Systems and Methods for Detecting the Onset of Compressor Stall

• US 20130276425A1
• Filed: 04/19/2012
• Published: 10/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Rittenhouse, Brian Allen
• Granted Patent: US 9,500,200 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/39.091
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/20 by throttling; by adjusting vanes
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/001 Testing thereof; Determination or simulation of flow characteristics; Stall or surge detection, e.g. condition monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/0246 by varying geometry within the pumps, e.g. by adjusting vanes
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/563 specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/101 Compressor surge or stall

Abstract

Embodiments of the present application include a stall detection system for a gas turbine engine. The system may include a compressor and a number of variable stator vanes associated with the compressor. The variable stator vanes may form one or more variable stator vane stages. The system may also include one or more resolvers associated with one or more of the variable stator vanes. The resolvers may be configured to detect a flutter in an angle of the variable stator vanes. The flutter may be indicative of the onset of compressor stall.

Claims

1. A stall detection system for a gas turbine engine, comprising:

a plurality of variable stator vanes;

the plurality of variable stator vanes forming one or more variable stator vane stages; and

one or more resolvers associated with one or more of the plurality of the variable stator vanes, wherein the one or more resolvers are configured to detect a flutter in an angle of the one or more variable stator vanes that is indicative of the onset of compressor stall.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein compressor stall comprises rotational stall.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein compressor stall comprises compressor surge.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising a controller in communication with the one or more resolvers.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a resolver feedback signal between the controller and the one or more resolvers.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more resolvers are associated with a unison ring of the one or more variable stator vane stages.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more resolvers are associated with a stem of the one or more variable stator vanes.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more resolvers are positioned symmetrically about each of the one or more variable stator vane stages.

9. A stall detection method for a gas turbine engine, comprising:

associating one or more resolvers with one or more variable stator vanes; and

detecting a flutter in an angle of the one or more variable stator vanes that is indicative of the onset of compressor stall.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising taking corrective action to prevent the compressor stall from occurring.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising positioning the one or more resolvers symmetrically about one or more variable stator vane stages.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining whether the flutter meets a predetermined threshold indicative of the onset of compressor stall.

13. A stall detection system for a gas turbine engine, comprising:

a compressor;

a plurality of variable stator vanes associated with the compressor;

the plurality of variable stator vanes forming one or more variable stator vane stages; and

one or more resolvers associated with one or more of the plurality of the variable stator vanes, wherein the one or more resolvers are configured to detect a flutter in an angle of the one or more variable stator vanes that is indicative of the onset of compressor stall.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein compressor stall comprises rotational stall.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein compressor stall comprises compressor surge.

16. The system of claim 13, further comprising a controller in communication with the one or more resolvers.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising a resolver feedback signal between the controller and the one or more resolvers.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more resolvers are associated with a unison ring of the one or more variable stator vane stages.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more resolvers are associated with a stem of the one or more variable stator vanes.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more resolvers are positioned symmetrically about each of the one or more variable stator vane stages.