Aircraft Supervisory Control Using MPC for Power-Thermal Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Next-generation military aircraft require an advanced control system that integrates engine, air cycle, and electrical systems for power and thermal management to handle complex missions with increased demands and loads, but existing systems lack the necessary coordination and optimization capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A supervisory controller system that receives mission objectives and constraints, processes data from subsystems, generates reference commands, and sends optimized control signals to local controllers, using Model Predictive Control and distributed architecture to coordinate propulsion, power, and thermal management systems, ensuring real-time enforcement of constraints and objectives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If existing control systems are used for engine, air cycle, and electrical systems, then system simplicity is maintained, but coordination and optimization capabilities are insufficient for complex missions
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is divided into multiple independent controllers (engine controller, air cycle machine controller, generator controller) that each manage specific subsystems. These segmented controllers communicate through a standardized interface, allowing complex mission coordination without requiring a monolithic control architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system employs universal communication protocols and standardized interfaces that allow the same controller architecture to manage diverse subsystems (engine, air cycle machine, generator). This multi-functionality enables coordination across different systems without increasing individual controller complexity.
2Productivity
If integrated control of engine, fuel thermal management, air cycle machine, and generator is implemented, then power and thermal management efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system merges the management of engine, fuel thermal management system, air cycle machine, and generator into a coordinated integrated system. The controllers exchange information and adjust operations synergistically, improving overall power and thermal management efficiency while maintaining manageable complexity through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated control system implements feedback mechanisms where each controller monitors its subsystem's performance and adjusts operations based on system-wide conditions. This coordinated feedback loop enables efficient power and thermal management by continuously optimizing the interaction between engine, fuel system, air cycle machine, and generator.
3Adaptability or versatility
If higher demands and loads are handled for complex missions, then mission capability is improved, but thermal management requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel thermal management system performs preliminary cooling of fuel before it enters the engine, preparing it for high-load operation. The air cycle machine also pre-cools atmospheric air before it enters the engine, enabling the system to handle higher mission demands while maintaining thermal balance through advance preparation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the waste heat generated during high-power engine operation into a beneficial resource by using it to drive the air cycle machine for cooling. This thermodynamic cycle transforms harmful excess heat into useful cooling capacity, enabling the system to handle higher mission loads while maintaining thermal management requirements.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system including a supervisory controller configured to receive one or more mission objectives for an aircraft mission, and condition data; a memory for storing program instructions; at least one local supervisory controller, operatively coupled to the memory, and in communication with the supervisory controller and operative to execute program instructions to: simulate execution of the aircraft mission to address at least one of the one or more mission objectives; receive data output from at least one subsystem, the data output including a measurement of an aircraft physical system; generate a mission plan executable to address at least one of the one or more mission objectives via manipulation of the at least one subsystem; receive the generated mission plan at a subsystem controller directly from the at least one local supervisory controller; and automatically execute the generated mission plan to operate an aircraft.