Hydraulic System Failure Prediction Using Pump Pressure and Speed
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for monitoring hydraulic systems in aviation engineering are inadequate as they require extensive design changes and only focus on the fuel metering pump, failing to predict the risk of failure for other components, and do not account for actual operational conditions like air traffic and climate variations.
Innovation Solution
A method that simultaneously monitors the current pressure and speed of the fuel metering pump, compares these values with trend and specified values, and uses hydraulic switches or sensors to detect pressure thresholds, allowing for efficient prediction of hydraulic system failure without major design changes, focusing on leakage or clogging by analyzing speed deviations and efficiency trends.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an additional fuel distribution system is added to monitor pressure loss on the fuel metering pump, then the monitoring capability is improved, but the device complexity and mass load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by using a single pressure sensor to monitor multiple components (fuel metering pump, pressure reducing valve, and other hydraulic components) rather than adding separate monitoring systems for each component. This allows one sensor to serve multiple diagnostic purposes, improving reliability without proportionally increasing system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent monitors changes in pressure parameters over time to detect degradation trends. By analyzing pressure variations at different operating conditions and comparing them against baseline values, the system can predict failures before they occur, enabling proactive maintenance while avoiding the need for additional complex monitoring infrastructure
2Ease of operation
If regular service inspections are performed after a fixed number of operating hours, then the maintenance schedule is simplified, but the prediction accuracy for actual failure risk is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring pressure parameters and comparing real-time measurements against baseline values and degradation trends. This feedback mechanism allows the system to dynamically assess the actual condition of hydraulic components and predict failures based on observed degradation patterns rather than fixed time intervals, improving prediction accuracy while maintaining operational simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary diagnostics by establishing baseline pressure values during normal operation and detecting deviations that indicate developing failures. By identifying trends before actual failures occur, the system enables proactive maintenance scheduling that is both simple to implement and highly accurate in predicting actual failure risks
3Device complexity
If monitoring is focused only on the fuel metering pump, then the monitoring system is simplified, but the coverage for detecting other component failures is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the pressure sensor universal by positioning it to monitor pressure changes that reflect the condition of multiple hydraulic components including the fuel metering pump, pressure reducing valve, and other components in the hydraulic distribution system. A single sensor thus provides system-wide monitoring capability without requiring multiple specialized sensors for each component
Data Source
AI summary
The method for monitoring the condition of the hydraulic system for predicting the risk of failure is designed for hydraulic systems, whose components include at least one pump (1) for transporting fluid through the distribution system of the hydraulic system. The hydraulic system simultaneously detects at least one current magnitude of pressure and the current value of speed of the pump (1), whereupon the current speed value is compared with the trend speed value obtained from the statistically processed archived data of speed from the previous operation of the pump (1) and/or with the reference speed value of the pump (1), whereupon the comparison result provides the condition and risk of failure of the hydraulic system.