Multi-Engine Bay Control System for Engine Degradation Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
In multi-engine bays, the risk of engine failure increases over time due to degradation, posing a challenge in maintaining the reliability of the propulsion system.
Innovation Solution
A control method and system that periodically evaluate engine damage and adjust functional limits to maintain the engine damage rate below a predetermined maximum, thereby slowing down the degradation process by modifying parameters such as thrust, mixture ratio, and turbopump rotation speeds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If engines are operated continuously to maintain propulsion capability, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to cumulative degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the functional limits of engines adjustable and time-dependent. The control system dynamically modifies operational parameters (thrust, mixture ratio, turbopump speed) based on real-time damage assessment, allowing engines to operate at higher performance levels when healthy and automatically reducing stress when degradation is detected, thus resolving the contradiction between continuous operation and reliability maintenance
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by modifying engine operational parameters (thrust level, mixture ratio, turbopump rotation speed) based on damage state. When damage exceeds thresholds, the system changes these parameters to reduce stress on degraded components, thereby maintaining reliability while allowing continued operation. This directly addresses the contradiction by adapting performance parameters to the current health state of the engines
2Reliability
If functional limits are modified to reduce damage rate, then reliability is improved, but productivity decreases due to reduced thrust capability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by modifying functional limits only for specific engines that have exceeded damage thresholds, rather than reducing all engine performance uniformly. The control system identifies individually damaged engines and adjusts their parameters, while healthy engines continue operating at full capability. This selective approach maintains overall productivity while improving reliability by targeting only the problematic components
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts functional limits based on real-time damage assessment rather than applying static restrictions. When damage is detected, the system temporarily modifies parameters for affected engines and can restore full performance when damage levels recede below thresholds. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to maintain high productivity during healthy operation while selectively reducing performance only when and where reliability concerns arise
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for controlling a multi-engine bay (10), according to which the following steps are carried out: a) the bay is controlled so that it ensures a desired thrust and so that each engine is used in accordance with a set of operating limits for the engine; b) damage (ENDO) of each of the engines is evaluated periodically, the damage to an engine being a piece of information representing a probability of failure of the engine; c) for each engine, it is periodically evaluated whether its damage (ENDO) exceeds a predetermined value (ENDO_S); and d) if the damage to an engine, referred to as the damaged engine, exceeds a predetermined value, at least one operating limitation of the damaged engine is modified so that the rate of damaging of the damaged engine (dENDO/dt) is less than a predetermined maximum rate of engine damaging (dENDO/dt_max). Control system for a multi-engine bay and multi-engine bay allowing the implementation of the method.