METHOD FOR MONITORING AN IGNITION SEQUENCE OF A TURBOMACHINE ENGINE

• US 20150285093A1
• Filed: 11/08/2013
• Published: 10/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safran Aircraft Engine Company
• Original Assignee: Snecma (Safran SA)
• Inventors: Foiret, Guilhem, Demaison, Francois, Lamoureux, Benjamin Pierre
• Granted Patent: US 9,896,958 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/003 Arrangements for testing or measuring for measuring vibrations G01H
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/26 Starting; Ignition
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/266 Electric sparking plugs H01T
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/85 Starting

Abstract

A method for monitoring an ignition sequence of an engine, in particular a turbomachine engine, including the following steps: (i) defining an ignition time of the engine for a defined starting parameter, (ii) comparing the ignition time of the engine defined in this way with a reference ignition time expected for a reference engine and for this starting parameter, (iii) deducing an indicator of the bringing into operation of the engine, (iv) repeating steps (i) to (iii) for this starting parameter, for each bringing into operation of the engine of the sequence, and (v) on the basis of the change in the indicator, generating a degradation alert for the ignition sequence of the engine.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring an ignition sequence of an engine, the method comprising the following steps:

determining a duration for ignition of the engine for a determined starting parameter,

(ii) comparing the thereby determined ignition duration of the engine with an expected reference ignition duration for a reference engine and for this starting parameter,

(iii) inferring an indicator of starting operation of the engine,

(iv) repeating steps (i) to (iii) for this starting parameter, for each starting operation of the engine of the sequence, and

(v) depending on the time-dependent change in the indicator, generating a degradation alert of the ignition sequence of the engine.

2. The monitoring method according to claim 1, wherein the starting parameter comprises at least one of the parameters from the following list:

a thermal condition of the engine during the starting operation sequence,

starting on the ground or starting during flight,

an altitude at which the engine starts,

an ambient pressure,

a rotational speed of the engine corresponding to fuel injection into a combustion chamber of the engine,

a fuel flow rate injected into a combustion chamber upon ignition,

air characteristics at the inlet of a combustion chamber of the engine.

3. The monitoring method according to claim 1, wherein the ignition durations are determined from a number of discharges of an ignition spark plug of the engine, required for starting operation of the engine.

4. The monitoring method according to claim 3, wherein during the comparison step, is determined a difference between the number of discharges of the ignition spark plug of the engine, required for starting operation of the engine, with an expected number of discharges of an ignition spark plug for starting operation of the reference engine.

5. The monitoring method according to claim 1, wherein a degradation alert is generated when the indicator is greater than or equal to a determined threshold.

6. The monitoring method according to claim 1, wherein the engine comprises two ignition spark plugs, and the indicator is determined independently for each ignition spark plug.

7. The monitoring method according to claim 1, further comprising a step during which a set of reference ignition durations is determined for a given reference engine and for a set of values of the starting parameter.

8. A computer program product comprising code instructions for executing a method for monitoring a sequence for starting operation of an engine, according to claim 1.

9. A storage means, legible by a piece of computer equipment on which a computer program product comprises code instructions for executing a method for monitoring a sequence for starting operation of an engine, according to claim 1.

10. A system for monitoring a sequence for starting operation of an engine, notably of a turbomachine, comprising means configured for applying a method for monitoring a sequence for starting operation of an engine, according to claim 1.