United Technologies Corporation

Wayne R Spock

Robert L Gukeisen

Peter Gerard Smith

Matthew J Schryver

Ronald S Walther

Timothy M Morris

Edward T Hagaman

Richard P Meisner

David F Kenison

Peter J Urbanik

Peter W McLaughlin

Larry B Carlisle

Peter Gerald Smith

A system for generating accessory power from a gas turbine engine is provided by the present invention. The system includes an electronic control device for monitoring at least one parameter which provides information about an incipient change in power demand, a control valve operated by the control device for supplying bleed air from the engine during a transient state in response to the at least one monitored parameter, and a pneumatically operated device for receiving the bleed air and for generating power to operate equipment onboard an aircraft. The pneumatically operated device may be an air turbine or a pneumatically integrated generator.

Hybrid engine accessory power system

In an electronic engine control (EEC) for a turbine engine, a high rotor speed signal (N2SYNTH) is synthesized from a sensed low rotor speed signal (N1) in a primary control channel (32) so long as the low rotor speed signal is healthy. If the low rotor speed signal (N1) is not healthy, the primary channel is reconfigured (FIG. 3) so that a low rotor speed signal (N1SYNTH) is synthesized from a sensed high rotor speed signal (N2). A secondary control channel 34 provides standby signals for use in the EEC and performs similar logic as in the primary channel, except that signal synthesis (N2 from N1 and vice-versa) is dependent upon N2 health. When the high rotor speed signal (N2) is healthy, a low rotor speed signal (N1SYNTH) is synthesized from a sensed high rotor speed signal (N2). When the high rotor speed signal (N2) is not healthy, a high rotor speed signal (N2SYNTH) is synthesized from a sensed low rotor speed signal (N1). For each of the low and high rotor speeds, redundant signals (N1A, N1B and N2A, N2B, respectively) are available. Primary sensors (10A, 24A) for low and high rotor speeds (N1A, N2A) serve the primary channel, secondary sensors (10B, 24B) for low and high rotor speeds (N2A, N2B) serve the secondary channel, and cross-channel communication is via a link (39).

Establishing synthesis validity between two signal sources

By utilizing compensating parameters required for steady state operation of a gas turbine engine with processed variables of compressor speed, compressor pressure and altitude a derivative of the variable desired is synthesized and compared to the actual value in a closed-loop system for limiting the rate of change of fuel flow in an engine transient condition. In a twin spool engine a function generator responding to speed of the low pressure compressor and altitude generates a signal indicative of rate of change of the speed of the high pressure compressor. The signal is compensated for time constants consistant with the dynamics of the engine and compared with a compensated actual high pressure compressor speed. The error produced with a gain generated from corrected high pressure compressor speed inputs the main electronic digital fuel control.

Transient derivative scheduling control system

Redundant sensed position feedback signal samples of an actuator which are provided in each sample period, a synthesized feedback position signal value provided from an actuator algorithm model. The sensed samples are rejected for use in the sample period if the difference magnitude between the sample value and the synthesized value exceeds an accepted magnitude. The number of sample periods in which a sample is rejected is recorded, and if the number is sufficiently high the sensed feedback signal is rejected from further use and the associated position sensor is recorded as failed. If both sensed samples are rejected in the same period a diagnostic routine determines if the fault is in the sensors or the actuator.

Control system actuator position synthesis for failure detection

Periodic digital signal samples of redundant sensed engine RPM signals are rejected for limit exceedance of known performance values, the nonrejected digital signal samples are each compared with a synthesized RPM equivalent signal to further reject any sample which differs from the synthesized value by more than a selected difference value, one of the nonrejected samples are then used for the engine RPM indication, and in the event that both samples are rejected the synthesized value is used.

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Canton, CT, United States of America

Wayne R Spock