Vehicle turbine manual control

• US 4,041,696 A
• Filed: 05/24/1976
• Issued: 08/16/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1976
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Allison Engine Company, Inc. (Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Morrison, Donald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Croyle, Carlton R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Casoregola, L. J.
• Application Number:
  US05/689,131
• Time in Patent Office: 449 Days
• Field of Search: 60/39.14, 60/39.16 S, 60/39.28 R
• US Class Current: 60/790
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/26 Starting; Ignition

Abstract

A vehicular gas turbine engine includes a first electronic controller responsive to a plurality of engine operating parameters and associated with a power relay box to control operation of engine functions and further includes a manual controller that allows open loop operation of the engine to start and run it at a speed and power level independent of the electronic controller and associated signals of engine parameters. The manual controller includes a timer set to shut the engine down after a preselected time period of manual operation to prevent excessive use of the open loop control thereby to minimize possibility of engine damage.

Claims

1. A gas turbine control system for controlling operation of a gas turbine engine starter and a gas turbine engine having a compressor driven by a turbine to supply air to a combustor having a fuel supply thereto for combustion with air to produce motive fluid for the turbine, said control system comprising:

fuel control means energizable to modulate fuel flow to the combustor, automatic electronic control means responsive to predetermined engine parameters to produce a control signal connected to said fuel control means for control of engine operation, means for energizing said automatic electronic control means including a main switch and a start switch, a manual controller for energizing said fuel control means, means including said main switch and manual selector switch means to selectively and independently power said electronic control means and said manual controller, manual controller relay means responsive to operation of said main switch and said manual selector switch means when said electronic control means is disabled, said manual controller further including timer means energized in response to energization of said relay, a DC battery voltage source, start circuit means responsive to energization of said relay and timer means for connecting said DC voltage source to the starter of said engine during a start phase of operation, means connected in circuit relationship with said start circuit for directing an initially reduced battery voltage as produced by current flow through said start circuit means to said fuel control means during the start phase of operation to produce a ramped fuel signal to increase fuel flow as a function of engine speed increased during a manual start phase of operation.

2. A gas turbine control system for controlling operation of a gas turbine engine starter and a gas turbine engine having a compressor driven by a turbine to supply air to a combustor having a fuel supply thereto for combustion with air to produce motive fluid for the turbine, said control system comprising:

fuel control means energizable to modulate fuel flow to the combustor, automatic electronic control means responsive to predetermined engine parameters to produce a control signal connected to said fuel control means for control of engine operation, means for energizing said automatic electronic control means including a main switch and a start switch, a manual controller for energizing said fuel control means, means including said main switch and manual selector switch means to selectively and independently power said electronic control means and said manual controller, manual controller relay means responsive to operation of said main switch and said manual selector switch means when said electronic control means is disabled, said manual controller further including timer means energized in response to energization of said relay, a DC battery voltage source, start circuit means responsive to energization of said relay and timer means for connecting said DC voltage source to the starter of said engine during a start phase of operation, means connected in circuit relationship with said start circuit for directing an initially reduced battery voltage as produced by current flow through said start circuit means to said fuel control means during the start phase of operation to produce a ramped fuel signal to increase fuel flow as a function of engine speed increased during a manual start phase of operation, means responsive to said timer means to impose a maximized battery voltage on said fuel control means following the manual start phase of operation, said last mentioned means including resistor means preselected to produce an upper limit fuel control signal to produce an approximately 80% engine speed operation during a manual controller run operation.

3. A gas turbine control system for controlling operation of an engine starter and a two-shaft gas turbine engine having a compressor driven by a first turbine to supply air to a combustor having a fuel supply thereto for combustion with air to produce motive fluid for the first turbine and a second power turbine for driving a load and wherein power transfer clutch means couple the first and second turbines, said control system comprising:

