Aero-engine hardware-in-loop simulation system and method
By establishing a virtual serial communication path within the simulation computer and integrating a portable simulation tester, the problem of acquiring control commands and environmental information in existing hardware in-loop simulation systems is solved, improving simulation accuracy and portability while reducing cost and complexity.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-04
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-03
AI Technical Summary
Existing hardware-in-the-loop simulation systems struggle to accurately acquire key control commands and flexibly integrate external environmental information, resulting in low simulation accuracy, incomplete coverage, and poor system portability.
A virtual serial communication path is established inside the simulation computer to directly transmit fuel regulator opening commands and input atmospheric information into the engine digital model in real time. Combined with a portable simulation tester, sensor signal simulation and fault injection functions are integrated.
It improves the simulation accuracy and reliability of the fuel control loop, enables comprehensive testing of the electronic controller under different environments, enhances the portability and testing convenience of the system, and reduces hardware costs and complexity.
Smart Images
Figure CN121785293A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of aero-engine testing and simulation technology, and specifically relates to an aero-engine hardware-in-the-loop simulation system and method. Background Technology
[0002] The engine electronic controller (ECU) of an aero-engine is a core component ensuring the safe and reliable operation of the engine. Therefore, comprehensive and efficient testing of the ECU is crucial during its development, verification, and field maintenance phases. Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) simulation testing is a key technology. It replaces the real engine by constructing a simulation environment that can simulate the engine's operating state in real time, thereby comprehensively verifying the ECU's control logic, performance, and fault diagnosis strategies under laboratory conditions, significantly reducing testing costs and risks.
[0003] However, existing hardware-in-the-loop simulation practices present several technical challenges. First, simulation systems typically require running multiple independent software programs, such as the main simulation software and communication software for flight control simulation. To accurately simulate the engine's dynamic response, the main simulation software needs to acquire precise commands generated by the ECU and intended for transmission to actuators (such as fuel regulators) in real time. For fuel regulators driven by stepper motors, the physical acquisition and real-time accurate analysis of their control signals (such as frequency and phase signals) are extremely difficult, directly impacting the simulation accuracy of this critical fuel control loop. Second, to comprehensively evaluate the ECU's performance across different flight envelopes, the simulation system must be able to simulate the effects of different atmospheric environments (such as intake air temperature and pressure at different altitudes and speeds) on the engine's state. How to input these dynamic atmospheric parameters into the engine model in real time and efficiently is another challenge in achieving full-state simulation. Furthermore, traditional simulation equipment is usually bulky, hindering rapid deployment and convenient testing in space-constrained laboratories or field environments. Summary of the Invention
[0004] To address the aforementioned problems in existing technologies, namely the difficulty in accurately acquiring key control commands and flexibly integrating external environmental information in traditional hardware-in-the-loop simulation systems, resulting in low simulation accuracy, incomplete coverage, and poor system portability, this invention provides a hardware-in-the-loop simulation system and method for aero-engines.
[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a hardware-in-the-loop simulation system for an aero-engine, comprising:
[0006] A simulation computer is configured to run a first software module and a second software module, and to provide an internal communication path for data exchange between the first software module and the second software module;
[0007] The engine electronic controller is configured to receive simulated sensor signals and generate actuator control signals accordingly.
[0008] The simulation tester is electrically connected between the simulation computer and the engine electronic controller;
[0009] The first software module embeds a digital engine model and is configured as follows:
[0010] The first control command and atmospheric information are received from the second software module via the internal communication path.
[0011] Based on the received first control command, the atmospheric information, and the actuator control signal received from the simulation tester, the engine digital model is invoked for calculation to generate engine status information;
[0012] The simulation tester is configured to: receive the engine status information, convert the engine status information into the corresponding simulation sensor signal, and output it to the engine electronic controller;
[0013] The actuator control signal is acquired from the engine electronic controller and provided to the first software module.
[0014] Furthermore, the internal communication path is a virtual serial port running within the simulated computer operating system, and the first control command is a fuel regulator opening command.
[0015] Furthermore, the data exchange between the first software module and the second software module via the virtual serial port is further configured as follows:
[0016] The data transmission operation is performed by the second software module, and the operation includes:
[0017] The first control command and the atmospheric information are encapsulated into valid data, and a checksum for integrity verification is calculated for the valid data. The valid data and the checksum are then assembled into a data frame containing a frame header and a frame length before being sent.
