United Technologies Corporation

Raytheon Technologies Corporation

Rtx Corporation

Matthew D Teicholz

Jorn Axel Glahn

Francis Parnin

Matthew R Feulner

John P Virtue

Richard Alan Weiner

Jason B Solomonides

Christopher P Kmetz

Jeffrey W Sutliff

William H Greene, Jr

James W Dunn

Glenn D Bartkowski

Paul H Spiesman

Philip D Hoover

John R Gendron

Victor M Pinedo

Kenneth J White

Katherine A Knapp Carney

Louis A Celiberti

William G Tempelman

Sean D J Blake

Kerri A Wojcik

Stewart B Hatch

Wyatt S Daentl

Christopher J Hanlon

Ethan K Stearns

Sean Dj Blake

An aspect includes a method for motoring control for multiple engines of an aircraft is provided. A controller can determine a motoring time of a first engine starting system to cool a first engine. The controller can compare the motoring time of the first engine starting system with a motoring time of one or more other engine starting systems of one or more other engines of the aircraft. The motoring time of the first engine starting system can be controlled relative to a tolerance of the motoring time of the one or more other engine starting systems by adjusting the motoring time of the first engine starting system relative to the one or more other engine starting systems in a motoring sequence based on comparing the motoring time of the first engine starting system with the motoring time of the one or more other engine starting systems.

Motoring synchronization for multiple engines

An aspect includes a system for pre-start motoring control for multiple engines of an aircraft. The system includes a first engine starting system of a first engine and a controller. The controller is operable to control a motoring time of the first engine starting system relative to one or more other engine starting systems of one or more other engines of the aircraft by adjusting the motoring time of the first engine starting system within a tolerance of the motoring time of the one or more other engine starting systems in a pre-start motoring sequence.

Pre-start motoring synchronization for multiple engines

A method of controlling lubrication flow to a first engine component, a second engine component and a lubrication tank of a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, determining more than one condition experienced by the gas turbine engine, comparing with a processor on a controller the more than one condition against an engine performance model stored in memory on the controller, wherein the engine performance model includes stored relationship values between the more than one condition and a position of a scheduling valve, the scheduling valve disposed between the lubricant tank and the first engine component and between the lubricant tank and the second engine component, pumping a lubricant from the lubricant tank through a conduit to the scheduling valve using a pump, and controlling the position of the scheduling valve to vary a flow of the lubricant to two or more of the first engine component, the second engine component and the lubrication tank based upon the comparing of the more than one condition experienced by the gas turbine engine.

Lubrication system for gas turbine engines

A system for starting a gas turbine engine of an aircraft is provided. The system includes a pneumatic starter motor, a discrete starter valve switchable between an on-state and an off-state, and a controller operable to perform a starting sequence for the gas turbine engine. The starting sequence includes alternating on and off commands to an electromechanical device coupled to the discrete starter valve to achieve a partially open position of the discrete starter valve to control a flow from a starter air supply to the pneumatic starter motor to drive rotation of a starting spool of the gas turbine engine below an engine idle speed, where the controller modulates a duty cycle of the discrete starter valve via pulse width modulation.

Modified start sequence of a gas turbine engine

A lubrication system for a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a pump that moves a lubricant, a lubricant tank that stores the lubricant, a first engine component and a second engine component each requiring lubrication from the lubricant, a conduit between the lubricant tank and the first engine component and between the lubricant tank and the second engine component, a scheduling valve positioned in the conduit between the lubricant tank, and the first engine component and the second engine component, and a controller including a memory and a processor that controls the scheduling valve, wherein the memory includes an engine performance model, wherein the engine performance model includes stored relationship values between more than one condition experienced by the gas turbine engine during operation and a position of the scheduling valve, and wherein the scheduling valve varies a flow of the lubricant to the first engine component, the second engine component and the lubrication tank based on comparing the more than one condition with the engine performance model.

A system for controlling a start sequence of a gas turbine engine includes an electronic engine control system, a thermal model, memory, a model for determining a time period (t), and a controller. The thermal model synthesizes a heat state of the gas turbine engine. The memory records the current heat state at shutdown and a shutdown time of the gas turbine engine. The model for determining the time period is for motoring the gas turbine engine at a predetermined speed Nthat is less than a speed to start the gas turbine engine, where tis a function of the heat state recorded at engine shutdown and an elapsed time of an engine start request relative to a previous shutdown time. The controller modulates a starter valve to maintain the gas turbine engine within a predetermined speed range of Nto Nfor homogenizing engine temperatures.

An aspect includes a system for pre-start motoring synchronization for multiple engines of an aircraft. The system includes a first engine starting system of a first engine and a controller. The controller is operable to synchronize a motoring time of the first engine starting system with one or more other engine starting systems of one or more other engines of the aircraft by extending the motoring time of the first engine starting system to match, within a synchronization tolerance, the motoring time of the one or more other engine starting systems in a pre-start motoring sequence.

An example gas turbine engine compressor includes a first compressor section. The first compressor section includes a rotating stage that includes rotating blades and a stationary stage upstream thereof that includes stationary guide vanes. The stationary vanes controllably pivot about respective pivot axes for providing flow control into the rotating stage.

Low compressor having variable vanes

An example variable vane scheduling method includes adjusting variable vanes from a position based on a first schedule to a position based on a different, second schedule in response to a control feature. An example method of controlling flow through a compressor of a turbomachine includes moving variable vanes to positions that allow more flow into the compressor in response to bleed air being communicated away from the compressor.

Variable vane scheduling

A system for starting a gas turbine engine of an aircraft is provided. The system includes a pneumatic starter motor, a discrete starter valve switchable between an on-state and an off-state, and a controller operable to perform a starting sequence for the gas turbine engine. The starting sequence includes alternating on and off commands to an electromechanical device coupled to the discrete starter valve to achieve a partially open position of the discrete starter valve to control a flow from a starter air supply to the pneumatic starter motor to drive rotation of a starting spool of the gas turbine engine below an engine idle speed.

A control system for a gas turbine engine includes a processing system operable to control a speed of the gas turbine engine and a memory system. The memory system is operable to store instructions executable by the processing system to determine at least one performance parameter associated with a stall condition of the gas turbine engine and to incrementally adjust an acceleration rate of the gas turbine engine based on detecting a degraded stall line limit according to the at least one performance parameter.

Gas turbine engine with progressive stall recovery

A method of protecting fuel hardware for a gas turbine engine in an aircraft is disclosed. The method may include determining a current altitude of the aircraft, and controlling a temperature of fuel for the gas turbine engine based at least in part on the current altitude. A thermal management system for a gas turbine engine in an aircraft is also disclosed. The thermal management system may include a sensor configured to detect a current altitude of the aircraft, and a controller in operative communication with the sensor. The controller may be configured to manage a fuel temperature for the gas turbine engine based at least in part on the current altitude detected by the sensor.

Technique for optimizing engine performance using fuel temperature

A lubrication system for a gas turbine engine may include a pump for moving a lubricant through a conduit from a lubricant tank to an engine component. Further, a scheduling valve positioned in the conduit between the lubricant tank and the engine component may vary a flow of the lubricant to the engine component based on a condition.

A disclosed control system for a gas turbine engine includes a controller configured to set a position of the variable area fan nozzle according to a predetermined schedule of variable area fan nozzle positions corresponding to a flight operating condition. The schedule is determined in view of a relationship between a position of the variable area nozzle and a performance level of the engine at current flight conditions.

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Mystic, CT, United States of America

Matthew D Teicholz