Actuator control system and method for gas turbine engine

• US 10,309,342 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2015
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Mueller, Carl F., Veilleux, Jr., Leo J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jelani A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alsomiri, Majdi
• Application Number:
  US14/743,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20160369745A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,447 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/00 Controlling gas-turbine plants; Controlling fuel supply in air- breathing jet-propulsion plants controlling air intakes F02C7/057; controlling turbines F01D; controlling compressors F04D27/00; controlling in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/76 Control or regulation of thrust reversers
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/54 by electronic means, e.g. electronic tubes, transistors or IC's within an electronic circuit
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/62 Electrical actuators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A system for controlling actuators within a gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes an electronic engine controller, a plurality of actuators, and a central control unit. The central control unit includes an actuator control unit electrically coupled to the electronic engine controller and a plurality of actuator control modules. Each of the actuator control modules is electrically coupled to each of the plurality of actuators. A method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for controlling actuators within a gas turbine engine, comprising:

an electronic engine controller;

a plurality of actuators; and

a central control unit, wherein the central control unit includes an actuator control unit electrically coupled to the electronic engine controller and a plurality of actuator control modules, each of the actuator control modules electrically coupled to each of the plurality of actuators, wherein the plurality of actuator control modules include a power conditioning module, an actuator position module, and a drive module.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising an electrical bus, wherein each of the actuator control modules is electrically coupled to each of the plurality of actuators by way of the electrical bus.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the power conditioning module includes a power conditioner electrically coupled to at least one electrical power source and configured to deliver electrical power to each of the plurality of actuators.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of actuators includes a wave guide adjacent a moveable target, and wherein the actuator position module generates a wave signal and directs the wave signal to the wave guide of at least one of the actuators, the wave guide configured to direct the wave signal toward the moveable target and direct a return wave signal reflected off of the moveable target to the actuator position module, the actuator position module configured to interpret the return wave signal as a position of the moveable target.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the moveable target is a piston.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of actuators includes a motor, and wherein the drive module is configured to provide commands to each of the motors to adjust operating conditions of the motor.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the actuators is associated with a different assembly within the engine.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein at least one of the actuators is configured to rotate a stator vane assembly, at least one of the actuators is configured to adjust a position of a variable area nozzle, and at least one of the other actuators is configured to adjust a bleed valve position.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the actuator control modules provides a set of common control modules for each of the plurality of actuators.

10. A method for controlling actuators within a gas turbine engine, comprising:

providing instructions from an electronic engine controller to a central control unit, the instructions relating to operating conditions of a plurality of actuators;

interpreting the instructions from the electronic engine controller with an actuator control unit of the central control unit;

providing commands from the actuator control unit to at least one of a plurality of actuator control modules of the central control unit, each of the actuator control modules electrically coupled to each of the plurality of actuators, wherein the plurality of actuator control modules include a power conditioning module, an actuator position module, and a drive module.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein one of the actuator control modules is a power conditioning module having a power conditioner electrically coupled to at least one electrical power source, the power conditioning module delivering electrical power to each of the plurality of actuators in response to the commands from the actuator control unit.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of actuators includes a wave guide adjacent a moveable target, and wherein the one of the actuator control modules includes an actuator position module.

13. The method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

generating a wave signal with the actuator position module in response to the commands from the actuator control unit;

directing the wave signal to the wave guide of at least one of the actuators, the wave guide directing the wave signal toward the moveable target and directing a return wave signal reflected off of the moveable element to the actuator position module; and

interpreting, using the actuator position module, the return wave signal to determine a position of the moveable target.

14. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of actuators includes a motor, and wherein one of the actuator control modules is the drive module providing commands, in response to the commands from the actuator control unit, to each of the motors to adjust operating conditions of the motor.

15. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein each of the actuators is associated with a different assembly within the engine.

16. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein each of the actuator control modules provides a set of common control modules for each of the plurality of actuators.