[0018] The first software module performs the data receiving and verification operation, which includes:
[0019] Upon receiving the data frame, the validity of the frame header, the conformity of the frame length, and the integrity of the valid data are sequentially checked. The integrity check is performed by applying the same calculation rules as the sending operation to the received valid data to regenerate a checksum, and comparing the regenerated checksum with the checksum in the data frame. Only when all checks pass, the first control command and the atmospheric information are calculated from the valid data for model calculation. If any check fails, the previous valid data is maintained as the input for the current calculation cycle.
[0020] Furthermore, the engine digital model includes: an atmospheric model, a fuel regulator model, and an engine state model;
[0021] The first software module is further configured to: in response to a model switching command, control the engine digital model to switch between multiple models containing different engine state characteristics.
[0022] Furthermore, when the first software module is configured to call the engine digital model for calculation, it specifically executes the following:
[0023] The atmospheric information is input into the atmospheric model to calculate the total temperature and total pressure at the engine inlet.
[0024] The first control command is input to the fuel regulator model to calculate the engine fuel flow rate;
[0025] The calculated inlet total temperature, inlet total pressure, engine fuel flow rate, and received actuator control signals are then provided as inputs to the engine state model.
[0026] Furthermore, the simulation tester is an integrated chassis, which integrates the following:
[0027] At least one simulation module, including one or more of a frequency simulation module, a resistance temperature simulation module, and an analog quantity simulation module, wherein at least one of the simulation modules is configured to perform the function of converting the engine state information into the simulated sensor signal;
[0028] At least one acquisition module is configured to perform the function of acquiring the actuator control signals from the engine electronic controller;
[0029] The fault injection control module is configured to control the on / off transmission path of the simulated sensor signal or the actuator control signal.
[0030] Furthermore, the second software module is also configured to: send a second control command to the engine electronic controller via a physical communication interface, and receive status information from the engine electronic controller.
[0031] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a hardware-in-the-loop simulation method for an aero-engine, the method being executed on a system including a simulation computer, an engine electronic controller, and a simulation test instrument, the method comprising:
[0032] On the simulation computer, data is exchanged between the first software module and the second software module running on it through an internal communication path;
[0033] The first software module receives the first control command and atmospheric information from the second software module via the internal communication path;
[0034] The simulation tester collects the actuator control signals from the engine electronic controller and provides them to the first software module;
[0035] The first software module, based on the first control command, the atmospheric information, and the actuator control signal, calls the embedded engine digital model to perform calculations to generate engine status information;
[0036] The simulation tester receives the engine status information, converts it into corresponding simulation sensor signals, and outputs them to the engine electronic controller.
[0037] Furthermore, the internal communication path is a virtual serial port running within the simulated computer operating system, and the first control command is a fuel regulator opening command.
[0038] Furthermore, the step of calling the engine digital model for solution includes:
[0039] The atmospheric information is input into the atmospheric model for calculation to obtain the engine inlet total temperature and total inlet pressure.
[0040] The first control command is input into the fuel regulator model for calculation to obtain the engine fuel flow rate;
[0041] The obtained inlet total temperature, inlet total pressure, engine fuel flow rate, and collected actuator control signals are used as inputs to the engine state model for calculation to generate the engine state information.
[0042] The beneficial effects of this invention are:
[0043] This invention establishes an internal communication path, or virtual serial port, between the first and second software modules within the simulation computer. This allows critical fuel regulator opening commands to be transmitted directly and losslessly to the first software module embedded with the engine model in pure digital form. This design completely avoids the technical bottleneck of traditional solutions involving the acquisition and reverse calculation of stepper motor physical pulse signals, as these physical signals are inherently difficult to analyze accurately. Therefore, this invention fundamentally improves the simulation fidelity and reliability of the fuel control loop.
[0044] This invention utilizes a single internal communication path, enabling real-time and convenient transmission of atmospheric information from the second software module to the first software module. The engine digital model within the first software module, particularly its atmospheric model, can respond instantly to this information, dynamically adjusting simulation boundary conditions, including inlet total temperature and pressure. This allows the system to accurately simulate the operating state of an aero-engine at different flight altitudes, speeds, and external environments, thereby achieving comprehensive testing and verification of the electronic controller throughout its entire operating envelope.
