OBOGS Concentrator Health Monitor for Sieve Bed and Valve Diagnostics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current onboard oxygen generating systems (OBOGS) for aircraft lack continuous health monitoring capabilities, particularly for sieve bed and valve/seal performance, leading to inadequate maintenance and potential oxygen supply issues during flights.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a Concentrator Health Monitor (CHM) that continuously calculates a control output value to maintain target oxygen concentration, incorporating slide valve health monitoring, which eliminates the need for periodic Maintenance Built-In Test (MBIT) functions and additional hardware, allowing for real-time monitoring of sieve bed and valve health without requiring ground cart supplies or engine operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If periodic MBIT function is used to test OBOGS bed health, then sieve bed health can be monitored, but valve and seal health cannot be determined and maintenance efforts increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control output value monitoring system serves multiple diagnostic functions simultaneously - it monitors sieve bed health, valve performance, and seal integrity all through one continuous parameter. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for separate MBIT test procedures while providing comprehensive system health assessment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses its own existing control output value (already being generated for oxygen concentration control) as a diagnostic indicator. By repurposing this existing control parameter for health monitoring, the system performs self-diagnosis without requiring external test equipment or additional sensors, thereby reducing maintenance complexity.
2Measurement precision
If MBIT function is implemented with ground cart supply or engine operation, then bed health can be tested, but operational requirements increase and continuous monitoring is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The control output value is continuously generated during normal oxygen concentrator operation to maintain target oxygen concentration. By monitoring this continuous parameter, the system achieves uninterrupted health monitoring without requiring periodic shutdowns, ground cart connections, or engine operations specifically for testing purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system monitors its own operational parameters (control output values already being used for control) to assess its health status. This self-monitoring capability eliminates the need for external testing equipment or special operational conditions, making the monitoring process as simple as normal operation.
3Measurement precision
If conventional MBIT function is used, then basic bed health can be assessed, but accuracy is limited due to not accounting for variables other than flow
Solution Approach 1:
The control output value represents the system's corrective action to maintain target oxygen concentration. By monitoring how the control output changes over time, the system detects performance degradation while automatically compensating for varying operating conditions. This feedback-based approach inherently accounts for multiple variables without requiring complex separate measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of measuring multiple physical parameters separately, the system monitors changes in the control output parameter that results from varying operating conditions. The control output naturally adjusts to account for temperature, pressure, flow rate, and sieve bed effectiveness variations, providing accurate health assessment through a single composite parameter.
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
CHM provides more accurate and efficient maintenance by continuously monitoring oxygen concentrator performance, differentiating between sieve bed and valve issues, reducing maintenance efforts, and preventing oxygen warnings by predicting degradation and maintenance needs, thus enhancing the reliability and maintainability of the OBOGS.
Implementation Method 1
The OBOGS utilizes two molecular sieve beds to generate oxygen from atmospheric air
Data Source
AI summary
A method of monitoring health of an oxygen concentrator assembly within an onboard oxygen generating system (OBOGS) operable to produce an oxygen enriched gas is provided. The OBOGS includes a controller, a plurality of molecular sieve beds for producing the oxygen enriched gas, and a mechanical system for selectively communicating an inlet air to a subset of the plurality of molecular sieve at a given time. The method includes monitoring the health of the overall OBOGS and the mechanical system to determine whether one or more of the molecular sieve beds and/or the oxygen concentrator assembly need to be serviced.