Expert Diagnostics for Gas Turbine Engines

A modern gas turbine engine such as the T800-LHT-800, which is to be used in the Army's Light Helicopter Experimental (LHX) Helicopter (now referred to as the RAH-66 Comanche), is among the most complex mechanical systems in use today. The parameters involved in diagnosing a fault are numerous and often subtly interrelated. The objective of Phase I is to define a system architecture for a diagnostic expert system that will aid engine maintenance personnel in locating engine faults. Phase I activities define the architecture for such a diagnostic expert system and demonstrate its feasibility and adequacy using a computer based simulation. A complete set of hardware and software components will be defined for subsequent detailed design and construction in Phase II. An approach using a diagnostic knowledge base cosisting of both experiential knowledge (symptom-fault relationships) and functional engine knowledge (model based) will be investigated. The diagnostic reasoning process knowledge (meta-knowledge) will be defined that governs how the nkowledge in the diagnostic knowledge base is to be used. The requirements for the inferencing mechanism used in processing all knowledge base data structures will be identified. Host computer component requirements will be identified including all system interface modules.