Multiplexed Engine Control Signal Relay for Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern gas turbine engines face inefficiencies in signal routing and weight management due to conventional wiring harnesses, which are often heavier and more complex than needed, and safety regulations restrict the universal use of multiplexing for flight critical components.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system where multiplexed signals are demultiplexed by a signal relay device for non-flight critical control devices, while using discrete wiring for flight critical devices, and utilizing non-multiplexed wiring harnesses for communication between the engine electronic control (EEC) and these devices, thereby optimizing wiring and reducing weight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of stationary object
If multiplexed wiring is used for all control devices, then wiring weight and complexity are reduced, but safety regulations prohibit this for flight critical devices
Solution Approach 1:
The control devices are segmented into two distinct groups: flight critical devices and non-flight critical devices. This segmentation allows different wiring strategies to be applied to each group, enabling multiplexing for non-critical devices while maintaining traditional discrete wiring for critical devices, thus resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and safety requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Different wiring qualities are applied locally to different device groups. Flight critical devices receive the higher reliability treatment with discrete wiring, while non-flight critical devices receive the optimized multiplexed wiring. This local differentiation allows the system to achieve overall weight reduction without compromising the reliability of critical components.
2Reliability
If discrete wiring is used for all control devices, then reliability and safety compliance are maintained, but wiring weight and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into flight critical and non-flight critical subsets. This segmentation enables the application of discrete wiring only where necessary (flight critical devices) while allowing multiplexing elsewhere, thereby maintaining required reliability levels while reducing overall wiring weight.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying discrete wiring universally (excessive action), the system applies discrete wiring only partially to flight critical devices where it is strictly necessary. This partial application maintains safety compliance while avoiding the excessive weight penalty of universal discrete wiring.
3Weight of stationary object
If multiplexed signals are used for non-flight critical devices only, then wiring weight is reduced while complying with safety regulations, but system complexity increases due to signal relay device
Solution Approach 1:
A signal relay device is introduced as an intermediary component to manage the multiplexed signals for non-flight critical devices. This intermediary handles the complexity of signal routing, demultiplexing, and distribution, thereby isolating the complexity from the overall system architecture and enabling weight reduction without significantly increasing operational complexity.
Data Source
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Figure 3~4
AI summary
Systems and methods involving multiplexed engine control signals are provided. In this regard, a representative engine control system for a gas turbine engine includes: a signal relay device (140) operative to receive multiplexed signals from an engine electronic control (EEC) (120), demultiplex the signals, and provide demultiplexed signals to corresponding ones of multiple control devices (126,128,130) of the engine.