Methods and apparatus for operating gas turbine engines
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorWilliam J. Myers JR.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for controlling an aircraft engine using a control system enables an engine to be operated at low power while hail is ingested. The control system includes a processor coupled to the aircraft engine. The method comprises receiving a plurality of sensed inputs from the aircraft engine, receiving current engine environmental operating conditions, determining a reference value for a controlled variable from a fuel flow schedule, generating a fuel-air-ratio for the reference value based on current engine environmental operating conditions, and enriching combustor fuel staging in response to the fuel-air-ratio.
Claims19
A method for controlling an aircraft engine using a control system, the control system including a processor coupled to the aircraft engine, said method comprising:
- receiving a compressor discharge pressure from the aircraft engine;
- receiving current engine environmental operating conditions;
- determining a reference value for a controlled variable from a fuel flow schedule;
- generating a fuel-air-ratio for the reference value based on current engine environmental operating conditions;
- and
- enriching combustor fuel staging in response to the fuel-air-ratio.
A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein enriching combustor fuel staging in response to the fuel-air-ratio further comprises comparing a calculated fuel-air-ratio to an actual fuel-air-ratio to determine combustor fuel staging.
A control system for controlling an aircraft engine, said control system coupled to the aircraft engine for receiving a plurality of reference inputs from engine sensors coupled to the engine, including at least one input indicative of engine environmental operating conditions, said control system configured to produce a commanded fuel flow in response to engine environmental operating conditions and the engine sensor values.
An aircraft engine fuel control system, said system coupled to the aircraft engine to receive reference inputs from the engine to determine a state of the aircraft engine including at least one input indicative of engine hail ingestion, said system configured to enrich combustor fuel staging in response to engine hail ingestion and the engine sensor values.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.