Aircraft Turbine Engine Sensor Intermittent Circuit Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current measurement systems in aircraft turbomachines are prone to errors due to intermittent contacts, especially in environments with thermal and vibratory stresses, leading to incorrect data transmission and potential engine failures.

Innovation Solution

A method using a two-channel probe system where the computer acquires measurement values and compares increments and time derivatives with predefined thresholds to detect and adapt to intermittent open circuits, ensuring robustness and consistency of the measurement chain even in the event of double failures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a single-channel measurement system is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates due to inability to detect intermittent open circuits

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemeasurement chain structureVSAvoiddetection of intermittent contacts
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The measurement system is divided into two independent measurement channels, each capable of independently measuring the same physical quantity. This segmentation allows the system to compare measurements from both channels to detect intermittent open circuits, thereby improving reliability without significantly increasing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter being monitored by introducing a difference signal between the two measurement channels. By monitoring the difference between V1 and V2, the system can detect intermittent contacts that would be invisible in a single-channel system, thus improving detection capability while maintaining reasonable complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If simple threshold comparison is used, then the processing speed is improved, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to inability to detect intermittent contacts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing speedVSAvoiddetection accuracy of intermittent contacts
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the difference between the two measurement channels and using this information to adjust the saturation value dynamically. This feedback mechanism allows the system to maintain high processing speed while improving detection accuracy, as the adaptive saturation value accounts for intermittent contacts that simple fixed thresholds would miss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces dynamic adaptation by adjusting the saturation value based on the difference between the two measurement channels. This dynamic approach allows the measurement precision to improve over time as the system learns to account for intermittent contacts, while maintaining high processing speed through efficient algorithms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If high saturation threshold is used to invalidate faulty channels, then the reliability is improved by filtering permanent faults, but the productivity deteriorates due to delayed detection of intermittent contacts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefiltering of permanent faultsVSAvoidresponse time to intermittent contacts
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by continuously monitoring the difference between the two measurement channels before intermittent contacts cause significant errors. By detecting changes in the difference signal early, the system can respond to intermittent contacts faster, improving productivity while maintaining the reliability benefits of the dual-channel architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The feedback mechanism allows the system to detect intermittent contacts earlier by monitoring the difference between channels. This early detection through feedback improves the response time to intermittent contacts, thereby improving productivity while maintaining the high reliability standard for filtering permanent faults.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

4Reliability

If dual-channel measurement system is implemented, then the reliability is improved by enabling detection of intermittent contacts, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection capability of intermittent contactsVSAvoidmeasurement chain structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The measurement system is divided into two independent measurement channels, each capable of independently measuring the same physical quantity. This segmentation allows the system to compare measurements from both channels to detect intermittent open circuits, thereby improving reliability without significantly increasing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Both measurement channels serve multiple functions: they independently measure the physical quantity and provide redundancy for detecting intermittent contacts. This multi-functionality maximizes the utility of the dual-channel architecture, improving reliability while justifying the increased complexity through enhanced capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3729003B1Detection and accommodation of intermittent open circuits on an engine sensor of an aircraft turbine engine
Publication Date: 2023.01.25 SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES SAS
  • EP3729003B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3729003B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3729003B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for checking a measurement supplied by a sensor (2) of a turbine engine, said method being implemented by a computer (5) of the turbine engine. The method comprises the processing steps of: acquiring a first value of the measurement; comparing an increment with an increment threshold; and transmitting a measurement to be processed to the processing interface (6), said measurement being selected so as to be: equal to the value of an estimation model for the received measurement, if the increment is higher than the increment threshold, or equal to the acquired first value of the measurement if the increment is lower than the increment threshold, the method then comprising additional processing steps.