Electronic shaft shear detection conditioning circuit
First Claim
1. A circuit useful for distinguishing between an electrical fault and a shaft shear failure in a gas turbine engine, the circuit comprising:
- a plurality of probes, each probe associated with a respective resistor having a predetermined range of resistance, and each probe being disposed in an engine adjacent a rotary mounted shaft component, whereby mechanical interference between any of the plurality of probes and the shaft component renders the corresponding associated resistor substantially non-conductive; and
at least one sensor processor configured to determine an operational status of each probe, based on a measured resistance to current conducted through each probe, and to generate a fault code when the measured resistance associated with at least one of the plurality of probes is not within the predetermined range of resistance;
wherein the fault code generated by the at least one sensor processor is indicative of a shaft shear failure when the measured resistance to current conducted through each of the plurality of probes is substantially infinite;
wherein;
when the measured resistance associated with at least one probe is not within the predetermined range of resistance; and
when the measured resistance associated with at least one other probe is within the corresponding predetermined range of resistance;
the fault code generated by the sensor processor is an engine warning code.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electrical control system for distinguishing between an electrical fault and a shaft shear condition in a gas turbine engine, the control system including, in one aspect, a detection circuit including: two or more probes, each probe including an associated resistor having a predetermined range of resistance, and each probe being disposed in the engine adjacent a rotary mounted shaft component, where mechanical interference between one or more of the probes and the shaft component renders the associated resistor substantially non-conductive; sensor processor(s) in communication with each probe, determining a probe operational status based on a measured resistance to current conducted through each probe, and generating a fault code when the measured resistance of at least one of the plurality of probes is not within the predetermined range of resistance.
34 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A circuit useful for distinguishing between an electrical fault and a shaft shear failure in a gas turbine engine, the circuit comprising:
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a plurality of probes, each probe associated with a respective resistor having a predetermined range of resistance, and each probe being disposed in an engine adjacent a rotary mounted shaft component, whereby mechanical interference between any of the plurality of probes and the shaft component renders the corresponding associated resistor substantially non-conductive; and at least one sensor processor configured to determine an operational status of each probe, based on a measured resistance to current conducted through each probe, and to generate a fault code when the measured resistance associated with at least one of the plurality of probes is not within the predetermined range of resistance; wherein the fault code generated by the at least one sensor processor is indicative of a shaft shear failure when the measured resistance to current conducted through each of the plurality of probes is substantially infinite; wherein; when the measured resistance associated with at least one probe is not within the predetermined range of resistance; and when the measured resistance associated with at least one other probe is within the corresponding predetermined range of resistance; the fault code generated by the sensor processor is an engine warning code. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A turbine engine comprising a circuit useful for distinguishing between an electrical fault and a shaft shear failure in a gas turbine engine, the circuit comprising:
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a plurality of probes, each probe associated with a respective resistor having a predetermined range of resistance, and each probe being disposed in an engine adjacent a rotary mounted shaft component, whereby mechanical interference between any of the plurality of probes and the shaft component renders the corresponding associated resistor substantially non-conductive; and at least one sensor processor configured to determine an operational status of each probe, based on a measured resistance to current conducted through each probe, and to generate a fault code when the measured resistance associated with at least one of the plurality of probes is not within the predetermined range of resistance; wherein the fault code generated by the at least one sensor processor is indicative of a shaft shear failure when the measured resistance to current conducted through each of the plurality of probes is substantially infinite; wherein; when the measured resistance associated with at least one probe is not within the predetermined range of resistance; and when the measured resistance associated with at least one other probe is within the corresponding predetermined range of resistance; the fault code generated by the sensor processor is an engine warning code.
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14. A method of monitoring shaft shear failure in a gas turbine engine, the method performed by one or more processors, each processor communicatively linked with at least one of a plurality of probes, each probe comprising a respective resistor and being configured to provide a substantially open circuit in the event of a whole or partial shaft shear failure;
- the method comprising;
comparing a measured resistance of each of the plurality of probes with a corresponding predetermined range of resistance; and generating a fault code when at least one of the measured resistances associated with at least one of the plurality of probes is not within the corresponding predetermined range of resistance; wherein the fault code generated is indicative of a shaft shear failure when the measured resistance to current conducted through each of the plurality of probes is substantially infinite; wherein; when the measured resistance of at least one probe is not within the predetermined range of resistance; and when the measured resistance of at least one other probe is within the corresponding predetermined range of resistance, generating an engine warning code. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- the method comprising;
Specification