Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation

United Technologies Corporation

Jeffry K Kamenetz

Mark A Johnston

Erin G Kline

John O'Neil

John M Maljanian

Jeffrey Ernst

James A Gosse

Edward John Marotta

Richard L Bue

William Betterini

Joseph T Gostkowski

James Peter Wivell

James Joyce

Jay H Hartman

Kevin R DeRoy

Mark Vignali

Michel Labrecque

Jay W Kokas

Gregory DiVincenzo

Darragh McGrath

Bruce R Schroder

Kevin P Roy

Robert M DeRoy

John A Schwemmer

Luke T Orsini

Steven R Fischer

Patrick Yung

Adam Fagnani

Cathleen R Bleier

Vince Vessella

Dana N Switzer

John M O'Neil, Jr

Howard E Simmons

Gregory Divincenzo

Luke J Orsini

An aircraft includes one or more engines configured to generate high-pressure bleed air and low-pressure bleed air. An aircraft environmental control system (ECS) is in fluid communication with one or more of the engines to receive the high-pressure bleed air and the low-pressure bleed air. The ECS calculates a synthesized low-pressure value associated with the low-pressure bleed air while still providing bleed air using the high pressure bleed air. The ECS further switches from the high pressure bleed air to the low-bleed pressure air through the ECS while blocking flow of the high-pressure bleed air through the ECS based on the synthesized low-pressure value.

Synthesized low-pressure bleed air scheme for aircraft bleed air network

A system includes a venturi duct, a first delta P sensor, a second delta P sensor, and an ECS controller. The venturi duct is configured to receive a first bleed air flow or a second bleed air flow. The first and second delta P sensors are configured to sense a first and second pressure difference between a first point and a second point of the venturi duct. The first and second delta P sensors are configured to sense pressure difference over different pressure ranges. The ECS controller is configured determine a flow rate of an ECS air flow based upon the first pressure and/or second sensed pressure differences.

Adaptable dual delta-P flow measurement

An aircraft includes a first engine that generates first bleed air flow and a second engine that generates second bleed air flow. The aircraft further includes an aircraft environmental control system (ECS) with a bleed manifold to collect the first bleed air flow and the second bleed air flow, and one or more air cycle machines to perform air conditioning consuming bleed air flow from the bleed manifold. The ECS balances the first bleed air flow and the second bleed air flow output from the first engine and second engine, respectively, based on a bleed manifold pressure of the bleed manifold.

Environmental control system including shared air source with balanced airflow output

A multi-channel control system includes at least a primary control microprocessor and a back-up control microprocessor operable to control a device. The primary control microprocessor and the back-up control microprocessor assert control over a controlled device according to a locally stored method of controlling a back-up microprocessor assumption of control of a device.

Multi-channel control switchover logic

An aircraft environmental control system (ECS) includes a first valve that is adjustable between a plurality of first positions to open or shut-off a bleed air flow that flows from an inlet of the first valve to an outlet of the first valve. A second valve includes an inlet in fluid communication with the first valve outlet, and is adjustable between a plurality of second positions to throttle the bleed air that flows from the inlet of the second valve to an outlet of the second valve. A valve position sensor outputs a position signal indicating a measured position among the plurality of second positions. A controller is in signal communication with the valve position sensor. The controller is configured to determine a primary effective area of the second valve based on the measured position, and to diagnose operation of the first valve based on the primary effective area.

Aircraft environmental control system including valve built-in-test without position feedback

A multi-channel control system includes a first primary control microprocessor and a second primary control microprocessor operable to control a device, and a first secondary control microprocessor and a second secondary control microprocessor operable to control the device. Each of the first and second primary control microprocessors and the first and second secondary control microprocessors are arranged as an independent control channel.

A multi-channel controller uses multiple logic gates and multiple control channels to provide fault tolerant protection against undesired events.

Multi-channel protection logic

A multi-channel stepper motor controller has at least a first and second stepper motor control channel. Each of the control channels has a solid state switching circuit operable to connect the control channel to a stepper motor.

Redundant interface for a stepper motor

An electronic control configuration includes at least one secondary microprocessor operable to control a device. The at least one secondary microprocessor assumes protection control of the device responsive to a first type of failure by transmitting a protection control signal to a first effector. The at least one secondary microprocessor assumes backup control of the device responsive to a second type of failure by transmitting a backup control signal to a second effector. The backup control functionality of the at least one secondary microprocessor can be selectively disabled.

Architecture using integrated backup control and protection hardware

Each engine of a multi-engine aircraft is monitored to determine if it has become inoperative during a critical flight mode such as takeoff or landing. If so, the propeller of the inoperative engine is feathered and the remaining engine or engines is uptrimmed. A 'state machine' indicative of the various states of the aircraft is established and the present state of the aircraft is stored in a non-volatile memory; if an electrical power interruption occurs during a critical flight mode the identity of the present operating state may be quickly recalled for immediate refeathering of an inoperative engine and reuptrimming of the remaining engine or engines.

Autofeather state maintenance

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Windsor, CT, United States of America

Jeffry K Kamenetz