[0045] The simulation tester of this invention adopts an integrated portable design, internally integrating multiple functional modules such as sensor signal simulation, actuator signal acquisition, and fault injection. This compact and lightweight design overturns the bulky and laboratory-fixed form of traditional hardware-in-the-loop simulation systems, enabling it to be easily carried to the engine field for maintenance and rapid functional verification, significantly improving the convenience and applicability of testing work.
[0046] This invention, based on a software solution using an internal communication path, not only avoids configuring expensive and complex dedicated signal analysis hardware but also reduces physical wiring and communication protocol debugging between systems. This not only lowers the overall hardware cost and complexity of the system but also, because critical data exchange is efficiently completed within the computer, reduces data transmission latency and potential interference, thereby improving the overall operational efficiency and stability of the simulation loop. Attached Figure Description
[0047] Other features, objects, and advantages of this application will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings:
[0048] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an aero-engine hardware-in-the-loop simulation system according to the present invention;
[0049] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of a loop-in-the-loop simulation tester in an aero-engine hardware loop-in-the-loop simulation system according to the present invention;
[0050] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the input and output of a digital model in a hardware-in-the-loop simulation system for an aero-engine, according to the present invention.
[0051] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the main body dimensions and internal layout of a portable simulation tester in an aero-engine hardware-in-the-loop simulation system according to the present invention;
[0052] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating a hardware-in-the-loop simulation method for an aero-engine according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0053] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings.
[0054] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. This application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.
[0055] The first embodiment of the present invention proposes a hardware-in-the-loop simulation system for an aero-engine, comprising:
[0056] A simulation computer is configured to run a first software module and a second software module, and to provide an internal communication path for data exchange between the first software module and the second software module;
[0057] The engine electronic controller is configured to receive simulated sensor signals and generate actuator control signals accordingly.
[0058] The simulation tester is electrically connected between the simulation computer and the engine electronic controller; wherein, the first software module embeds an engine digital model and is configured to: receive a first control command and atmospheric information from the second software module via the internal communication path; and, based on the received first control command, the atmospheric information, and the actuator control signal received from the simulation tester, call the engine digital model to perform calculations to generate engine status information;
[0059] The simulation tester is configured to: receive the engine status information, convert the engine status information into corresponding simulation sensor signals and output them to the engine electronic controller; collect the actuator control signals from the engine electronic controller and provide the actuator control signals to the first software module.
[0060] Specifically, refer to Figure 1The system architecture diagram shown illustrates that this invention provides a hardware-in-the-loop simulation system for aero-engines. The system centers on a real-time simulation computer, which can be an industrial PC or a dedicated simulator with sufficient real-time computing power. It simultaneously loads and runs two independent software modules: the hardware-in-the-loop simulation software as the first module and the simulated flight control software as the second module. The system also includes the engine electronic controller as the object under test, and a simulation test instrument connected between the simulation computer and the engine electronic controller. The core digital model of the engine is integrated within the hardware-in-the-loop simulation software for real-time simulation of the engine's dynamic behavior.
[0061] The simulation tester provides the engine electronic controller with, for example, 28V power via the ECU power cable, and interacts with the engine electronic controller via control signal command cables and sensor signal cables. The simulation computer is connected to the simulation tester via a tester connection cable and communicates with the engine electronic controller via a separate physical communication cable, such as an RS422 serial cable.
[0062] The system's operating logic forms a closed loop: the in-loop simulation software obtains the first control command and atmospheric information from the flight control simulation software through an internal communication path, while simultaneously acquiring the actuator control signals output by the engine electronic controller through the simulation tester; then, it calls the engine digital model to calculate the engine state information for the next moment; this state information is sent to the simulation tester, which converts it into various simulation sensor signals that the engine electronic controller can recognize and outputs them; the engine electronic controller calculates and outputs new actuator control signals based on the received simulation sensor signals and the commands from the flight control simulation software.
[0063] This loop runs in real time at an extremely high frequency, thus forming a complete hardware-in-the-loop simulation. This closed-loop architecture enables the engine electronic controller to experience a signal environment that is completely consistent with the interaction with a real engine in a laboratory or field environment, thereby allowing for comprehensive, detailed, and safe verification of its control logic, performance indicators, and fault diagnosis strategies.
