METHODS AND APPARATUS TO MONITOR HEALTH INFORMATION OF A TURBINE ENGINE

• US 20180297718A1
• Filed: 04/18/2017
• Published: 10/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Adibhatla, Sridhar
• Granted Patent: US 10,604,278 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0085 Devices for aircraft health monitoring, e.g. monitoring flutter or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/14 responsive to other specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/81 Modelling or simulation
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/112 by limiting temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/301 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/303 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/304 Spool rotational speed
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/71 synthesized, i.e. parameter computed by a mathematical model
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• 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: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to monitor health information of a turbine engine are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a parameter calculator to determine a baseline value of a set of health parameters for a turbine engine of a vehicle based on a first set of sensor measurements to estimate an initial health of turbine engine components, and determine an operational value of the set of health parameters based on a second set of sensor measurements to estimate an operational health of the turbine engine components. The apparatus further includes a difference calculator to calculate a difference between the baseline value and the operational value to assess a health of the turbine engine, a database to store the first set of sensor measurements or the initial health of the turbine engine components, and an alert generator to generate an alert when the difference satisfies a threshold, the alert including a notification to perform maintenance on the component based on the difference and the threshold.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a parameter calculator to;

determine a baseline value of a set of health parameters for a turbine engine of a vehicle based on a first set of sensor measurements to estimate an initial health of turbine engine components; and

determine an operational value of the set of health parameters based on a second set of sensor measurements to estimate an operational health of the turbine engine components;

a difference calculator to calculate a difference between the baseline value and the operational value to assess a health of the turbine engine;

a database to store the first set of sensor measurements or the initial health of the turbine engine components; and

an alert generator to generate an alert when the difference satisfies a threshold, the alert including a notification to perform maintenance on the component based on the difference and the threshold.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a maintenance manager to identify a condition of the turbine engine components based on the difference.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a collection engine to obtain the first and the second sets of sensor measurements from at least one of a gas-path pressure sensor, gas-path temperature sensor, and a rotor speed sensor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and the second sets of health parameters include an efficiency modifier or a flow modifier of a booster compressor, a high-pressure compressor, a fan, a high-pressure turbine, or a low-pressure turbine of the vehicle.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further including a flight bin identifier to determine a flight bin of the aircraft, where the flight bin is based on an altitude, a Mach number, or a power level indicator of the aircraft or the turbine engine.

7. A method comprising:

determining, by executing an instruction with a processor, a baseline value of a set of health parameters for a turbine engine of a vehicle based on a first set of sensor measurements to estimate an initial health of turbine engine components;

determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, an operational value of the set of health parameters based on a second set of sensor measurements to estimate an operational health of the turbine engine components;

calculating, by executing an instruction with the processor, a difference between the baseline value and the operational value to assess a health of the turbine engine;

storing, by executing an instruction with the processor, the first set of sensor measurements or the initial health of the turbine engine components; and

generating, by executing an instruction with the processor, an alert when the difference satisfies a threshold, the alert including a notification to perform maintenance on the component based on the difference and the threshold.

8. The method of claim 7, further including identifying a condition of the turbine engine components based on the difference.

9. The method of claim 7, further including obtaining the first and the second sets of sensor measurements from at least one of a gas-path pressure sensor, gas-path temperature sensor, and a rotor speed sensor.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the first and the second sets of health parameters include an efficiency modifier or a flow modifier of a booster compressor, a high-pressure compressor, a fan, a high-pressure turbine, or a low-pressure turbine of the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.

12. The method of claim 11, further including determining a flight bin of the aircraft.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the flight bin is based on an altitude, a Mach number, or a power level indicator of the aircraft or the turbine engine.

14. A tangible computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

determine a baseline value of a set of health parameters for a turbine engine of a vehicle based on a first set of sensor measurements to estimate an initial health of turbine engine components;

determine an operational value of the set of health parameters based on a second set of sensor measurements to estimate an operational health of the turbine engine components;

calculate a difference between the baseline value and the operational value to assess a health of the turbine engine;

store the first set of sensor measurements or the initial health of the turbine engine components; and

generate an alert when the difference satisfies a threshold, the alert including a notification to perform maintenance on the component based on the difference and the threshold.

15. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, further including instructions which when executed, cause the machine to at least identify a condition of the turbine engine components based on the difference.

16. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, further including instructions which when executed, cause the machine to at least obtain the first and the second sets of sensor measurements from at least one of a gas-path pressure sensor, gas-path temperature sensor, and a rotor speed sensor.

17. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the first and the second sets of health parameters include an efficiency modifier or a flow modifier of a booster compressor, a high-pressure compressor, a fan, a high-pressure turbine, or a low-pressure turbine of the vehicle.

18. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the vehicle is an aircraft.

19. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, further including instructions which when executed, cause the machine to at least determine a flight bin of the aircraft.

20. The tangible computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the flight bin is based on an altitude, a Mach number, or a power level indicator of the aircraft or the turbine engine.