Oil consumption monitoring for aircraft engine

• US 20090107771A1
• Filed: 10/25/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Vasques, Paul J., Liu, Jun
• Granted Patent: US 8,103,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 184/7.400
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 11/12 concerning lubricant level
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/09 by monitoring pressure in fluid ducts, e.g. in lubrication or cooling parts

Abstract

A system and method for accurately calculating the oil quantity and oil consumption rate of an aircraft engine detects the level of oil in an oil tank, calculates the oil quantity in the oil tank by compensating for the acceleration of the aircraft, as well as changes in the pitch, yaw and roll of the aircraft. The oil consumption rate of the aircraft is also calculated by calculating the oil quantity at different times, and dividing the difference in oil quantity by the difference in times. The percentage change in oil consumption of the aircraft engine is also calculated. The oil quantity and oil consumption rate can be reported during and after the aircraft'"'"'s flight.

Claims

1. A method for calculating an oil quantity in a tank of a vehicle, the method comprising:

sensing oil level in the tank;

sensing acceleration of the vehicle;

sensing rates of change in orientation of the vehicle;

calculating the acceleration of the tank; and

calculating the oil quantity in the tank by compensating the sensed oil level to account for the acceleration of the tank.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the rates of change in orientation of the vehicle include changes in a yaw rate, a pitch rate and a roll rate.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of adjusting the calculated oil quantity to account for sloshing of oil in the tank of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the oil quantity is calculated and reported while the vehicle is in motion.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the oil quantity is calculated and reported after the vehicle has ended its motion.

7. A method for calculating an oil consumption rate of a vehicle, the method comprising:

sensing oil level in an oil tank at a first time;

sensing acceleration of the vehicle at the first time;

sensing changes in orientation of the vehicle at the first time;

calculating the acceleration of the tank at the first time;

calculating the oil quantity in the tank at the first time by compensating the sensed oil level at the first time to account for the acceleration of the tank at the first time;

sensing oil level in the tank at a second time;

sensing acceleration of the vehicle at the second time;

sensing changes in orientation of the vehicle at the second time;

calculating the acceleration of the tank at the second time;

calculating the oil quantity in the tank at the second time by compensating the sensed oil level at the second time to account for the acceleration of the tank at the second time; and

calculating the oil consumption rate by dividing a difference in calculated oil quantities at the first time and the second time by a difference between the first time and the second time.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the changes in orientation of the vehicle include changes in a yaw rate, a pitch rate and a roll rate.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of adjusting the calculated oil quantities to account for sloshing of the oil in the tank of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the vehicle is in motion and the oil quantity is calculated and reported while the vehicle is in motion.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the vehicle was previously in motion and the oil quantity is calculated and reported after the vehicle has ended its motion.

13. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

calculating a nominal oil consumption rate,

calculating a percentage change in the oil consumption rate by dividing a difference in the oil consumption rate and the nominal oil consumption rate by the nominal oil consumption rate.

14. A system for monitoring oil consumption of a vehicle, the system comprising:

means for sensing oil quantity in a tank of a vehicle;

means for sensing acceleration of the vehicle;

means for sensing changes in orientation of the vehicle; and

means for calculating oil quantity by compensating the sensed oil quantity to account for the acceleration and changes in orientation of the vehicle.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the changes in orientation of the vehicle include changes in a yaw rate, a pitch rate and a roll rate.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the means for calculating adjusts the calculated oil quantity to account for sloshing of oil in the tank of the vehicle.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the means for calculating calculates and reports the oil quantity while the vehicle is in motion.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the means for calculating calculates and reports the oil quantity after the vehicle has ended its motion.

20. The system of claim 14 and further comprising:

means for calculating oil consumption rate based upon calculated oil quantity at different times.