IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,241,007
Granted Patent B2
US 10,241,007 · App. 15/018,651 · Granted Mar 26, 2019

System and method for the calculation of a fuel lacquer index

Inventors: Angelo Martucci (Bloomfield, CT); William Donat (Manchester, CT); Amy Grace (Ellington, CT); Eric Hettler (Rochester, NY); Kevin McCormick (Auburn, NY); Kevin Gibbons (Torrington, CT); Haralambos Cordatos (Colchester, CT); Christopher Mazella (West Hartford, CT)
Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
G01M15/14F01D21/003F02C7/222G01N33/22
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,241,007
App. No.
15/018,651
Granted
Mar 26, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system and method for the calculation of a fuel lacquer index using environmental monitoring is disclosed. The system and method may comprise: capturing a fuel temperature data; determining a fuel quality rating; calculating a volumetric fuel flow; calculating a fuel filter differential pressure; and calculating a fuel lacquer index. The fuel lacquer index may be calculated as a percentage value based upon the fuel temperature data, the fuel quality rating, the volumetric fuel flow, and the fuel filter differential pressure.

Claims (42)

1. A method, comprising:

capturing, by a processor and via a fuel temperature sensor, a fuel temperature data;

determining, by the processor, a fuel quality;

calculating, by the processor and via a fuel control actuator, a volumetric fuel flow;

calculating, by the processor and via a fuel filter pressure sensor, a fuel filter differential pressure;

calculating, by the processor, a fuel lacquer index by comparing the fuel temperature data, the fuel quality rating, the volumetric fuel flow, and the fuel filter differential pressure to a fuel lacquer index model comprising historical data points and known resulting fuel lacquering, wherein the fuel lacquer index comprises an estimated amount that a fuel system component is blocked or clogged by a fuel lacquering particulate; and

generating, by the processor, a warning based on the fuel lacquer index, wherein based on the warning the fuel system component is at least one of serviced or replaced with a second fuel system component.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating, by the processor, a low warning in response to the fuel lacquer index being greater than 60%, wherein the fuel lacquer index of 0% represents the fuel system component being unblocked or unclogged by the fuel lacquering particulate, and wherein the fuel lacquer index of 100% represents the fuel system component being completely blocked or clogged by the fuel lacquering particulate.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating, by the processor, a fault warning in response to the fuel lacquer index being greater than 75%, wherein the fuel lacquer index of 0% represents the fuel system component being unblocked or unclogged by the fuel lacquering particulate, and wherein the fuel lacquer index of 100% represents the fuel system component being completely blocked or clogged by the fuel lacquering particulate.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating, by the processor, a service warning in response to the fuel lacquer index being greater than 85%, wherein the fuel lacquer index of 0% represents the fuel system component being unblocked or unclogged by the fuel lacquering particulate, and wherein the fuel lacquer index of 100% represents the fuel system component being completely blocked or clogged by the fuel lacquering particulate.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fuel temperature data, the fuel quality rating, the volumetric fuel flow, and the fuel filter differential pressure are stored in a fuel lacquer index (“FLI”) database, wherein the FLI database is in electronic communication with the processor.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fuel quality rating comprises at least one of a low fuel quality rating, a medium fuel quality rating, or a high fuel quality rating.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the volumetric fuel flow is calculated through the use of a volumetric fuel flow model, wherein the volumetric fuel flow model is based upon a position of the fuel control actuator.

8. A system, comprising:

a fuel temperature sensor configured to monitor a temperature of a fuel;

a fuel control actuator configured to control fuel flow;

a fuel filter pressure sensor configured to monitor a pressure differential across a fuel filter; and

a processor in electronic communication with the fuel temperature sensor, the fuel control actuator, and the fuel filter pressure sensor, wherein the processor is configured to perform operations comprising:

capturing, by the processor and via the fuel temperature sensor, a fuel temperature data;

determining, by the processor, a fuel quality rating;

calculating, by the processor and via the fuel control actuator, a volumetric fuel flow;

calculating, by the processor and via the fuel filter pressure sensor, a fuel filter differential pressure;

calculating, by the processor, a fuel lacquer index by comparing the fuel temperature data, the fuel quality rating, the volumetric fuel flow, and the fuel filter differential pressure to a fuel lacquer index model comprising historical data points and known resulting fuel lacquering, wherein the fuel lacquer index comprises an estimated amount that a fuel system component is blocked or clogged by a fuel lacquering particulate; and

