Using the «virtual engine» software in automatic control system of gas turbine engine

Abstract

The paper presents the mathematical tools and virtual engine software used in digital automatic control systems of modern gas turbine engines (GTE). The software is based on a real-time fully variable thermogasdynamic engine model operating in onboard computers. The new approach makes it possible to control the engine by the parameters inaccessible for measurement due to the virtual engine software in the gas turbine engine control system. The engine fault tolerance improves. We synthesized the control loops of a bypass turbojet engine with a high bypass ratio according to critical parameters (engine thrust, gas temperature in the combustor, stall margin) determined by calculations. We propose a methodology of restoring information on inlet airflow data and values of control factors in case of failure of information channels. The quality of engine regulation improved considerably. The lifetime of the engine increased essentially in the context of varying its characteristics in operation. We developed a methodology of real-time identification of an onboard engine thermogasdynamic simulation model based on the reverse feedback approach.

Keywords

• automatic control system
• gas turbine engine
• on-board mathematical model