Abstract: A method and system for diagnosing a condition of an air-breathing aircraft engine are described. The method comprises obtaining a sample of lubricating fluid from the engine, filtering the sample to obtain a plurality of particles from the lubricating fluid, obtaining chemical composition data for the plurality of particles, determining a quantity of volcanic ash in the lubricating fluid by considering each one of the particles as composed partially of volcanic ash and partially of at least one other material and analyzing the chemical composition data, the volcanic ash having associated thereto a predetermined chemical composition, and diagnosing a condition of the engine based on the quantity of volcanic ash found in the lubricating fluid.

Abstract: A method and system for diagnosing a condition of an engine is described herein. The method comprises obtaining a sample of lubricating fluid from the engine, filtering the sample to obtain a plurality of particles from the lubricating fluid, determining surface chemical compositions for the plurality of particles, comparing the surface chemical compositions to at least one reference chemical composition associated with corrosion of the engine, determining a level of corrosion of the engine based on the comparing, and diagnosing a condition of the engine based on the level of corrosion.

Abstract: There is described herein methods and systems for evaluating a condition of an engine. Fluid sample data obtained from an engine is received and weights are assigned to different data sets of the fluid sample data. The data sets correspond to one or more classes of materials into which particles of the fluid sample are sorted. A characterizing sample signature of the engine is generated based on the data sets. The sample signature is compared to a plurality of reference signatures obtained from reference engines belonging to a common family with the engine. A selection is made from the reference engines for those having a difference between a corresponding signature and the sample signature below a threshold. Historical engine data of the selected reference engines is output as a basis for evaluating the condition of the engine.

Abstract: Systems and methods for predicting engine performance are provided herein. A fluid sample having particles suspended therein is received from a first engine. A plurality of particles are extracted from the fluid sample. Features of the plurality of particles extracted from the fluid sample and features of particles of reference fluid samples from a plurality of reference engines are obtained. A plurality of correlation indices indicative of a level of correlation between the first engine and each one of the plurality of reference engines is determined. The correlation indices are compared to a threshold to determine a subset of the plurality of reference engines. Performance history for the engines in the subset is obtained. From the performance history, the first engine is determined as having a similarity in performance with the engines in the subset. An output is generated indicating a predicted performance for the first engine.

Abstract: Systems and methods for predicting a condition of an engine are described herein. A fluid sample having particles suspended therein is received from the engine. A plurality of particles are extracted from the fluid sample. A sample profile of the plurality of particles extracted from the fluid sample is obtained. A reference profile of particles of a reference fluid sample from a reference engine is obtained. The reference profile and the sample profile having particles identified based on size, aspect ratio and chemical composition. A correlation index between the sample profile and the reference profile is determined based on size and aspect ratio of the particles of the sample profile and the reference profile. A prediction that the engine has a known condition associated with the reference engine is generated from the correlation index. An output indicating the condition of the engine is generating based on the prediction.

Abstract: Methods and systems for failure prediction using analysis of oil or other lubricant. Raw data about feature(s) of each of a plurality of particles filtered from a fluid sample are used to categorize each particle into one of a plurality of categories, each category being defined by one or more of: chemical composition, size and morphology. Particle physical characteristics in each category are quantified to obtain a set of categorized data. The categorized data are compared with historical data. Results of the comparing are evaluated to generate a prediction of any failure or mechanism of failure.

Abstract: Methods and systems for failure prediction using analysis of oil or other lubricant. Raw data about feature(s) of each of a plurality of particles filtered from a fluid sample are used to categorize each particle into one of a plurality of categories, each category being defined by one or more of: chemical composition, size and morphology. Particle physical characteristics in each category are quantified to obtain a set of categorized data. The categorized data are compared with historical data. Results of the comparing are evaluated to generate a prediction of any failure or mechanism of failure.

Abstract: Methods and systems for diagnosing a condition of an engine based on lubrication fluid analysis are disclosed. One embodiment of the methods comprises: receiving input data representative of a respective geometric parameter and a respective chemical composition for a plurality of particles filtered from a sample of fluid obtained from the engine; generating data representative of a mass of material of a chemical composition category in one or more of the particles; comparing the mass of material of the chemical composition category with reference data; and generating output data representative of a diagnosis of the condition of the engine.

Abstract: Methods and systems for diagnosing a condition of an engine based on lubrication fluid analysis are disclosed. One embodiment of the methods comprises: receiving input data representative of a respective geometric parameter and a respective chemical composition for a plurality of particles filtered from a sample of fluid obtained from the engine; generating data representative of a mass of material of a chemical composition category in one or more of the particles; comparing the mass of material of the chemical composition category with reference data; and generating output data representative of a diagnosis of the condition of the engine.