generating, by the processor, a warning based on the fuel lacquer index, wherein based on the warning the fuel system component is at least one of serviced or replaced with a second fuel system component.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise generating, by the processor, a low warning in response to the fuel lacquer index being greater than 60%, wherein the fuel lacquer index of 0% represents the fuel system component being unblocked or unclogged by the fuel lacquering particulate, and wherein the fuel lacquer index of 100% represents the fuel system component being completely blocked or clogged by the fuel lacquering particulate.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise generating, by the processor, a fault warning in response to the fuel lacquer index being greater than 75%, wherein the fuel lacquer index of 0% represents the fuel system component being unblocked or unclogged by the fuel lacquering particulate, and wherein the fuel lacquer index of 100% represents the fuel system component being completely blocked or clogged by the fuel lacquering particulate.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the operations further comprise generating, by the processor, a service warning in response to the fuel lacquer index being greater than 85%, wherein the fuel lacquer index of 0% represents the fuel system component being unblocked or unclogged by the fuel lacquering particulate, and wherein the fuel lacquer index of 100% represents the fuel system component being completely blocked or clogged by the fuel lacquering particulate.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the fuel temperature data, the fuel quality rating, the volumetric fuel flow, and the fuel filter differential pressure are stored in a FLI database, wherein the FLI database is in electronic communication with the processor.

13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the fuel quality rating comprises at least one of a low fuel quality rating, a medium fuel quality rating, or a high fuel quality rating.

14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the volumetric fuel flow is calculated through the use of a volumetric fuel flow model, and wherein the volumetric fuel flow model is based upon a position of the fuel control actuator.

15. An article of manufacture including a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

capturing, by the processor, a fuel temperature data;

determining, by the processor, a fuel quality rating;

calculating, by the processor, a volumetric fuel flow;

calculating, by the processor, a fuel filter differential pressure;

calculating, by the processor, a fuel lacquer index by comparing the fuel temperature data, the fuel quality rating, the volumetric fuel flow, and the fuel filter differential pressure to a fuel lacquer index model comprising historical data points and known resulting fuel lacquering, wherein the fuel lacquer index comprises an estimated amount that a fuel system component is blocked or clogged by a fuel lacquering particulate; and

generating, by the processor, a warning based on the fuel lacquer index, wherein based on the warning the fuel system component is at least one of serviced or replaced with a second fuel system component.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise generating, by the processor, a low warning in response to the fuel lacquer index being greater than 60%, wherein the fuel lacquer index of 0% represents the fuel system component being unblocked or unclogged by the fuel lacquering particulate, and wherein the fuel lacquer index of 100% represents the fuel system component being completely blocked or clogged by the fuel lacquering particulate.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise generating, by the processor, a fault warning in response to the fuel lacquer index being greater than 75%, wherein the fuel lacquer index of 0% represents the fuel system component being unblocked or unclogged by the fuel lacquering particulate, and wherein the fuel lacquer index of 100% represents the fuel system component being completely blocked or clogged by the fuel lacquering particulate.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise generating, by the processor, a service warning in response to the fuel lacquer index being greater than 85%, wherein the fuel lacquer index of 0% represents the fuel system component being unblocked or unclogged by the fuel lacquering particulate, and wherein the fuel lacquer index of 100% represents the fuel system component being completely blocked or clogged by the fuel lacquering particulate.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the fuel temperature data, the fuel quality rating, the volumetric fuel flow, and the fuel filter differential pressure are stored in a FLI database, wherein the FLI database is in electronic communication with the processor.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 15 , wherein the fuel quality rating comprises one of a low fuel quality rating, a medium fuel quality rating, or a high fuel quality rating.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 27, 2023
From: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RTX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064714/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE AND REMOVE PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 11886281 AND ADD PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 14846874. TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 054062 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CHANGE OF ADDRESS. Recorded Mar 4, 2021
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 055659/0001 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 4, 2020
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 054062/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 11, 2016
From: MARTUCCI, ANGELO; DONAT, WILLIAM; GRACE, AMY; HETTLER, ERIC; MCCORMICK, KEVIN; GIBBONS, KEVIN; CORDATOS, HARALAMBOS; MAZELLA, CHRISTOPHER
To: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 037711/0486 →
Continuity (1)
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