General Electric Company

David Allen Gutz

Nicholas Adam Wagner

Daniel E Bergsten

Sridhar Adibhatla

Brandon Wayne Miller

Apostolos Pavlos Karafillis

Michael Thomas Gansler

Michael Solomon Idelchik

Daniel Edgardo Viassolo

Brian Francis Nestico

Robert Patrick Tameo

William James Mailander

Mitchell Donald Smith

Robert Edward Goeller

Charles Francis Hanley

David Anthony Moster

Kenneth Allen Loehle

In accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for providing overspeed protection for a gas turbine engine is provided. The gas turbine engine may include an engine core and an engine shaft. The method may include determining an overspeed condition of the engine. The overspeed condition may be indicative of an above normal rotational speed of the engine shaft. The method may also include reducing an airflow through the engine core of the gas turbine engine in response to the determined overspeed condition to reduce the rotational speed of the engine shaft.

Overspeed protection system and method

A hybrid electric propulsion system includes a gas turbine engine and an electric machine coupled to the gas turbine engine. A method for operating the propulsion system includes determining, by one or more computing devices, a baseline power output for the gas turbine engine; operating, by the one or more computing devices, the gas turbine engine to provide the baseline power output; determining, by the one or more computing devices, a desired power output greater than or less than the baseline power output; and providing, by the one or more computing devices, power to, or extracting, by the one or more computing devices, power from, the gas turbine engine using the electric machine such that an effective power output of the gas turbine engine matches the determined desired power output.

Propulsion system for an aircraft

A method of operating a hybrid-electric propulsion system for an aircraft includes determining a flight phase parameter for the aircraft is equal to a first value, and operating the hybrid-electric propulsion system in an electric charge mode in response to determining the flight phase parameter for the aircraft is equal to the first value. The method also includes determining the flight phase parameter for the aircraft is equal to a second value different from the first value, and operating the hybrid-electric propulsion system in an electric discharge mode in response to determining the flight phase parameter for the aircraft is equal to the second value.

Hybrid-electric propulsion system for an aircraft

A computer-implemented method for controlling a fuel flow to a gas turbine engine of an aircraft includes determining a control initiated fuel flow demand that is based, at least in part, on an operator command. In addition, the method includes determining a first rate of change of fuel flow demand based, at least in part, on a tracking error of the gas turbine engine that indicates a difference between a desired rotational speed and an actual rotational speed. The method also includes integrating the first rate of change of fuel flow demand to determine a tracking error fuel flow demand. In addition, the method includes summing the control initiated fuel flow demand and tracking error fuel flow demand to determine a composite fuel flow demand. The method also includes controlling a fuel flow to the gas turbine engine based, at least in part, on the composite fuel flow demand.

System and method for controlling a fuel flow to a gas turbine engine

A system for an aircraft having a first gas turbine engine and a second gas turbine engine includes a first engine controller comprising a first motion sensor. The first motion sensor defines a first orthogonal coordinate system, and is configured for determining first motion sensor data indicating motion of the aircraft along at least one axis of the first orthogonal coordinate system. The system further includes a second engine controller comprising a second motion sensor spaced apart from the first motion sensor. The second motion sensor defines a second orthogonal coordinate system, and is configured for determining second motion sensor data indicating motion of the aircraft along at least one axis of the second orthogonal coordinate system. In addition, the second engine controller is communicatively coupled to the first engine controller such that the first engine controller receives the second motion sensor data.

System and method for controlling fuel flow to a gas turbine engine based on motion sensor data

A hybrid electric propulsion system includes a turbomachine, an electric machine coupled to the turbomachine, and a propulsor coupled to the turbomachine. A method for operating the hybrid electric propulsion system includes operating the turbomachine to drive the propulsor; receiving data indicative of a failure condition of the hybrid electric propulsion system; reducing a fuel flow to a combustion section of the turbomachine in response to receiving the data indicative of the failure condition; and extracting power from the turbomachine using the electric machine to slow down one or more rotating components of the turbomachine in response to receiving the data indicative of the failure condition.

A method and apparatus for local loop closure is provided. The apparatus includes a component for use in a gas turbine engine. The component includes at least one of an actuator and a servo-valve, at least one sensor, and an electronic module comprising controller electronics and memory. The electronic module is configured to receive and process commands for the at least one of an actuator and a servo-valve and queue received commands in an input buffer.

Method and apparatus for local loop closure

A method and systems for engine control of a vehicle propulsion system are provided. The system includes a plurality of engine model modules executing independently and programmed to receive engine operating condition values from a plurality of sensors positioned on an engine wherein each of the plurality of engine model modules is programmed to determine an estimate of a process parameter of a location in the engine where a sensor is not available, not present at the location, has failed, or is determined to be inaccurate. The system also includes an estimate source selector configured to determine model blending factors and a model blending module configured to determine an estimated virtual sensor value using the determined estimates from at least two of the plurality of engine model modules and the model blending factors.

Method and systems for virtual sensor selection and blending

Apparatus and method of operating a centrifugal compressor and active control system includes a centrifugal compressor with compressor blades mounted on an impeller, an annular cavity bounded in part by a shroud adjacent to the blades, and an active control system for controlling a clearance between the shroud and the blades by controlling a cavity pressure in the cavity. An electronic controller for controlling a control pressure valve for pressurizing using a source of compressor discharge pressure air and depressurizing the cavity respectively may open and close the valves using pulse width modulation. Pressure and clearance sensors positioned for measuring the cavity pressure the blade tip clearance respectively in signal supply communication with the electronic controller may be used. The shroud may be supported by radially spaced apart annular radially outer and inner supports connected to a casing by a bolted joint bounding the cavity.

Active clearance control for a centrifugal compressor

A method for fault detection in a closed loop feedback control system for an actuator includes modeling the actuator for providing a model output simulating the actuator output in response to a model input which is also the actuator input, and comparing the actuator output and the model output for providing a fault indication upon exceeding a threshold. An apparatus includes a feedback control system having means for providing a feedback signal indicative of an output of the actuator, means for comparing an output demand with the feedback signal for providing an actuator output error, and means for providing to the actuator an input proportional to the error. The apparatus also includes a fault detection system having means for modeling the actuator for providing a model output simulating the actuator output in response to a model input, means for providing the actuator input also to the actuator modeling means as the model input, and means for comparing the actuator output and the model output and providing a fault indication upon exceeding a threshold.

Growing community of inventors

Wenham, MA, United States of America

David Allen Gutz