Abstract: Systems and methods for data acquisition utilizing spare or unused databus capacity are provided. In one example aspect, the system includes a vehicle that includes an engine and a controller. The controller generates a data file indicative of Continuous Engine Operation Data (CEOD). The data file is transmitted over a serial databus to a bus recorder. Particularly, the data file is continuously generated by the controller and stored in a buffer. The available bandwidth of a transmission frame for the serial databus is determined. A portion of the data file is retrieved from the buffer based at least in part on the determined bandwidth. The portion of the data file is divided into relatively small transmission payloads and packed into the available bandwidth of the transmission frame. This process is repeated on a continuous basis and the bus recorder records the data. The data file is then reconstituted and decoded.

Abstract: A system and method for acquiring accurate vibration data, time of arrival, or other mechanical state for a mechanical system with rotary elements, such as a planetary gear system with multiple planet gears that rotate relative to a central sun gear, or blades in a turbine engine. Multiple vibration sensors are arranged at spaced intervals along the exterior of the gear system (such as along the ring gear of the system or the exterior housing of the system). Each vibration sensor is so situated as to periodically detect vibrations from each one of the planet gears in succession, as the planet gears rotate around the central sun gear. Using timing and gear-system configuration information, a determination is made as to which gear is being sensed by any one sensor at any time; also determined is which teeth of each gear are being sensed by a particular sensor at any one time.

Abstract: Systems and methods for data acquisition utilizing spare or unused databus capacity are provided. In one example aspect, the system includes a vehicle that includes an engine and a controller. The controller generates a data file indicative of Continuous Engine Operation Data (CEOD). The data file is transmitted over a serial databus to a bus recorder. Particularly, the data file is continuously generated by the controller and stored in a buffer. The available bandwidth of a transmission frame for the serial databus is determined. A portion of the data file is retrieved from the buffer based at least in part on the determined bandwidth. The portion of the data file is divided into relatively small transmission payloads and packed into the available bandwidth of the transmission frame. This process is repeated on a continuous basis and the bus recorder records the data. The data file is then reconstituted and decoded.

Abstract: Systems and methods for data acquisition utilizing spare or unused databus capacity are provided. In one example aspect, the system includes a vehicle that includes an engine and a controller. The controller generates a data file indicative of Continuous Engine Operation Data (CEOD). The data file is transmitted over a serial databus to a bus recorder. Particularly, the data file is continuously generated by the controller and stored in a buffer. The available bandwidth of a transmission frame for the serial databus is determined. A portion of the data file is retrieved from the buffer based at least in part on the determined bandwidth. The portion of the data file is divided into relatively small transmission payloads and packed into the available bandwidth of the transmission frame. This process is repeated on a continuous basis and the bus recorder records the data. The data file is then reconstituted and decoded.

Abstract: A system and method for acquiring accurate vibration data, time of arrival, or other mechanical state for a mechanical system with rotary elements, such as a planetary gear system with multiple planet gears that rotate relative to a central sun gear, or blades in a turbine engine. Multiple vibration sensors are arranged at spaced intervals along the exterior of the gear system (such as along the ring gear of the system or the exterior housing of the system). Each vibration sensor is so situated as to periodically detect vibrations from each one of the planet gears in succession, as the planet gears rotate around the central sun gear. Using timing and gear-system configuration information, a determination is made as to which gear is being sensed by any one sensor at any time; also determined is which teeth of each gear are being sensed by a particular sensor at any one time.

Abstract: Systems and methods for recording and communicating engine data are provided. One example embodiment is directed to a method for communicating engine data to a ground system. The method includes receiving a request to store first data in a first memory location in one or more memory devices. The method includes receiving the first data, wherein the first data is associated with identification of an engine, and wherein the first data includes parameterized data. The method includes storing the first data in the first memory location. The method includes receiving a request to store second data in a second memory location in the one or more memory devices, wherein the second memory location is reserved for data to be transmitted to the ground system. The method includes receiving the second data. The method includes storing the second data in the second memory location.

