Abstract:
The present invention provides a method of detecting shaft break in a shaft system comprising a shaft coupled between two masses. The method comprises a number of steps. Firstly, to define a time-dependent rotational speed equation for the shaft in terms of system inertia for an engine transient event. Then to discretize the rotational speed equation in terms of a discrete time constant in the discrete domain. Then to recursively define the discretized equation to give a recursive equation and to solve the recursive equation to determine the discrete time constant. Then to define a threshold as a function of engine power and then to set a shaft break signal to TRUE if the discrete time constant is greater than the threshold. A shaft break detection system is also provided by the present invention.
Abstract:
A gas turbine engine has, in flow series, a compressor section, a combustor, and a turbine section. The gas turbine engine further has a system (i) for cooling the turbine section and (ii) for providing tip clearance control between turbine blades of the turbine section and a plurality of circumferentially distributed segments which form an annular shroud surrounding the outer tips of the turbine blades. The system includes a turbine section cooling sub-system which diverts a first cooling air flow received from the compressor section to a heat exchanger and then to the turbine section to cool components thereof. The first cooling air flow by-passes the combustor and is cooled in the heat exchanger. The turbine section cooling subsystem has a first valve arrangement which regulates the first cooling air flow. The system further includes a tip clearance control sub-system which supplies a second cooling air flow to an engine case to which the segments are mounted. The second cooling air flow regulates thermal expansion of the case and thereby controls the clearance between the segments and the outer tips. The tip clearance control sub-system has a second valve arrangement which regulates the second cooling air flow. The system further includes a closed-loop controller which issues first and second demand signals to respectively the first and the second valve arrangements. Each of the first and second demand signals are determined on the basis of: (i) a value of the first demand signal at a previous time step, and a measurement or estimate of turbine section component temperature, and (ii) a value of the second demand signal at a previous time step, and a measurement or estimate of tip clearance.
Abstract:
A gas turbine engine has, in flow series, a compressor section, a combustor, and a turbine section. The engine further has a cooling system which diverts a cooling air flow received from the compressor section to a heat exchanger and then to the turbine section to cool a component thereof. The cooling air flow by-passes the combustor and is cooled in the heat exchanger. The cooling system has a valve arrangement which regulates the cooling air flow. The engine further has a closed-loop controller which estimates and/or measures one or more temperatures of the cooled component, compares values derived from the estimated and/or measured temperatures with one or more corresponding targets, and issues a demand signal to the valve arrangement based on the comparison and a value of the demand signal at a previous time step.
Abstract:
A computer-implemented method of enabling optimisation of derate for a propulsion system of a vehicle, the method comprising: determining a derate for the propulsion system of the vehicle using: an algorithm; a vehicle model defining path constraints for the vehicle through space; a propulsion system model defining parameters of the propulsion system; an objective function defining one or more objectives; and controlling output of the determined derate.
Abstract:
A method of controlling a gas turbine engine including receiving an instantaneous thrust demand for current operation of the engine, determining the inlet flow rate and/or the pressure ratio within the compressor of the engine and determining whether the inlet flow rate and/or the pressure ratio match the working line for the compressor. The angle of one or more vane of the compressor is adjusted according to a closed control loop if the inlet flow rate and/or pressure ratio lie outside said desired range in order to adjust the inlet inflow rate and/or pressure ratio to meet the working line. The fuel flow to the engine combustor is adjusted concurrently in order to meet the thrust demand.
Abstract:
A control system for use in controlling a cabin blower system. The cabin blower system includes a gas turbine engine spool, a cabin blower compressor powered by the spool and arranged in use to compress fluid used in a cabin of an aircraft, and one or more control mechanisms via which the control system controls the power extracted by the cabin blower compressor from the spool. The control system is arranged in use to control the power extracted from the spool by the cabin blower compressor in accordance with one or more primary control parameters. The control system is arranged in use to alter the spool power extracted by the cabin blower compressor by comparison with the power that would have been extracted in accordance with the primary control parameters alone, in response to modifications in a secondary control parameter indicative of the commencement or occurrence of an engine transient.
Abstract:
A method of controlling turbine tip clearance includes measuring turbine speed; measuring turbine temperature; measuring parameters indicative of current operating conditions; determining limits for the turbine speed and turbine temperature; calculating target tip clearance from the turbine speed, turbine temperature and parameters, to optimise turbine efficiency within the turbine speed and turbine temperature limits; and controlling turbine tip clearance apparatus to the calculated target tip clearance.
Abstract:
A gas turbine engine is disclosed having a tip clearance control system. The tip clearance control system has a cabin blower system, a casing arranged in use about a rotor of a gas turbine engine and a fluid delivery passage. The cabin blower system having a cabin blower compressor arranged in use to compress fluid used in a cabin of an aircraft and to compress fluid conducted via the fluid delivery passage into heat exchange with the casing.
Abstract:
A clearance control device including a segment having a passage to deliver fluid towards a component rotating past the segment. Also a fluid flow device having a first fluid path coupled to the passage and a second fluid path that is decoupled from the passage. A first plasma generator is located in the fluid flow device that directs fluid towards the first fluid path; a second plasma generator is located in the fluid flow device that directs fluid towards the second fluid path; and a control arrangement is configured to alternately energize the first and second plasma generators at an energizing frequency to deliver fluid to the passage at a frequency coincident with the passing frequency of the component.