Distributed Engine Control Empirical/Analytical Verification Tools

In this Phase I project, Impact Technologies, in collaboration with Prof. R.K. Yedavalli, propose a novel verification environment for eventual rapid certification of distributed engine control systems (DCS). Our approach is focused on providing a set of tools to the government and industry that will allow faster certification of the control system as new high-temperature components and control laws are developed. A distributed hardware-in-the-loop (D-HIL) simulation tool is proposed to assist NASA and the Distributed Engine Control Working Group (DECWG) to integrate DCS components onto existing and next-generation engines. The proposed D-HIL simulator consist of a thermal test chamber operated by an engine simulation which is capable of subjecting components to a range of possible transient thermal conditions seen during engine operation , while functioning as elements in the networked control loop. To aid in certification of more complex distributed engine control hardware and software, a set of analysis tools is proposed. The Global Verification Toolset makes use of global stability and bounded verification methodologies to allow stability and performance to be assessed in a systematic fashion. At the conclusion of Phase I, the new verification facility and software tools will be demonstrated in a system test using the C-MAPSS engine.