Abstract: Systems and methods for data acquisition utilizing spare or unused databus capacity are provided. In one example aspect, the system includes a vehicle that includes an engine and a controller. The controller generates a data file indicative of Continuous Engine Operation Data (CEOD). The data file is transmitted over a serial databus to a bus recorder. Particularly, the data file is continuously generated by the controller and stored in a buffer. The available bandwidth of a transmission frame for the serial databus is determined. A portion of the data file is retrieved from the buffer based at least in part on the determined bandwidth. The portion of the data file is divided into relatively small transmission payloads and packed into the available bandwidth of the transmission frame. This process is repeated on a continuous basis and the bus recorder records the data. The data file is then reconstituted and decoded.

Abstract: There is provided a system for monitoring an engine. The system includes a processor. A memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform certain operations. The operations may include receiving a first data set and a second data set. The first data set being sampled at a first rate and the second data set being sampled at a second rate, where the first and second rate are different. The operations further include determining, based on a number of occurrences in either the first data set or the second set, whether an event that has occurred in the engine has occurred a predetermined number of times. The operations further include recording the first data set as an output in response to the number of occurrences exceeding the predetermined number of times, and in the contrary recording the second data set as the output.

Abstract: Systems and methods for recording and communicating engine data are provided. One example embodiment is directed to a method for communicating engine data to a ground system. The method includes receiving a request to store first data in a first memory location in one or more memory devices. The method includes receiving the first data, wherein the first data is associated with identification of an engine, and wherein the first data includes parameterized data. The method includes storing the first data in the first memory location. The method includes receiving a request to store second data in a second memory location in the one or more memory devices, wherein the second memory location is reserved for data to be transmitted to the ground system. The method includes receiving the second data. The method includes storing the second data in the second memory location.

Abstract: A method for estimating an operating parameter of a turbine engine is provided. The method includes receiving at least one sensor input, calculating the operating parameter using at least the one sensor input, and determining whether an anomaly is present in the calculated operating parameter using a redundancy system. An estimated operating parameter is output.

Abstract: A method for using an aerodynamic stability management system is disclosed. The method includes placing at least one pressure sensor in a compressor, the at least one pressure sensor communicating with an aerodynamic stability management system controller and monitoring gas turbine engine performance using the aerodynamic stability management system controller. The controller includes a memory, an input/output interface and a processor. The method also includes defining a correlation threshold value and calculating a correlation measure using a plurality of pressure signals generated by the at least one pressure sensor and comparing the correlation measure with the correlation threshold value. When the correlation measure is less than the correlation threshold value a corrective action is implemented.

Abstract: A method for estimating an operating parameter of a turbine engine is provided. The method includes receiving at least one sensor input, calculating the operating parameter using at least the one sensor input, and determining whether an anomaly is present in the calculated operating parameter using a redundancy system. An estimated operating parameter is output.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for identifying in-range sensor faults in a gas turbine engine, by observing the tracked component qualities in an embedded model and recognizing anomalous patterns of quality changes corresponding to sensor errors. An embedded model of the engine is employed to estimate sensed parameters such as rotor speeds, temperatures and pressures, as well as other parameters that are computed based on input parameters. Each major rotating component of the engine, including the fan, compressor, combustor, turbines, ducts and nozzle is individually modeled. Sensor failures are detected by identifying anomalous patterns in component quality parameters. A library of anomalous patterns is provided for comparing quality parameters generated by a tracking filter with the library of anomalous patterns. If a pattern is matched, a sensor may be eliminated from the tracking filter and the estimated model parameter used to avoid corrupting the model quality parameters.

