Motor current based air circuit obstruction detection

• US 9,068,759 B2
• Filed: 01/24/2012
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Bharadwaj, Raj Mohan, Lazarovich, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Hollington, Jermele M
• Application Number:
  US13/357,355
• Publication Number:
  US 20120123714A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,253 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/32 Responding to malfunctions or emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/38 Failure diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/64 using pre-stored data

Abstract

A program product for determining an obstruction in an air circuit for an environmental control unit having a motor is provided. The program product comprises a program and a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium. The program is configured to at least facilitate obtaining a load current of the motor, determining a state of the motor, generating a comparison, and determining the obstruction using the load current and the comparison. The comparison is generated by comparing the load current to a first plurality of values if the motor is in a steady state, and by comparing the load current to a second plurality of values if the motor is in a transient state. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium stores the program.

Claims

1. A program product for determining an obstruction in an air circuit for an environmental control unit having a motor, the program product comprising:

a program configured to at least facilitate;

obtaining a load current of the motor;

determining a state of the motor;

generating a comparison by;

comparing the load current to a first plurality of values if the motor is in a steady state; and

comparing the load current to a second plurality of values if the motor is in a transient state; and

determining the obstruction using the load current and the comparison; and

a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing the program.

2. The program product of claim 1, wherein:

each of the first plurality of values comprises a measure of load current of a corresponding one of a first plurality of models representing steady state operation of the motor;

each of the second plurality of values comprises a measure of load current of a corresponding one of a second plurality of models representing transient state operation of the motor; and

the program is further configured to at least facilitate;

selecting one of the models, based at least in part on the comparison of the load current to the plurality of values;

obtaining a measure of obstruction from the selected one of the models; and

determining the obstruction using the measure of obstruction.

3. The program product of claim 2, wherein the program is further configured to at least facilitate:

generating the first plurality of models using steady state motor data; and

generating the second plurality of models using transient state motor data.

4. The program product of claim 1, wherein the program is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining a percentage obstruction of the air circuit using the load current and the selected one of the models.

5. The program product of claim 1, wherein the program is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining a distance between the obstruction of the air circuit and a fan that is driven by the motor, using the load current and the selected one of the models.

6. The program product of claim 1, wherein the program is part of an environmental control system of an aircraft.

7. The program product of claim 1, wherein the program is part of a load protection and control unit (ELCU) of an aircraft.

8. A program product for determining an obstruction in an air circuit for an environmental control unit, the program product comprising:

a program configured to at least facilitate;

obtaining a load current of a motor of the environmental control unit;

comparing the load current to a plurality of values, each of the plurality of values comprising a measure of load current of a corresponding one of a plurality of models;

selecting one of the modules, based at least in part on the comparison of the load current to the plurality of values;

obtaining a measure of obstruction from the selected one of the models; and

determining the obstruction using the measure of obstruction; and

a non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing the program.

9. The program product of claim 8, wherein the program is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining a state of the motor;

comparing the load current to a first plurality of values if the motor is in a steady state, each of the first plurality of values comprising a measure of load current of a corresponding one of a first plurality of models representing steady state operation of the motor; and

comparing the load current to a second plurality of values if the motor is in a transient state, each of the second plurality of values comprising a measure of load current of a corresponding one of a second plurality of models representing transient state operation of the motor.

10. The program product of claim 9, wherein the program is further configured to at least facilitate:

generating the first plurality of models using steady state motor data; and

generating the second plurality of models using transient state motor data.

11. The program product of claim 9, wherein the program is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining a percentage obstruction of the air circuit, a distance between the obstruction of the air circuit and a fan that is driven by the motor, or both, using the load current and the predetermined value.

12. The program product of claim 9, wherein the program is part of an environmental control system of an aircraft.

13. The program product of claim 9, wherein the program is part of a load protection and control unit (ELCU) of an aircraft.

14. A program product for determining an obstruction in an air circuit for an environmental control unit having a motor, the program product comprising:

a program configured to;

determine a load current of the motor;

determine a state of the motor;

generate a comparison by;

comparing the load current to a first plurality of values if the motor is in a steady state, each of the first plurality of values comprises a measure of load current of a corresponding one of a first plurality of models representing steady state operation of the motor; and

comparing the load current to a second plurality of values if the motor is in a transient state, each of the second plurality of values comprises a measure of load current of a corresponding one of a second plurality of models representing transient state operation of the motor;

select one of the models, based at least in part on the comparison of the load current to the plurality of values;

obtain a measure of obstruction from the selected one of the models; and

determine the obstruction using the measure of obstruction.

15. The program product of claim 14, wherein the program is further configured to:

generating the first plurality of models using steady state motor data; and

generating the second plurality of models using transient state motor data.

16. The program product of claim 14, wherein the program is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining a percentage obstruction of the air circuit using the load current and the selected one of the models.

17. The program product of claim 14, wherein the program is further configured to at least facilitate:

determining a distance between the obstruction of the air circuit and a fan that is driven by the motor, using the load current and the selected one of the models.

18. The program product of claim 14, wherein the program is part of an environmental control system of an aircraft.

19. The program product of claim 14, wherein the program is part of a load protection and control unit (ELCU) of an aircraft.