Partitioning of turbomachine faults

• US 8,862,433 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2010
• Issued: 10/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Yerramalla, Sampath K., Donat, William, Rajamani, Ravi
• Primary Examiner(s): Kundu, Sujoy
• Assistant Examiner(s): FORTICH, ALVARO E
• Application Number:
  US12/782,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20110286831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,610 Days
• Field of Search: 702/183
• US Class Current: 702/183
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37205 Compare measured, vision data with computer model, cad data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37545 References to be compared vary with evolution of measured signals, auto-calibrate
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0254 based on a quantitative model, e.g. mathematical relationships between inputs and outputs; functions: observer, Kalman filter, residual calculation, Neural Networks
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/02 electric

Abstract

An example method of partitioning turbomachine faults includes using a modeling computer to model a system, to establish a modeled gas path parameter, and to establish a modeled subsystem parameter. The method then determines a gas path condition representing a difference between an actual gas path parameter and the modeled gas path parameter. The method also determines a subsystem condition representing a difference between an actual subsystem parameter and the modeled subsystem parameter. The method diagnoses a sensor failure based on the gas path condition and the subsystem condition.

Claims

1. A method of partitioning turbomachine faults, comprising:

using a modeling computer to model a system and to establish a modeled gas path parameter and a modeled subsystem parameter;

determining a gas path condition representing a difference between an actual gas path parameter and the modeled gas path parameter;

determining a subsystem condition representing a difference between an actual subsystem parameter and the modeled subsystem parameter;

diagnosing a sensor failure based on the gas path condition and the subsystem condition;

adjusting the modeled subsystem parameter to match the actual subsystem parameter;

determining a model-driven gas path parameter based on the modeled subsystem parameter; and

diagnosing an actuator failure or a module performance change based on a comparison of the modeled gas path parameter and the model-driven gas path parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a sensor failure is diagnosed when the gas path condition is less than or equal to an established first gas path threshold value and the subsystem condition is greater than a subsystem threshold value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein an actuator failure is diagnosed when the gas path condition is greater than a first gas path threshold value, the subsystem condition is greater than a subsystem threshold value, and the model-driven gas path parameter is less than or equal to a second path threshold value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a module performance change failure is diagnosed when the gas path condition is greater than a first gas path threshold value, the subsystem condition is less than or equal to a subsystem threshold value, and the model-driven gas path parameter is greater than a second gas path threshold value.

5. The method of claim 1, including utilizing a physics-based system model to establish the modeled gas path parameter and the modeled subsystem parameter.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the actual gas path parameter comprises a measurement collected along a gas path of a turbomachine.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the modeled gas path parameter and the modeled subsystem parameter are calculated using a model that is exclusively adjusted using gas turbine engine input variables.

8. A method of partitioning gas turbine engine faults, comprising:

establishing, using a modeling computer, a model of a gas turbine engine;

using the model to determine, using the modeling computer, a modeled gas path parameter and a modeled subsystem parameter;

identifying, using the modeling computer, a fault in the gas turbine engine based on a comparison of the modeled gas path parameter to a measurement of an actual gas path parameter of the gas turbine engine and a comparison of the modeled subsystem parameter to an actual subsystem parameter from the gas turbine engine;

adjusting, using the modeling computer, the modeled subsystem parameter to match the actual subsystem parameter;

determining, using the modeling computer, a modeled-driven gas path parameter based on the modeled subsystem parameter; and

diagnosing, using the modeling computer, an actuator failure or a module performance change based on a comparison of the modeled gas path parameter and the model-driven gas path parameter.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the fault comprises a sensor failure.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein an actuator failure is diagnosed when the gas path condition is greater than a first gas path threshold value, the subsystem condition is greater than a subsystem threshold value, and the model-driven gas path parameter is less than or equal to a second path threshold value.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein a module performance change is diagnosed when the gas path condition is greater than a first gas path threshold value, the subsystem condition is less than or equal to a subsystem threshold value, and the model-driven gas path parameter is greater than a second gas path threshold value.

12. A turbomachine fault partitioning arrangement, comprising:

a modeling computer configured to establish a model of a turbomachine, the modeling computer further configured to determine a modeled gas path parameter and a modeled subsystem parameter;

a controller module configured to identify a fault of the turbomachine based on a first comparison of the modeled gas path parameter to a measurement of an actual gas path parameter, and a second comparison of the modeled subsystem parameter to an actual subsystem parameter; and

a controller is further configured to adjust the modeled subsystem parameter to match the actual subsystem parameter, to determine a modeled-driven gas path parameter based on the modeled subsystem parameter, and to diagnose an actuator failure or a module performance change based on a comparison of the modeled gas path parameter and the model-driven gas path parameter.

13. The turbomachine fault partitioning arrangement of claim 12, wherein fault comprises a sensor failure.

14. The turbomachine fault partitioning arrangement of claim 12, wherein the actual gas path parameter and the actual subsystem parameters are received from at least one sensor of the gas turbine engine.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the controller module is configured to diagnose an actuator failure when the gas path condition is greater than a first gas path threshold value, the subsystem condition is greater than a subsystem threshold value, and the model-driven gas path parameter is less than or equal to a second path threshold value.