Compressor boost control for aircraft engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12065978-B2
Application number	US-202217978603-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2022
Priority date	Nov 1, 2022
Publication date	Aug 20, 2024
Grant date	Aug 20, 2024

Abstract

A control method is provided for an engine. During this control method, a lambda target parameter indicative of a ratio between a stoichiometric air-to-fuel ratio and an actual air-to-fuel ratio is determined. A control signal is determined using the lambda target parameter. A component of the engine is operated based on the control signal to regulate airflow within a compressor section of the engine.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control method for an engine, comprising:
determining a lambda target parameter indicative of a ratio between a stoichiometric air-to-fuel ratio and an actual air-to-fuel ratio;
determining a control signal using the lambda target parameter;
operating a component of the engine based on the control signal to regulate airflow within a compressor section of the engine;
determining a second control signal; and
operating a second component of the engine based on the second control signal to regulate a temperature of the airflow within the compressor section.

2. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the component comprises a variable vane.

3. The control method of claim 2 , wherein the variable vane comprises a compressor inlet guide vane.

4. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the component comprises a blowoff valve.

5. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the component comprises a variable transmission.

6. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the lambda target parameter is determined based on an engine speed parameter and an engine fuel parameter.

7. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the control signal comprises determining a target air density parameter using the lambda target parameter.

8. A control method for an engine, comprising:
determining a lambda target parameter indicative of a ratio between a stoichiometric air-to-fuel ratio and an actual air-to-fuel ratio;
determining a control signal using the lambda target parameter;
operating a component of the engine based on the control signal to regulate airflow within a compressor section of the engine;
wherein the determining of the control signal comprises determining a target air density parameter using the lambda target parameter;
wherein the determining of the target air density parameter comprises
determining a target mass air parameter using the lambda target parameter, a stoichiometric air-to-fuel ratio parameter and an engine fuel parameter;
determining an actual mass air parameter using the engine fuel parameter and an engine speed parameter; and
processing the target mass air parameter with the actual mass air parameter to determine the target air density.

9. The control method of claim 8 , wherein the actual mass air parameter is further determined using an engine displacement volume parameter.

10. A control method for an engine, comprising:
determining a lambda target parameter indicative of a ratio between a stoichiometric air-to-fuel ratio and an actual air-to-fuel ratio;
determining a control signal using the lambda target parameter;
operating a component of the engine based on the control signal to regulate airflow within a compressor section of the engine;
wherein the determining of the control signal comprises determining a target air density parameter using the lambda target parameter;
wherein the determining of the control signal further comprises
determining an actual air density parameter; and
comparing the target air density parameter to the actual air density parameter to provide a difference parameter.

11. The control method of claim 10 , wherein the actual air density parameter is based on a compressor pressure parameter and a compressor temperature parameter.

12. The control method of claim 10 , wherein the determining of the control signal further comprises processing the difference parameter with a correction factor parameter.

13. The control method of claim 1 , wherein the second control signal is determined using a temperature control loop independent from a lambda control loop used for the determining of the control signal.

14. A control method for an aircraft engine, comprising:
determining a target air density parameter using an engine speed parameter and an engine fuel parameter;
determining an actual air density parameter using a compressor pressure parameter and a compressor temperature parameter;
determining a control signal, the determining of the control signal comprising comparing the target air density parameter to the actual air density parameter; and
operating a component of the aircraft engine based on the control signal to regulate airflow within a compressor section of the aircraft engine.

15. The control method of claim 14 , wherein
the determining of the target air density parameter comprises determining a lambda target parameter based on the engine speed parameter and the engine fuel parameter; and
the lambda target parameter is indicative of a ratio between a stoichiometric air-to-fuel ratio and an actual air-to-fuel ratio.

16. The control method of claim 14 , wherein
the compressor pressure parameter is indicative of a pressure of the airflow at the compressor section; and
the compressor temperature parameter is indicative of a temperature of the airflow at the compressor section.

17. A powerplant, comprising:
an aircraft engine including a compressor section and a component configured to regulate airflow within the compressor section based on a control signal; and
a control system configured to
determine a lambda target parameter indicative of a ratio between a stoichiometric air-to-fuel ratio and an actual air-to-fuel ratio;
determine the control signal using the lambda target parameter;
determine a target air density parameter using the lambda target parameter;
determine an actual air density parameter using a compressor pressure parameter and a compressor temperature parameter;
compare the target air density parameter to the actual air density parameter to provide a difference parameter; and
process the difference parameter to determine the control signal.

18. The powerplant of claim 17 , wherein the control system is further configured to
determine a target mass air parameter using the lambda target parameter, a stoichiometric air-to-fuel ratio parameter and an engine fuel parameter;
determine an actual mass air parameter using the engine fuel parameter and an engine speed parameter; and
process the target mass air parameter with the actual mass air parameter to determine the target air density.

Assignees

• Pratt & Whitney Canada

Inventors

• Plamondon Etienne

Classifications

• F05D2270/3061

  of the working fluid · CPC title

• F05D2270/304

  Spool rotational speed · CPC title

• F05D2270/303

  Temperature · CPC title

• F05D2270/301

  Pressure · CPC title

• F05D2220/323

  for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines · CPC title