[0064] In some preferred embodiments, the internal communication path is a virtual serial port running within the simulated computer operating system, and the first control command is a fuel regulator opening command.
[0065] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, data exchange between the first software module and the second software module is achieved through virtual serial port technology configured at the level of a simulated computer operating system.
[0066] In practice, commercially available virtual serial port software tools can be used to create a pair of interconnected virtual COM ports within the computer. The first software module, the in-loop simulation software, is configured to read data from one of the virtual COM ports; simultaneously, the second software module, the flight control simulation software, is configured to write data to the other virtual COM port. Since these two virtual ports are connected at the software level, stable and efficient internal data transmission between the two independent applications is achieved.
[0067] The first control command transmitted via the virtual serial port is explicitly defined as the fuel regulator opening command. In traditional hardware-in-the-loop simulation systems, acquiring this command requires acquiring and parsing the complex pulse signals output by the engine electronic controller to the fuel regulator stepper motor. This is not only complex and costly in hardware implementation, but also highly susceptible to simulation distortion due to signal interference and inaccurate timing analysis. This invention, however, directly transmits the precise value of the opening command at the software level, fundamentally avoiding all the difficulties of physical signal acquisition and parsing. By setting up a virtual serial port, the problem of acquiring critical commands is solved without increasing hardware resources. It also greatly simplifies the system communication architecture, reduces the complexity of development and debugging, and significantly improves the simulation accuracy and reliability of the core fuel control loop.
[0068] In some preferred embodiments, the simulation tester is a portable simulation tester.
[0069] Furthermore, referring to Figure 4 The schematic diagram showing the main dimensions and internal layout illustrates that the simulation tester of this invention is designed as a highly integrated portable device. Its exterior is housed in a robust integrated chassis, with overall dimensions strictly controlled within a compact range, for example, 265mm × 234mm × 141mm. Compared to traditional fixed simulation systems, typically constructed from large industrial cabinets, the portable design of this invention makes it lightweight and compact, easily carried by test personnel. This design allows hardware-in-the-loop simulation testing to be flexibly deployed in engine assembly workshops, field flight test bases, or military maintenance and support sites, rather than being confined to specialized laboratories. This portability greatly expands the system's application scenarios, providing unprecedented convenience for both rapid iterative verification during the R&D phase and on-site functional testing and troubleshooting during the production and maintenance phases, thereby significantly improving the testing efficiency and assurance capabilities of engine electronic controllers.
[0070] In some preferred embodiments, the data exchange between the first software module and the second software module via the virtual serial port is further configured as follows:
[0071] The data transmission operation is performed by the second software module, and the operation includes:
[0072] The first control command and the atmospheric information are encapsulated into valid data, and a checksum for integrity verification is calculated for the valid data. The valid data and the checksum are then assembled into a data frame containing a frame header and a frame length before being sent.
[0073] The first software module performs the data receiving and verification operation, which includes:
[0074] Upon receiving the data frame, the validity of the frame header, the conformity of the frame length, and the integrity of the valid data are sequentially checked. The integrity check is performed by applying the same calculation rules as the sending operation to the received valid data to regenerate a checksum, and comparing the regenerated checksum with the checksum in the data frame. Only when all checks pass, the first control command and the atmospheric information are calculated from the valid data for model calculation. If any check fails, the previous valid data is maintained as the input for the current calculation cycle.
[0075] In this embodiment, to ensure the accuracy of virtual communication between the two software modules and prevent abnormal interference from affecting the simulation effect, the system constructs a virtual serial port communication protocol. Both the second software module and the first software module communicate according to this protocol. This protocol incorporates multiple error prevention mechanisms to ensure the reliability of data transmission, specifically including frame header verification, frame length verification, and valid data verification based on a preset algorithm.
[0076] Specifically, the data transmission process of the second software module, which serves as the transmitting end, is as follows: First, the key parameter inside the ECU, namely the fuel regulator opening, is used as the first control command and encoded together with atmospheric information into valid data. Then, a checksum is generated by calculating the valid data according to a preset algorithm; in this embodiment, the preset algorithm is specifically defined as: performing a cumulative summation calculation on all bytes within the valid data area and extracting the lower 16 bits of the summation result as the final checksum. Finally, according to a predefined frame format, the fixed frame header (byte 1, byte 2), frame length (byte 3), the valid data (byte 4 - byte n), and the checksum generated according to the preset algorithm (byte n+1, byte n+2) are assembled into a complete data frame and sent out through a virtual serial port.
