the core engine control system, simplifying both manufacturing and installation processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The health evaluation device serves as an intermediary layer that interfaces with existing systems without requiring integration into their core architecture, enabling easy installation and removal while maintaining system reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
A health parameter for the engine received from a first instrument (230) is monitored by a health evaluation device (240) communicatively coupled to a communication link (205) between an engine controller (210) and a second instrument (220) which generates an operation parameter signal indicative of an engine operating condition. The health parameter is compared, by the health evaluation device (240), to a predetermined threshold. When the health parameter is below the threshold, the health evaluation device (240) causes the operation parameter signal to be transmitted from the second instrument (220) to the controller (210). When the health parameter reaches the threshold, the health evaluation device (240) prevents the operation parameter signal from being transmitted from the second instrument (220) to the controller (210), and transmits to the controller (210) a fault signal to elicit a health response therefrom, the fault signal containing at least two mutually-exclusive fault codes associated with the operating condition.