Method and a device for monitoring a servo-control loop of an actuator system for actuating variable-geometry components of a turbojet

1. A monitoring method of monitoring a servo-control loop of an actuator system for actuating variable-geometry components of a turbojet fitted to an aircraft, the actuator system including a servovalve controlling first and second actuators, the method comprising:

estimating a plurality of monitoring parameters from operating data of the servo-control loop, the monitoring parameters being selected from at least one of the following parameter categories:

a category of parameters representative of positions of the actuators;

a category of parameters representative of speeds of the actuators;

a category of parameters representative of coefficients of autoregressive models used for predicting actuator positions as a function of a control current of the servovalve; and

a category of parameters representative of the control current of the servovalve or an integral current of the servo-control loop;

obtaining a plurality of indicators from the monitoring parameters;

determining at least one signature from values of at least some of the indicators;

detecting and locating a degradation affecting the servo-control loop as a function of the at least one determined signature; and issuing a maintenance notice in response to detection of the degradation.

2. A monitoring method according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the parameters is estimated from an autoregressive model depending on at least one exogenous variable selected from:

air pressure of a combustion chamber of the turbojet;

metered fuel flow rate through at least one injector of the combustion chamber of the turbojet; and

speed of rotation of a high-pressure shaft of the turbojet.

3. A monitoring method according to claim 1 , wherein the category of parameters representative of positions of the actuators comprises at least one of the following parameters:

a parameter representative of a measured instantaneous position of the first actuator;

a parameter representative of a measured instantaneous position of the second actuator;

a parameter representative of a predicted position of the first actuator;

a parameter representative of a predicted position of the second actuator; and

a parameter representative of a predicted overall actuator position.

4. A monitoring method according to claim 3 , wherein the plurality of indicators comprises:

an indicator representing the normalized mean square difference between the parameter representative of the predicted overall actuator position and an instantaneous overall position of the actuators;

an indicator representing the normalized mean square difference between the parameter representative of a measured instantaneous position of the first actuator and the parameter representative of a predicted position of the first actuator;

an indicator representing the normalized mean square difference between the parameter representative of a measured instantaneous position of the second actuator and the parameter representative of a predicted position of the second actuator;

an indicator determined as a function of a parameter representative of the mean control current of the servovalve, as normalized by a parameter determined as a function of a reference control current; and

an indicator determined as a function of a parameter representative of the mean integral current of the servo-control loop, normalized by a parameter representative of a reference integral current.

5. A monitoring method according to claim 3 , wherein the positions of the first and second actuators, respectively, are measured by position sensors comprising secondary windings, rms voltages across the secondary windings depending on the positions of the actuators, with the plurality of indicators comprising:

an indicator representative of a prediction error for the position of the first actuator;

an indicator representative of a prediction error for the position of the second actuator;

an indicator determined as a function of a parameter representing a mean value of the sum of the rms voltages of the secondary windings of the position sensor of the first actuator, normalized by a parameter representative of a reference mean position for the first actuator;

an indicator determined as a function of a parameter representing a mean value of the sum of the rms voltages of the secondary windings of the position sensor of the second actuator, normalized by a parameter representative of a reference mean position for the second actuator; and

an indicator representative of the mean difference existing between the control current of the servovalve and a return current as actually measured.

6. A monitoring method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the estimating and obtaining of estimating monitoring parameters and of obtaining indicators are performed for each mission in a plurality of successive missions of the aircraft;

during the estimation, a monitoring parameter is estimated that is representative of the control current of the servovalve of the actuator system and at least one monitoring parameter representative of an actuator speed of the actuator system;

during the obtaining, the indicators are obtained by analyzing variations of the at least one monitoring parameter representative of an actuator speed as a function of the monitoring parameter representative of a control current;

during the determination, the at least one signature is determined from the indicators obtained over a plurality of successive missions of the aircraft and is representative of the variation of these indicators during the missions; and

the detection includes comparing the at least one signature with at least one reference signature associated with at least one predetermined degradation that might affect the servocontrol loop.

7. A monitoring method according to claim 6 , wherein at least one indicator that is obtained corresponds to a characteristic of at least one curve modeling variations of the at least one monitoring parameter representative of an actuator speed as a function of the monitoring parameter representative of a control current of the servovalve.

8. A monitoring method according to claim 7 , wherein the following indicators are obtained:

a rest current of the servo-control loop; and

the abscissa value and the ordinate value of at least one point of the curve for which a change of slope is observed on either side of the point.

9. A monitoring method according to claim 8 , further obtaining as an indicator at least one slope coefficient of a line obtained by linear regression on the points used for forming the curve.

10. A monitoring method according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one degradation is electrical drift of a rest current of the servovalve and/or an inter-chamber leak in an actuator of the actuator system.

11. A monitoring method according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator system is a variable geometry actuator system to control parameters selected from:

positions of a bleed valve for a turbojet compressor;

a fuel flow rate;

clearances at blade tips of a high-pressure or low-pressure turbine; and

pitch angles of variable-pitch compressor stator vanes.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium including computer executable instructions for executing a monitoring method according to claim 1 , when executed by a computer.

13. A monitoring device monitoring a servo-control loop of an actuator system for actuating variable geometry components of a turbojet of an aircraft, the actuator system including a servovalve controlling first and second actuators, the device comprising:

estimator means for estimating a plurality of monitoring parameters from operating data of the servo-control loop, the monitoring parameters being selected from at least one of the following parameter categories:

a category of parameters representative of positions of the actuators;

a category of parameters representative of speeds of the actuators;

a category of parameters representative of coefficients of auto-regressive models used for predicting positions of actuators as a function of a control current of the servovalve; and

a category of parameters representative of the control current of the servovalve or of an integral current of the servo-control loop;

obtaining means for obtaining a plurality of indicators from the monitoring parameters;

determination means for determining at least one signature from values of at least some of the indicators; and

detection and location means for detecting and locating a degradation at affecting the servo-control loop as a function of the least one determined signature, and issuing a maintenance notice in response to detection of the degradation.

14. A monitoring device according to claim 13 , wherein:

the estimator means estimating monitoring parameters and the obtaining means for obtaining indicators are activated for each mission of a plurality of successive missions of the aircraft;

the estimator means is configured to estimate a monitoring parameter representative of a control current of the servovalve of the actuator system and at least one monitoring parameter representative of an actuator speed of the actuator system;

the obtaining means is configured to obtain the indicators by analyzing variations of the at least one monitoring parameter representative of an actuator speed as a function of the monitoring parameter representative of a control current;

the determination means determining the at least one signature is configured to determine the at least one signature from indicators obtained over a plurality of successive missions of the aircraft, the at least one signature being representative of variation of the indicators over the missions; and

the detection means comprises means for comparing the at least one signature with at least one reference signature associated with at least one predetermined degradation that might affect the servo-control loop.