[0077] The format of this data frame is shown in Table 1:
[0078] Table 1:
[0079]
[0080] As the first software module at the receiving end, it will strictly perform the following verification steps after receiving data:
[0081] Frame header verification: Check whether the received byte 1 and byte 2 completely match the header value agreed upon in the protocol.
[0082] Frame length verification: If the frame header verification passes, compare whether the frame length value of byte 3 is the same as the fixed value agreed in the protocol.
[0083] Checksum verification: If the first two steps pass, extract the valid data from byte 4 to byte n according to the frame length, recalculate the cumulative sum of this data, and then compare the calculation result with the received checksum (byte n+1, byte n+2).
[0084] Only after all the above checks pass will the first software module recognize this frame of data as valid data, and parse out the first control command (fuel regulator opening) and atmospheric information from it, and provide them as the latest input to the engine digital model for calculation.
[0085] If any of the above verification steps fail, the first software module will determine that the currently received data frame is invalid and discard it. To ensure the real-time performance and continuity of the simulation, in this case, the engine digital model will use the valid data that was successfully received and verified in the previous simulation cycle as the input for this solution.
[0086] In some preferred embodiments, the engine digital model includes: an atmospheric model, a fuel regulator model, and an engine state model; the first software module is further configured to: in response to a model switching command, control the engine digital model to switch between multiple models containing different engine state characteristics.
[0087] In a specific implementation of this invention, the engine digital model embedded in the in-loop simulation software is a composite model, as referred to... Figure 3 It consists of at least three core sub-models: an atmospheric model, a fuel regulator model, and an engine state model. To accommodate complex testing requirements, the in-loop simulation software further embeds various engine state models with different characteristics, such as a normal operating state model, an engine surge boundary model, a start-up process model, and a shutdown-restart model.
[0088] In-loop simulation software provides a user interface, such as a model switching interface, allowing testers to issue model switching commands in real time during simulation based on specific simulation test requirements. Upon receiving this command, the first software module seamlessly switches the computational core from the current state model to the specified new state model. This model switching capability enables the system to simulate the transition of an engine from one operating state to another specific or faulty state within a test task. This allows for a more comprehensive assessment of the engine electronic controller's control law adaptability, logical judgment accuracy, and fault handling strategy effectiveness under different states, significantly enhancing the depth and breadth of the test.
[0089] In some preferred embodiments, when the first software module is configured to call the engine digital model for calculation, it specifically performs the following:
[0090] The atmospheric information is input into the atmospheric model to calculate the engine inlet total temperature and total inlet pressure; the first control command is input into the fuel regulator model to calculate the engine fuel flow rate; and the calculated inlet total temperature, inlet total pressure, engine fuel flow rate, and the received actuator control signal are provided as inputs to the engine state model.
[0091] Reference Figure 3 The digital model input-output relationship is shown. Within each simulation step, the first software module, i.e., the in-loop simulation software, strictly calls each sub-model according to the set logical order. First, atmospheric information received from the second software module via a virtual serial port, such as the current flight altitude and Mach number, is provided as input to the atmospheric model. The atmospheric model calculates the engine inlet total temperature T1t and inlet total pressure P1t under the current conditions based on standard atmospheric data or custom atmospheric environment data. Simultaneously, it inputs the first control command received via the same virtual serial port, i.e., the fuel regulator opening information, to the fuel regulator model. This model converts the opening value into the actual engine fuel flow rate Wf based on the flow characteristics of the fuel regulator.
[0092] The in-loop simulation software takes the two intermediate calculation results—inlet total temperature T1t, inlet total pressure P1t, and fuel flow rate Wf—along with control signals from other actuators collected from the simulation test instrument, such as the opening status of the bleeder and the DO status information of devices like the igniter, and provides them as input to the currently selected engine state model. Based on this complete input information, the engine state model solves the engine dynamic equations to calculate the cross-sectional parameters and performance indicators of the engine at the next moment, thus completing one simulation step iteration. This clear and modular solution process ensures the logical rigor and physical realism of the simulation calculations, ensuring that various input changes are accurately reflected in the final engine state output.
