Advances in Turbo Engine Real-Time Simulation for Modern Control System Development

摘要

Due to the growing available computational power, real-time simulations of dynamic turbo engine behavior can be carried out using performance analysis modeling. This partly removes the need for state space or function generator modeling and facilitates one common engine model to be used during engine design, engine control system design, and hardware-in-the-loop verifications, allowing faster design changes. Even if state space modeling is needed, for example during the control design process, these models can be derived from the performance analysis model using automated generation processes. But performance analysis models are not only useful during the control design process, they can also play an important role as onboard models in future engine control systems. If an onboard model can be properly matched with the real engine, it can provide the engine control system with valuable information about the engine's current dynamical state. This information can also be very useful for engine health monitoring purposes. This paper showed two applications of real-time engine models and gave an outlook on how future control design and development processes can benefit from more detailed simulations. One application described is the rapid prototyping of control systems for helicopter engines performed at the Chair of Flight Propulsion, Technical University of Munich. Another possibility provided by real-time engine simulations is the direct use of an on-board model in the control system itself. The advantages of such an approach for designing highly integrated hypersonic engines that can be used in the lower stage of a planned two-stage- to-orbit vehicle are discussed.