Limit protection design in turbofan engine acceleration control based on scheduling command governor

Abstract

A new limit protection method based on Scheduling Command Governor (SCG) is proposed for imposing multiple constraints on a turbofan engine during acceleration process. A Gain Scheduling Controller (GSC) is designed for the transient state control and its stability proof is developed using Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs). The SCG is an add-on control scheme which manages engine limits effectively based on reference trajectory optimization. Unlike the traditional min–max architecture with switching logic, the SCG method utilizes the Linear Parameter Varying (LPV) closed-loop model to form a prediction of future constraint violation and per instant solves a constraint-admissible reference within an approximate Maximal Output Admissible Set (MOAS). The influence of the variation of engine dynamic characteristics and equilibrium points during transient state control is handled by the design of contractive sets. Simulation results on a turbofan engine component-level model show the applicability and effectiveness of the SCG method. Compared to the traditional min–max method, the SCG method has less conservativeness. In addition, the design of contractive sets makes conservativeness tunable.