[0093] In some preferred embodiments, the simulation tester is an integrated chassis, which integrates:
[0094] At least one simulation module, including one or more of a frequency simulation module, a resistance temperature simulation module, and an analog quantity simulation module, wherein at least one of the simulation modules is configured to perform the function of converting the engine state information into the simulated sensor signal;
[0095] At least one acquisition module is configured to perform the function of acquiring the actuator control signals from the engine electronic controller;
[0096] The fault injection control module is configured to control the on / off transmission path of the simulated sensor signal or the actuator control signal.
[0097] Reference Figure 2 The diagram shows the internal structure of the simulation tester. The integrated chassis of this portable simulation tester highly integrates a series of functional modules to meet all the requirements of aero-engine testing. The simulation module section includes at least:
[0098] Frequency simulation modules are used to simulate frequency signals such as engine speed; resistance simulation modules are used to simulate resistance sensors such as engine inlet total temperature T1t; and analog simulation modules are used to simulate various analog sensors such as pressure and displacement. These simulation modules receive digitized engine status information from the simulation computer and convert it into voltage, current, frequency, or resistance signals of corresponding types and amplitudes in the physical world, which are then output as simulated sensor signals to the engine electronic controller.
[0099] The data acquisition module is equipped with corresponding acquisition channels to capture various actuator control signals output by the engine electronic controller in real time, such as PWM signals for controlling the bleed valve or switching signals for controlling the ignition. In addition, the system integrates a fault injection control module. This module, by controlling a series of relays and protection circuits, can perform real-time on / off control of the transmission path of any simulated sensor signal or actuator control signal according to instructions issued by the in-loop simulation software, thereby accurately simulating sensor open circuits, short circuits, or actuator loop faults.
[0100] By integrating these diverse modules into a compact chassis, this invention provides a comprehensive, plug-and-play test interface that fully covers all types of I / O signal interactions and fault simulation requirements of the engine electronic controller, providing a solid hardware foundation for achieving high-efficiency, high-coverage testing.
[0101] In some preferred embodiments, the second software module is further configured to: send a second control command to the engine electronic controller via a physical communication interface, and receive status information from the engine electronic controller.
[0102] In a specific implementation scenario, the second software module, namely the flight simulation software, not only communicates with the first software module via an internal virtual serial port, but also acts as a host computer or flight control computer. To this end, it is directly connected to the engine electronic controller via a separate physical communication interface, such as the aforementioned RS422 serial port. Through this physical link, the flight simulation software can send higher-level second control commands representing pilot intentions or flight control system instructions to the engine electronic controller, such as engine thrust commands and mode selection commands.
[0103] Simultaneously, it also receives key information such as operating status and fault codes reported by the engine electronic controller in real time through this link, and monitors and displays it on its interface. This setup provides testers with a complete interactive and monitoring interface that conforms to actual installation applications. This allows hardware-in-the-loop simulation testing to not only verify the underlying control logic, but also to evaluate the overall functional performance and human-machine interaction characteristics of the engine electronic controller from the system-level application perspective. As a result, the simulation testing is closer to real-world applications, and the test results have greater engineering application value.
[0104] It should be noted that the hardware-in-the-loop simulation system for aero-engines provided in the above embodiments is only an example of the division of the above functional modules. In practical applications, the above functions can be assigned to different functional modules as needed, that is, the modules or steps in the embodiments of the present invention can be further decomposed or combined. For example, the modules in the above embodiments can be merged into one module, or further divided into multiple sub-modules to complete all or part of the functions described above. The names of the modules and steps involved in the embodiments of the present invention are only for distinguishing the various modules or steps and are not considered as an improper limitation of the present invention.
[0105] A second embodiment of the present invention proposes a hardware-in-the-loop simulation method for aero-engines, the method comprising:
[0106] Step S10: On the simulation computer, data is exchanged between the first software module and the second software module running on it through an internal communication path.
[0107] Step S20: The first software module receives a first control command and atmospheric information from the second software module via the internal communication path;
[0108] Step S30: The simulation tester collects the actuator control signals from the engine electronic controller and provides them to the first software module;
[0109] Step S40: The first software module, based on the first control command, the atmospheric information and the actuator control signal, calls the embedded engine digital model to perform calculations to generate engine status information.
