System and method of monitoring turbine engines

A turbine engine comprising:

• a compressor;
• a turbine coupled in flow communication with said compressor to receive at least some of the air discharged by said compressor;
• at least one compressor bleed valve coupled to said compressor;
• and
• a monitoring system operatively coupled to said compressor bleed valve and to said compressor, said monitoring system comprising:
• at least one positional sensor configured to sense an operational parameter of said compressor bleed valve during operation of the turbine engine;
• at least one temperature sensor configured to sense an operational parameter of the turbine engine during operation of the turbine engine;
• at least one proximity sensor configured to sense an operational mode of the turbine engine during operation of the turbine engine;
• and
• a controller coupled to said at least one positional, temperature and proximity sensors and to said compressor bleed valve, said controller comprising:
• a valve performance module, wherein the valve performance module is configured to receive from the at least one positional sensor, a plurality of positional sensor signals indicative of the compressor bleed valve operational parameter during operation of the turbine engine, and to receive from the at least one temperature sensor, a plurality of temperature sensor signals indicative of the turbine engine operational parameter during operation of the turbine engine, and to receive a plurality of turbine engine operating mode signals indicative of the turbine engine operational mode during operation of the turbine engine, and further wherein the valve performance module is calculates a plurality of operational values indicative of a condition of the compressor bleed valve associated with a corresponding operational mode, in response to the plurality of positional sensor signals and the plurality of turbine engine operating mode signals and further calculates a plurality of operational values indicative of a condition of the turbine engine in response to the plurality of temperature sensor signals and the plurality of turbine engine operating mode signals;
• a baseline operation module in communication with the valve performance module, wherein the baseline operation module calculates a plurality of compressor bleed valve baseline operational values in response to the corresponding plurality of compressor bleed valve operational values during operation of the turbine engine, and further calculates a plurality of turbine engine baseline operational values in response to the corresponding plurality of turbine engine operational values during operation of the turbine engine;
• a turbine operation module in communication with the valve performance module, wherein the turbine operation module is configured to receive from the at least one proximity sensor, a monitoring signal indicative of the turbine engine operational mode during operation of the turbine engine, and further wherein the turbine operation module generates the plurality of turbine engine operating mode signals in response to the at least one proximity sensor monitoring signal during operation of the turbine engine;
• a predictive operation module in communication with the valve performance module, baseline operation module, and turbine operation module, wherein the predictive operation module determines a condition of the turbine engine based at least partially on the plurality of bleed valve calculated operational values, bleed valve calculated baseline operational values or the turbine engine operational mode during operation of the turbine engine;
• and
• a notification module in communication with the predictive operation module, wherein the predictive module is programmed to determine the condition of the turbine engine to be less than a predefined turbine engine condition, and the notification module is programmed to generate a first alarm notification signal in response thereto during operation of the turbine engine.

A method of monitoring a turbine engine including a compressor and a compressor bleed valve coupled to the compressor, said method comprising:

• providing a controller comprising:
• a valve performance module, wherein the valve performance module is configured to receive from the at least one positional sensor, a plurality of positional sensor signals indicative of the compressor bleed valve operational parameter during operation of the turbine engine, and to receive from the at least one temperature sensor, a plurality of temperature sensor signals indicative of the turbine engine operational parameter during operation of the turbine engine, and to receive a plurality of turbine engine operating mode signals indicative of the turbine engine operational mode during operation of the turbine engine, and further wherein the valve performance module is calculates a plurality of operational values indicative of a condition of the compressor bleed valve associated with a corresponding operational mode, in response to the plurality of positional sensor signals and the plurality of turbine engine operating mode signals and further calculates a plurality of operational values indicative of a condition of the turbine engine in response to the plurality of temperature sensor signals and the plurality of turbine engine operating mode signals;
• a baseline operation module in communication with the valve performance module, wherein the baseline operation module calculates a plurality of compressor bleed valve baseline operational values in response to the corresponding plurality of compressor bleed valve operational values during operation of the turbine engine, and further calculates a plurality of turbine engine baseline operational values in response to the corresponding plurality of turbine engine operational values during operation of the turbine engine;
• a turbine operation module in communication with the valve performance module, wherein the turbine operation module is configured to receive from the at least one proximity sensor, a monitoring signal indicative of the turbine engine operational mode during operation of the turbine engine, and further wherein the turbine operation module calculates the plurality of turbine engine operating mode signals in response to the at least one proximity sensor monitoring signal during operation of the turbine engine;
• a predictive operation module in communication with the valve performance module, baseline operation module, and turbine operation module, wherein the predictive operation module determines a condition of the turbine engine based at least partially on the plurality of bleed valve calculated operational values, bleed valve calculated baseline operational values or the turbine engine operational mode during operation of the turbine engine;
• and
• a notification module in communication with the predictive operation module, wherein the predictive module is programmed to determine the condition of the turbine engine to be less than a predefined turbine engine condition, and the notification module is programmed to generate a first alarm notification signal in response thereto during operation of the turbine engine;
• determining, by the controller, an operating mode of the turbine engine during operation of the turbine engine;
• calculating during operation of the turbine engine, at least one operational value of the compressor bleed valve based at least in part on the received plurality of positional sensor signals, wherein the calculated operational value is associated with the determined operating mode;
• and
• determining during operation of the turbine engine, a condition of the turbine engine based at least in part on the calculated compressor bleed valve operational value.