Contamination Test Rig Particle Feed Control by Hopper Weight Regression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing contamination test systems face challenges in accurately controlling the delivery of contaminant particles into air flows, particularly at high pressures and temperatures, leading to inefficiencies and inaccuracies in simulating operational conditions for valves in gas turbine engines.
Innovation Solution
A contamination test rig system that includes a particle injection chamber with a conveyor driven by a motor, where the motor speed is adjusted based on real-time weight measurements and linear regression analysis to achieve a target mass flow rate, ensuring precise control of contaminant delivery, even in high-pressure environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional particle delivery systems are used in contamination test rigs, then the system structure is simple, but the manufacturing precision and control accuracy of contaminant delivery are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a feedback control mechanism where a scale continuously measures the actual mass of contaminant particles delivered, and this measurement is fed back to a controller that adjusts the conveyor motor speed to maintain the target mass flow rate. This closed-loop feedback system ensures precise contaminant delivery control while managing system complexity through automated regulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical particle delivery mechanisms with an automated conveyor system driven by a motor whose speed is precisely controlled through electronic feedback. This substitution of mechanical control with automated sensor-based control improves delivery precision while the complexity is managed through integration of control electronics.
2Productivity
If motor speed is increased to deliver more contaminant particles, then the productivity increases, but the measurement precision of mass flow rate decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback control system continuously monitors the actual mass flow rate using a scale and compares it to the target mass flow rate. When the actual rate deviates from the target (whether too high or too low), the controller automatically adjusts the motor speed to correct the deviation. This allows the system to maintain high productivity while ensuring measurement precision through real-time regulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the motor speed based on real-time feedback from the scale measurement. Rather than operating at a fixed speed, the motor speed varies continuously to maintain the target mass flow rate, allowing the system to optimize both productivity and measurement precision under different operating conditions.
3Reliability
If conventional contamination testing is performed without precise control, then the ease of operation is high, but the reliability of test results is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-regulation through automated feedback control, where the scale and controller work together to automatically maintain the target mass flow rate without requiring manual intervention. This self-service capability ensures reliable test results while maintaining ease of operation, as the system autonomously corrects any deviations from the desired contaminant delivery rate.
Solution Approach 2:
The closed-loop feedback system continuously monitors and adjusts contaminant delivery to ensure test result reliability. The automatic nature of this feedback control maintains ease of operation by eliminating the need for manual calibration or adjustment, while still ensuring high reliability through precise control of the mass flow rate.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for control of the delivery of contaminates are provided. A conveyor moves contaminate particles from a hopper into an airflow. The contents of a hopper at multiple time points within a sliding window of time are weighted with a scale. A processor applies linear regression to a data set comprising the time points as an independent variable and the weight measurements as a dependent variable, resulting in a determination of a line fitting the data set. A processor determines a current mass flow rate of the contaminate particles from the slope of the line. The processor determines an estimated change in the conveyor motor speed needed to achieve the target mass flow rate, the estimated change determined from a predetermined mapping of flow rates to motor speeds, the estimated change based on the current mass flow rate, the target mass flow rate, and a predetermined fraction.