Methods, computer programs, non transitory computer readable storage mediums, signals, and apparatus for controlling electrical power supplied to a component of a vehicle

1. A method of controlling electrical power supplied to a component of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, by a controller, a signal comprising information associated with an operating condition of a gas turbine engine, wherein the signal comprises at least one of: a signal from a throttle lever that includes engine throttle request data, a signal from a rotational speed sensor that includes sensed rotational speed data of a high pressure compressor or an intermediate pressure compressor of the gas turbine engine, a signal from a fuel flow sensor that comprises fuel flow data, or a signal from a compressor pressure sensors that includes data for pressure of air at an inlet to the compressor and pressure of air delivered by the compressor;

determining, by the controller, whether a parameter exceeds a predetermined threshold value using the information in the received signal, wherein the parameter comprises at least one of a rate of change of throttle, a rate of change of rotational speed of the intermediate pressure compressor or the high pressure compressor, a rate of change in fuel flow, or P30/P20, wherein P20 is a pressure of the air at the inlet to the compressor and P30 is the pressure of the air delivered by the compressor;

in response to the parameter exceeding the predetermined threshold, determining, by the controller, that there is a risk of compressor surge; and

in response to determining that there is the risk of compressor surge, controlling, by the controller, a reduction in electrical power supplied to a component of a vehicle from a generator of the gas turbine engine, wherein the component of the vehicle comprises an electric heater mounted on an inlet of a nacelle.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein controlling reduction in electrical power supplied to the component reduces the supply of electrical power to zero Watts.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein controlling reduction in electrical power supplied to the component reduces the supply of electrical power from a first electrical power level to a second electrical power level, the second electrical power level being greater than zero Watts.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein subsequent to a reduction in electrical power supplied to the component, the method further comprises:

determining whether a parameter exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and

controlling an increase in electrical power to the component of the vehicle if the parameter does not exceed the predetermined threshold value.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the method is performed during a transient manoeuvre of the gas turbine engine.

6. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions that, when read by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

receive a signal comprising information associated with an operating condition of a gas turbine engine, wherein the signal comprises at least one of: a signal from a throttle lever that includes engine throttle request data, a signal from a rotational speed sensor that includes sensed rotational speed data of a high pressure compressor or an intermediate pressure compressor of the gas turbine engine, a signal from a fuel flow sensor that comprises fuel flow data, or a signal from a compressor pressure sensors that includes data for pressure of air at an inlet to the compressor and pressure of air delivered by the compressor;

determine whether a parameter exceeds a predetermined threshold value using the information in the received signal, wherein the parameter comprises at least one of a rate of change of throttle, a rate of change of rotational speed of the intermediate pressure compressor or the high pressure compressor, a rate of change in fuel flow, or P30/P20, wherein P20 is a pressure of the air at the inlet to the compressor and P30 is the pressure of the air delivered by the compressor;

in response to the parameter exceeding the predetermined threshold, determine, by the controller, that there is a risk of compressor surge; and

in response to determining that there is the risk of compressor surge, control a reduction in electrical power supplied to a component of a vehicle from a generator of the gas turbine engine, wherein the component of the vehicle comprises an electric heater mounted to an inlet of a nacelle.

7. An apparatus for controlling electrical power supplied to a component of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising a controller configured to:

receive a signal comprising information associated with an operating condition of a gas turbine engine, wherein the signal comprises at least one of: a signal from a throttle lever that includes engine throttle request data, a signal from a rotational speed sensor that includes sensed rotational speed data of a high pressure compressor or an intermediate pressure compressor of the gas turbine engine, a signal from a fuel flow sensor that comprises fuel flow data, or a signal from a compressor pressure sensors that includes data for pressure of air at an inlet to the compressor and pressure of air delivered by the compressor;

determine whether a parameter exceeds a predetermined threshold value using the information in the received signal, wherein the parameter comprises at least one of a rate of change of throttle, a rate of change of rotational speed of the intermediate pressure compressor or the high pressure compressor, a rate of change in fuel flow, or P30/P20, wherein P20 is a pressure of the air at the inlet to the compressor and P30 is the pressure of the air delivered by the compressor;

in response to the parameter exceeding the predetermined threshold, determine, by the controller, that there is a risk of compressor surge; and

in response to determining that there is the risk of compressor surge, control a reduction in electrical power supplied to a component of a vehicle from a generator of the gas turbine engine, wherein the component of the vehicle comprises an electric heater mounted to an inlet of a nacelle.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to:

determine whether a parameter exceeds a predetermined threshold value subsequent to a reduction in electrical power supplied to the component; and

control an increase in electrical power to the component of the vehicle if the parameter does not exceed the predetermined threshold value.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the controller is configured to control the reduction in electrical power supplied to the component during a transient manoeuvre of the gas turbine engine.