System and method for detecting a mechanical transmission failure
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorsXuening Lu, Ezzat Meshkinfam, Etienne Plamondon, Thomas Trevor Ricci
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems for detecting a torque transmission failure in an aircraft power plant are provided. The system comprises a hydrostatic transmission for transmitting torque between a first shaft and a second shaft using hydraulic fluid, an a failure detector including a sensor configured to detect a pressure change in the hydraulic fluid. The failure detector is configured to generate an output indicative of the torque transmission failure in response to the pressure change having crossed a threshold.
Claims17
A method of detecting a mechanical transmission failure in a driveline connected to a hydrostatic transmission, the method comprising:
- transmitting torque between a first shaft of the driveline and a second shaft via the hydrostatic transmission operating with a hydraulic fluid at an expected pressure by:
- delivering the hydraulic fluid from a pump of the hydrostatic transmission to a motor of the hydrostatic transmission at a first pressure via a first conduit;
- and
- returning the hydraulic fluid from the motor of the hydrostatic transmission to the pump of the hydrostatic transmission at a second pressure via a second conduit;
- operating the hydrostatic transmission when the mechanical transmission failure occurs while the torque is being transmitted between the first shaft and the second shaft, the mechanical transmission failure causing a pressure change in the hydraulic fluid from the expected pressure;
- measuring a difference between the first pressure and the second pressure with a delta pressure sensor operatively connected to the first conduit and to the second conduit;
- and
- detecting the pressure change in the hydraulic fluid from the expected pressure, wherein:
- the expected pressure includes an expected value of the difference between the first pressure and the second pressure;
- and
- the pressure change includes a deviation from the expected value of the difference between the first pressure and the second pressure.
A mechanical transmission system with failure detection, the system comprising:
- a hydrostatic transmission configured to transmit torque between a first shaft and a second shaft using hydraulic fluid;
- and
- a failure detector including a sensor configured to, when a torque transmission failure causes a pressure change in the hydraulic fluid, detect the pressure change in the hydraulic fluid, the failure detector being configured to generate an output indicative of the torque transmission failure in response to the pressure change having crossed a threshold,
- wherein:
- the hydrostatic transmission includes:
- a first conduit conveying the hydraulic fluid from a pump of the hydrostatic transmission to a motor of the hydrostatic transmission during operation of the hydrostatic transmission;
- and
- a second conduit conveying the hydraulic fluid from the motor to the pump during operation of the hydrostatic transmission;
- the pressure change includes a change in a difference in pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the first conduit and the hydraulic fluid in the second conduit;
- the sensor is a delta pressure sensor operatively connected to the first conduit and to the second conduit.
An aircraft power plant with shaft shear mitigation, the aircraft power plant comprising:
- a thermal engine drivingly connectable to an air mover configured to propel an aircraft;
- a hydrostatic transmission for transmitting torque between the thermal engine and a shaft using hydraulic fluid;
- a sensor for detecting a pressure of the hydraulic fluid;
- and
- a computer operatively connected to the sensor and configured to initiate a mitigating action when a shaft shear event causes a load change on the hydrostatic transmission and the pressure of the hydraulic fluid detected by the sensor is indicative of the shaft shear event,
- wherein:
- the hydrostatic transmission includes:
- a first conduit conveying the hydraulic fluid from a pump of the hydrostatic transmission to a motor of the hydrostatic transmission during operation of the hydrostatic transmission;
- and
- a second conduit conveying the hydraulic fluid from the motor to the pump during operation of the hydrostatic transmission;
- the pressure of the hydraulic fluid is indicative of the shaft shear event when a change in a difference in pressure of the hydraulic fluid in the first conduit and the hydraulic fluid in the second conduit has crossed a threshold;
- and
- the sensor is a delta pressure sensor operatively connected to the first conduit and to the second conduit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.