[0110] In step S50, the simulation tester receives the engine status information, converts it into corresponding simulation sensor signals, and outputs them to the engine electronic controller.
[0111] Reference Figure 5 The simulation method flowchart shown is as follows. The hardware-in-the-loop simulation method proposed in this invention has the following core process when using the aforementioned system for simulation.
[0112] First, in step S10, the physical connection is completed, that is, the portable simulation tester is properly connected to the engine electronic controller and the simulation computer respectively.
[0113] Step S20: Start the first and second software modules on the simulation computer and complete the configuration of the internal communication path. Subsequently, the simulation enters the real-time loop execution phase, in which steps S30-S60 are executed repeatedly.
[0114] At the beginning of a loop, the first software module receives the first control command and atmospheric information from the second software module via an internal communication path. Simultaneously, the simulation tester acquires the actuator control signals output by the engine electronic controller in real time and transmits them to the first software module; this is part of steps S30 and S40. Next, in step S50, the first software module integrates all this input information, calls the embedded engine digital model for iterative calculations, and generates updated engine state information. Finally, in step S60, the simulation tester receives this newly generated engine state information, converts it into physical simulation sensor signals, and sends them back to the engine electronic controller, thereby closing the simulation loop.
[0115] This loop repeats continuously at millisecond or faster speeds until the simulation task ends. By constructing a real-time, dynamically interactive closed loop, this method enables the engine electronic controller to operate in a highly realistic virtual environment, allowing for safe, efficient, and repeatable in-depth testing. Compared to expensive and risky real engine testing, this method significantly reduces the cost and risk of research and development and maintenance.
[0116] In some preferred embodiments, the internal communication path is a virtual serial port running within the simulated computer operating system, and the first control command is a fuel regulator opening command.
[0117] In the specific implementation of this method, configuring the internal communication path in step S20 is accomplished by installing and configuring a virtual serial port driver in the operating system of the simulation computer. This generates a pair of logically connected virtual serial ports at the software level. Subsequently, the input port of the first software module is pointed to one of these virtual serial ports, while the output port of the second software module is pointed to the other. In this way, the key first control command—the fuel regulator opening command—output by the second software module can be received by the first software module in real time and accurately, just as if through a physical serial port. This method solves the major technical problem of accurately acquiring and parsing the physical control signals of the fuel regulator stepper motor in the prior art using a purely software approach, resulting in a qualitative leap in the simulation accuracy of the core circuit of fuel control.
[0118] The step of calling the engine digital model for calculation includes: inputting the atmospheric information into the atmospheric model for calculation to obtain the engine inlet total temperature and total inlet pressure; inputting the first control command into the fuel regulator model for calculation to obtain the engine fuel flow rate; and providing the obtained inlet total temperature, inlet total pressure, engine fuel flow rate, and the collected actuator control signal as inputs to the engine state model for calculation to generate the engine state information.
[0119] This invention obtains atmospheric information from the second software module and inputs it into an atmospheric model for calculation, thereby obtaining the inlet total temperature and pressure conditions faced by the engine under the current environment. Next, the method inputs the first control command obtained from the second software module, namely the fuel regulator opening command, into the fuel regulator model. The model's internal algorithm calculates the corresponding engine fuel flow rate. This is the core calculation determining the engine's energy input. Finally, the method combines the inlet total temperature, inlet total pressure, and engine fuel flow rate calculated in the first two steps with the control signals of all other actuators (such as the bleed valve opening) collected by the simulation tester. This complete set of input vectors describing the current control action and environmental impact is provided to the core engine state model. The engine state model performs integral or iterative calculations based on this, ultimately outputting various state information reflecting the engine's dynamic response. This step-by-step, modular calculation method not only makes the physical meaning of the entire simulation process clearer but also facilitates independent verification and optimization of the models at each stage, ensuring the high fidelity and reliability of the entire simulation method.
[0120] The terms “first”, “second”, etc., are used to distinguish similar objects, not to describe or indicate a specific order or sequence.
[0121] The term "comprising" or any other similar term is intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus / device that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent in such process, method, article, or apparatus / device.
