US 6,687,596 B2 · Diagnostic method and system for turbine engines

A method for evaluating whether faults detected during the testing of a gas turbine engine are related to engine performance problems or to problems unrelated to engine performance, the method comprising the steps of:

(A) comparing a first set of current engine data to a first set of prior engine data for one performance parameter of the engine under one performance condition to determine if there is an abnormality;
(B) if an abnormality is detected after comparing the first set of current engine data to the first set of prior engine data, comparing a second set) of current engine data to a second set of prior engine data for at least two different performance conditions to determine if there is an abnormality;
(C) after comparing the second set of current engine data to the second set of prior engine data to determine if there is an abnormality:
(1) if an abnormality is detected, evaluating whether the abnormality is a fault unrelated to the performance of the engine;
(2) if an abnormality is not detected, comparing a third set of current engine data to a third set of prior engine data for at least one other engine performance parameter under at least one performance condition to determine if there is an abnormality.

2 more elements

A method for evaluating whether faults detected during the testing of a gas turbine engine are related to engine performance problems or to problems unrelated to engine performance, the method comprising the steps of:

(A) evaluating one performance parameter of the engine under one performance condition to generate a first set of current engine data;
(B) comparing the first set of current engine data to a first set of prior engine data for the one performance condition of the one performance parameter to determine if there is an abnormality;
(C) if an abnormality is detected after comparing the first set of current engine data to the first set of prior engine data, evaluating the one performance parameter under at least two different performance conditions to generate a second set of current engine data;
(D) comparing the second set of current engine data to a second set of prior engine data for the at least two different performance conditions of the one performance parameter to determine if there is an abnormality;
(E) after comparing the second set of current engine data to the second set of prior engine data to determine if there is an abnormality:
(1) if an abnormality is detected, evaluating whether the abnormality is a fault unrelated to the performance of the engine;
(2) if an abnormality is not detected, evaluating the one performance parameter relative to at least one other engine performance parameter under at least one performance condition to generate a third set of current engine data;
(F) comparing the third set of current engine data to a third set of prior engine data for the at least one other engine performance parameter under at least one performance condition to determine if there is an abnormality;
(G) after comparing the third set of current engine data to the third set of prior engine data to determine if there is an abnormality:
(1) if an abnormality is detected, evaluating whether the abnormality is a fault unrelated to the performance of the engine;
(2) if an abnormality is not detected, evaluating whether the abnormality detected in step (C) is a fault related to performance of the engine.

8 more elements

A computerized system for evaluating whether faults detected during the testing of a gas turbine engine are related to engine performance problems or to problems unrelated to engine performance, the system comprising:

(A) a host computer;
(B) an analyzer workstation in communication with the host computer;
(C) a test cell for carrying out the evaluation of the engine and in communication with the host computer;
(D) software residing on the host computer for controlling access to prior engine data, for permitting electronic communication with the analyzer workstation and the test cell, and for processing data from at least one of the analyzer workstation and the test cell;
(E) software residing on the analyzer workstation for permitting electronic communication between the test cell, the host computer and the analyzer workstation and for transmitting data between at least the host computer and the analyzer workstation;
(F) software associated with the test cell for permitting electronic communication between the test cell, the host computer and the analyzer workstation and for transmitting data from the test cell to at least the host computer;
(G) the system being capable of allowing the analyzer to:
(1) compare a first set of current engine data to a first set of prior engine data for one performance parameter of the engine under one performance condition to determine if there is an abnormality;
(2) if an abnormality is detected after comparing the first set of current engine data to the first set of prior engine data, compare a second set of current engine data to a second set of prior engine data for at least two different performance conditions to determine if there is an abnormality;
(3) after comparing the second set of current engine data to the second set of prior engine data to determine if there is an abnormality:
(a) if an abnormality is detected, evaluate whether the abnormality is a fault unrelated to the performance of the engine;
(b) if an abnormality is not detected, compare a third set of current engine data to a third set of prior engine data for at least one other engine performance parameter under at least one performance condition to determine if there is an abnormality.

9 more elements

A computerized system for evaluating whether faults detected during the testing of a gas turbine engine are related to engine performance problems or to problems unrelated to engine performance, the system comprising:

