Engine degradation management via multi-engine mechanical power control

Abstract

A multi-engine power system is described that includes at least a first engine and a second engine configured to jointly provided mechanical power to the multi-engine power system. The multi-engine power system further includes a controller configured to estimate a deterioration factor of the first engine. The controller is further configured to adjust, based on the deterioration factor of the first engine, a first amount of mechanical power being provided by the first engine to increase a service time of the first engine, and adjust, based on the first amount of mechanical power being provided by the first engine, a second amount of mechanical power being provided by the second engine to compensate for the adjustment to the first amount of mechanical power.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An engine controller comprising:
 at least one processor; and   a memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:
 monitor one or more operating parameters of each of a first engine and a second engine from two or more engines that are configured to jointly provide mechanical power to a multi-engine power system; 
 estimate a deterioration factor of the first engine based on the one or more operating parameters of the first engine, wherein the first engine is configured to supply mechanical power to a first propulsor or a first generator; 
 estimate a deterioration factor of the second engine based on the one or more operating parameters of the second engine, wherein the second engine is configured to supply mechanical power to a second propulsor or a second generator, different from the first propulsor or the first generator; 
 adjust, based on the deterioration factor of the first engine, a first amount of mechanical power being provided by the first engine to extend a service time of the first engine; and 
 adjust, based on the deterioration factor of the second engine, a second amount of mechanical power being provided by the second engine to at least partially compensate for the adjustment to the first amount of mechanical power. 
   
     
     
         2 . The engine controller of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the one or more operating parameters of the first engine includes at least one of a temperature of the first engine, a fuel consumption of the first engine, or a shaft speed of the first engine, and   wherein the one or more operating parameters of the second engine includes at least one of a temperature of the second engine, a fuel consumption of the second engine, or a shaft speed of the second engine.   
     
     
         3 . The engine controller of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:
 estimate the deterioration factor of the first engine using a model that equates the one or more operating parameters of the first engine at the first amount of mechanical power to the deterioration factor of the first engine; and   estimate the deterioration factor of the second engine using a model that equates the one or more operating parameters of the second engine at the second amount of mechanical power to the deterioration factor of the second engine.   
     
     
         4 . The engine controller of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:
 adjust the first amount of mechanical power being provided by the first engine to adjust a rate of change of the deterioration factor of the first engine;   adjust the second amount of mechanical power being provided by the second engine to adjust a rate of change of the deterioration factor of the second engine.   
     
     
         5 . The engine controller of  claim 4 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:
 adjust the first amount of mechanical power being provided by the first engine to decrease the rate of change of the deterioration factor of the first engine to extend the service time of the first engine; and   adjust the second amount of mechanical power being provided by the second engine to increase the rate of change of the deterioration factor of the second engine to shorten a service time of the second engine.   
     
     
         6 . The engine controller of  claim 5 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the at least one processor to:
 determine that the rate of change of the deterioration factor of the first engine is greater than the rate of change of the deterioration factor of the second engine;   in response to determining that the rate of change of the deterioration factor of the first engine is greater than the rate of change of the deterioration factor of the second engine, adjusting the first amount of mechanical power being provided by the first engine and the second amount of mechanical power being provided by the second engine.   
     
