Method and system for integrating gas turbine trim balancing system into electronic engine controls

• US 9,243,970 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Macchia, Enzo, Borwankar, Paraag, Grant, Heather, McElvaine, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAPMAN JR, JOHN E
• Application Number:
  US13/689,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20140150550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 734/55, 736/60
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/14 Determining imbalance G01M1/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 1/22 and converting vibrations due to imbalance into electric variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/12 by monitoring vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/14 Testing gas-turbine engines or jet-propulsion engines

Abstract

Methods and systems for determining a rebalancing strategy for trim balancing one or more rotational components of a gas turbine. One or more noise, acoustics or vibrational signals may be received at a control device of an aircraft comprising the gas turbine engine while the aircraft is in operation. The one or more noise, acoustics or vibrational signals may be used for determining a rebalancing strategy for one or more unbalanced rotational components.

Claims

1. A method for determining a rebalancing strategy for trim balancing one or more rotational components of a gas turbine engine of an aircraft using an electronic engine controller of the gas turbine engine, the method comprising:

receiving one or more noise, acoustics or vibrational signals at the electronic engine controller of the gas turbine engine while the aircraft is in operation;

using the electronic engine controller to analyze the one or more noise, acoustics or vibrational signals and regulate at least one aspect of the operation of the gas turbine engine based on the one or more noise, acoustics or vibrational signals; and

using the one or more noise, acoustics or vibrational signals and one or more processors of the electronic engine controller, determining a rebalancing strategy for one or more unbalanced rotational components.

2. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising determining whether at least one of the one or more rotational components is unbalanced and determining the rebalancing strategy only if at least one of the one or more rotational components is unbalanced.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether at least one of the one or more rotational components is unbalanced comprises determining whether at least one of the one or more noise, acoustics or vibrational signals exceeds a preset noise, acoustics or vibration threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the rebalancing strategy comprises a determination of how one or more weights attached to the one or more rotational components can be moved, added or removed, in order to rebalance the one or more rotational components.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the rebalancing strategy comprises a determination of how one or more engine rotor airfoils can be relocated or repositioned, in order to rebalance the one or more rotational components.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the rebalancing strategy comprises a determination of how one or more engine rotor airfoils can have material removed, in order to rebalance the one or more rotational components.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more noise, acoustics or vibrational signals are detected using one or more sensors coupled to the gas turbine engine.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein data representing the one or more vibrational signals are stored in at least one memory of the electronic engine controller.

9. An electronic engine controller of a gas turbine engine of an aircraft, the electronic engine controller useful for controlling at least some aspect of operation of the gas turbine engine and determining a rebalancing strategy for trim balancing one or more rotational components of the gas turbine engine, the electronic engine controller comprising:

one or more receptors for receiving one or more noise, acoustics or vibrational signals from one or more sensors in the gas turbine engine while the aircraft is in operation; and

one or more processors configured to;

analyze the one or more noise, acoustics or vibrational signals and regulate at least one aspect of the operation of the gas turbine engine based on the one or more noise, acoustics or vibrational signals; and

determine a rebalancing strategy for one or more unbalanced rotational components based on the one or more noise, acoustics or vibrational signals.

10. The electronic engine controller of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine whether at least one of the one or more rotational components is unbalanced and determine the rebalancing strategy only if at least one of the one or more rotational components is unbalanced.

11. The electronic engine controller of claim 10, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine whether at least one of the one or more rotational components is unbalanced by determining whether at least one of the one or more noise, acoustics or vibrational signals exceeds a preset noise, acoustics or vibrational threshold.

12. The electronic engine controller of claim 9, wherein the rebalancing strategy comprises a determination of how one or more weights attached to the one or more rotational components can be moved, added or removed in order to rebalance the one or more rotational components.

13. The electronic engine controller of claim 9, wherein the rebalancing strategy comprises a determination of how one or more engine rotor airfoils can be relocated or repositioned, in order to rebalance the one or more rotational components.

14. The electronic engine controller of claim 9, wherein the rebalancing strategy comprises a determination of how one or more engine rotor airfoils can have material removed, in order to rebalance the one or more rotational components.

15. The electronic engine controller of claim 9, wherein the one or more noise, acoustics or vibrational signals are detected using one or more sensors attached to the gas turbine engine.

16. The electronic engine controller of claim 9, the electronic engine controller further comprising at least one memory for storing data representing the one or more noise, acoustics or vibrational signals.

17. An aircraft comprising the electronic engine controller of claim 9.