Engineering topics

John Webster

Publications and source records attributed to John Webster.

3 records

NASA NTRS2009

More Intelligent Gas Turbine Engines

Increased emphasis on aircraft safety, enhanced performance and affordability, and the need to reduce the environmental impact of aircrafts are being addressed through the concept of Intelligent Propulsion Systems. These systems are potentially enabled through increased efficiencies of components through active control, advanced diagnostics and prognostics integrated with intelligent engine control, and distributed control with smart sensors and actuators. The focus of this report is on "On-Board Intelligence", and the discussions are limited to the overall engine gas-path performance perspective. The emphasis throughout the report is on identifying the sensor and actuator needs to realize these intelligent engine concepts and identifying the current sensor and actuator technologies and roadmaps for emerging technologies. The report is of interest both to the "Customers" to understand the investment needs and the "Researchers" and "Technology Developers" to understand the technology needs for closing the gap from current sensor and actuator capabilities to future performance and universal requirements and targets.

active control↗

NASA NTRS2009

Actuator Requirements and Roadmaps

The actuators requirements identified previously are reviewed, and the requirements of the three main application areas of flow manipulation, flow switching and mechanical manipulation are addressed. The requirements associated with the principal gas path components are considered and presented in a summary table derived from Chapter 2. The issues and considerations which must be made in the choice of any actuator for a specific application are reviewed followed by an assessment of available actuators and their application to the identified applications. The chapter is completed with a table of the applications, actuator specification, time to maturity and expected challenges

John Webster↗

NASA NTRS2009

Universal Sensor and Actuator Requirements

The previous chapters have focused on the requirements for sensors and actuators for "More Intelligent Gas Turbine Engines" from the perspective of performance and operating environment. Even if a technology is available, which meets these performance requirements, there are still various hurdles to be overcome for the technology to transition into a real engine. Such requirements relate to TRL (Technology Readiness Level), durability, reliability, volume, weight, cost, etc. This chapter provides an overview of such universal requirements which any sensor or actuator technology will have to meet before it can be implemented on a product. The objective here is to help educate the researchers or technology developers on the extensive process that the technology has to go through beyond just meeting performance requirements. The hope is that such knowledge will help the technology developers as well as decision makers to prevent wasteful investment in developing solutions to performance requirements, which have no potential to meet the "universal" requirements. These "universal" requirements can be divided into 2 broad areas: 1) Technology value proposition; and 2) Technology maturation. These requirements are briefly discussed in the following.

Taylor Rosenfeld↗