CROSS ENGINE COORDINATION DURING GAS TURBINE ENGINE MOTORING

• US 20180022464A1
• Filed: 07/18/2017
• Published: 01/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Gelwan, David, Clauson, Jesse W., Berry, James K.
• Granted Patent: US 10,384,791 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 31/12 for equalising or synchronising power plants
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 41/00 Power installations for auxiliary purposes
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/34 for starting propulsion plant
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 13/00 Combinations of two or more machines or engines F01D15/00 takes precedence; combinations of two or more pumps F04; fluid gearing F16H
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 19/00 Starting of machines or engines; Regulating, controlling, or safety means in connection therewith warming-up before starting F01D25/10; turning or inching gear F01D25/34
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/003 Arrangements for testing or measuring for measuring vibrations G01H
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/00 Plural gas-turbine plants; Combinations of gas-turbine plants with other apparatus; Adaptations of gas-turbine plants for special use
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/20 Adaptations of gas-turbine plants for driving vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/277 the starter being a separate turbine
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/323 for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/13 to control two or more engines simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/304 Spool rotational speed
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/312 Air pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/54 by electronic means, e.g. electronic tubes, transistors or IC's within an electronic circuit

Abstract

A system is provided for cross engine coordination during gas turbine engine motoring. The system includes a first gas turbine engine of a first engine system, a first air turbine starter of the first engine system, a first starter air valve of the first engine system, and a controller. The controller is operable to command the first starter air valve to control delivery of compressed air to the first air turbine starter during motoring of the first gas turbine engine, monitor cross engine data of a second gas turbine engine of a second engine system to detect a present condition or a commanded action that modifies an aspect of the compressed air received at the first starter air valve, and command an adjustment to the first engine system to compensate for the modified aspect of the compressed air based on the cross engine data.

Claims

1. A system for cross engine coordination during gas turbine engine motoring, the system comprising:

a first gas turbine engine of a first engine system;

a first air turbine starter of the first engine system;

a first starter air valve of the first engine system; and

a controller operable to command the first starter air valve to control delivery of compressed air to the first air turbine starter during motoring of the first gas turbine engine, monitor cross engine data of a second gas turbine engine of a second engine system to detect a present condition or a commanded action that modifies an aspect of the compressed air received at the first starter air valve, and command an adjustment to the first engine system to compensate for the modified aspect of the compressed air based on the cross engine data.

2. The system as in claim 1, wherein the compressed air is driven by an auxiliary power unit of the aircraft, a ground cart, or a cross engine bleed.

3. The system as in claim 1, wherein the controller commands the first starter air valve based on one or more of:

an engine speed of a starting spool of the first gas turbine engine, a starter speed of the first air turbine starter, and a starter air pressure.

4. The system as in claim 3, wherein the adjustment to the first engine system maintains the engine speed of the starting spool of the first gas turbine engine below a resonance speed of the starting spool during motoring.

5. The system as in claim 1, wherein the present condition comprises one or more of:

a detected fault condition of a second air turbine starter of the second engine system;

a detected fault condition of a second starter air valve of the second engine system;

a transition to start motoring of the second gas turbine engine;

a transition to stop motoring of the second gas turbine engine; and

a control input or modeled value to control motoring of the second gas turbine engine.

6. The system as is claim 1, wherein the commanded action comprises a commanded change in state of one or more of:

a second starter air valve of the second engine system, an engine shutoff valve, and a bleed valve operable to release a portion of the compressed air.

7. The system as in claim 1, wherein the cross engine data further comprises a scheduled adjustment of one or more control parameters of the second engine system.

8. The system as in claim 1, wherein the adjustment to the first engine system is based on monitoring a rate of change of one or more parameters received in the cross engine data.

9. A system of an aircraft, the system comprising:

a compressed air source operable to supply compressed air;

a first engine system comprising a first gas turbine engine, a first air turbine starter, a first starter air valve, and a first controller operable to command the first starter air valve to control delivery of the compressed air to the first air turbine starter during motoring of the first gas turbine engine;

a second engine system comprising a second gas turbine engine, a second air turbine starter, a second starter air valve, and a second controller operable to command the second starter air valve to control delivery of the compressed air to the second air turbine starter during motoring of the second gas turbine engine; and

a communication bus operable to establish communication of cross engine data between the first controller and the second controller, wherein the first controller is operable to command an adjustment to the first engine system based on the cross engine data from the second controller, and the second controller is operable to command an adjustment to the second engine system based on the cross engine data from the first controller.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first controller commands the first starter air valve based on one or more of:

an engine speed of a starting spool of the first gas turbine engine, a starter speed of the first air turbine starter, and a starter air pressure of the first engine system, and wherein the second controller commands the second starter air valve based on one or more of;

an engine speed of a starting spool of the second gas turbine engine, a starter speed of the second air turbine starter, and a starter air pressure of the second engine system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first engine system maintains the engine speed of the starting spool of the first gas turbine engine below a resonance speed during motoring of the first gas turbine engine, and the second engine system maintains the engine speed of the starting spool of the second gas turbine engine below the resonance speed during motoring of the second gas turbine engine.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the cross engine data comprises one or more of:

a detected fault condition of the first or second air turbine starter;

a detected fault condition of the first or second starter air valve;

a transition to start motoring of the first or second gas turbine engine;

a transition to stop motoring of the first or second gas turbine engine; and

a control input or modeled value to control motoring of the first or second gas turbine engine.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the cross engine data comprises a commanded change in state of one or more of:

the first starter air valve, the second starter air valve, an engine shutoff valve, and a bleed valve operable to release a portion of the compressed air.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the cross engine data further comprises a scheduled adjustment of one or more control parameters of the first or second engine system.

15. A method for cross engine coordination during gas turbine engine motoring, the method comprising:

commanding, by a controller, a first starter air valve to control delivery of compressed air to a first air turbine starter during motoring of a first gas turbine engine of a first engine system;

monitoring, by the controller, cross engine data of a second gas turbine engine of a second engine system to detect a present condition or a commanded action that modifies an aspect of the compressed air received at the first starter air valve; and

commanding an adjustment to the first engine system to compensate for the modified aspect of the compressed air based on the cross engine data.

16. The method as in claim 15, further comprising commanding the first starter air valve based on one or more of:

an engine speed of a starting spool of the first gas turbine engine, a starter speed of the first air turbine starter, and a starter air pressure, wherein the adjustment to the first engine system maintains the engine speed of the starting spool of the first gas turbine engine below a resonance speed of the starting spool during motoring.

17. The method as in claim 15, wherein the present condition comprises one or more of:

a detected fault condition of a second air turbine starter of the second engine system;

a detected fault condition of a second starter air valve of the second engine system;

a transition to start motoring of the second gas turbine engine;

a transition to stop motoring of the second gas turbine engine; and

a control input or modeled value to control motoring of the second gas turbine engine.

18. The method as in claim 15, wherein the commanded action comprises a commanded change in state of one or more of:

a second starter air valve of the second engine system, an engine shutoff valve, and a bleed valve operable to release a portion of the compressed air.

19. The method as in claim 15, wherein the cross engine data further comprises a scheduled adjustment of one or more control parameters of the second engine system.

20. The method as in claim 15, wherein the adjustment to the first engine system is based on monitoring a rate of change of one or more parameters received in the cross engine data.