FADEC shares advantages with electronic ignition and EEC
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What is FADEC and how does it work?
Private piston and jet aircraft engines are only now being re-engineered to accept computer control, and the new system is known as FADEC (Full Authority Digital Engine Control). As the name implies, FADEC entrusts full authority of all engine operating parameters to a computer.
What is the difference between EEC/ECU and FADEC?
While FADEC is an overarching system which includes EEC and some other components in it, such as sensors, health monitoring system etc. I think, a FADEC typically contains more than one EEC/ECU for redundancy. Show activity on this post.
How to mitigate single point of failure risk in FADECs?
Single point of failure risk can be mitigated with redundant FADECs (assuming that the failure is a random hardware failure and not the result of a design or manufacturing error, which may cause identical failures in all identical redundant components). (see note)
Will FADEC make warranty claims easier to settle?
From Continental’s point of view, warranty claims on FADEC-equipped engines should be easier to settle, as the company will be able to analyze a record of recent operation and pinpoint the cause of any problems.
What is the purpose of FADEC?
FADEC is an acronym for Full Authority Digital Engine Control, a computer-managed aircraft ignition and engine control system used in modern commercial and military aircraft to control all aspects of engine performance digitally, in place of technical or analog electronic controls.
What is the purpose of the FADEC in aircraft turbine engine?
The FADEC's basic purpose is to provide optimum engine efficiency for a given flight condition. FADEC not only provides for efficient engine operation, it also allows the manufacturer to program engine limitations and receive engine health and maintenance reports.
What is Fadek?
A full authority digital engine (or electronics) control (FADEC) is a system consisting of a digital computer, called an "electronic engine controller" (EEC) or "engine control unit" (ECU), and its related accessories that control all aspects of aircraft engine performance.
What connects all essential components of the FADEC system?
The low-voltage harness connects all essential components of the FADEC System. [Figure 2] This harness acts as a signal transfer bus interconnecting the electronic control units (ECUs) with aircraft power sources, the ignition switch, speed sensor assembly (SSA), temperature and pressure sensors.
How the FADEC system integrates with the ehm system?
In the EHM system, the overrun check is used to alert the crew and the ground crew, while the FADEC system changes the control law according to the report output by the EHM system for the engine health status to mitigate the effects of abnormal conditions to ensure engine safety.
Where is FADEC located?
The LH FADEC A is located below the floor in the aft baggage compartment. Remove the aft, center floorboard (panel 312HTC) to access the FADEC. Two FADEC's are located below panel 312HTC.
When was FADEC invented?
FADEC 1. Introduced in 1988, the evolution of our full authority digital engine controls began with the development of the FADEC 1 – designed to accommodate multiple Boeing and Airbus commercial platforms.
What is HMU in FADEC?
The HMU contains the fuel metering valve that controls the fuel sent to the combustor, and other control valves that operate the variable stator vanes, variable intercompressor bleed valve, turbine active-clearance-control system, and fuel-nozzle staging.
How much does a FADEC cost?
The company also is working toward OEM certification for installation as original equipment in a number of production aircraft. Continental estimates the cost for retrofitting a FADEC system will be between $2,500 and $7,500, depending on engine and aircraft type.
What engine variables are sensed by a hydromechanical fuel control?
What engine variables are sensed by a hydromechanical fuel control? The fuel control senses power lever position, engine rpm, either compressor inlet pressure or temperature, burner pressure or compressor discharge pressure, and either EGT or TIT.
What are the principle advantages of the duplex fuel nozzle used in many turbine engines?
What are the principle advantages of the duplex fuel nozzle used in many turbine engines? Provides better atomization and uniform flow pattern.
How does a fuel control unit work?
The fuel control unit (FCU) uses a speed governor to adjust the shaft speed to the value demanded by the input of the power lever. For the calculation of the fuel flow the FCU follows the fuel demand function of the specific engine.
What is PFD and MFD?
Examples of EFDs are the Primary Flight Display (PFD) which combines data from several instruments and is the pilot's primary source of flight information and the multi-function display (MFD) which allows data to be presented on multiple pages that are convenient to switch between.
How does a fuel control unit work?
The fuel control unit (FCU) uses a speed governor to adjust the shaft speed to the value demanded by the input of the power lever. For the calculation of the fuel flow the FCU follows the fuel demand function of the specific engine.
Does Boeing use FADEC?
Full-authority digital-electronic engine controls (FADEC) are not new; the first such system entered commercial service on the Boeing 757 in 1984, and most new jetliners have this capability.
How much does a FADEC cost?
The company also is working toward OEM certification for installation as original equipment in a number of production aircraft. Continental estimates the cost for retrofitting a FADEC system will be between $2,500 and $7,500, depending on engine and aircraft type.
Overview
Function
True full authority digital engine controls have no form of manual override available, placing full authority over the operating parameters of the engine in the hands of the computer. If a total FADEC failure occurs, the engine fails. If the engine is controlled digitally and electronically but allows for manual override, it is considered solely an EEC or ECU. An EEC, though a component of a FADEC, is not by itself FADEC. When standing alone, the EEC makes all of the decisions until th…
History
The goal of any engine control system is to allow the engine to perform at maximum efficiency for a given condition. Originally, engine control systems consisted of simple mechanical linkages connected physically to the engine. By moving these levers the pilot or the flight engineer could control fuel flow, power output, and many other engine parameters. The Kommandogerät mechanical/hydraulic engine control unit for Germany's BMW 801 piston aviation radial engine of …
Advantages
• Better fuel efficiency
• Automatic engine protection against out-of-tolerance operations
• Safer as the multiple channel FADEC computer provides redundancy in case of failure
• Care-free engine handling, with guaranteed thrust settings
Disadvantages
• Full authority digital engine controls have no form of manual override available, placing full authority over the operating parameters of the engine in the hands of the computer. (see note)
• High system complexity compared to hydromechanical, analogue or manual control systems
• High system development and validation effort due to the complexity
Requirements
• Engineering processes must be used to design, manufacture, install and maintain the sensors which measure and report flight and engine parameters to the control system itself.
• Formal systems engineering processes are often used in the design, implementation and testing of the software used in these safety-critical control systems. This requirement led to the development and use of specialized software such as model-based systems engineering (MBSE) tools. The ap…
Research
NASA has analyzed a distributed FADEC architecture rather than the current centralized one, specifically for helicopters. Greater flexibility and lower life cycle costs are likely advantages of distribution.
See also
• Acronyms and abbreviations in avionics