Patent ID: 7908072

Claim:
A system for controlling a gas turbine engine, the engine comprising multiple cans, the system comprising: a plurality of sensors adapted to obtain operating frequency information associated with a respective can; a controller adapted to: during startup operation of the gas turbine engine: determine whether the operating frequency information for a particular can exceeds at least one startup operating threshold for a predefined time; and implement at least one engine startup control action to modify operation of the particular can when the at least one startup operating threshold is exceeded for the predefined time; and during steady state operation of the gas turbine engine: determine the variation between operating frequency information of at least two cans based at least in part on the operating frequency information; determine a median value based at least in part on the variation; determine whether the median value or the operating frequency information for a particular can exceeds at least one steady state operating threshold for another predefined time; and implement at least one engine steady state control action to modify operation of either the gas turbine engine or the particular can when the at least one steady state operating threshold is exceeded for the other predefined time.