fuel control means energizable to modulate fuel flow to the combustor, clutch control means energizable to control clutch pressure to vary power transfer between the first and second turbines, automatic electronic control means responsive to predetermined engine parameters to produce first and second control signals connected to said fuel control means and said clutch control means for control of engine operation, means including a main switch and a start switch for energizing said automatic control means, a manual controller for energizing said fuel control means and said clutch control means, means including said main switch and manual selector switch means to selectively and independently power said electronic control means and said manual controller, manual controller run relay means responsive to operation of said main switch and said manual selector switch means when said electronic control means is disabled, said manual controller further including timer means energized in response to energization of said relay, means to direct a clutch control signal from said manual controller to dump said control clutch pressure when the manual controller is energized, a DC battery voltage source, start circuit means responsive to energization of said relay and timer means for connecting said DC voltage source to the starter of said engine during a manual start phase of operation, meansconnected in circuit relationship with said start circuit for directing an initially reduced battery voltage as produced by current flow through said start circuit to said fuel control means during the manual control start phase of operation to produce a ramped fuel signal to increase fuel flow as a function of engine speed increase during the manual start phase of operation.

4. A gas turbine control system for controlling operation of an engine starter and a two-shaft gas turbine engine having a compressor driven by a first turbine to supply air to a combustor having a fuel supply thereto for combustion with air to produce motive fluid for the first turbine and a second power turbine for driving a load and wherein power transfer clutch means couple the first and second turbines, said control system comprising:

fuel control means energizable to modulate fuel flow to the combustor, clutch control means energizable to control clutch pressure to very power transfer between the first and second turbines, automatic electronic control means responsive to predetermined engine parameters to produce first and second control signals connected to said fuel control means and said clutch control means for control of engine operation, means including a main switch and a start switch for energizing said automatic control means, a manual controller for energizing said fuel control means and said clutch control means, means including said main switch and manual selector switch means to selectively and independently power said electronic control means and said manual controller, manual controller run relay means responsive to operation of said main switch and said manual selector switch means when said electronic control means is disabled, said manual controller further including timer means energized in response to energization of said relay, a DC battery voltage source, start circuit means responsive to energization of said relay and timer means for connecting said DC voltage source to the starter of said engine during a manual start phase of operation, means connected in circuit relationship with said start circuit for directing an initially reduced battery voltage as produced by current flow through said start circuit to said fuel control means during the manual control start phase of operation to produce a ramped fuel signal to increase fuel flow as a function of engine speed increase during the manual start phase of operation, means responsive to said timer means to impose a maximized battery voltage on said fuel control means following the manual start phase of operation, said last mentioned means including resistor means preselected to produce an upper limit fuel control signal to produce an approximately 80% engine speed operation during a manual controller run operation.

5. A gas turbine control system for controlling operation of a gas turbine engine starter and a two-shaft gas turbine engine having a compressor driven by a first turbine to supply air to a combustor having a fuel supply thereto for combustion with air to produce motive fluid for the first turbine and a second power turbine for driving a load and wherein power transfer clutch means couple the first and second turbines, said control system comprising:

fuel control means energizable to modulate fuel flow to the combustor, clutch control means energizable to control clutch pressure to vary power transfer between the first and second turbines, automatic electronic control means responsive to predetermined engine parameters to produce first and second control signals connected to said fuel control means and said clutch control means for control of engine operation, means including a main switch and a start switch for energizing said automatic control means, a manual controller for energizing said fuel control means and said clutch control means, means including said main switch and manual selector switch means to selectively and independently power said electronic control means and said manual controller, a manual controller run relay and start relay, means for energizing said run and start relays in response to energization of said manual controller, said manual controller further including a start timer with contacts and a run timer with contacts, said start and run timers being energized in response to energization of said start and run relays, means to direct a clutch control signal from said manual controller to dump said control clutch pressure when the manual controller is energized, means for defining a hold circuit for said timer and said run timer to prevent reset thereof until said main switch is operated on and off, a DC battery voltage source, start circuit means responsive to energization of said start relay for connecting said voltage source to the engine starter during a manual start phase of operation, means connected in circuit relationship with said start circuit for directing an initially reduced battery voltage as produced by current flow through said start circuit to said fuel control means during the manual control start phase of operation to produce a ramped fuel signal thereon which increased fuel flow as a function of engine speed increase during the manual start phase of operation, means responsive to deenergization of said start relay to impose full battery voltage on said fuel control solenoid valve means following the manual start phase of operation, said last mentioned means including resistor means preselected to produce an upper limit fuel control signal to produce an approximately 80% engine speed operation during manual controller run operation.