Hydrostatic Transmission Pressure Sensing for Shaft Shear Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Detecting mechanical transmission failures, particularly shaft shear events, in aircraft power plants is challenging due to complex system dynamics, and there is a need for rapid and accurate detection to prevent further damage while avoiding false alarms.
Innovation Solution
A hydrostatic transmission system using hydraulic fluid to transmit torque between shafts, equipped with a failure detector that senses pressure changes in the hydraulic fluid to detect shaft shear events, initiating mitigating actions when thresholds are crossed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional detection methods are used, then the system structure remains simple, but the detection speed and accuracy are insufficient to prevent further damage
Solution Approach 1:
A delta pressure sensor is introduced as an intermediary detection device to monitor pressure differences across the hydrostatic transmission. This sensor detects shaft shear events by measuring unexpected pressure changes, providing reliable detection without requiring complex sensor arrays or complex mechanical design modifications.
2Loss of time
If rapid detection is implemented to prevent further damage, then the response time is reduced, but false alarms increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the pressure differential across the hydrostatic transmission and compares it against expected operating ranges. When the pressure difference deviates from the normal range, the system generates an alert. This feedback mechanism enables rapid detection while reducing false alarms by using continuous monitoring and threshold-based validation rather than single-point detection.
Solution Approach 2:
Traditional mechanical detection methods are replaced with hydraulic pressure-based detection. The delta pressure sensor detects shaft shear events through pressure changes in the hydraulic fluid, providing faster and more reliable detection compared to mechanical sensors while maintaining system simplicity.
3Measurement precision
If complex detection systems are used to improve detection accuracy, then the false alarm rate decreases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A delta pressure sensor is introduced as an intermediary detection device to monitor pressure differences across the hydrostatic transmission. This sensor detects shaft shear events by measuring unexpected pressure changes, providing reliable detection without requiring complex sensor arrays or complex mechanical design modifications.
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
Enables early and accurate detection of shaft shear events, reducing the likelihood of false alarms and allowing for rapid mitigation, thus protecting the aircraft power plant from further damage.
Implementation Method 1
transmitting torque between a first shaft and a second shaft via a hydrostatic transmission operating with hydraulic fluid at an expected pressure
Implementation Method 2
delivering the hydraulic fluid from a pump of the hydrostatic transmission to a motor of the hydrostatic transmission at a first pressure; and returning the hydraulic fluid from the motor of the hydrostatic transmission to the pump of the hydrostatic transmission at a second pressure
Implementation Method 3
detecting the mechanical transmission failure by detecting a pressure change in the hydraulic fluid from the expected pressure... measuring the difference in pressure between the first pressure and the second pressure using a delta pressure sensor
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for detecting a torque transmission failure in an aircraft power plant are provided. The system comprises a hydrostatic transmission for transmitting torque between a first shaft and a second shaft using hydraulic fluid, an a failure detector including a sensor configured to detect a pressure change in the hydraulic fluid. The failure detector is configured to generate an output indicative of the torque transmission failure in response to the pressure change having crossed a threshold.