Numerical Key Performance Indicators for the Validation of PHM Health Indicators with Application to a Hydraulic Actuation System

In order to perform Prognostic and Health Management (PHM) of a given system, it is necessary to define some relevant variables sensitive to the different degradation modes of the system. Those variables are named Health Indicators (HI) and they are the keystone of PHM. However, they are subject to a lot of uncertainties when computed in real time and the stochastic nature of PHM makes it hard to evaluate the efficiency of a HI set before the extraction algorithm is implemented. This document introduces Numerical Key Performance Indicators (NKPI) for the validation of HI computed only from data provided by numerical models in the upstream stages of a PHM system development process. In order to match as good as possible the reality, the multiple sources of uncertainties are quantified and propagated into the model. After having introduced the issue of uncertain systems modeling, the different NKPI are defined and eventually an application is performed on a hydraulic actuation system of an aircraft engine

Diagnostics of an Aircraft Engine Pumping Unit Using a Hybrid Approach based-on Surrogate Modeling

This document introduces a hybrid approach for fault detection and identification of an aircraft engine pumping unit. It is based on the complementarity between a model-based approach accounting for uncertainties aimed at quantifying the degradation modes signatures and a data-driven approach aimed at recalibrating the healthy syndrome from measures. Because of the computational time costs of uncertainties propagation into the physics based model, a surrogate modeling technic called Kriging associated to Latin hypercube sampling is utilized. The hybrid approach is tested on a pumping unit of an aircraft engine and shows good results for computing the degradation modes signatures and performing their detection and identification

A combined sensitivity analysis and kriging surrogate modeling for early validation of health indicators

To increase the dependability of complex systems, one solution is to assess their state of health continuously through the monitoring of variables sensitive to potential degradation modes. When computed in an operating environment, these variables, known as health indicators, are subject to many uncertainties. Hence, the stochastic nature of health assessment combined with the lack of data in design stages makes it difficult to evaluate the efficiency of a health indicator before the system enters into service. This paper introduces a method for early validation of health indicators during the design stages of a system development process. This method uses physics-based modeling and uncertainties propagation to create simulated stochastic data. However, because of the large number of parameters defining the model and its computation duration, the necessary runtime for uncertainties propagation is prohibitive. Thus, kriging is used to obtain low computation time estimations of the model outputs. Moreover, sensitivity analysis techniques are performed upstream to determine the hierarchization of the model parameters and to reduce the dimension of the input space. The validation is based on three types of numerical key performance indicators corresponding to the detection, identification and prognostic processes. After having introduced and formalized the framework of uncertain systems modeling and the different performance metrics, the issues of sensitivity analysis and surrogate modeling are addressed. The method is subsequently applied to the validation of a set of health indicators for the monitoring of an aircraft engine's pumping unit

Improving Aircraft Engines Prognostics and Health Management via Anticipated Model-Based Validation of Health Indicators

The aircraft engines manufacturing industry is subjected to many dependability constraints from certification authorities and economic background. In particular, the costs induced by unscheduled maintenance and delays and cancellations impose to ensure a minimum level of availability. For this purpose, Prognostics and Health Management (PHM) is used as a means to perform online periodic assessment of the engines’ health status. The whole PHM methodology is based on the processing of some variables reflecting the system’s health status named Health Indicators. The collecting of HI is an on-board embedded task which has to be specified before the entry into service for matters of retrofit costs. However, the current development methodology of PHM systems is considered as a marginal task in the industry and it is observed that most of the time, the set of HI is defined too late and only in a qualitative way. In this paper, the authors propose a novel development methodology for PHM systems centered on an anticipated model-based validation of HI. This validation is based on the use of uncertainties propagation to simulate the distributions of HI including the randomness of parameters. The paper defines also some performance metrics and criteria for the validation of the HI set. Eventually, the methodology is applied to the development of a PHM solution for an aircraft engine actuation loop. It reveals a lack of performance of the original set of HI and allows defining new ones in order to meet the specifications before the entry into service

Methodology for the Diagnosis of Hydromechanical Actuation Loops in Aircraft Engines

This document provides a method for on-board monitoring and on-ground diagnosis of a hydromechanical actuation loop such as those found in aircraft engines. First, a complete system analysis is performed to understand its behaviour and determine the main degradation modes. Then, system health indicators are defined and a method for their real time on-board extraction is addressed. Diagnosis is performed on-ground through classification of degradation signatures. To parameterize on-ground treatment, both a reference healthy state of indicators and degradations signatures are needed. The healthy distribution of indicators is obtained from data and a physics-based model is used to simulate degradations, quantify indicators sensibility and construct the signatures database. At last, algorithms are deployed and a statistical validation of the performances is conducted

An Approach to the Health Monitoring of the Fuel System of a Turbofan

This paper focuses on the monitoring of the fuel system of a turbofan which is the core organ of an aircraft engine control system. The paper provides a method for real time on-board monitoring and on-ground diagnosis of one of its subsystems: the hydromechanical actuation loop. First, a system analysis is performed to highlight the main degradation modes and potential failures. Then, an approach for a real-time extraction of salient features named indicators is addressed. On-ground diagnosis is performed through a learning algorithm and a classification method. Parameterization of the on-ground part needs a reference healthy state of the indicators and the signatures of the degradations. The healthy distribution of the indicators is measured on field data whereas a physical model of the system is utilized to simulate degradations, quantify indicators sensibility and construct the signatures. Eventually, algorithms are deployed and statistical validation is performed by the computation of key performance indicators (KPI)

