A METHOD OF STARTING A TURBOMACHINE WHILE REDUCING THERMAL UNBALANCE

• US 20140123673A1
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safran Helicopter Engines
• Original Assignee: Turbomeca
• Inventors: Mouze, Yann, Batlle, Frederic Ferdinand Jacques, Haehner, Edgar, Segura, Frederic
• Granted Patent: US 9,988,987 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/778
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 19/02 dependent on temperature of component parts, e.g. of turbine-casing
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/26 Starting; Ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/264 Ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/268 Starting drives for the rotor , acting directly on the rotor of the gas turbine to be started
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/85 Starting
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/96 Preventing, counteracting or reducing vibration or noise
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/01 Purpose of the control system
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/10 to cope with, or avoid, compressor flow instabilities
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A method of starting a turbomachine, performed by an electronic unit, the turbomachine including a gas turbine engine including at least one rotor and a starter to drive the rotor in rotation, the method including: receiving an order to start the turbomachine, and executing in response to receiving the order to start: a primary acceleration during which the starter is operated to increase speed of rotation of the rotor; a thermal homogenization during which the starter is operated to keep the speed of rotation of the rotor constant or to decrease it until a predetermined condition is satisfied; after the predetermined condition is true, a secondary acceleration in which the starter is operated to increase the speed of rotation of the rotor; and an ignition in which ignition of the engine is ordered.

Claims

1-10. -10. (canceled)

11. A method of starting or restarting a turbomachine, performed by an electronic unit, the turbomachine including a gas turbine engine including at least one rotor and a starter configured to drive the rotor in rotation, the method, in response to receiving an order to start, comprising:

a primary acceleration during which the starter is operated to increase a speed of rotation of the rotor;

a thermal homogenization during which the starter is operated to keep the speed of rotation of the rotor constant or to decrease it until a predetermined condition is satisfied, without ordering ignition of the engine;

once the predetermined condition is true, a secondary acceleration in which the starter is operated to increase the speed of rotation of the rotor; and

an ignition in which ignition of the engine is ordered.

12. A method of starting according to claim 11, wherein the primary acceleration is performed until a predetermined speed of rotation is reached.

13. A method of starting according to claim 12, wherein the predetermined speed of rotation is less than a first critical speed of rotation of the turbomachine.

14. A method of starting according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined condition is a predetermined duration elapsing from a beginning of the thermal homogenization.

15. A method of starting according to claim 11, wherein the primary acceleration is performed until a level of vibration is detected that is greater than or equal to a first predetermined level, the predetermined condition being detecting the level of vibration that is less than or equal to a second predetermined level, the second predetermined level being less than the first predetermined level.

16. A method of starting according to claim 11, wherein during the thermal homogenization, the starter is operated to keep the speed of rotation of the rotor constant.

17. A method of starting according to claim 11, wherein during the thermal homogenization, the starter is operated to cease driving the rotor in rotation.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium including a computer program including instructions for performing a method of starting according to claim 11, when the computer program is executed by a computer.

19. An electronic unit comprising a memory storing the computer program according to claim 18.

20. A turbomachine comprising:

an electronic unit according to claim 19;

a gas turbine engine including at least one rotor; and

a starter configured to drive the rotor in rotation.