A Wireless Sensor to Monitor Generator Control Unit and Main Power Relay Health

Sporian proposes to develop a wireless sensor suite for rotorcraft Generator Control Unit (GCU) and Main Power Relay (MPR) health monitoring. This sensor suite will monitor the GCU for changes in component characteristics (e.g. resistance of relay contacts), temperature, vibration extremes, voltage surges, and other factors that will indicate the unit is close to the end of its serviceably life. The sensor module will log event or time sequenced smart data for later ground based processing for prognostic and diagnostic estimations. Then wirelessly transmit the logged data to maintenance personnel and/or a Health Monitoring and Usage System (HUMS) mounted on the rotorcraft. This system will also assist with Condition Based Maintenance CBM by indicating to maintenance personnel when a GCU system could fail or indicate another component is the problem. Phase II efforts will focus on designing, fabricating and testing a prototyping a TRL6+ GCU monitoring system which can interface to a OEM HUMS unit or wirelessly transmit the logged data directly to a ground based data analysis PC. Sporian will work with UTAS-SIS, Benz Engineering and Titanium Mirror, Inc. on the proposed effort.