Methodology for the Diagnosis of Hydromechanical Actuation Loops in Aircraft Engines

This document provides a method for on-board monitoring and on-ground diagnosis of a hydromechanical actuation loop such as those found in aircraft engines. First, a complete system analysis is performed to understand its behaviour and determine the main degradation modes. Then, system health indicators are defined and a method for their real time on-board extraction is addressed. Diagnosis is performed on-ground through classification of degradation signatures. To parameterize on-ground treatment, both a reference healthy state of indicators and degradations signatures are needed. The healthy distribution of indicators is obtained from data and a physics-based model is used to simulate degradations, quantify indicators sensibility and construct the signatures database. At last, algorithms are deployed and a statistical validation of the performances is conducted

Selection and Validation of Health Indicators in Prognostics and Health Management System Design

Health Monitoring is the science of system health status evaluation. In the modern industrial world, it is getting more and more importance because it is a powerful tool to increase systems dependability. It is based on the observation of some variables extracted in operation reflecting the condition of a system. The quality of health monitoring strongly depends on the selection of these variables named health indicators. However, the issue in their selection is often underestimated and their validation is, of what is known, an untreated subject. In this paper, the authors introduce a complete methodology for the selection and validation of health indicators in health monitoring systems design. Although it can be applied either downstream on real measured data or upstream on simulated data, the true interest of the method is in the latter application. Indeed, a model-based validation can be integrated in the design phases of the system development process, thereby reducing potential controller retrofit costs and useless data storage. In order to simulate the distribution of health indicators, a well known surrogate model called Kriging is utilized. Eventually, the method is tested on a benchmark system: the high pressure pump of aircraft engines fuel systems. Thanks to the method, the set of health indicators was validated in system design phases and the monitoring is now ready to be implemented for in-service operation

Les mobilités cyclistes et leurs liens avec les préférences résidentielles des ménages : Le cas de travailleurs métropolitains de la région de Montréal

La protection de l’environnement et les changements climatiques sont des sujets importants depuis longtemps dans la sphère politique québécoise et montréalaise. Les questions environnementales incitent les pouvoirs publics, les forces politiques civiles et la population à explorer de nouvelles façons de se déplacer. Des citoyens et des initiatives politiques font alors foi d’une vision utilitaire renouvelée du vélo à Montréal. Il est donc opportun de questionner si l’accroissement considérable des parts modales du vélo peut avoir une incidence sur le marché immobilier montréalais ou porter certaines tendances. Cette recherche vise à mettre en lumière les liens entre les mobilités cyclistes, et les choix résidentiels. Le mémoire tente d’explorer si les cyclistes ont un profil résidentiel différent de ceux utilisant d’autres moyens de transport avec des projets résidentiels bien connus. Cette recherche mobilise deux méthodes d’analyse. Tout d’abord la méthode quantitative qui est possible grâce à la base de données issue du projet de recherche de Lord et al. (2016). Ensuite, elle utilise les données qualitatives de treize entrevues semi-dirigées avec des travailleurs métropolitains pour approfondir la connaissance de leurs projets résidentiels et leurs rapports aux mobilités cyclistes. Les conclusions de ce mémoire ne permettent pas d’identifier un profil résidentiel fortement différent de ceux utilisant d’autres moyens de transport, le profil résidentiel cycliste se rapprochant trop du profil résidentiel des utilisateurs de transport en commun. Elles permettent toutefois d’établir un profil résidentiel cycliste typique qui nous informe sur les caractéristiques du quartier et du logement recherchés par les cyclistes.Environmental protection and climate change have long been important issues in Quebec and Montreal politics. Environmental issues are prompting public authorities, civil political forces and the population to explore new ways of getting around. Citizens and political initiatives are now showing a renewed utilitarian vision of cycling in Montreal. It is therefore timely to question whether the considerable increase in the modal share of cycling can have an impact on the Montreal real estate market or carry certain trends. This research aims to shed light on the links between cycling mobility and residential choices. The research attempts to explore whether cyclists have a different residential profile than those using other means of transportation with well-known residential projects. This research mobilizes two methods of analysis. First, the quantitative method that is possible through the database, which originated from the research project of Lord et al. (2016). Second, it uses qualitative data from thirteen semi-structured interviews with metropolitan workers to gain further insight into their residential projects and their relationships to cycling mobilities. The findings of this paper do not identify a residential profile that is significantly different from those using other modes of transportation, as the residential profile of cyclists is too close to the residential profile of transit users. They do, however, provide a typical residential cycling profile that informs us about the neighborhood and housing characteristics that cyclists are looking for

Fault detection by segment evaluation based on inferential statistics for asset monitoring

Detection of unexpected events (e.g. anomalies and faults) from monitoring data is very challenging in machine health assessment. Hence, abrupt or incipient fault detection from the monitoring data is very crucial to increase asset safety, availability and reliability. This paper presents a generic methodology for abrupt and incipient fault detection and feature fusion for health assessment of complex systems. Proposed methodology consists of feature extraction, feature fusion, segmentation and fault detection steps. First of all, different features are extracted using descriptive statistics. Secondly, based on linearly weighted data fusion algorithm, extracted features are combined to get the generic and representative feature. Afterward, combined feature is divided into homogeneous segments by sliding window segmentation algorithm. Finally, each segment is further evaluated by coefficient of variability which is used in inferential statistics, to evaluate health state changes that indicate asset faults. To illustrate its effectiveness, the methodology is implemented on point machine and Li-ion battery monitoring data to detect abrupt and incipient faults. The results show that proposed methodology can be effectively used in fault detection for asset monitoring