Patent ID: 7878004

Claim:
A control unit for optimizing a light up procedure of a gas turbine engine, comprising: a window generator generates a window signal representing a light-up parameter value or a range of light-up parameter values at which starting is expected to occur for at least one light-up parameter; a processor unit connected to the window generator for receiving the window signal, and adapted to execute a start attempt for the gas turbine engine and to set the light-up parameter to the light-up parameter value or to vary the light-up parameter within the range of light-up parameter values defined by the window signal; an ignition monitor for monitoring the success of a start attempt adapted to generate a success signal representing the degree of success of ignition after the start attempt has finished; a recording unit connected to the window generator for receiving the window signal and to the ignition monitor for receiving the success signal, the recording unit adapted to record the light-up parameter value or the range of light-up parameter values of the at least one light-up parameter in a start attempt together with the achieved ignition success rate of this start attempt; and an analyzer connected to the recording unit for reading the recorded light-up parameter values or the recorded ranges of light-up parameter values of the at least one light-up parameter and the recorded ignition success rates, wherein the processor unit is connected to the ignition monitor and further adapted to initiate another start attempt when the success signal indicates that light-up was not successful, and wherein the analyzer is adapted to analyze the read light-up parameter values or ranges of light-up parameter values and the read ignition success rates of at least the preceding start attempt and to provide an optimized light-up parameter value or an optimized range of light-up parameter values for the at least one light-up parameter.