Abstract: There is described herein methods and systems relating to the use of the interaction of different materials to perform early detection of component failure. In particular, when the debris in a fluid sample comes from more than one source, a “level of interaction” is determined in order to monitor the degradation of the parts or components associated with the debris, as a function of the composition of the particles found in the fluid sample.

Abstract: Systems and methods for predicting engine performance are provided herein. A fluid sample having particles suspended therein is received from a first engine. A plurality of particles are extracted from the fluid sample. Features of the plurality of particles extracted from the fluid sample and features of particles of reference fluid samples from a plurality of reference engines are obtained. A plurality of correlation indices indicative of a level of correlation between the first engine and each one of the plurality of reference engines is determined. The correlation indices are compared to a threshold to determine a subset of the plurality of reference engines. Performance history for the engines in the subset is obtained. From the performance history, the first engine is determined as having a similarity in performance with the engines in the subset. An output is generated indicating a predicted performance for the first engine.

Abstract: Systems and methods for predicting a condition of an engine are described herein. A fluid sample having particles suspended therein is received from the engine. A plurality of particles are extracted from the fluid sample. A sample profile of the plurality of particles extracted from the fluid sample is obtained. A reference profile of particles of a reference fluid sample from a reference engine is obtained. The reference profile and the sample profile having particles identified based on size, aspect ratio and chemical composition. A correlation index between the sample profile and the reference profile is determined based on size and aspect ratio of the particles of the sample profile and the reference profile. A prediction that the engine has a known condition associated with the reference engine is generated from the correlation index. An output indicating the condition of the engine is generating based on the prediction.

Abstract: There is described herein methods and systems relating to the use of the interaction of different materials to perform early detection of component failure. In particular, when the debris in a fluid sample comes from more than one source, a “level of interaction” is determined in order to monitor the degradation of the parts or components associated with the debris, as a function of the composition of the particles found in the fluid sample.

Abstract: There is described herein methods and systems for evaluating a condition of an engine. Fluid sample data obtained from an engine is received and weights are assigned to different data sets of the fluid sample data. The data sets correspond to one or more classes of materials into which particles of the fluid sample are sorted. A characterizing sample signature of the engine is generated based on the data sets. The sample signature is compared to a plurality of reference signatures obtained from reference engines belonging to a common family with the engine. A selection is made from the reference engines for those having a difference between a corresponding signature and the sample signature below a threshold. Historical engine data of the selected reference engines is output as a basis for evaluating the condition of the engine.

Abstract: There is described herein methods and systems for comparing an engine fluid signature of a first engine with engine fluid signatures of other engines of a same engine family. A delta signature is obtained via the comparison and delta signatures below a given threshold are considered similar. Historical data for each engine having a similar signature may then be used to determine the condition and the future states of the first engine.

Abstract: Methods and systems for failure prediction using analysis of oil or other lubricant. Raw data about feature(s) of each of a plurality of particles filtered from a fluid sample are used to categorize each particle into one of a plurality of categories, each category being defined by one or more of: chemical composition, size and morphology. Particle physical characteristics in each category are quantified to obtain a set of categorized data. The categorized data are compared with historical data. Results of the comparing are evaluated to generate a prediction of any failure or mechanism of failure.

Abstract: Methods and systems for failure prediction using analysis of oil or other lubricant. Raw data about feature(s) of each of a plurality of particles filtered from a fluid sample are used to categorize each particle into one of a plurality of categories, each category being defined by one or more of: chemical composition, size and morphology. Particle physical characteristics in each category are quantified to obtain a set of categorized data. The categorized data are compared with historical data. Results of the comparing are evaluated to generate a prediction of any failure or mechanism of failure.

Abstract: There is described herein methods and systems for comparing an engine fluid signature of a first engine with engine fluid signatures of other engines of a same engine family. A delta signature is obtained via the comparison and delta signatures below a given threshold are considered similar. Historical data for each engine having a similar signature may then be used to determine the condition and the future states of the first engine.

Abstract: Methods and systems for diagnosing a condition of an engine based on lubrication fluid analysis are disclosed. One embodiment of the methods comprises: receiving input data representative of a respective geometric parameter and a respective chemical composition for a plurality of particles filtered from a sample of fluid obtained from the engine; generating data representative of a mass of material of a chemical composition category in one or more of the particles; comparing the mass of material of the chemical composition category with reference data; and generating output data representative of a diagnosis of the condition of the engine.

Abstract: There is described herein methods and systems relating to the use of the interaction of different materials to perform early detection of component failure. In particular, when the debris in a fluid sample comes from more than one source, a “level of interaction” is determined in order to monitor the degradation of the parts or components associated with the debris, as a function of the composition of the particles found in the fluid sample.