Method and apparatus for determining an effective jet engine maintenance schedule

• US 6,473,677 B1
• Filed: 06/18/2001
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Korkosz, Richard August, Hershey, John Erik, Ackerman, John Frederick, Osborn, Brock Estel, Chbat, Nicolas Wadih, Aragones, Amy Victoria, Hanagandi, Vijay Kumar Millikarjun
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gibson, Eric M.
• Application Number:
  US09/882,681
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/30, 701/33, 701/35, 340/945, 340/601, 340/602, 340/516, 714/25, 702/184
• US Class Current: 701/30
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0085 Devices for aircraft health monitoring, e.g. monitoring flutter or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/002 Cleaning of turbomachines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2230/72 Maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/80 Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles

Abstract

A system for determining a maintenance schedule for a jet engine using at least remotely-gathered environmental data is provided. The system includes a remote monitor having a sensor for collecting the remotely-gathered environmental data. A data pathway is connected to the remote monitor. A processor is connected to the data pathway and processes the remotely-gathered environmental data collected by the remote monitor. An environmental database is connected to the data pathway and compiles and stores the remotely-gathered environmental data. A flight database is connected to the data pathway and compiles and stores flight data for the jet engine. The flight data includes at least thermal cycle data and time on wing data. The processor is adapted to generate the maintenance schedule for the jet engine based on the remotely-gathered environmental data and the flight data.

Claims

1. A method of determining a maintenance schedule for a jet engine, the method comprising the steps of:

providing flight pattern data for the jet engine, the flight pattern data comprising a take-off location for the jet engine, a landing location for the jet engine, thermal cycle data for the jet engine and time on wing data for the jet engine;

measuring environmental data proximate to the take-off location for the jet engine;

measuring environmental data proximate to the landing location for the jet engine;

correlating the measured environmental data from the take-off location and the landing location to wear of the jet engine; and

determining the maintenance schedule for the jet engine based upon the step of correlating and using the thermal cycle data and the time on wing data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of measuring environmental data proximate to the take-off location comprises measuring ambient air temperature at the take-off location and the step of measuring environmental data proximate to the landing location comprises measuring ambient air temperature at the landing location.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of measuring environmental data proximate to the take-off location comprises measuring barometric pressure at the take-off location and the step of measuring environmental data proximate to the landing location comprises measuring barometric pressure at the landing location.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of measuring environmental data proximate to the take-off location comprises measuring relative humidity at the take-off location and the step of measuring environmental data proximate to the landing location comprises measuring relative humidity at the landing location.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of measuring environmental data proximate to the take-off location comprises determining air borne particulates at the take-off location and the step of measuring environmental data proximate to the landing location comprises determining air borne particulates at the landing location.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of measuring environmental data proximate to the take-off location comprises measuring pH of precipitation at the take-off location and the step of measuring environmental data proximate to the landing location comprises measuring pH of precipitation at the landing location.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of transmitting the measured environmental data to a remote location wherein at least the steps of correlating and determining occur at the remote location.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of transmitting the environmental data comprises communicating with a geostationary satellite.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of transmitting the measured environmental data comprises communicating with a low earth orbit satellite.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of transmitting the measured environmental data comprises communicating over a local area network (LAN).

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of transmitting the measured environmental data comprises communicating over an intranet.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of transmitting the measured environmental data comprises communicating over a wide area network (WAN).

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of transmitting the measured environmental data comprises communicating over the internet.

14. A method for determining a maintenance schedule for a jet engine, the method comprising the steps of:

providing flight pattern data relating to the jet engine, the flight pattern data comprising a take-off location, a landing location of the jet engine, thermal cycle data and time on wing data;

measuring environmental data proximate to the take-off location;

archiving the measured environmental data from the take-off location;

measuring environmental data proximate to the landing location;

archiving the measured environmental data from the landing location;

correlating the archived environmental data from the take-off location and the landing location to wear of the jet engine;

determining the maintenance schedule of the jet engine based on the step of correlating and using the thermal cycle data and the time on wing data.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of measuring environmental data proximate to the take-off location comprises measuring ambient air temperature at the take-off location and the step of measuring environmental data proximate to the landing location comprises measuring ambient air temperature at the landing location.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of measuring environmental data proximate to the take-off location comprises measuring barometric pressure at the take-off location and the step of measuring environmental data proximate to the landing location comprises measuring barometric pressure at the landing location.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of measuring environmental data proximate to the take-off location comprises measuring relative humidity at the take-off location and the step of measuring environmental data proximate to the landing location comprises measuring relative humidity at the landing location.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of measuring environmental data proximate to the take-off location comprises determining air borne particulates at the take-off location and the step of measuring environmental data proximate to the landing location comprises determining air borne particulates at the landing location.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of measuring environmental data proximate to the take-off location comprises measuring pH of precipitation at the take-off location and the step of measuring environmental data proximate to the landing location comprises measuring pH of precipitation at the landing location.

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising the step of transmitting the measured environmental data to a remote location wherein at least the steps of archiving, correlating and determining occur at the remote location.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of transmitting the environmental data comprises communicating with a geostationary satellite.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of transmitting the measured environmental data comprises communicating with a low earth orbit satellite.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of transmitting the measured environmental data comprises communicating with a medium earth orbit satellite.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of transmitting the measured environmental data comprises communicating over a local area network (LAN).

25. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of transmitting the measured environmental data comprises communicating over an intranet.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of transmitting the measured environmental data comprises communicating over a wide area network (WAN).

27. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of transmitting the measured environmental data comprises communicating over the internet.

28. A system for determining a maintenance schedule for a jet engine using at least remotely-gathered environmental data, the system comprising:

a remote monitor for collecting and transmitting the remotely-gathered environmental data, the remote monitor comprising;

at least one sensor for measuring the remotely-gathered environmental data;

a controller connected to the at least one sensor; and

a remote communications device connected to the controller for transmitting the remotely-gathered data;

a processing unit for receiving the remotely-gathered data from the remote monitor and determining the maintenance schedule for the jet engine, the processing unit comprising;

a processor communications device for receiving the remotely-gathered data transmitted from the remote monitor;

a processor connected to the processor communications device for processing the remotely-gathered environmental data;

an environmental database connected to the processor for compiling and storing the remotely-gathered environmental data; and

a flight database connected to the processor for compiling and storing flight data for the jet engine wherein the flight data includes at least thermal cycle data and time on wing data,

wherein the processor is adapted to generate the maintenance schedule for the jet engine based on the remotely-gathered environmental data and the flight data.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the remote monitor further comprises an air handler connected to the at least one sensor for sampling ambient air.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the at least one sensor comprises a sensor connected to the air handler for analyzing airborne particulates in the sampled air.

31. The system of claim 28 wherein the at least one sensor comprises precipitation collector and a sensor connected to the precipitation collector for measuring pH of the collected precipitation.

32. The system of claim 28 wherein the at least one sensor comprises a barometer for measuring atmospheric pressure.

33. The system of claim 28 wherein the at least one sensor comprises a temperature sensor for measuring ambient temperature.

34. The system of claim 28 wherein the at least one sensor comprises a sensor for measuring relative humidity.

35. The system of claim 28 wherein the remote communications device comprises a low earth orbit satellite relay and the processor communications device (330) comprises a low earth orbit satellite receiver.

36. The system of claim 35 wherein the remote communications device further comprises an antenna connected to the low earth orbit satellite relay and the processor communications device further comprises an antenna connected to the low earth orbit satellite receiver.

37. The system of claim 28 wherein the remote communications device comprises a geostationary satellite relay and the processor communications device comprises a geostationary satellite receiver.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the remote communications device further comprises an antenna connected to the geostationary satellite relay and the processor communications device further comprises an antenna connected to the geostationary satellite receiver.

39. The system of claim 28 wherein the remote communications device comprises a medium earth orbit satellite relay and the processor communications device comprises a medium earth orbit satellite receiver.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein the remote communications device further comprises an antenna connected to the medium earth orbit satellite relay and the processor communications device further comprises an antenna connected to the medium earth orbit satellite receiver.

41. The system of claim 28 wherein the remote monitor further comprises a remote monitor status device connected to the controller and monitoring the status of the remote monitor.

42. The system of claim 28 wherein the remote monitor further comprises a power supply connected to the controller for supplying power to the remote monitor.

43. The system of claim 28 wherein the remote monitor further comprises a memory device connected to the controller for storing the remotely-gathered environmental data.

44. A system for determining a maintenance schedule for a jet engine using at least remotely-gathered environmental data, the system comprising:

a remote monitor comprising at least one sensor for collecting the remotely-gathered environmental data;

a data pathway connected to the remote monitor;

a processor connected to the data pathway for processing the remotely-gathered environmental data collected by the remote monitor;

an environmental database connected to the data pathway for compiling and storing the remotely-gathered environmental data; and

a flight database connected to the data pathway for compiling and storing flight data for the jet engine, the flight data including at least thermal cycle data and time on wing data,

wherein the processor is adapted to generate the maintenance schedule for the jet engine based on the remotely-gathered environmental data and the flight data.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein the remote monitor further comprises an air handler connected to the at least one sensor for sampling ambient air.

46. The system of claim 45 wherein the at least one sensor comprises a sensor connected to the air handler for analyzing airborne particulates in the sampled air.

47. The system of claim 44 wherein the at least one sensor comprises precipitation collector and a sensor connected to the precipitation collector for measuring pH of the collected precipitation.

48. The system of claim 44 wherein the at least one sensor comprises a barometer for measuring atmospheric pressure.

49. The system of claim 44 wherein the at least one sensor comprises a temperature sensor for measuring ambient temperature.

50. The system of claim 44 wherein the at least one sensor comprises a sensor for measuring relative humidity.

51. The system of claim 44 wherein the data pathway comprises a local area network (LAN).

52. The system of claim 44 wherein the data pathway comprises an intranet.

53. The system of claim 44 wherein the data pathway comprises a wide area network (WAN).

54. The system of claim 44 wherein the data pathway comprises the internet.

55. The system of claim 44 wherein the remote monitor further comprises a remote monitor status device connected to the controller and monitoring the status of the remote monitor.

56. The system of claim 44 wherein the remote monitor further comprises a power supply connected to the controller for supplying power to the remote monitor.

57. The system of claim 44 wherein the remote monitor further comprises a memory device connected to the controller for storing the remotely gathered environmental data.