Model-based method and system to detect heat exchanger fouling
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of detecting fouling of a heat exchanger system in a vehicle, the computer-implemented method comprising:
- receiving a first temperature measurement from an upstream end of an air duct supplying air to a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a first heat exchanger inlet and a first heat exchanger outlet, wherein the first heat exchanger inlet is configured to receive pressurized air from a gas turbine engine operable to provide power to the vehicle;
receiving a second temperature measurement from a downstream end of the air duct;
receiving a third temperature measurement of air exiting the first heat exchanger;
receiving a fourth temperature measurement of air exiting the second heat exchanger, wherein the second heat exchanger is downstream of, and in serial fluid communication with, the first heat exchanger;
calculating a first heat exchanger fouling indication and a second heat exchanger fouling indication, by operation of one or more computer processors and based on a heat exchanger fouling model; and
upon at least one of the first heat exchanger fouling indication and the second heat exchanger fouling indication exceeding a heat exchanger fouling threshold, causing maintenance to be scheduled for the heat exchanger system.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer-implemented method, environmental control system (ECS) for an aircraft, and system are provided. Air temperatures at the inlet and outlet of a ram air duct for an ECS are measured. Also, air temperatures at outlets from one or more heat exchangers arranged in the ram air duct are measured. The temperatures are typically measured when the aircraft is on the ground and when aircraft engines supplying air to the ECS are operating at idle. Shortly thereafter, the heat exchangers are manually inspected to determine a level of actual fouling (e.g., dirt, dust, or other debris accumulated on heat exchanger surfaces). A supervised machine learning or other statistical analysis is performed on the measured temperatures and associated actual fouling levels to develop a model that predicts an amount of heat exchanger fouling, based on the temperature measurements. An alert can be output if the predicted fouling exceeds a fouling threshold.
13 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of detecting fouling of a heat exchanger system in a vehicle, the computer-implemented method comprising:
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receiving a first temperature measurement from an upstream end of an air duct supplying air to a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a first heat exchanger inlet and a first heat exchanger outlet, wherein the first heat exchanger inlet is configured to receive pressurized air from a gas turbine engine operable to provide power to the vehicle; receiving a second temperature measurement from a downstream end of the air duct; receiving a third temperature measurement of air exiting the first heat exchanger; receiving a fourth temperature measurement of air exiting the second heat exchanger, wherein the second heat exchanger is downstream of, and in serial fluid communication with, the first heat exchanger; calculating a first heat exchanger fouling indication and a second heat exchanger fouling indication, by operation of one or more computer processors and based on a heat exchanger fouling model; and upon at least one of the first heat exchanger fouling indication and the second heat exchanger fouling indication exceeding a heat exchanger fouling threshold, causing maintenance to be scheduled for the heat exchanger system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 21)
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8. An environmental control system (ECS) for a vehicle, the ECS comprising:
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a gas turbine engine operable to provide power to the vehicle and to provide pressurized air for use in a passenger cabin; an air duct that includes an inlet and an exhaust configured to pass air from the atmosphere therethrough; a first heat exchanger arranged in the air duct, wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a first heat exchanger inlet and a first heat exchanger outlet, the first heat exchanger inlet configured to receive pressurized air from the gas turbine engine; a second heat exchanger arranged in the air duct, wherein the second heat exchanger comprises a second heat exchanger inlet and a second heat exchanger outlet, the second heat exchanger inlet configured to receive air from the first heat exchanger outlet; a first temperature sensor operable to measure a first air temperature, the first temperature sensor arranged in the air duct between the inlet and the first and second heat exchangers; a second temperature sensor operable to measure a second air temperature, the second temperature sensor arranged in the air duct between the first and second heat exchangers and the exhaust; a third temperature sensor operable to measure a third air temperature, the third temperature sensor arranged in the first heat exchanger outlet of the first heat exchanger; a fourth temperature sensor operable to measure a fourth air temperature, the fourth temperature sensor arranged in the second heat exchanger outlet of the second heat exchanger; and a controller comprising; a computer memory operable to store; a heat exchanger fouling model; and received values for the measured first air temperature, second air temperature, third air temperature, and fourth air temperature; and a computer processor operable to; calculate a first heat exchanger fouling indication and a second heat exchange fouling indication, based on the heat exchanger fouling model; and output a first alert upon at least one of the first heat exchanger fouling indication and the second heat exchanger fouling indication exceeding a heat exchanger fouling threshold. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system, comprising:
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a data input operable to receive; past instances of temperature measurements for a fleet of vehicles, the temperature measurements comprising; a first temperature measurement from an upstream end of an air duct supplying air to a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, wherein the first heat exchanger comprises a first heat exchanger inlet and a first heat exchanger outlet, wherein the first heat exchanger inlet is configured to receive pressurized air from a gas turbine engine operable to provide power to at least one vehicle of the fleet of vehicles; a second temperature measurement from a downstream end of the air duct; a third temperature measurement of air exiting the first heat exchanger; and a fourth temperature measurement of air exiting the second heat exchanger; and a first past heat exchanger fouling indication and a second past heat exchanger fouling indication associated with each past instance; a computer memory operable to store the received past instances of temperature measurements and associated first and second past heat exchanger fouling indications; a computer processor operable to generate a heat exchanger fouling model by calculating a regression model based on a supervised machine learning algorithm applied to the stored measurements and associated first and second past heat exchanger fouling indications; and a data output operable to transmit the generated heat exchanger fouling model to the fleet of vehicles; wherein a first present exchanger fouling indication and a second present heat exchanger fouling indication for a particular vehicle are calculated based on the generated heat exchanger fouling model and based further on a current instance of temperature measurements for the particular vehicle; wherein at least one of the first present heat exchanger fouling indication and the second present heat exchanger fouling indication exceeding a heat exchanger fouling threshold causes maintenance to be scheduled for at least one of a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger of the particular vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22)
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Specification