(A) a host computer;
(B) an analyzer workstation in communication with the host computer;
(C) a test cell for carrying out the evaluation of the engine and in communication with the host computer;
(D) software residing on the host computer for controlling access to prior engine data, for permitting electronic communication with the analyzer workstation and the test cell, and for processing data from at least one of the analyzer workstation and the test cell;
(E) software residing on the analyzer workstation for permitting electronic communication between the test cell, the host computer and the analyzer workstation and for transmitting data between at least the host computer and the analyzer workstation;
(F) software associated with the test cell for permitting electronic communication between the test cell, the host computer and the analyzer workstation and for transmitting data from the test cell to at least the host computer;
(G) the system being capable of allowing the analyzer to:
(1) evaluate one performance parameter of the engine under one performance condition to generate a first set of current engine data;
(2) compare the first set of current engine data to a first set of prior engine data for the one performance condition of the one performance parameter to determine if there is an abnormality;
(3) if an abnormality is detected after comparing the first set of current engine data to the first set of prior engine data, evaluate the one performance parameter under at least two different performance conditions to generate a second set of current engine data;
(4) compare the second set of current engine data to a second set of prior engine data for the at least two different performance conditions of the one performance parameter to determine if there is an abnormality;
(5) after comparing the second set of current engine data to the second set of prior engine data to determine if there is an abnormality:
(a) if an abnormality is detected, evaluate whether the abnormality is a fault unrelated to the performance of the engine;
(b) if an abnormality is not detected, evaluating the one performance parameter relative to at least one other engine performance parameter under at least one performance condition to generate a third set of current engine data;
(6) comparing the third set of current engine data to a third set of prior engine data for the at least one other engine performance parameter under at least one performance condition to determine if there is an abnormality;
(7) after comparing the third set of current engine data to the third set of prior engine data to determine if there is an abnormality:
(a) if an abnormality is detected, evaluating whether the abnormality is a fault unrelated to the performance of the engine;
(b) if an abnormality is not detected, evaluating whether the abnormality detected in step (2) is a fault related to the performance of the engine.

15 more elements

Software for use in a computerized system for evaluating whether faults detected during the testing of a gas turbine engine are related to engine performance problems or to problems unrelated to engine performance, the system including a server, an analyzer computer in communication with the server, and a test cell for carrying out the evaluation of the engine and in communication with the server;

the software comprising:
(A) a server software component that can reside on the server that is capable of controlling access to prior engine data, permitting electronic communication between the analyzer computer and the test cell, and processing data from at least one of the analyzer computer and the test cell;
(B) an analyzer software component that can reside on the analyzer computer and is capable of permitting electronic communication between the test cell, the server and the analyzer computer and transmitting data between at least the server and the analyzer computer;
(C) a test cell software component that can be associated with the test cell and is capable of permitting electronic communication between the test cell, the server and the analyzer computer and transmitting data to at least the server;
(D) the software when used with the system being capable of allowing the analyzer to:
(1) compare a first set of current engine data to a first set of prior engine data for the one performance condition of the one performance parameter to determine if there is an abnormality;
(2) if an abnormality is detected after comparing the first set of current engine data to the first set of prior engine data, a second set of current engine data to a second set of prior engine data for the at least two different performance conditions of the one performance parameter to determine if there is an abnormality;
(3) after comparing the second set of current engine data to the second set of prior engine data to determine if there is an abnormality:
(a) if an abnormality is detected, evaluate whether the abnormality is a fault unrelated to the performance of the engine;
(c) if an abnormality is not detected, evaluate the one performance parameter relative to at least one other engine performance parameter under at least one performance condition to generate a third set of current engine data.

7 more elements

Software for use in a computerized system for evaluating whether faults detected during the testing of a gas turbine engine are related to engine performance problems or to problems unrelated to engine performance, the system including a server, an analyzer computer in communication with the server, and a test cell for carrying out the evaluation of the engine and in communication with the server;

the software comprising:
(A) a server software component that can reside on the server that is capable of controlling access to prior engine data, permitting electronic communication between the analyzer computer and the test cell, and processing data from at least one of the analyzer computer and the test cell;
(B) an analyzer software component that can reside on the analyzer computer and is capable of permitting electronic communication between the test cell, the server and the analyzer computer and transmitting data between at least the server and the analyzer computer;
(C) a test cell software component that can be associated with the test cell and is capable of permitting electronic communication between the test cell, the server and the analyzer computer and transmitting data to at least the server;
(D) the software when used with the system being capable of allowing the analyzer to:
(1) evaluate one performance parameter of the engine under one performance condition to generate a first set of current engine data;
(2) compare the first set of current engine data to a first set of prior engine data for the one performance condition of the one performance parameter to determine if there is an abnormality;
(1) if an abnormality is detected after comparing the first set of current engine data to the first set of prior engine data, evaluate the one performance parameter under at least two different performance conditions to generate a second set of current engine data;
(2) compare the second set of current engine data to a second set of prior engine data for the at least two different performance conditions of the one performance parameter to determine if there is an abnormality;
(3) after comparing the second set of current engine data to the second set of prior engine data to determine if there is an abnormality:
(a) if an abnormality is detected, evaluate whether the abnormality is a fault unrelated to the performance of the engine;
(b) if an abnormality is not detected, evaluate the one performance parameter relative to at least one other engine performance parameter under at least one performance condition to generate a third set of current engine data;
(4) comparing the third set of current engine data to a third set of prior engine data for the at least one other engine performance parameter under at least one performance condition to determine if there is an abnormality;
(5) after comparing the third set of current engine data to the third set of prior engine data to determine if there is an abnormality;
(c) if an abnormality is detected, evaluating whether the abnormality is a fault unrelated to the performance of the engine;
(d) if an abnormality is not detected, evaluating whether the abnormality detected in step (3) is a fault related to performance of the engine.

13 more elements

Diagnostic method and system for turbine engines

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Diagnostic method and system for turbine engines

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Abstract

Claims36