Multi-compatible digital engine controller

• US 9,879,609 B1
• Filed: 11/15/2013
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tucson Embedded Systems Inc., Turbine Powered Technology, LLC
• Original Assignee: Tucson Embedded Systems Inc., Turbine Powered Technology, LLC
• Inventors: Crowe, David, Crom, Elden
• Primary Examiner(s): Alharbi, Adam M
• Application Number:
  US14/080,908
• Time in Patent Office: 1,537 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/00 Plural gas-turbine plants; Combinations of gas-turbine plants with other apparatus; Adaptations of gas-turbine plants for special use
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/02 Plural gas-turbine plants having a common power output
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/00 Controlling gas-turbine plants; Controlling fuel supply in air- breathing jet-propulsion plants controlling air intakes F02C7/057; controlling turbines F01D; controlling compressors F04D27/00; controlling in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/18 by bleeding, bypassing or acting on variable working fluid interconnections between turbines or compressors or their stages F02C3/113 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/22 by adjusting turbine vanes
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/26 Control of fuel supply F02C9/48 takes precedence; fuel valves F02C7/232
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 9/42 specially adapted for the control of two or more plants simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 17/00 Pumps characterised by combination with, or adaptation to, specific driving engines or motors
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2201/12 Parameters of driving or driven means
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 2205/05 Pressure after the pump outlet
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 23/04 Combinations of two or more pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 49/06 Control using electricity regulating by means of floats actuating electric switches F04B49/04
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 13/02 Units comprising pumps and their driving means
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0066 by changing the speed, e.g. of the driving engine
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/021 to prevent overspeed
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/06 to match engine to driven device
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/04 Control effected upon non-electric prime mover and dependent upon electric output value of the generator

Abstract

A digital engine controller compatible with multiple variants of gas turbine engine is programmed to receive identification of a variant of gas turbine engine coupled to the digital controller and thereafter to automatically determine and adjust inputs to the engine, according to the received identification of engine variant, to meet user-specified output.

Claims

1. An engine control system for use in hydraulic fractional operations comprising:

digital data storage containing predetermined operational rules and parameters corresponding to multiple variants of gas turbine engine; and

a digital engine controller coupled to the storage and programmed to perform operations comprising;

receiving identification of a variant of target gas turbine engine coupled to the engine control system; and

managing operation of the target gas turbine engine utilizing predetermined rules and parameters stored in the digital data storage and corresponding to the identified variant of gas turbine engine.

2. The system of claim 1, the rules and parameters including at least one proportional-integral-differential control loop for each engine variant.

3. The system of claim 2, the controller further programmed to perform operations including modifying one or more of the proportional-integral-differential control loops responsive to user input.

4. The system of claim 1, the receiving operation comprising receiving user input identifying the variant of target gas turbine engine.

5. The system of claim 1, the receiving operation comprising automatically detecting the variant of the target gas turbine engine.

6. The system of claim 1, where:

the rules and parameters include at least one proportional-integral-differential control loop for each variant; and

the digital engine controller is further programmed to perform operations including automatically detecting properties of the target engine and based on the detected properties and in response automatically matching stored proportional-integral differential control loop parameters to specific requirements of the coupled engine.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

multiple sensors coupled to the target gas turbine engine;

control lines coupling the digital engine controller to controls of the target gas turbine engine; and

feedback lines coupling the digital engine controller to the sensors.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising an operator interface coupled to the digital engine controller, the operator interface providing a substantially standardized interface regardless of the variant of gas turbine engine being controlled.

9. An engine control system, comprising:

digital data storage tangibly embodying operational rules and parameters corresponding to multiple variants of gas turbine engine; and

a digital engine controller coupled to the storage and programmed to perform operations comprising;

receiving identification of a variant of gas turbine engine coupled to the digital controller;

responsive to said receiving operation, performing operations comprising employing the operational rules and parameters to calculate engine control inputs compatible with the identified variant, and applying the calculated engine control inputs to the gas turbine engine to produce a user-specified engine output.

10. An engine control system, comprising:

digital data storage tangibly embodying operational rules and parameters corresponding to multiple variants of gas turbine engine; and

a digital engine controller coupled to the storage and programmed to perform operations comprising;

receiving identification of a variant of gas turbine engine coupled to the digital controller;

receiving user-specified output of the engine; and

applying the operational rules and parameters to automatically determine and adjust inputs to the engine according to the received identification of engine variant to regulate engine output to meet the user-specified output.

11. A method of controlling a gas turbine engine, comprising operations of:

digitally storing operational rules and parameters corresponding to multiple variants of gas turbine engine;

providing a substantially standardized user interface for use across multiple variants of gas turbine engine;

at the interface, receiving user input specifying a desired output of a gas turbine engine attached to the interface via an engine controller, the user input being free of specificity as to which variant of gas turbine engine is represented by the attached gas turbine engine; and

the interface relaying the user input to the engine controller, and in response to receiving the user input, the engine controller retrieving rules and parameters corresponding to the subject gas turbine engine from storage and using the retrieved rules and parameters to manage operation of the attached gas turbine engine to achieve the desired engine output.

12. The method of claim 11, the rules and parameters including at least one proportional-integral-differential control loop for each engine variant.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the controller modifying one or more of the proportional-integral-differential control loops responsive to user input.

14. The method of claim 11, the receiving operation comprising receiving user input identifying the variant of target gas turbine engine.

15. The method of claim 11, the receiving operation comprising automatically detecting the variant of the target gas turbine engine.