Assemblies and methods for controlling lubrication for rotary engine apex seals

A method for controlling lubrication of a plurality of apex seals for a rotary engine, the method comprising:

• generating a vibration measurement signal with a vibration sensor for a rotor including the plurality of apex seals;
• monitoring the vibration measurement signal and identifying that the vibration measurement signal exceeds a first vibration threshold, monitoring the vibration measurement signal including filtering the vibration measurement signal based on a crank angle of the rotor;
• and
• controlling lubrication of the plurality of apex seals by increasing a flow rate of a lubrication flow for the plurality of apex seals based on an identification of the vibration measurement signal exceeding the first vibration threshold.

An assembly for controlling lubrication of a plurality of apex seals for a rotary engine, the assembly comprising:

• a rotor housing forming a first rotor cavity;
• a first rotor disposed within the first rotor cavity, the first rotor configured for rotation within the first rotor cavity, the first rotor including the plurality of apex seals, each apex seal of the plurality of apex seals configured to form a seal between the first rotor and the rotor housing as the first rotor rotates within the first rotor cavity;
• a first vibration sensor on the rotor housing, the first vibration sensor configured to generate a vibration measurement signal;
• and
• an engine control system in communication with the first vibration sensor, the engine control system including a processor in communication with a non-transitory memory storing instructions, which instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
• filter the vibration measurement signal based on a crank angle of the first rotor;
• and
• compare that the filtered vibration measurement signal to a first vibration threshold to identify that a low lubricant flow condition is present or absent for at least one apex seal of the plurality of apex seals.