Gas Turbine Sensor Sampling Triggered by Local MEMS Vibration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems struggle to dynamically adjust the data acquisition rate of aircraft system sensors in response to vibrational events, limiting the ability to accurately monitor engine parameters during such events.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of micro-electromechanical-systems (MEMS) positioned locally to engine components, which trigger an increase in the data acquisition rate of vibrational sensors when predetermined vibration thresholds are exceeded, ensuring sufficient data capture during structural response modes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the data acquisition rate is continuously maintained at a high level to capture vibrational events, then the reliability of vibration monitoring is improved, but the energy consumption and data processing load increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevibration monitoring reliabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements periodic sampling at a base rate and temporarily increases to a higher rate when vibrational events are detected. This allows the system to maintain reliability during critical events while reducing energy consumption during normal operation by using lower sampling rates.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from vibration sensors to dynamically adjust the data acquisition rate. When vibration thresholds are exceeded, the system receives feedback signals and automatically increases the sampling rate, ensuring reliable monitoring only when necessary rather than continuously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Measurement precision

If the data acquisition rate is increased in response to vibrational events, then the measurement precision of engine parameters is improved, but the complexity of the control system increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveengine parameter measurement precisionVSAvoidcontrol system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the data acquisition rate based on real-time vibration conditions rather than operating at a fixed rate. This allows measurement precision to be optimized during vibrational events while maintaining simpler base-rate operation during normal conditions, balancing precision needs with system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the sampling rate parameter in response to detected vibrational events. By modifying this key parameter dynamically, the system achieves higher measurement precision when needed without requiring a permanently complex control architecture, as the change is triggered only by specific conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If the base data acquisition rate is increased to ensure sufficient data capture during vibrational events, then the productivity of data collection is improved, but the loss of energy during normal operation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata collection productivityVSAvoidenergy loss during normal operation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses periodic base-rate sampling during normal operation and transitions to higher-rate periodic sampling only when vibrational events occur. This ensures adequate data collection productivity during critical events while minimizing energy loss during normal operation by maintaining a lower base acquisition rate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

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

Enhances the data acquisition rate of sensors in response to vibrational events, providing accurate and timely engine parameter monitoring, thereby improving engine control and maintenance analysis.

Implementation Method 1

a local micro-electromechanical-system (MEMS) configured to detect the occurrence of an event and transmit a signal when the occurrence is detected

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVibration: Vibration

Implementation Method 2

The signal causes the controller to adjust a data acquisition rate of a sensor

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcceleration: Accelerometer

Data Source

PatentEP4219911B1System for active data acquisition management in a gas turbine engine

Publication Date: 2026.04.08 RTX CORP

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AI summary

An aircraft sensor system (100) includes a first sensor (90; 110; 430) configured to detect a parameter of an aircraft system and a first micro electromechanical-system (MEMS) (120, 122, 124, 126, 128; 410) disposed local to a first component within the aircraft system. The first MEMS (120 ... 410) is communicatively connected to a controller (92; 130; 420), and is configured to trigger in response to a corresponding parameter exceeding a threshold (232). The controller (92 ... 420) is connected to an output of the first sensor (90 ... 430) and includes a non-transitory memory storing instructions configured to cause the controller (92 ... 420) to increase a sampling rate of the first sensor (90 ... 430) to a sampling rate corresponding to the first component for at least a predetermined length of time in response to the first MEMS (120 ... 410) being triggered.