Turbine engine fleet wash management system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016160679-A1
Application number	US-201514749241-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 24, 2015
Priority date	Dec 3, 2014
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A turbine engine fleet wash management system is configured to electronically communicate with a turbine engine system, a fleet management service, and a cleaning management service. The turbine engine fleet wash system causes a cleaning of a turbine engine to occur based on information received from the turbine engine system and other sources. The turbine engine fleet wash management system includes a cleaning schedule optimizer that generates a cleaning schedule based on engine health monitoring data, engine operation data, maintenance schedules for the turbine engine, and cleaning regimen data. The cleaning schedule optimizer estimates turbine engine performance improvements based on the selected cleaning regimen, and calculating an estimate of carbon credits earned based on the predicted improvement in turbine engine performance.

First claim

1 . A system to optimize cleaning of a turbine engine, the system comprising one or more computing devices configured to:
by a communication link between a turbine engine and a cleaning schedule optimizer, receive engine health data from the turbine engine over time during operation of the turbine engine; by the cleaning schedule optimizer, periodically execute an cleaning optimization routine to evaluate instances of the engine health data using one or more cleaning schedule optimization criteria; and in response to one or more instances of the engine health data meeting an engine health criterion, cause a foamed cleaning agent to be discharged into the turbine engine according to an optimized engine cleaning schedule.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning schedule optimizer only executes the cleaning optimization routine if the system determines that engine performance is degrading.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning schedule optimizer is configured to query an operational database to obtain information about the use of the turbine engine and incorporate the turbine engine use information into the optimization routine.

4 . The system of any of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning schedule optimizer is configured to query an environmental database for information about operating environments of the turbine engine and incorporate the operating environment information into the optimization routine.

5 . The system of any of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning schedule optimizer is configured to query a maintenance database for information about the maintenance history of the turbine engine and incorporate the maintenance history information into the optimization routine.

6 . The system of any of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning schedule optimizer is configured to query a cleaning parameters database for information about the different cleaning regimens available for use on the turbine engine and incorporate the cleaning regimen information into the optimization routine.

7 . The system of any of claim 1 , comprising a fuel efficiency calculator electrically connected to an engine health monitor, wherein the fuel efficiency calculator is configured to receive one or more engine performance parameters and generate fuel efficiency parameters based upon the received engine performance parameters.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the fuel efficiency calculator is configured to calculate the changes in fuel consumption in the engine over time.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the fuel efficiency calculator is configured to calculate the changes in operating cost over time based on the changes in fuel consumption over time.

10 . The system of claim 7 , comprising a carbon credit calculator configured to receive the fuel efficiency parameters and the engine performance parameters, estimate a change in fuel consumption based upon the optimized cleaning schedule, and use the estimated change in fuel consumption to calculate an estimated number of carbon credits earned.

11 . The system of claim 10 , comprising a notification system in communication with the cleaning schedule optimizer and coupled to a network, wherein the notification system is configured to send a notification to an owner of the turbine engine, and wherein the notification comprises the cleaning schedule, the estimated fuel consumption, and the estimated carbon credits.

12 . An engine cleaning optimizer embodied in one or more machine accessible storage media and comprising instructions executable by a computing system comprising one or more computing devices to cause the computing system to:
periodically receive instances of engine health monitoring data produced by a turbine engine during operation of the turbine engine; with the instances of engine health monitoring data, calculate an engine health parameter; with the engine health parameter:
compute an indicator of engine performance degradation;
compute an indicator of fuel consumption; and
with the fuel consumption indicator, estimate a carbon credit that would result from cleaning the turbine engine;
with the engine performance indicator, the fuel consumption indicator, and the estimated carbon credit, generate an optimized cleaning schedule; and initiate discharge of a foamed cleaning agent into the turbine engine in accordance with the optimized engine cleaning schedule.

13 . The engine cleaning optimizer of claim 12 , comprising instructions executable to generate the cleaning schedule for the turbine engine system by algorithmically evaluating the indicator of engine performance degradation.

14 . The engine cleaning optimizer of claim 13 , comprising instructions executable to generate the cleaning schedule for the turbine engine system by algorithmically evaluating a cost of cleaning.

15 . The engine cleaning optimizer of claim 14 , comprising instructions executable to generate the cleaning schedule for the turbine engine system by algorithmically evaluating an estimated fuel savings.

16 . The engine cleaning optimizer of claim 15 , comprising instructions executable to generate the cleaning schedule for the turbine engine system by algorithmically evaluating an amount of time until the next schedule maintenance for the engine.

17 . The engine cleaning optimizer of claim 16 , comprising instructions executable to generate the cleaning schedule for the turbine engine system by algorithmically evaluating a likely effectiveness of the cleaning.

18 . The engine cleaning optimizer of claim 17 , comprising instructions executable to generate the cleaning schedule for the turbine engine system by algorithmically evaluating an estimate of carbon credits earned.

19 . The engine cleaning optimizer of any of claim 12 , comprising instructions executable to modify the optimized cleaning schedule in response to data indicative of a maintenance schedule for the turbine engine.

20 . The engine cleaning optimizer of any of claim 12 , comprising instructions executable to communicate with a computing system of the engine manufacturer to schedule maintenance intervals based on data indicative of parts or modules that need replacement.

21 . The engine cleaning optimizer of any of claim 12 , comprising instructions executable to issue a prompt to prevent the occurrence of a scheduled cleaning cycle in response to a determination that a regularly scheduled maintenance is to occur.

22 . The engine cleaning optimizer of any of claim 12 , comprising instructions executable to coordinate the optimized cleaning schedule with a maintenance schedule and an operational schedule of the turbine engine.

23 . The engine cleaning optimizer of any of claim 12 , comprising instructions executable to, with the optimized cleaning schedule, specify a time interval between cleanings, the duration of a cleaning, and a composition of cleaning solution used in a cleaning of the turbine engine.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Corp

Inventors

• Griffiths George F
• Heggere Prahlad R D
• Green Jeffrey A

Classifications

• B64F5/30 Primary

  Cleaning aircraft · CPC title

• F01D25/002 Primary

  Cleaning of turbomachines · CPC title

• F01D21/003

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

• F05D2270/11

  to prolong engine life · CPC title

• F05D2220/32

  in gas turbines · CPC title