Engine Health Monitoring and Power Allocation Control for a Turbine Engine Using Electric Generators

• US 20140271114A1
• Filed: 11/26/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc. (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Rolls-Royce North America Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Armstrong, Michael, Phillips, Steven Daniel, Neuman, Tom Mark
• Granted Patent: US 9,260,976 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/00 Shutting-down of machines or engines, e.g. in emergency; Regulating, controlling, or safety means not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/32 Arrangement, mounting, or driving, of auxiliaries
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/36 Power transmission arrangements between the different shafts of the gas turbine plant, or between the gas-turbine plant and the power user F02C3/107 - F02C3/13 and F02C7/32 take precedence; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; gearing in general F16H
• 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: F05D 2220/323 for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/76 an electrical generator
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/81 Modelling or simulation
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/821 Parameter estimation or prediction
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/053 Explicitly mentioned power
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/20 to optimize the performance of a machine
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/335 Output power or torque
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/44 active, predictive, or anticipative
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/048 Monitoring; Safety
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24015 Monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0294 Optimizing process, e.g. process efficiency, product quality
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/004 Indicating the operating range of the engine economical driving B60R16/0236, F02B77/084; measuring liquid fuel of an engine G01F9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A control for a turbine engine using electrical machines monitors engine health and allocates power extraction between the electrical machines.

Claims

1. A control for a turbine engine having a plurality of shafts and one or more electrical machines coupled to the shafts, the control comprising:

an engine health monitor to monitor the health of the turbine engine over time; and

a power allocation optimizer to allocate power extraction between the electrical machines based on the health of the turbine engine.

6. A control for a turbine engine having a plurality of shafts and one or more electrical machines coupled to the shafts, the control configured to perform the method of claim 1.

2. A method for controlling the allocation of power extracted from a plurality of shafts of a turbine engine, the shafts having one or more electrical machines coupled thereto, the method comprising:

monitoring the health of the turbine engine over time; and

allocating power extraction between the electrical machines based on the health of the turbine engine.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising obtaining, from the engine, an indicator of current fuel flow to the engine;

and comparing the current fuel flow to a healthy engine profile.

4. The method of claim 2, comprising obtaining, from one or more control units coupled to the electrical machines, data relating to a current power extraction allocation;

and comparing the current power extraction allocation to a healthy engine profile.

5. The method of claim 2, comprising obtaining, from the engine, data relating to a current operating condition of the engine;

and adjusting the power extraction allocation based on the current operating condition.

7. A system for controlling the extraction and allocation of power from a turbine engine, the system comprising:

a low pressure turbine, coupled to the turbine engine via a low pressure shaft and configured to drive at least a fan of the turbine engine;

a high pressure turbine, connected to the turbine engine via a high pressure shaft configured to drive at least a compressor of the turbine engine;

electrical machines coupled to the low pressure shaft and the high pressure shaft, the electrical machines configured to extract rotational power from the low pressure shaft and the high pressure shaft and output electrical power;

control units coupled to each of the electrical machines to control the amount of rotational power extracted by the electrical machines from the low pressure shaft and the high pressure shaft; and

a power allocation optimizer to, during operation of the turbine engine, adjust the allocation of power extraction between the low pressure shaft and the high pressure shaft based at least in part on an indicator of the health of the engine, wherein the system is configured to perform the method of claim 2.

8. A system for controlling the extraction and allocation of power from a turbine engine, the system comprising:

a low pressure turbine, coupled to the turbine engine via a low pressure shaft and configured to drive at least a fan of the turbine engine;

a high pressure turbine, connected to the turbine engine via a high pressure shaft configured to drive at least a compressor of the turbine engine;

electrical machines coupled to the low pressure shaft and the high pressure shaft, the electrical machines configured to extract rotational power from the low pressure shaft and the high pressure shaft and output electrical power;

control units coupled to each of the electrical machines to control the amount of rotational power extracted by the electrical machines from the low pressure shaft and the high pressure shaft; and

a power allocation optimizer to, during operation of the turbine engine, adjust the allocation of power extraction between the low pressure shaft and the high pressure shaft based at least in part on an indicator of the health of the engine.

9. The system of claim 8, comprising an engine health monitor in communication with the power allocation optimizer to assess engine health based on engine performance sensitivity to variations in shaft power extraction.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the power allocation optimizer optimizes engine cycle performance by varying electrical system controls.

11. A system for controlling the extraction and allocation of power from a turbine engine, the system comprising:

a low pressure turbine, coupled to the turbine engine via a low pressure shaft and configured to drive at least a fan of the turbine engine;

a high pressure turbine, connected to the turbine engine via a high pressure shaft configured to drive at least a compressor of the turbine engine;

electrical machines coupled to the low pressure shaft and the high pressure shaft, the electrical machines configured to extract rotational power from the low pressure shaft and the high pressure shaft and output electrical power;

control units coupled to each of the electrical machines to control the amount of rotational power extracted by the electrical machines from the low pressure shaft and the high pressure shaft; and

an engine health monitor to assess engine health during the operation of the turbine engine, based on performance sensitivity of the turbine engine to variations in power extraction from the shafts.

12. A method for controlling the allocation of power extracted from a plurality of shafts of a turbine engine, the shafts having one or more electrical machines coupled thereto, the method comprising:

receiving, via feedback control of the turbine engine, data relating to one or more turbine engine operating conditions including fuel flow, temperature, pressure, and/or speed;

generating an assessment of the health of the turbine engine based on changes in the one or more operating conditions over time;

using a model-based algorithm to predict a change in the health of the turbine engine based on the operating conditions and a healthy engine profile;

determining an optimal power extraction allocation between the electrical machines based on the predicted change in engine health, the operating conditions, and one or more optimization parameters including fuel efficiency, engine performance, and/or engine reliability; and

controlling the electrical machines to implement the optimal power extraction.