Method and system for calibrating an engine core by determining power rating data of the engine core

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10968769-B2
Application number	US-201916411286-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 14, 2019
Priority date	Nov 2, 2018
Publication date	Apr 6, 2021
Grant date	Apr 6, 2021

Abstract

A method of calibrating an engine core of a gas turbine engine, wherein the engine core includes a turbine, combustion equipment, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor, the core shaft arranged to drive a propulsive fan of the gas turbine engine, the method including: providing a resistance load on the core shaft, the resistance load arranged to replicate the load of a propulsive fan; driving the engine core; measuring a performance parameter or the engine core; measuring a thrust generated by the engine core; and determining power rating data of the engine core, providing a correlation between the performance parameter and the thrust.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of calibrating an engine core of a gas turbine engine, the engine core comprising a turbine, combustion equipment, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor, the core shaft being configured to drive a propulsive fan of the gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
providing a resistance load on the core shaft, the resistance load being configured to replicate a load of the propulsive fan;
driving the engine core;
measuring a performance parameter of the engine core;
measuring a thrust generated by the engine core; and
determining power rating data of the engine core, which provides a correlation between the performance parameter and the thrust, so as to calibrate the engine core.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
operating one or more generators comprised by the resistance load to generate power whilst driving the engine core.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
storing the power generated by operating the one or more generators in a battery or other energy storage device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resistance load or engine core comprises a gearbox that is configured such that the resistance load is driven at constant speed as a rotational speed of the core shaft is varied.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resistance load comprises a variable resistance load.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
varying the resistance of the resistance load to simulate different flight conditions;
wherein the performance parameter and the thrust are measured at different loads, such that the power rating data provides the correlation between the performance parameter and the thrust for different loads.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the performance parameter is selected from a list comprising: a torque on the shaft and a rotational speed of the shaft.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
driving the engine core comprises driving the engine core at a first rotational speed; and
the performance parameter and the thrust are measured at the first rotational speed.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
driving engine core comprising driving the engine core at a plurality of rotational speeds; and
the performance parameter and thrust are measured at different rotational speeds, such that the power rating data provides the thrust as a function of the performance parameter.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
mounting the engine core on a test apparatus, the test apparatus comprising a frame for supporting the engine core, and a base for supporting the frame, the frame being coupled to the base by an interface arranged to allow relative displacement of the frame and base,
wherein measuring the thrust generated by the engine core comprises:
measuring a force exerted between the frame and the base; and
determining a thrust based on the force.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method calibrates an engine core only, without a propulsive fan or fan case attached to the engine core.

12. A method of operating a gas turbine engine the gas turbine engine comprising the engine core calibrated according to the method of claim 1 , the method of operating the gas turbine engine comprising:
combining the calibrated engine core with a fan and fan case;
setting an engine control parameter;
measuring a thrust generated by the engine based on the power rating data and a measured engine performance parameter;
determining if the measured thrust is equal to a target thrust; and
controlling the engine control parameter based on the determining.

13. A calibration system configured to calibrate an engine core of a gas turbine engine, the engine core comprising a turbine, combustion equipment, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor, the core shaft being configured to drive a propulsive fan of the gas turbine engine, the system comprising:
a frame for mounting the engine core;
a base for supporting the frame, the frame being coupled to the base by an interface arranged to allow relative displacement of the frame and base;
a sensor arrangement configured to measure a force exerted between the frame and the base; and
a resistance load configured to be coupled to the core shaft of the engine, the resistance load being configured to replicate a load of the propulsive fan.

14. The calibration system of claim 13 , further comprising a second sensor arrangement configured to measure a performance parameter of the engine core.

15. The calibration system of claim 14 , wherein the second sensor arrangement is comprised within the engine core.

16. The calibration system of claim 13 , wherein the resistance load comprises one or more generators configured to generate power.

17. The calibration system of claim 16 , comprising:
a storage device configured to store the power generated by the one or more generators.

18. The calibration system of claim 17 , wherein the resistance load or engine core comprises a gearbox that is configured such that the resistance load is driven at constant speed as the rotational speed of the core shaft is varied.

19. The calibration system of claim 13 , wherein the resistance load comprises a variable resistance load.

20. The calibration system of claim 13 , wherein the system is configured to calibrate the engine core without the propulsive fan or a fan case attached to the engine core.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Plc

Inventors

• Cooper Joseph B

Classifications

• F02C9/00

  Controlling gas-turbine plants; Controlling fuel supply in air- breathing jet-propulsion plants (controlling air intakes F02C7/057; controlling turbines F01D; controlling compressors F04D27/00; controlling in general G05) · CPC title

• G01M15/14 Primary

  Testing gas-turbine engines or jet-propulsion engines · CPC title

• Y02T50/60

  Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft · CPC title

• F05D2260/83

  Testing, e.g. methods, components or tools therefor · CPC title

• F01D21/003 Primary

  Arrangements for testing or measuring (for measuring vibrations G01H) · CPC title