Systems and methods for detecting chips in fluid of aircraft engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10317354-B2
Application number	US-201615357282-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2016
Priority date	Aug 1, 2016
Publication date	Jun 11, 2019
Grant date	Jun 11, 2019

Abstract

There is described herein methods and systems for detecting of metallic chips in a fluid system of an aircraft engine. A resistance value is measured across a magnetic chip detector mounted to a fluid system of the aircraft engine. The resistance value is transmitted to an engine computer of the aircraft engine. In the engine computer, The resistance value is compared to a first threshold and a first warning indicative of a chip in the fluid is issued when the resistance value exceeds the first threshold.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for detecting chips in fluid of an aircraft engine, the method comprising:
dynamically setting, in an engine computer, a first threshold for detecting chips in the fluid;
measuring a resistance value across a first magnetic chip detector mounted to a fluid system of the aircraft engine at a first location and transmitting the resistance value to the engine computer of the aircraft engine;
comparing, in the engine computer, the resistance value to the first threshold by converting the resistance value to a chip size based on a correlation between resistance and chip size, and comparing the chip size to the first threshold; and
issuing, from the engine computer, a first warning indicative of a chip in the fluid when the resistance value exceeds the first threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying the chip size on a display of the aircraft.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein dynamically setting the first threshold comprises setting the first threshold based on at least one of a current condition of the aircraft engine and a flight mission.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein dynamically setting the first threshold comprises setting the first threshold as function of a configuration of the aircraft engine.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring a resistance value comprises measuring the resistance value across a circuit connected in parallel with the first magnetic chip detector.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising issuing, from the engine computer, a second warning indicative of a circuit malfunction when the resistance value is above a resistance limit value.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed continuously as the aircraft engine is running.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein measuring the resistance value comprises measuring the resistance value over time.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
dynamically setting a second threshold independently tunable from the first threshold;
measuring a resistance value across a second magnetic chip detector mounted to the fluid system of the engine at a second location;
comparing the resistance value from the second magnetic chip detector to the second threshold; and
issuing a second warning indicative of a chip in the fluid when the resistance value from the second magnetic chip detector exceeds the second threshold.

10. A chip detection system for an aircraft engine, the detection system comprising:
a magnetic chip detector mounted to a fluid system of the aircraft engine at a first location;
a resistance measurement circuit connected with the magnetic chip detector and configured for measuring a resistance value across the magnetic chip detector; and
an engine computer coupled to the resistance measurement circuit and configured for:
dynamically setting a first threshold for detecting chips in the fluid;
receiving the resistance value from the resistance measurement circuit;
comparing the resistance value to the first threshold by converting the resistance value to a chip size based on a correlation between resistance and chip size, and comparing the chip size to the first threshold; and
issuing a first warning indicative of a chip in the fluid when the resistance value exceeds the first threshold.

11. The detection system of claim 10 , wherein the engine computer is further configured for transmitting a signal for displaying the chip size on a display of the aircraft.

12. The detection system of claim 10 , wherein dynamically setting a first threshold comprises setting the first threshold based on at least one of a current condition of the aircraft engine and a flight mission.

13. The detection system of claim 10 , wherein dynamically setting the first threshold comprises setting the first threshold as function of a configuration of the aircraft engine.

14. The detection system of claim 10 , wherein the resistance measurement circuit comprises a circuit connected in parallel with the magnetic chip detector.

15. The detection system of claim 14 , wherein the engine computer is further configured for issuing a second warning indicative of a circuit malfunction when the resistance value is above a resistance limit value.

16. The detection system of claim 10 , wherein measuring the resistance value comprises measuring the resistance value over time.

17. The detection system of claim 10 , further comprising a second magnetic chip detector mounted to the fluid system of the engine at a second location, and having a second threshold independently tunable from the first threshold.

18. A method for detecting chips in fluid of an aircraft engine, the method comprising:
dynamically setting, in an engine computer, a first threshold based on at least one of a current condition of the aircraft engine and a flight mission;
measuring a resistance value across a magnetic chip detector mounted to a fluid system of the aircraft engine and transmitting the resistance value to the engine computer of the aircraft engine; and
in the engine computer:
comparing the resistance value to the first threshold; and
issuing a first warning indicative of a chip in the fluid when the resistance value exceeds the first threshold.

Assignees

• Pratt & Whitney Canada

Inventors

• Ricci Thomas Trevor
• LAM Simon Sai-Ming
• Jarvo James Robert

Classifications

• G01N33/22 Primary

  Fuels; Explosives · CPC title

• F16N2250/32

  Inductive · CPC title

• F16N29/04

  enabling a warning to be given; enabling moving parts to be stopped · CPC title

• G01N33/2858

  Metal particles · CPC title

• G01N27/041

  of a solid body · CPC title