Robust Propulsion Control for Improved Aircraft Safety

Scientific Monitoring, Inc. proposes to develop a robust propulsion control approach to facilitate control law design and simulation-based validation. The proposed approach integrates system identification and robust control design, specifically tailors it to handle large perturbations and model uncertainties affecting engine operations, and provides a framework for successive design optimization through iterations. The integrated and iterative design methodology will reduce the cycle time in propulsion control design and validation to maintain engine operations in the presence of adverse conditions, such as engine icing, foreign object damage, and high angle of attack. In Phase I, A proof-of-concept (POC) simulation will be conducted to demonstrate the merit of the robust control approach in the presence of larger than normal variations in the design model. The control design and closed-loop POC will use the NASA-developed C-MAPSS generic engine model as the simulation framework. The anticipated benefits of the proposed innovation are to reduce design cycle time and increase robustness of the controller design, while optimizing the closed-loop system performance. More »