Abstract: A method of estimating quality parameters for a plurality of engine components of a gas turbine engine is provided. The engine components have at least one sensor responsive to the engine component operation. The method includes providing an engine model having virtual sensor values and quality parameters corresponding to the plurality of sensors of the engine components; comparing the virtual sensor values to actual sensor values of the plurality of sensors of the engine components to determine the difference between the actual and virtual sensor values; amplifying the difference by a predetermined gain; generating a plurality of quality parameter deltas in response to the sensed difference; iteratively updating the embedded engine model by inputting a predetermined portion of the generated quality parameter deltas into the embedded engine model; adjusting the embedded engine model for engine operating conditions; and recalculating the virtual sensor values.

Abstract: A method to compensate for blade tip clearance deterioration between rotating blade tips and a surrounding shroud in an aircraft gas turbine engine includes determining one or more variables based on at least one or more moving averages of one or more engine operating parameters respectively averaged over a fixed number of operational engine flight cycles and adjusting a flow rate of thermal control air to counter the blade tip clearance deterioration based on the one or more variables. The engine operating parameters may include running number of engine cycles, takeoff and cruise exhaust gas temperature margins, a cruise turbine efficiency, takeoff and cruise maximum turbine speeds, a cruise fuel flow. Some or all of the variables may be differences between the moving averages and corresponding baselines of the engine operating parameters respectively or the variables may all be moving averages. The flow rate may be adjusted incrementally.

Abstract: A method to compensate for blade tip clearance deterioration between rotating blade tips and a surrounding shroud in an aircraft gas turbine engine includes determining one or more variables based on at least one or more moving averages of one or more engine operating parameters respectively averaged over a fixed number of operational engine flight cycles and adjusting a flow rate of thermal control air to counter the blade tip clearance deterioration based on the one or more variables. The engine operating parameters may include running number of engine cycles, takeoff and cruise exhaust gas temperature margins, a cruise turbine efficiency, takeoff and cruise maximum turbine speeds, a cruise fuel flow. Some or all of the variables may be differences between the moving averages and corresponding baselines of the engine operating parameters respectively or the variables may all be moving averages. The flow rate may be adjusted incrementally.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for assessing damage to machine components is provided. The method includes calculating an expected parameter value based on a first parameter value indicator, calculating an estimate of an actual parameter value based on a second parameter value indicator, the second parameter value indicator being different than the first parameter value indicator, determining if the calculated expected parameter value is different than the calculated estimate of the actual parameter value by a predefined limit, and generating a damage flag based on a result of the comparison. The apparatus includes a computing device including a processor and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the processor programmed to execute a software product code segment that includes a detection boundary module, an estimator, and a comparator wherein the computing device is programmed to assess damage within an engine.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for assessing damage to machine components is provided. The method includes calculating an expected parameter value based on a first parameter value indicator, calculating an estimate of an actual parameter value based on a second parameter value indicator, the second parameter value indicator being different than the first parameter value indicator, determining if the calculated expected parameter value is different than the calculated estimate of the actual parameter value by a predefined limit, and generating a damage flag based on a result of the comparison. The apparatus includes a computing device including a processor and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the processor programmed to execute a software product code segment that includes a detection boundary module, an estimator, and a comparator wherein the computing device is programmed to assess damage within an engine.

Abstract: A control strategy for a gas turbine engine which exchanges future lifetime of the engine for present thrust. Gas turbine engines, such as those used in aircraft, sometimes incur damage, as when they ingest birds, or are struck with ballistic objects fired by an enemy. The invention detects the damage, and invokes a control strategy wherein the engine is operated in a more harsh manner, thereby sacrificing a significant part of the remaining lifetime of the engine, in order to obtain thrust currently.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for assessing damage to machine components is provided. The method includes calculating an expected parameter value based on a first parameter value indicator, calculating an estimate of an actual parameter value based on a second parameter value indicator, the second parameter value indicator being different than the first parameter value indicator, determining if the calculated expected parameter value is different than the calculated estimate of the actual parameter value by a predefined limit, and generating a damage flag based on a result of the comparison. The apparatus includes a computing device including a processor and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the processor programmed to execute a software product code segment that includes a detection boundary module, an estimator, and a comparator wherein the computing device is programmed to assess damage within an engine.