     
         7 . The engine controller of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the deterioration factor of the first engine corresponds to a percentage of a total amount of degradation of the first engine, and   wherein the deterioration factor of the second engine corresponds to a percentage of a total amount of degradation of the second engine.   
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 monitoring, by a controller of two or more engines that are configured to jointly provide mechanical power to a multi-engine power system, one or more operating parameters of each of a first engine and a second engine of the two or more engines:   estimating, by the controller, a deterioration factor of the first engine based on the one or more operating parameters of the first engine, wherein the first engine is configured to supply mechanical power to a first propulsor or a first generator;   estimating, by the controller a deterioration factor of the second engine based on the one or more operating parameters of the second engine, wherein the second engine is configured to supply mechanical power to a second propulsor or a second generator, different from the first propulsor or the first generator;   adjusting, by the controller and based on the deterioration factor of the first engine, a first amount of mechanical power being provided by the first engine to extend a service time of the first engine; and   adjusting, by the controller and based on the deterioration factor of the second engine, a second amount of mechanical power being provided by the second engine to at least partially compensate for the adjustment to the first amount of mechanical power.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 ,
 wherein the one or more operating parameters of the first engine includes at least one of a temperature of the first engine, a fuel consumption of the first engine, or a shaft speed of the first engine, and   wherein the one or more operating parameters of the second engine includes at least one of a temperature of the second engine, a fuel consumption of the second engine, or a shaft speed of the second engine.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 estimating, by the controller, the deterioration factor of the first engine using a model that equates the one or more operating parameters of the first engine at the first amount of mechanical power to the deterioration factor of the first engine; and   estimating, by the controller, the deterioration factor of the second engine using a model that equates the one or more operating parameters of the second engine at the second amount of mechanical power to the deterioration factor of the second engine.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 adjusting, by the controller, the first amount of mechanical power being provided by the first engine to adjust a rate of change of the deterioration factor of the first engine; and   adjusting, by the controller, the second amount of mechanical power being provided by the second engine to adjust a rate of change of the deterioration factor of the second engine.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 adjusting, by the controller, the first amount of mechanical power being provided by the first engine to decrease the rate of change of the deterioration factor of the first engine to extend the service time of the first engine; and   adjusting, by the controller, the second amount of mechanical power being provided by the second engine to increase the rate of change of the deterioration factor of the second engine to shorten a service time of the second engine.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 ,
 wherein the deterioration factor of the first engine corresponds to a percentage of a total amount of degradation of the first engine, and   wherein the deterioration factor of the second engine corresponds to a percentage of a total amount of degradation of the second engine.   
     
     
         14 . A multi-engine power system comprising:
 at least a first engine and a second engine configured to jointly provide mechanical power to the multi-engine power system; and   a controller configured to:
 monitor one or more operating parameters of each of the first engine and the second engine; 
 estimate a deterioration factor of the first engine based on the one or more operating parameters of the first engine, wherein the first engine is configured to supply mechanical power to a first propulsor or a first generator; 
 estimate a deterioration factor of the second engine based on the one or more operating parameters of the second engine, wherein the second engine is configured to supply mechanical power to a second propulsor or a second generator, different from the first propulsor or the first generator; 
 adjust, based on the deterioration factor of the first engine, a first amount of mechanical power being provided by the first engine to extend a service time of the first engine; and 
 adjust, based on the deterioration factor of the second engine, a second amount of mechanical power being provided by the second engine to at least partially compensate for the adjustment to the first amount of mechanical power. 
   
     
     
         15 . The multi-engine power system of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the one or more operating parameters of the first engine includes at least one of a temperature of the first engine, a fuel consumption of the first engine, or a shaft speed of the first engine, and   wherein the one or more operating parameters of the second engine includes at least one of a temperature of the second engine, a fuel consumption of the second engine, or a shaft speed of the second engine.   
     
     
         16 . The multi-engine power system of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 estimate the deterioration factor of the first engine using a model that equates the one or more operating parameters of the first engine at the first amount of mechanical power to the deterioration factor of the first engine; and   estimate the deterioration factor of the second engine using a model that equates the one or more operating parameters of the second engine at the second amount of mechanical power to the deterioration factor of the second engine.   
     
     
         17 . The multi-engine power system of  claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 adjust the first amount of mechanical power being provided by the first engine to adjust a rate of change of the deterioration factor of the first engine; and   adjust the second amount of mechanical power being provided by the second engine to adjust a rate of change of the deterioration factor of the second engine.   
     
     
         18 . The multi-engine power system of  claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to:
 adjust the first amount of mechanical power being provided by the first engine to decrease the rate of change of the deterioration factor of the first engine to extend the service time of the first engine; and   adjust the second amount of mechanical power being provided by the second engine to increase the rate of change of the deterioration factor of the second engine to shorten a service time of the second engine.   
     
     
         19 . The multi-engine power system of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the deterioration factor of the first engine corresponds to a percentage of a total amount of degradation of the first engine, and   wherein the deterioration factor of the second engine corresponds to a percentage of a total amount of degradation of the second engine.   
     
     
         20 . The multi-engine power system of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second engines are tilt-rotor engines of a tilt-rotor aircraft.