AIRCRAFT POWER OUTTAKE MANAGEMENT

• US 20140297155A1
• Filed: 01/29/2013
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: CHEN, Bryan, CHMIEL, Dariusz, BEAUCHESNE-MARTEL, Philippe, JARVO, James Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,382,010 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/100
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 31/06 actuated automatically
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/003 Arrangements for testing or measuring for measuring vibrations G01H
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/042 having variable geometry
• 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: F02C 9/54 by throttling the working fluid, by adjusting vanes
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/323 for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/83 Testing, e.g. methods, components or tools therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/053 Explicitly mentioned power
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 13/024 in which a parameter or coefficient is automatically adjusted to optimise the performance

Abstract

A system and method for controlling the operation of a gas turbine engine supplying power to an aircraft. The engine is controlled according to a reading of an amount of power drawn from the supplied power. The reading is fed directly to a control system, which issues commands for controlling engine parameters comprising an acceleration reference signal, load shedding, variable geometry positioning, and fuel flow. The control system may further issue commands for controlling the amount of power drawn. The control system may further use the reading to monitor the engine'"'"'s condition.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a gas turbine engine supplying power to an aircraft, the system comprising:

a receiving unit adapted to receive a measurement signal comprising a measurement of a portion of a supplied power currently consumed by at least one load coupled to the engine; and

a processing unit adapted to extract the measurement from the measurement signal, generate a control signal in response to the portion of the supplied power currently consumed by the at least one load, and send the control signal to the engine for controlling an operation of the engine.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is adapted to compare the measurement as extracted to a predetermined threshold and generate the control signal on the basis of the comparison.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processing unit is adapted to predict a response of the engine to a change in the portion of the supplied power consumed by the at least one load determined from the comparison and to generate the control signal according to the predicted response.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is adapted to generate the control signal as a power control signal to modify an amount of power consumed by the at least one load.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is adapted to generate the control signal as a load shedding command.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is adapted to generate the control signal as a command to modify an acceleration schedule of the engine.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is adapted to generate the control signal as a command to adjust a position of at least one variable geometry of the engine towards a position optimizing at least one of a cycle efficiency of the engine and a surge margin capability of the engine.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is adapted to generate the control signal as a command to adjust a flow of fuel through the engine.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is adapted to use the measurement of the portion of the supplied power currently consumed by the at least one load in performing at least one of a power assurance check calculation and a turbine temperature calculation.

10. A method for controlling a gas turbine engine supplying power to an aircraft, the method comprising:

receiving a measurement signal comprising a measurement of a portion of a supplied power currently consumed by at least one load coupled to the engine;

extracting the measurement from the measurement signal;

generating a control signal in response to the portion of the supplied power currently consumed by the at least one load; and

sending the control signal to the engine for controlling an operation of the engine.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising comparing the extracted measurement to a predetermined threshold, and generating the control signal on the basis of the comparison.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising predicting a response of the engine to a change in the portion of the supplied power consumed by the at least one load determined from the comparison and wherein generating the control signal comprises generating the control signal according to the predicted response.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein generating the control signal comprises generating the control signal as a power control signal to modify an amount of power consumed by the at least one load.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein generating the control signal comprises generating the control signal as a load shedding command.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein generating the control signal comprises generating the control signal as a command to modify an acceleration schedule of the engine.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein generating the control signal comprises generating the control signal as a command to adjust a position of at least one variable geometry of the engine towards a position optimizing at least one of a cycle efficiency of the engine and a surge margin capability of the engine.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein generating the control signal comprises generating the control signal as a command to adjust a flow of fuel through the engine.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising using the measurement of the portion of the supplied power currently consumed by the at least one load in performing at least one of a power assurance check calculation and a turbine temperature calculation.

19. A system for controlling a gas turbine engine supplying power to an aircraft, the system comprising:

means for receiving a measurement signal comprising a measurement of a portion of a supplied power currently consumed by at least one load coupled to the engine;

means for extracting the measurement from the measurement signal;

means for generating a control signal in response to the portion of the supplied power currently consumed by the at least one load; and

means for sending the control signal to the engine for controlling an operation of the engine.