US-12623792-B2 - System and method for tracking aircraft fuel usage and emissions

Abstract

A system and method of determining emissions for an aircraft with a turbine engine for a flight mission includes receiving a control data input. The control data input can receive a quality check, and then be projected to different power levels for completion of the flight mission. The projection to different power levels can receive another quality check. The system and method generate an emissions index based on the control data input projected to different power levels representing emissions for completion of the flight mission.

Inventors

• Carlos Hernandez Meza
• Joseph Zelina
• Sharon M. Crall
• Jose Manuel Rodriguez Miranda

Assignees

• GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20240201

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A system for determining emissions for a flight mission for an aircraft having a turbine engine, the system comprising: a controller configured to receive a control data input, wherein the controller is configured use the control data input to: project the control data input to different power levels for completion of the flight mission; generate an emission index based upon the control data input and the projected control data input; output the emission index; and adjust operation of the turbine engine for the flight mission based on the emission index, the different power levels, the flight mission, a flight phase, and a fuel flow.
2. 2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is located onboard the aircraft.
3. 3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the controller is a full authority digital engine control (FADEC).
4. 4 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising a display communicatively coupled to the controller.
5. 5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to output the emission index on the display.
6. 6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to receive the control data input in real-time during the flight mission.
7. 7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the controller is further configured to operate the turbine engine in real-time based on the emission index.
8. 8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to perform an input data quality check for the control data input.
9. 9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to perform the input data quality check prior to projecting the control data input to the different power levels.
10. 10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the controller is further configured to perform a performance correction when the input data quality check is outside of a threshold.
11. 11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the controller is further configured to perform a data quality check for the projected control data input to the different power levels.
12. 12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller outputs an alert, based on the emission index, when the emission index is outside of a threshold.
13. 13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the alert is output on the aircraft in real-time.
14. 14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine an emissions trend by storing and comparing historical emission indexes and to adjust the control data input based on the emissions trend.
15. 15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to compare the emission index against a generation of contrails by the turbine engine.
16. 16 . A system for determining emissions for a first flight mission for an aircraft having a turbine engine, the system comprising: a controller configured to receive a control data input for the first flight mission, wherein the controller is configured use the control data input to: project the control data input to different power levels utilized during completion of the first flight mission; generate an emission index based upon the control data input and the projected control data input; output the emission index; and configure operation of the turbine engine for a second flight mission based upon the emission index, the different power levels, a flight phase, a fuel flow, and at least one of the first flight mission or the second flight mission.
17. 17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the controller is located on a ground station in communication with the aircraft.
18. 18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to receive the control data input after completion of the first flight mission.
19. 19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the controller is configured to store the emission index from the first flight mission to a memory.
20. 20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the controller is configured to determine an emissions trend based upon the stored emission index, and at least one stored historical emission index.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present subject matter relates generally to a system and method for determining aircraft emissions and estimating aircraft emissions for an aircraft, engine, or fleet in order to complete one or more flight missions. BACKGROUND A turbine engine used to drive an aircraft typically includes an engine core with a compressor section, a combustor section, and a turbine section in serial flow arrangement. In a bypass turbine engine, a fan section can be provided upstream of the compressor section. The compressor section compresses air which is channeled to the combustor section where it is mixed with fuel, where the mixture is then ignited for generating hot combustion gases. The combustion gases are channeled to the turbine section which extracts energy from the combustion gases for powering the compressor section, as well as for producing useful work to propel an aircraft in flight or to power a load, such as an electrical generator. Combustion of the fuel can produce emissions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A full and enabling disclosure of the present disclosure, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended figures, in which: FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a system in communication with a network and an aircraft, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a system for determining an emission index for the aircraft of FIG. 1, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an on-ground implementation of the emission index of the system of FIG. 2, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is a schematic view of an onboard implementation of the emission index of the system of FIG. 2, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method of determining emissions for an aircraft having a turbine engine for completing a flight mission, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION Reference will now be made in detail to present embodiments of the disclosure, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The detailed description uses numerical and letter designations to refer to features in the drawings. Like or similar designations in the drawings and description have been used to refer to like or similar parts of the disclosure. While the aspects described herein relate to an aircraft and aircraft turbine engine implementation, it should be appreciated that the aspects can be applied to non-aircraft environments, such as ground-based, marine, or terrestrial systems, engines, or fuels in non-limiting examples. For example, while this description is directed toward a system architecture in an aircraft, aspects of the disclosure can be further applicable to non-aircraft implementations, such as terrestrial, aquatic, or other fuel-driven systems. It will be understood that the illustrated aspects of the disclosure are only one non-limiting example of an aircraft, and many other possible aspects and configurations in addition to that shown are contemplated by the present disclosure. Similarly, while the discussion is generally toward a single aircraft, it should be appreciated that the aspects can apply across a fleet of multiple aircraft, and need not be specific to a single-aircraft implementation. Aspects of the disclosure generally relate to a system and method for estimating emissions based on an engine cycle model and service data. The method produces an emission estimate as an emission index for individual flights, multiple flights, or a fleet of one or more aircraft, and can calculate emissions including but not limited to nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxides (CO), unburned hydrocarbons (UHC), non-volatile particle emissions (nvPM), and carbon dioxides (CO2). The system and method can utilize data input during engine takeoff in order to tailor the emissions estimate to the engine's deterioration level, as well as other flight mission or aircraft data. As the engine ages and increases time-on-wing while in service, the engine naturally deteriorates, which impacts emissions, such as increasing emissions over time. With this data, the system and method can make an estimate of the total fuel expected to be consumed during flight, and provide an estimate of the total emissions as an emission index. This system and method can be incorporated onboard the aircraft, within on-ground systems in communication with the aircraft, both, or via communication among the two. The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. Additionally, unless specifically identified otherwise, all embodiments described herein shou