Ge Avio S.r.l.

Stefano Ettorre

Giuseppe Donini

Pierpaolo Forte

Simone Castellani

Marco Cipriani

Felice Felippone

Michele Nitti

An electronic control system () for a turbopropeller () having a gas turbine engine () and a propeller assembly () coupled to the gas turbine engine (), the control system () having: a propeller control stage (), implementing a closed loop control for controlling operation of the propeller assembly () based on a scheduled propeller speed reference (Nr) and a propeller speed measure (Nr); a gas turbine control stage (), implementing a closed loop control for controlling operation of the gas turbine engine () based on a scheduled reference (Ngdot) and at least a feedback quantity. The control system () further envisages an auxiliary control stage (), coupling the propeller control stage () and the gas turbine control stage () and determining a limitation of the operation of the gas turbine engine (), if a propeller speed overshoot is detected, with respect to the propeller speed reference (Nr).

Control system and method for propeller-speed overshoot limitation in a turbopropeller engine

In a fuel control system () for a gas turbine engine () having a gas generator () and a turbine () driven by the gas generator (): a main fuel regulator () determines a demand (Wdem) of fuel flow (W) to be introduced in the gas turbine engine (), based on an input request (PLA); and a first limiter stage (), operatively coupled to the main fuel regulator (), causes an adjustment of the fuel flow (W) based on engine safety operating limits. The first limiter stage () is provided with a Ngdot limiter () to cause an adjustment of the fuel flow (W) when the gas generator speed rate of change (Ndot) is determined to overcome acceleration/deceleration scheduled safety limits; the Ngdot limiter () implements a predictor (), to perform a prediction () of the fuel flow rate of change (Wdot), or fuel flow (W), allowing the gas generator speed rate of change (Ndot) to track a scheduled reference value (Ngdot).

Gas turbine engine fuel control system and method

An electronic control system () for a turbopropeller engine () having a gas turbine () and a propeller assembly () coupled to the gas turbine (), controls propeller operation based on a pilot input request, via generation of a driving quantity (Ip) for an actuation assembly () designed to adjust a pitch angle (&#x3b2;) of propeller blades () of the propeller assembly (). The control system () envisages: a propeller speed regulator (), receiving at its input a propeller speed error (ep), indicative of a difference between a propeller speed measure (Nr) and a propeller speed demand (Nrref), and generating at its output, based on the propeller speed error (ep), a first control quantity (Outi); a propeller pitch regulator (), receiving at its input a propeller pitch error (ep), indicative of a difference between a propeller pitch demand ( ) and a pitch position measure (&#x3b2;), and generating at its output, based on the propeller pitch error (ep), a first control quantity (Out); and a priority selection stage (), configured to implement a priority selection between the first and the second control quantities, for providing at the output the driving quantity (IP), based on the priority selection between the first and the second control quantities.

System and method for combined propeller speed and propeller pitch control for a turbopropeller engine

An electronic control system for a turbopropeller engine having a gas turbine and a propeller assembly coupled to the gas turbine is provided. The control system implements a propeller control unit to control propeller operation using an actuation assembly designed to adjust a pitch angle of propeller blades. The control unit engages a mechanical lock determining a minimum flight value for the pitch angle during a flight operating mode, and disengages the mechanical lock and controls the pitch angle below the minimum flight value, up to a minimum ground value lower than the minimum flight value, during a ground operating mode. The propeller control unit, during a transition from the ground operating mode to the flight operating mode, engages the mechanical lock. The control unit anticipates the increase of the pitch angle before the mechanical lock engagement when transitioning from the ground operating mode to the flight operating mode.

System and method for propeller response enhancement during transition from ground to flight configuration for a turbopropeller engine

A method () for testing control logic for a propeller driven by a gas turbine engine of an aircraft includes overriding () a signal indicating the aircraft is operating in a ground mode. The method can further include testing () minimum pitch protection logic when the signal is overridden; determining () the gas turbine engine is operating at a ground fine setting; restoring () the signal to an original state in which the signal indicates the aircraft is operating in the ground mode; modifying () pitch protection logic; determining () the propeller is operating at an overspeed condition; and testing () the propeller overspeed protection logic. In addition, the method can also determine () the propeller is operating at a low pitch condition when the gas turbine engine is operating at the ground fine setting.

System and method for testing control logic for a propeller of a gas turbine engine

The present disclosure is directed to a method for determining an aircraft minimum low pitch setting for a propeller assembly and minimum gas generator idle speed for a gas generator, in which the propeller assembly and the gas generator together comprise a gas turbine engine. The method comprises determining, via one or more controllers, an operating condition of the aircraft based at least on a weight on wheels (WoW) signal and a throttle lever position. The WoW signal produces a first mode or a second mode different from the first mode, and the throttle lever position defines at least a takeoff position and an idle power position.

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Bari, Italy

Stefano Ettorre