US Patent:
20090069998, Mar 12, 2009
Inventors:
Michael E. Mehrer - San Diego CA, US
Peter J. Suttie - San Diego CA, US
Alex Seguritan - San Diego CA, US
Gilles E. Marion - Genas, FR
Assignee:
Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation - Rockford IL
International Classification:
F02C 7/26
Abstract:
An event-driven starter controller regulates the speed of a gas turbine engine based on detected events. The event-driven starter controller is used to supply motive force to the gas turbine engine, prior such that the gas turbine engine is able to ignite (i.e., achieve light-off). In particular, in response to engine speed reaching a defined threshold, the event-driven starter controller causes the speed of the starter motor to ramp or increase through a defined range of speeds suitable for engine light-off (i.e, light-off window). Upon reaching an upper threshold of the light-off window, the event-driven starter controller causes the speed of the starter motor to decrease through the range of speeds suitable for engine light-off. If at any time during the light-off window the event-driven starter controller detects a successful light-off condition, the event-driven starter controller causes the speed of the gas turbine engine to increase toward a second threshold.