Combining classification techniques with Kalman filters for aircraft engine diagnostics

A diagnostic method consisting of a combination of Kalman filters and Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) is presented. A soft-constrained Kalman filter uses a priori information derived by a BBN at each time step, to derive estimations of the unknown health parameters. The resulting algorithm hers improved identification capability in comparison to the stand-alone Kalman filter. The paper focuses on a way of combining the information produced by the BBN with the Kalman filter. An extensive set of fault cases is used to test the method on a typical civil turbofan layout. The effectiveness of the method is thus demonstrated, and its advantages over individual constituent methods are presented.