System for Detection, Measurement, and Avoidance of High Cycle Fatigue in Turbine Engines

High cycle fatigue of turbine engines is of vital concern to the Navy. The proposed project applies an innovative measurement system for blade vibration to an engine health monitoring (EHM) system for monitoring and avoiding HCF damage in turbine engine fans and compressors. Although technical feasibility of the instrumentation system was shown under a prior Phase I Army SBIR, operational feasibility of installing the EHM system in Navy aircraft remains to be demonstrated. Phase I uses a unique mathematical value model to demonstrate the feasibility of installing the EHM system in the F414-GE-400 engine in the F/A18-E/F aircraft. Costs and benefits associated with EHM system features will be quantified and a computerized value model created to study the trends in warfighting capability and life cycle costs versus EHM system configuration. Phase I will show the operational feasibilty of the EHM system and will indicate the optimum configuration for the system to maximize the benefits to warfighters in terms of operational capabilities, aircraft availability, and engine life, while minimizing total life cycle costs. Later phases will complete development of the EHM and demonstrate the system capabilities in an innovative seeded-fault test rig program and in actual engine testing in the F414.