Cylinder Position Control Using Sensor Speed Validation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cylinder control methods using redundant position sensors can lead to disrupted piston positioning due to faults or incorrect adjustments, causing control deficits in turbomachines, risking damage to variable geometry components and loss of thrust control.
Innovation Solution
A method for identifying the most reliable position sensor by comparing displacement speeds measured by two sensors with a modeled or predetermined speed, allowing for accurate piston positioning and minimizing the impact of faulty sensors, which involves using a servo valve to control fluid supply based on electronic signals and employing inductive or magnetic position sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If redundant position sensors are used to measure piston position, then measurement reliability is improved, but control accuracy deteriorates when sensor faults or drifts occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary comparison of displacement speeds from multiple sensors against a modeled speed before using the sensor data for control. This preliminary validation action identifies and isolates faulty sensors before they can compromise control accuracy, while still maintaining the redundancy benefit of multiple sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes a feedback loop where sensor measurements are continuously compared against a physics-based modeled displacement speed. This feedback mechanism detects deviations caused by sensor faults or drifts and triggers appropriate responses, maintaining measurement precision while utilizing redundant sensors for reliability.
2Reliability
If average of multiple sensor measurements is used for piston position regulation, then redundancy benefit is achieved, but control accuracy is disrupted by faulty sensors
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and compares the displacement speed parameter from each sensor's position measurements against the modeled speed. This extraction allows identification and exclusion of faulty sensor data from the average calculation, maintaining both redundancy benefits and control accuracy by only averaging data from validated sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter being monitored from absolute position to displacement speed, and compares it against a modeled speed parameter. This parameter transformation enables detection of sensor faults through speed deviation analysis, allowing the system to maintain accurate position regulation even when some sensors are faulty.
3Ease of operation
If position sensors are used to control variable geometry members, then turbomachine behavior control is improved, but risk of component damage increases due to sensor faults
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary validation of sensor measurements by comparing displacement speeds against modeled values before executing control actions on variable geometry members. This preliminary check prevents faulty sensor data from causing harmful control actions that could damage components, while maintaining full control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the potentially harmful effect of sensor faults into a beneficial diagnostic opportunity. By comparing sensor-derived speeds against modeled speeds, the system detects faults and isolates faulty sensors, transforming what would be a harmful control disruption into a useful fault detection mechanism that protects components.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for controlling a cylinder includes providing a cylinder having a piston, a servo valve and a measuring device having at least one first position sensor and one second position sensor, measurements are taken of the position of the piston in the cylinder body simultaneously with the first position sensor and the second position sensor, at least one first displacement speed of the piston is determined on the basis of the piston position measurements obtained with the first position sensor, at least one second displacement speed of the piston is determined on the basis of the piston position measurements obtained with the second position sensor, and each of the first and second determined displacement speeds of the piston are compared with a modelled or predetermined displacement speed of the piston, in such a way as to identify the most reliable position sensor.