Method and system for operating a rotorcraft engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11667392-B2
Application number	US-201916447187-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 20, 2019
Priority date	Jun 20, 2019
Publication date	Jun 6, 2023
Grant date	Jun 6, 2023

Abstract

Systems and methods for operating a rotorcraft engine are described herein. Measurements indicative of at least one of current temperature and current pressure at an inlet of the engine are obtained from at least one sensor while the rotorcraft is in flight. At least one current inlet loss is determined from the measurements. Current available engine power of the rotorcraft engine is determined based on the at least one current inlet losses. A visual indication of the current available engine power is produced via a flight display.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for operating a rotorcraft engine, the method comprising:
obtaining at least one predetermined installation loss characteristic that depends on a configuration of an installation of the engine in the rotorcraft;
obtaining measurements indicative of at least one of current temperature and current pressure at an inlet of the engine from at least one sensor while the rotorcraft is in flight;
determining at least one current inlet loss from the measurements;
adjusting the at least one predetermined installation loss characteristic based on the at least one current inlet loss to obtain an adjusted at least one predetermined inlet loss characteristic;
determining current available engine power of the rotorcraft engine based on the adjusted at least one predetermined inlet loss characteristic; and
producing, via a flight display, a visual indication of the current available engine power.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the measurements comprises obtaining a measured inlet temperature from at least one temperature sensor operatively coupled to the engine.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining the at least one current inlet loss comprises determining an inlet charge heating based on a difference between the measured inlet temperature and a total free stream temperature.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the measurements comprises obtaining a measured inlet pressure from at least one pressure sensor operatively coupled to the engine.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein determining the at least one current inlet loss comprises determining an inlet pressure loss based on a difference between the measured engine inlet pressure and a free stream total pressure, the difference divided by the free stream total pressure.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the current available engine power corresponds to a power margin indicative of a difference between a current output power of the engine and a maximum available output power of the engine.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the current available engine power comprises determining the current available engine power based on the at least one current inlet loss and at least one engine parameter obtained as part of an engine power assurance check.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed in response to a request for an engine power assurance check.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising: determining, based on the at least one current inlet loss, at least one engine power assurance check limit or margin selected from the group consisting of an inter-turbine temperature margin, an engine rotational speed margin and a first operating limit indicator indicative of the current available power of the engine; and producing, via the flight display, a visual indication of the at least one engine power assurance check limit or margin.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein obtaining at least one predetermined installation loss characteristic comprises obtaining one or more of a predetermined inlet loss, a predetermined pressure loss, a predetermined charge heating, and a predetermined exhaust loss.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein adjusting the at least one predetermined installation loss characteristic based on the at least one current inlet loss comprises offsetting the at least one predetermined installation loss based on a value determined from the at least one current inlet loss.

12. A system for operating a rotorcraft engine, the system comprising:
at least one processing unit; and
at least one non-transitory computer-readable memory having stored thereon program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit for:
obtaining at least one predetermined installation loss characteristic that depends on a configuration of an installation of the engine in the rotorcraft;
obtaining measurements indicative of at least one of current temperature and current pressure at an inlet of the engine from at least one sensor while the rotorcraft is in flight;
determining at least one current inlet loss from the measurements;
adjusting the at least one predetermined installation loss characteristic based on the at least one current inlet loss to obtain an adjusted at least one predetermined inlet loss characteristic;
determining current available engine power of the rotorcraft engine based on the adjusted at least one predetermined inlet loss characteristic; and
producing, via a flight display, a visual indication of the current available engine power.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein obtaining the measurements comprises obtaining a measured inlet temperature from at least one temperature sensor operatively coupled to the engine.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein determining the at least one current inlet loss comprises determining an inlet charge heating based on a difference between the measured inlet temperature and a total free stream temperature.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein obtaining the measurements comprises obtaining a measured inlet pressure from at least one pressure sensor operatively coupled to the engine.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein determining the at least one current inlet loss comprises determining an inlet pressure loss based on a difference between the measured engine inlet pressure and a free stream total pressure, the difference divided by the free stream total pressure.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the current available engine power corresponds to a power margin indicative of a difference between a current output power of the engine and a maximum available output power of the engine.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein determining the current available engine power comprises determining the current available engine power based on the at least one current inlet loss and at least one engine parameter obtained as part of an engine power assurance check.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein the program instructions are executed by the at least one processing unit in response to a request for an engine power assurance check.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the program instructions are further executable by the at least one processing unit for: determining, based on the at least one current inlet loss, at least one engine power assurance check limit or margin selected from the group consisting of an inter-turbine temperature margin, an engine rotational speed margin and a first operating limit indicator indicative of the current available power of the engine; and producing, via the flight display, a visual indication of the at least one engine power assurance check limit or margin.

Assignees

• Pratt & Whitney Canada

Inventors

• Drolet Martin
• Desnoyers Sylvain

Classifications

• B64C27/04

  Helicopters · CPC title

• B64D33/02

  of combustion air intakes · CPC title

• G01L5/133

  for measuring thrust of propulsive devices, e.g. of propellers (aeroplanes B64C; marine propulsion B63H; jet-engines F02K) · CPC title

• B64D43/00

  Arrangements or adaptations of instruments · CPC title

• B64D2033/0253

  specially adapted for particular type of aircraft · CPC title