# US 11,111,814 B2 · Turbine engine operational testing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,111,814 B2 - Document ID: US11111814B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/848,644 - Filed: 2017-12-20 - Published: 2019-06-20 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-20 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Steven James Jastrzembowski; Thomas Edward Zieg; Jared Utah; Jeremy Seager; Michael Houpt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11111814B2 ## CPC - F01D 21/003: {Arrangements for testing or measuring (for measuring vibrations G01H)} - F02C 9/00: 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) - F02C 9/28: Regulating systems responsive to plant or ambient parameters, e.g. temperature, pressure, rotor speed (F02C9/30 - F02C9/38, F02C9/44 take precedence) - F05D 2260/80: Diagnostics - F05D 2260/821: Parameter estimation or prediction - F05D 2260/83: Testing, e.g. methods, components or tools therefor - F05D 2270/092: in particular blow-out and relight - F05D 2270/306: Mass flow - F05D 2270/44: active, predictive, or anticipative - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS ## Abstract Systems and methods for conditionally performing engine operational tests for a turbine engine are provided. A system comprising at least one processor can be configured to obtain sensor data associated with at least one sensor for a turbine engine. The sensor data identifies a current fuel flow associated with the turbine engine. The system can determine a predicted fuel flow of the turbine engine based at least in part on the current fuel flow and a fuel flow reduction associated with an engine operational test. The system can compare the predicted fuel flow to at least one threshold. The system can selectively initiate the engine operational test based on comparing the predicted fuel flow to the at least one threshold. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method of reducing combustor blowout during turbine engine testing, comprising: receiving, by a system comprising at least one processor, sensor data associated with at least one sensor for a turbine engine, the sensor data identifying a current fuel flow associated with the turbine engine; determining, by the system, a predicted fuel flow of the turbine engine based at least in part on the current fuel flow and a fuel flow reduction associated with an engine operational test, the engine operational test being thrust control test; comparing, by the system, the predicted fuel flow to at least one threshold; selectively executing, by the system, the engine operational test in response to comparing the predicted fuel flow to the at least one threshold; and generating, by the system, an identifier in response to the engine operational test being skipped when the predicted fuel flow is below the at least one threshold. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein: selectively executing the engine operational test comprises selectively initiating a thrust control malfunction accommodation (TCMA) function. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein: comparing the predicted fuel flow to at least one threshold comprises determining that the predicted fuel flow satisfies the at least one threshold; and selectively executing the engine operational test comprises selectively initiating the engine operational test in response to the predicted fuel flow satisfying the at least one threshold and selectively skipping the engine operational test comprises skipping the engine operational test in response to the predicted fuel flow failing to satisfy the at least one threshold. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein: the at least one threshold includes a minimum fuel flow for a lean blowout margin; and determining that the predicted fuel flow satisfies the at least one threshold comprises determining that the predicted fuel flow is at or above the minimum fuel flow. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein: selectively initiating the engine operational test comprises selectively actuating a flow reduction valve associated with a thrust control malfunction accommodation (TCMA) system of the turbine engine. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein: activating the reduction valve reduces a fuel flow rate associated with the turbine engine over a range of fuel metering valve positions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein: the sensor data includes a plurality of engine parameters; the current fuel flow is represented by a first engine parameter; the plurality of engine parameters comprises at least one additional engine parameter representing a fuel split ratio to two or more fuel nozzles, a fuel temperature, an engine core speed, or a high pressure compressor discharge pressure; and determining the predicted fuel flow of the turbine engine is based at least in part on the at least one additional engine parameter. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein: the at least one threshold includes a plurality of thresholds corresponding to a plurality of different engine operating states; and comparing the predicted fuel flow to at least one threshold comprises comparing the predicted fuel flow to a first threshold in response to a first engine operating state and comparing the predicted fuel flow to a second threshold in response to a second engine operating state, the first threshold and the second threshold are different.