Sensor-enabled digital debris tracking tech wins research contract with Rolls-Royce
NewsJanuary 21, 2021
RESTON, Va. Rolls-Royce has won $1 million of research funding from the U.S. Government for digital foreign object debris (FOD) detection technology. The year-long research contract from the U.S. Navy will help to further develop and validate Rolls-Royce’s FanSense debris monitoring system, which is currently supporting the Pegasus engine.
According to the company, FanSense works by analyzing the shaft speed signal of an engine and is able to detect any disruptions that arise as a result of a small object, such as stones or screws, striking an engine fan blade.
The technology applied as part of this service offering will aim to allow customers across Civil and Defense industries to detect much smaller debris entering the engine, enabling them to build a clearer picture of FOD damage and engine wear over time and will help to identify airfields that need to improve their FOD prevention practices.
Officials claim that the vision for FOD technology is to build a digital system that is able to predict FOD events before they occur by analyzing data collected from the app and using vehicle tracking sensors and debris tracking radars. FanSense adds to this by determining the exact time and location of FOD events, which is intended to enable customers to predict the conditions in which ingestion of a harmful object is likely to occur.
