Asset Health Monitoring for Volcanic Ash Exposure Risk
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft engines face performance issues due to exposure to varying and adverse environmental conditions, such as volcanic ash, which existing systems struggle to accurately assess and mitigate, leading to operational risks and disruptions.
Innovation Solution
An asset operational health monitoring system that uses sensors and processing units to determine asset locations and compare them with regions of adverse conditions, outputting an operational risk indicator to inform maintenance decisions and mitigate exposure risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If aircraft engines operate in adverse environmental conditions (e.g., volcanic ash), then productivity is maintained, but reliability deteriorates due to contamination and performance degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary tracking of aircraft locations against predicted adverse condition regions before the aircraft actually encounters the harmful environment. By comparing determined asset locations with predicted region locations in advance, the system prepares risk assessments and maintenance schedules proactively, allowing operators to take preventive actions before contamination occurs, thus maintaining reliability while ensuring productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors aircraft locations and compares them with adverse condition regions, providing ongoing feedback about exposure risk. This feedback loop enables dynamic adjustment of maintenance schedules and operational decisions based on real-time or near-real-time data, balancing the need to maintain flight operations with the need to protect engine reliability
2Reliability
If aircraft are grounded to avoid adverse environmental conditions, then reliability is improved, but productivity deteriorates due to flight disruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides advance warning by comparing predicted adverse condition regions with planned or actual flight paths before aircraft encounter the harmful environment. This preliminary assessment allows operators to make informed decisions about whether to alter routes, delay flights, or proceed with caution, rather than implementing blanket grounding, thus maintaining safety while minimizing disruption to productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables dynamic operational decision-making by continuously updating the comparison between aircraft locations and adverse condition regions. Operators can dynamically adjust flight paths, timing, or maintenance schedules based on the evolving situation, rather than relying on static grounding decisions, thereby optimizing both safety and productivity in response to changing environmental conditions
3Productivity
If aircraft fly through ash clouds to maintain normal operations, then productivity is maintained, but reliability deteriorates due to unassessed contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary tracking and risk assessment before aircraft encounter adverse conditions. By determining asset locations and comparing them with predicted region locations in advance, the system identifies which aircraft are at risk of contamination, enabling operators to make informed decisions about which flights can safely proceed and which require protective measures or post-exposure maintenance, thus maintaining productivity while protecting reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback on actual or predicted exposure to adverse conditions by comparing aircraft locations with adverse condition regions. This feedback enables operators to assess contamination risk for specific aircraft and adjust maintenance schedules accordingly, allowing flights to proceed when risk is low while ensuring timely maintenance when exposure is detected, thereby balancing productivity with engine health
Data Source
AI summary
An asset operational health monitoring system, in which a plurality of sensors are arranged to determine values of asset operation parameters pertaining to an instance of asset operation. One or more processing unit receives data corresponding to said asset operation values and determine a plurality of asset locations at a corresponding plurality of points in time. The one or more processing unit is arranged to receive data indicative of the location of a region of adverse environmental conditions which may impact on the operation of the asset and to compare the determined locations of the asset with the location of said region so as to determine whether one or more of said asset locations fall within said region. An indicator of operational risk associated with the presence of said asset in said region is output which can drive asset operation or maintenance decision making. The system may be used for ash cloud impact monitoring for aircraft, a fleet of aircraft or aircraft engines.