ENGINE HEALTH MONITORING

• US 20100138132A1
• Filed: 05/14/2008
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Smith, Timothy M., Apps, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,830,747 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/100
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/28 Regulating systems responsive to plant or ambient parameters, e.g. temperature, pressure, rotor speed F02C9/30 - F02C9/38, F02C9/44 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/08 Registering or indicating the production of the machine either with or without registering working or idle time

Abstract

A method of monitoring the health of a gas turbine engine of at least a pair of engines of an aircraft for example. The method comprising the steps of: a) obtaining steady state readings from predetermined sensors on the engines; b) calculate a percentage difference of the steady state readings from a unique engine linear synthesis model for each engine; c) compare the difference between the percentage differences for each engine and d) where this difference exceeds a predetermined value issue a warning as to an engine health problem. Maintenance of the engine can therefore be advantageously scheduled.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring the health of a gas turbine engine of at least a pair of associated engines, the method comprising the steps of

obtaining steady state readings from predetermined sensors on the engines, calculate a percentage difference of the steady state readings from a unique engine linear synthesis model for each engine,

compare the difference between the percentage differences for each engine and where this difference exceeds a predetermined value issue a warning as to an engine health problem.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the predetermined value is less than 0.5%.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the predetermined value is between 0.1% and 0.2%.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the steady state readings are from any one or more of a turbine gas temperature, a spool speed and compressor efficiency.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the method comprises the step of calculating the percentage difference of the steady state readings on a moving average basis.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the moving average basis is conducted by redatuming each engine'"'"'s steady state readings.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the redatuming is carried out between 3 and 6 months prior to engine deterioration.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the unique engine linear synthesis model for each engine is an ideal steady state point for a perfect engine.