Multi-Engine Power Control via Deterioration-Based Load Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-engine systems face inefficiencies due to varying degradation rates of engines, leading to premature maintenance and fuel wastage, as existing controllers primarily manage power without considering engine deterioration, resulting in uneven service times and increased downtime.
Innovation Solution
An engine controller that estimates the deterioration factor of each engine and adjusts mechanical power output to balance degradation rates, allowing better-performing engines to produce more power and worse-performing engines to produce less, while maintaining overall system power requirements, thereby extending the service life of all engines and optimizing fuel consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If each engine is commanded to provide approximately the same amount of mechanical power, then system power distribution is simple and balanced, but engines degrade at different rates leading to premature system downtime when one engine reaches end-of-life
Solution Approach 1:
The controller applies different power commands to different engines based on their individual deterioration factors. Each engine receives a customized power allocation rather than uniform treatment, allowing the system to account for local variations in engine health and degradation rates while maintaining overall system functionality.
2Reliability
If all engines are replaced when one engine needs servicing, then system reliability is maintained, but useful life of other engines is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The controller proactively adjusts power distribution among engines based on predicted deterioration trends before any engine reaches end-of-life. By identifying engines with different degradation rates in advance and preemptively balancing their service lives through differential power allocation, the system prevents premature replacements and extends the operational life of all engines simultaneously.
3Productivity
If engines operate at full power continuously, then system productivity is maximized, but fuel consumption increases and engine life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller applies partial power reduction to engines with higher deterioration factors, operating them below their maximum capacity to extend service life. This selective partial action allows the system to maintain overall productivity through healthier engines while reducing fuel consumption and wear on degraded engines, optimizing the balance between output and resource usage.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-engine power system is described that includes at least a first engine and a second engine configured to jointly provided mechanical power to the multi-engine power system. The multi-engine power system further includes a controller configured to estimate a deterioration factor of the first engine. The controller is further configured to adjust, based on the deterioration factor of the first engine, a first amount of mechanical power being provided by the first engine to increase a service time of the first engine, and adjust, based on the first amount of mechanical power being provided by the first engine, a second amount of mechanical power being provided by the second engine to compensate for the adjustment to the first amount of mechanical power.