Device and method for measuring engine flow and monitoring air filter performance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9945766-B2
Application number	US-201514844846-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 3, 2015
Priority date	Sep 3, 2015
Publication date	Apr 17, 2018
Grant date	Apr 17, 2018

Abstract

In one example embodiment, an engine flow measurement device features an engine data repository, one or more sensor units, and a measurement unit. The measurement system is configured to identify, from performance data, a maneuver performed during operation of the aircraft and to measure, for the identified maneuver, a plurality of maneuver flow values achieved during performance of the maneuver. The plurality of maneuver flow values correspond to a plurality of maneuver engine power values. Each of the plurality of maneuver flow values represent a volume of air flow through the air filter at a particular moment during performance of the maneuver.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An engine flow measurement device, comprising:
an engine data repository configured to store an engine data set comprising a plurality of stored flow values and a plurality of stored engine power values corresponding to the plurality of stored flow values;
one or more sensor units configured to receive, during operation of an aircraft, performance data associated with performance of an engine having an associated air filter, the performance data comprising a plurality of delta-pressure values and a plurality of engine power values corresponding to the delta-pressure values, each delta-pressure value representing a difference in pressure between the inlet and the exhaust of the air filter;
a measurement unit configured to:
identify, from the performance data, a power sweep performed during operation of the aircraft;
measure, for the identified power sweep, a plurality of power sweep flow values achieved during performance of the power sweep, the plurality of power sweep flow values corresponding to a plurality of power sweep engine power values, each of the plurality of power sweep flow values representing a volume of air flow through the air filter at a particular moment during performance of the power sweep; and
transmit the plurality of power sweep flow values to the engine data repository.

2. The engine flow measurement device of claim 1 , the measurement unit comprising a processor configured to measure the plurality of power sweep flow values and to store the plurality of power sweep flow values in one or more memory locations associated with the engine data repository.

3. The engine flow measurement device of claim 1 , the measurement unit further configured to store the plurality of power sweep flow values with the engine data set in the engine data repository.

4. The engine flow measurement device of claim 1 , wherein measuring the plurality of power sweep flow values comprises:
determining, from the performance data based on the identified power sweep, a plurality of power sweep delta-pressure values and a plurality of power sweep engine power values, the plurality of power sweep delta-pressure values being a subset of the plurality of delta-pressure values and the plurality of power sweep engine power values being a subset of the plurality of engine power values;
identifying a specific delta-pressure value and a corresponding specific engine power value from the plurality of power sweep delta-pressure values and the plurality of power sweep engine power values;
identifying, from the engine data set, a specific flow value corresponding to the specific engine power value;
generating a filter coefficient corresponding to a time when the power sweep was performed, the filter coefficient being a function of the specific flow value from the engine data set and the specific delta-pressure value from the performance data; and
determining the plurality of power sweep flow values achieved during performance of the power sweep as a function of the generated filter coefficient and the plurality of power sweep delta-pressure values.

5. The engine flow measurement device of claim 4 , the measurement unit further configured to determine whether the specific engine power value is higher than a predetermined acceptable threshold value and identify the specific flow value only if the specific engine power value is higher than the predetermined acceptable threshold value.

6. The engine flow measurement device of claim 4 , wherein identifying the specific delta-pressure value and the corresponding specific engine power value from the plurality of power sweep delta-pressure values and the plurality of power sweep engine power values comprises selecting the highest of the engine power values from the plurality of power sweep engine power values and identifying the delta-pressure value corresponding to the highest of the engine power values from the plurality of power sweep engine power values.

7. The engine flow measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of stored engine power values comprises power values generic to a category of engines.

8. The engine flow measurement device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of stored engine power values comprises a first plurality of power values generic to a category of engines and a second plurality of power values specific to an individual engine.

9. A method of measuring air flow through an engine during operation of an aircraft, comprising:
storing, in an engine data repository, an engine data set comprising a plurality of stored flow values and a plurality of stored engine power values corresponding to the plurality of stored flow values;
receiving, during operation of an aircraft, performance data associated with performance of an engine having an associated air filter, the performance data comprising a plurality of delta-pressure values and a plurality of engine power values corresponding to the delta-pressure values, each delta-pressure value representing a difference in pressure between the inlet and the exhaust of the air filter;
identifying, from the performance data, a power sweep performed during operation of the aircraft;
measuring, for the identified power sweep, a plurality of power sweep flow values achieved during performance of the power sweep, the plurality of power sweep flow values corresponding to a plurality of power sweep engine power values, each of the plurality of power sweep flow values representing a volume of air flow through the air filter at a particular moment during performance of the power sweep; and
transmitting the plurality of power sweep flow values to the engine data repository.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising storing the plurality of power sweep flow values in one or more memory locations associated with the engine data repository.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein measuring the plurality of power sweep flow values comprises:
determining, from the performance data based on the identified power sweep, a plurality of power sweep delta-pressure values and a plurality of power sweep engine power values, the plurality of power sweep delta-pressure values being a subset of the plurality of delta-pressure values and the plurality of power sweep engine power values being a subset of the plurality of engine power values;
identifying a specific delta-pressure value and a corresponding specific engine power value from the plurality of power sweep delta-pressure values and the plurality of power sweep engine power values;
identifying, from the engine data set, a specific flow value corresponding to the specific engine power value;
generating a filter coefficient corresponding to a time when the power sweep was performed, the filter coefficient being a function of the specific flow value from the engine data set and the specific delta-pressure value from the performance data; and
determining the plurality of power sweep flow values achieved during performance of the power sweep as a function of the generated filter coefficient and the plurality of power sweep delta-pressure values.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising determining whether the specific engine power value is higher than a predetermined acceptable threshold value and identify the specific flow value only if the specific engine power value is higher than the predetermined acceptable threshold value.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein identifying the specific delta-pressure value and the corresponding specific engine power value from the plurality of power sweep delta-pressure values and the plurality of power sweep engine power values comprises selecting the high

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc

Inventors

• Steinert Alan H

Classifications

• F02D2200/0402

  the parameter being determined by using a model of the engine intake or its components · CPC title

• F02D2041/1412

  using a predictive controller · CPC title

• F02M35/10373

  Sensors for intake systems (throttle position sensors F02D9/105) · CPC title

• B64C27/12

  Rotor drives · CPC title

• F02D41/18

  by measuring intake air flow · CPC title