Electro-Hydraulic Servovalve Gain Adaptation for Degradation Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electro-hydraulic servovalves in gas turbine engines face issues with fuel lacquering, coking, and erosion, leading to reduced flow gain and instability in control loop design due to high temperature fuels and contamination, which existing technologies fail to adaptively address.
Innovation Solution
An adaptive method and system that calculates and adjusts the electronic control unit (ECU) gain of the servovalve to maintain desired movement range, incorporating repeated testing and averaging of valve performance to account for lacquering, coking, and erosion effects, ensuring consistent operation and predicting potential valve degradation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If high temperature fuels are used in gas turbine engines, then power output is improved, but fuel lacquering and coking of fine screens occurs leading to valve degradation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adaptation of control parameters (gain values) based on real-time valve performance testing. The system transitions from static factory-set gains to dynamically adjusted gains that adapt to changing valve conditions caused by fuel lacquering and coking, allowing the control system to maintain stability despite degradation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates continuous feedback through performance testing that measures actual valve response characteristics. This feedback loop enables the control system to detect degradation trends and adjust control parameters accordingly, transforming the open-loop factory configuration into a closed-loop adaptive system that compensates for harmful effects.
2Productivity
If long term exposure to contamination and higher flow rates occurs, then servovalve erosion increases, but control loop stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The control system dynamically adjusts gain parameters based on measured valve performance rather than relying on fixed factory settings. This dynamic adaptation compensates for erosion-induced changes in valve characteristics, maintaining control loop stability despite increased flow rates and contamination exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes control parameters (gain values) based on observed valve performance degradation. By monitoring actual valve response and adjusting parameters accordingly, the system compensates for erosion effects and maintains stable operation under varying flow conditions and contamination levels.
3Manufacturing precision
If fixed factory gain values are used, then initial valve performance is optimized, but adaptability to degradation over time is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static factory gains to dynamic adaptive gains. Performance testing measures actual valve characteristics, and control parameters are continuously adjusted based on these measurements, enabling the system to adapt to degradation while preserving optimal performance characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-diagnosis and self-adjustment through automated performance testing and gain recalculation. The control system monitors its own valve performance and automatically adjusts parameters to compensate for degradation, eliminating the need for external intervention or manual recalibration.
4Measurement precision
If repeated performance testing is conducted, then accurate gain calculation is achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The performance testing system serves multiple functions: it characterizes valve dynamics, calculates optimal gain values, monitors degradation trends, and validates control performance. By consolidating these functions into a single integrated testing and control framework, the system achieves high measurement precision without proportionally increasing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for actively calculating a capability of an electronically controlled valve is provided. The method including the steps of: a) operating the electronically controlled valve in accordance with a task; b) testing the electronically controlled valve in order to determine a range of movement of the electronically controlled valve in accordance with an initial gain, wherein the testing of the electronically controlled valve occurs after the valve has been operated in accordance with the task; c) determining a new gain required for providing a predetermined range of movement of the electronically controlled valve; and d) repeating steps a-c at least once, wherein the new gain is used to operate the valve in accordance with the task.