Engine Safety Device with Relay-Based Sensor Redundancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solutions for fire protection in turbojet engines are inadequate in minimizing false detection rates and ensuring operational safety, particularly when one channel fails, leading to potential engine overspeeds and increased costs due to the need for redundant sensors and complex architectures.
Innovation Solution
A safety device with at least two channels, each comprising a relay that switches data from sensors to the active command module, ensuring redundant signal acquisition and reducing false detection rates by powering sensors from both channels, even if one channel malfunctions, and using relays with double switches to maintain sensor data redundancy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If redundant sensors and complex architectures are used to ensure operational safety, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of multiple sensors and processing channels into a single integrated system. The command module receives and processes signals from multiple sensors through a unified architecture, combining redundancy with functional integration to maintain reliability while reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The command module is designed with multi-functionality, serving as a universal processing unit that can handle signals from any of the multiple sensors. This universal command module replaces the need for separate dedicated processing units for each sensor, reducing device complexity while maintaining operational safety through redundant sensing
2Reliability
If redundant sensors and complex architectures are used to ensure operational safety, then reliability is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple sensors are merged into a single processing architecture where their signals converge at the command module. This merging allows the system to maintain redundant sensing capability while using a single command module instead of multiple dedicated processors, thereby reducing the overall quantity of electronic components and associated costs
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses multiple sensors that can be relatively simple and cost-effective components. By having multiple copies of sensors rather than one complex sensor array, the system achieves redundancy through quantity of simple components rather than complexity of individual components, reducing overall system cost
3Device complexity
If single channel is used for sensor data processing, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates when channel fails
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the sensing function from the processing function. Multiple sensors are divided as separate acquisition elements, but they all feed into a single command module for processing. This segmentation allows redundancy at the sensing level while keeping the processing architecture simple and unified
Solution Approach 2:
The command module acts as an intermediary that receives signals from multiple sensors and processes them centrally. This single intermediary processing unit replaces the need for multiple distributed processing channels, maintaining reliability through redundant input signals while simplifying the overall channel architecture
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively reduces false detection rates by ensuring that data from at least two sensors is always available to the active channel, minimizing the risk of engine overspeeds and maintaining operational safety while reducing costs and complexity.
Implementation Method 1
A safety device with at least two channels, each comprising a relay that switches data from sensors to the active command module
Implementation Method 2
One possible architecture for the regulating computer fire protection system uses two internal temperature sensors and two thermistor type external fire detectors. In technical literature, this variable resistance is also known as 'VRT,' standing for 'Variable Resistance Transducer.' The thermistor may be configured such that detection of global overheating or a localized flame may occur due to the variation in its resistance.
Data Source
AI summary
A safety device for controlling an engine includes a first and a second sensor of an environmental parameter, two channels for processing data measured by the sensors, each of the channels each including a command module and a power supply. The device includes at least two relays. The first relay is capable of receiving a first command coming from a supply and delivering, in the absence of the first command, data from the first sensor to the second command module. The second relay is capable of receiving a second command coming from the supply and delivering, in the absence of the second command, data from the second sensor to the first command module. The supply of the active channel sends a command to the relay associated with it, the relay sending data from the sensor to the active channel.