[0122] The technical solution of the present invention has been described above with reference to the preferred embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the scope of protection of the present invention is obviously not limited to these specific embodiments. Without departing from the principles of the present invention, those skilled in the art can make equivalent changes or substitutions to the relevant technical features, and the technical solutions after these changes or substitutions will all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A hardware-in-the-loop simulation system for an aero-engine, characterized in that, include: A simulation computer is configured to run a first software module and a second software module, and to provide an internal communication path for data exchange between the first software module and the second software module; The engine electronic controller is configured to receive simulated sensor signals and generate actuator control signals accordingly. The simulation tester is electrically connected between the simulation computer and the engine electronic controller; The first software module embeds a digital engine model and is configured as follows: The first control command and atmospheric information are received from the second software module via the internal communication path. Based on the received first control command, the atmospheric information, and the actuator control signal received from the simulation tester, the engine digital model is invoked for calculation to generate engine status information; The simulation tester is configured to: receive the engine status information, convert the engine status information into the corresponding simulation sensor signal, and output it to the engine electronic controller; The actuator control signal is acquired from the engine electronic controller and provided to the first software module.
2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The internal communication path is a virtual serial port running within the simulated computer operating system, and the first control command is a fuel regulator opening command.
3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The data exchange between the first software module and the second software module via the virtual serial port is further configured as follows: The data transmission operation is performed by the second software module, and the operation includes: The first control command and the atmospheric information are encapsulated into valid data, and a checksum for integrity verification is calculated for the valid data. The valid data and the checksum are then assembled into a data frame containing a frame header and a frame length before being sent. The first software module performs the data receiving and verification operation, which includes: Upon receiving the data frame, the validity of the frame header, the conformity of the frame length, and the integrity of the valid data are sequentially checked. The integrity check is performed by applying the same calculation rules as the sending operation to the received valid data to regenerate a checksum, and comparing the regenerated checksum with the checksum in the data frame. Only when all checks pass, the first control command and the atmospheric information are calculated from the valid data for model calculation. If any check fails, the previous valid data is maintained as the input for the current calculation cycle.
4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The engine digital model includes: an atmospheric model, a fuel regulator model, and an engine state model; The first software module is further configured to: in response to a model switching command, control the engine digital model to switch between multiple models containing different engine state characteristics.
5. The system according to claim 4, characterized in that, When the first software module is configured to call the engine digital model for calculation, it specifically executes the following: The atmospheric information is input into the atmospheric model to calculate the total temperature and total pressure at the engine inlet. The first control command is input to the fuel regulator model to calculate the engine fuel flow rate; The calculated inlet total temperature, inlet total pressure, engine fuel flow rate, and received actuator control signals are then provided as inputs to the engine state model.
6. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The simulation tester is an integrated chassis, which integrates the following: At least one simulation module, including one or more of a frequency simulation module, a resistance temperature simulation module, and an analog quantity simulation module, wherein at least one of the simulation modules is configured to perform the function of converting the engine state information into the simulated sensor signal; At least one acquisition module is configured to perform the function of acquiring the actuator control signals from the engine electronic controller; The fault injection control module is configured to control the on / off transmission path of the simulated sensor signal or the actuator control signal.
7. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second software module is also configured to: send a second control command to the engine electronic controller via a physical communication interface, and receive status information from the engine electronic controller.
8. A hardware-in-the-loop simulation method for an aero-engine, characterized in that, The method is performed on a system including a simulation computer, an engine electronic controller, and a simulation test instrument, and the method includes: On the simulation computer, data is exchanged between the first software module and the second software module running on it through an internal communication path; The first software module receives the first control command and atmospheric information from the second software module via the internal communication path; The simulation tester collects the actuator control signals from the engine electronic controller and provides them to the first software module; The first software module, based on the first control command, the atmospheric information, and the actuator control signal, calls the embedded engine digital model to perform calculations to generate engine status information; The simulation tester receives the engine status information, converts it into corresponding simulation sensor signals, and outputs them to the engine electronic controller.
9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The internal communication path is a virtual serial port running within the simulated computer operating system, and the first control command is a fuel regulator opening command.
10. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The steps for calling the engine digital model for calculation include: The atmospheric information is input into the atmospheric model for calculation to obtain the engine inlet total temperature and total inlet pressure. The first control command is input into the fuel regulator model for calculation to obtain the engine fuel flow rate; The obtained inlet total temperature, inlet total pressure, engine fuel flow rate, and collected actuator control signals are used as inputs to the engine state model for calculation to generate the engine state information.