Aircraft Engine Starter Acceleration Detection During Start Sequence
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft engine starters may exhibit insufficient acceleration during the start sequence, which is often not identified until the issue becomes significant or the engine fails to start, complicating the start sequence.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that includes a controller with a processor to measure engine oil temperature and rotational assembly acceleration, comparing it to a threshold to identify insufficient starter acceleration, and generate warnings or initiate maintenance as needed, also identifying causes through rundown time analysis during shutdown sequences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If starter acceleration is monitored only after engine start failure, then diagnostic simplicity is maintained, but detection timing is delayed until insufficiency becomes significant
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary monitoring of starter acceleration during the start sequence to detect insufficiency early, before it becomes significant enough to cause engine start failure. This allows proactive identification and response to potential problems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors starter acceleration and provides real-time feedback about starter performance. This feedback mechanism enables the system to detect and report acceleration insufficiency as it develops, rather than only after failure occurs.
2Measurement precision
If real-time acceleration monitoring is implemented, then early detection of insufficient starter acceleration is achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system utilizes existing engine parameters and built-in sensors to self-determine acceleration characteristics. The system serves its own diagnostic needs by leveraging data already being collected during normal engine operation, reducing the need for separate dedicated measurement hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring system is integrated into the existing engine control architecture, allowing the same control unit to perform both engine management functions and starter acceleration diagnostics. This multi-functionality approach reduces overall system complexity by avoiding dedicated separate systems.
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly for an aircraft engine includes a rotational assembly, a starter, and a controller. The rotational assembly includes at least one rotor. The starter is coupled with the rotational assembly. The starter is configured to selectively drive rotation of the rotational assembly. The controller is configured to determine an acceleration threshold for a starter-assist only phase of an engine start sequence for the aircraft engine using a measured engine oil temperature for the aircraft engine, measure an acceleration of the rotational assembly during the starter-assist only phase, and identify a presence or an absence of insufficient starter acceleration for the starter-assist only phase by comparing the measured acceleration to the acceleration threshold. The presence of the insufficient starter acceleration is identified when the measured acceleration is less than the acceleration threshold. The absence of the insufficient starter acceleration is identified when the measured acceleration is greater than the acceleration threshold.