CONTROLLING METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR COMPRESSED AIR SUPPLY TO A PNEUMATIC NETWORK, IN PARTICULAR IN AN AIRCRAFT

• US 20130333365A1
• Filed: 06/06/2013
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safran Power Units
• Original Assignee: Microturbo SA
• Inventors: SILET, Fabien, CHEVALIER, Stephane, RIDEAU, Jean-Francois
• Granted Patent: US 9,841,038 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/327
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 41/00 Power installations for auxiliary purposes
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/00 Regulating or controlling by varying flow for reversing F01D1/30; by varying rotor-blade position F01D7/00; specially for starting F01D19/00; shutting-down F01D21/00; regulating or controlling in general G05 ; specially adapted for hand-held tools or the like F01D15/06
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/06 responsive to speed
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/08 responsive to condition of working-fluid, e.g. pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/105 by passing part of the fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/16 by means of nozzle vanes
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/06 providing compressed gas F02C6/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/08 the gas being bled from the gas-turbine compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/32 Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/18 by bleeding, bypassing or acting on variable working fluid interconnections between turbines or compressors or their stages F02C3/113 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/26 Control of fuel supply F02C9/48 takes precedence; fuel valves F02C7/232
• 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: F04D 27/02 Surge control surge detection F04D27/001
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/0207 by bleeding, bypassing or recycling fluids influencing the boundary layer by an uncontrolled bleeding of the working fluid F04D29/681
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/0215 Arrangements therefor, e.g. bleed or by-pass valves
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/0223 Control schemes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 27/023 Details or means for fluid extraction
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/60 making use of surplus or waste energy
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/50 for auxiliary power units (APU's)
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/3015 differential pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/304 : Spool rotational speed
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 15/00 : Fluid-actuated devices for displacing a member from one position to another; Gearing associated therewith

Abstract

A system for supplying compressed air to a pneumatic network includes a load compressor, an air supply and a power shaft driving the load compressor. The system also includes in an air outlet of such load compressor, a connecting channel connected, on the one side, with a channel connected with the pneumatic network and, on the other side, with an air discharge conduct towards an exhaust nozzle. Air flow rate bleed valves are controlled by a processing unit via servo-loops as a function of the pressure sensors and the speed sensor.

Claims

1. A controlling method for compressed air supply to a pneumatic network, wherein, the supply being provided by a load compressor, the compressed air is controlled as a function of the instantaneous needs of the pneumatic network by discharging the whole compressed air being not consumed by such pneumatic network towards the gas exhaust system via a variable opening depending on the air pressure supplied to the pneumatic network, wherein the load compressor operates at the same point, whatever the air flow rate requested by the pneumatic network, and an air generation command of the load compressor according to one of the two opening/closing positions 0/1 is controlled by the opening/closing position 0/1 of the inlet of the network.

3. A controlling system for compressed air supply to a pneumatic network being able to implement the method according to claim 1, such system including a load compressor, an air supply and a power shaft being able to drive into rotation the load compressor, wherein it also comprises, in a compressed air outlet of such load compressor, a connecting channel connected, on the one side, with a channel being connected with the pneumatic network and, on the other side, with an air discharge conduct towards a gas exhaust nozzle as well as air flow rate bleed valves controlled by a data processing unit as a function of measurements made on a pressure sensor arranged on the connection with the pneumatic network, the valves being arranged on the air supply, on the connection with the pneumatic network and on the discharge conduct.

5. The controlling system according to claim 3, wherein the bleed valves arranged on the supply and on the connection with the pneumatic network are valves being settable on two positions of extreme opening/closing conditions 0/1.

6. The controlling system according to claim 3, wherein the valves arranged on the air supply of the load compressor are IGV valves.

7. The controlling system according to claim 3, wherein the rotation driving shaft of the compressor is a mechanical power shaft selected amongst this of an APU unit gas generator, of a terrestrial motive unit, for example a machine tool, a piston engine or an electrical engine.

2. The control method according to preceding claim, wherein a compressed air opening command towards the gas exhaust is controlled at a given set point pressure.

4. The controlling system according to preceding claim, wherein the bleed valve arranged on the discharge conduct is selected amongst a proportional controlling valve in a predetermined range around a set point pressure, an anti-surge valve and a safety valve calibrated at the set point pressure.

8. The controlling system according to preceding claim, wherein the speed of the mechanical power shaft of the APU unit is controlled by a measuring device for the fuel flow rate being injected into a combustion chamber of the APU unit, the flow rate being permanently adjusted so that the speed of said shaft measured by a speed sensor corresponds to a set point value.