Development of A Real-Time Turbine Engine Diagnostic System*

Arnold Engineering Development Center is developing and integrating a suite of powerful oper- ations support software tools designed to reduce costs, expedite ground and flight test data process- ing, and increase the safety, reliability, and avail- ability of Air Force turbine engines. 1,2 Included in this suite is the Real-Time Turbine Engine Diagnos- tic System (RTEDS), which monitors for and classi- fies the source and type of sensor, component, and engine faults. The software provides a mathemati- cally rigorous means to integrate data from multiple diagnostic instruments and algorithms in order to systematically determine engine health and to detect and classify faults in real time. This capability enables the engine control system or test engineers to take appropriate risk mitigation actions to protect personnel and equipment, maximize operating life, and ensure test or mission success. RTEDS enables a rapid data analysis and decision-making capability that is responsive to the Air Force's con- tinuing emphasis on expediting test data process- ing and reducing test costs.