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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1983

Design of a microprocessor-based Control, Interface and Monitoring (CIM unit for turbine engine controls research

High speed minicomputers were used in the past to implement advanced digital control algorithms for turbine engines. These minicomputers are typically large and expensive. It is desirable for a number of reasons to use microprocessor-based systems for future controls research. They are relatively compact, inexpensive, and are representative of the hardware that would be used for actual engine-mounted controls. The Control, Interface, and Monitoring Unit (CIM) contains a microprocessor-based controls computer, necessary interface hardware and a system to monitor while it is running an engine. It is presently being used to evaluate an advanced turbofan engine control algorithm.

Delaat, J. C.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Computational methods to obtain time optimal jet engine control

Dynamic Programming and the Fletcher-Reeves Conjugate Gradient Method are two existing methods which can be applied to solve a general class of unconstrained fixed time, free right end optimal control problems. New techniques are developed to adapt these methods to solve a time optimal control problem with state variable and control constraints. Specifically, they are applied to compute a time optimal control for a jet engine control problem.

Basso, R. J.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Hot-Fire Testing of 100 LB(sub F) LOX/LCH4 Reaction Control Engine at Altitude Conditions

Liquid oxygen/liquid methane (LO2/LCH4 ) has recently been viewed as a potential green propulsion system for both the Altair ascent main engine (AME) and reaction control system (RCS). The Propulsion and Cryogenic Advanced Development Project (PCAD) has been tasked by NASA to develop these green propellant systems to enable safe and cost effective exploration missions. However, experience with LO2/LCH4 as a propellant combination is limited, so testing of these systems is critical to demonstrating reliable ignition and performance. A test program of a 100 lb f reaction control engine (RCE) is underway at the Altitude Combustion Stand (ACS) of the NASA Glenn Research Center, with a focus on conducting tests at altitude conditions. These tests include a unique propellant conditioning feed system (PCFS) which allows for the inlet conditions of the propellant to be varied to test warm to subcooled liquid propellant temperatures. Engine performance, including thrust, c* and vacuum specific impulse (I(sub sp,vac)) will be presented as a function of propellant temperature conditions. In general, the engine performed as expected, with higher performance at warmer propellant temperatures but better efficiency at lower propellant temperatures. Mixture ratio effects were inconclusive within the uncertainty bands of data, but qualitatively showed higher performance at lower ratios.

Marshall, William M.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Digital Electronic Engine Control (DEEC) Flight Evaluation in an F-15 Airplane

Flight evaluation in an F-15 aircraft by digital electronic engine control (DEEC) was investigated. Topics discussed include: system description, F100 engine tests, effects of inlet distortion on static pressure probe, flight tests, digital electronic engine control fault detection and accommodation flight evaluation, flight evaluation of a hydromechanical backup control, augmentor transient capability of an F100 engine, investigation of nozzle instability, real time in flight thrust calculation, and control technology for future aircraft propulsion systems. It is shown that the DEEC system is a powerful and flexible controller for the F100 engine.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1984

Digital electronic engine control history

Full authority digital electronic engine controls (DEECs) were studied, developed, and ground tested because of projected benefits in operability, improved performance, reduced maintenance, improved reliability, and lower life cycle costs. The issues of operability and improved performance, however, are assessed in a flight test program. The DEEC on a F100 engine in an F-15 aircraft was demonstrated and evaluated. The events leading to the flight test program are chronicled and important management and technical results are identified.

Putnam, T. W.↗
NASA NTRS2014

A Modular Framework for Modeling Hardware Elements in Distributed Engine Control Systems

Progress toward the implementation of distributed engine control in an aerospace application may be accelerated through the development of a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) system for testing new control architectures and hardware outside of a physical test cell environment. One component required in an HIL simulation system is a high-fidelity model of the control platform: sensors, actuators, and the control law. The control system developed for the Commercial Modular Aero-Propulsion System Simulation 40k (C-MAPSS40k) provides a verifiable baseline for development of a model for simulating a distributed control architecture. This distributed controller model will contain enhanced hardware models, capturing the dynamics of the transducer and the effects of data processing, and a model of the controller network. A multilevel framework is presented that establishes three sets of interfaces in the control platform: communication with the engine (through sensors and actuators), communication between hardware and controller (over a network), and the physical connections within individual pieces of hardware. This introduces modularity at each level of the model, encouraging collaboration in the development and testing of various control schemes or hardware designs. At the hardware level, this modularity is leveraged through the creation of a Simulink(R) library containing blocks for constructing smart transducer models complying with the IEEE 1451 specification. These hardware models were incorporated in a distributed version of the baseline C-MAPSS40k controller and simulations were run to compare the performance of the two models. The overall tracking ability differed only due to quantization effects in the feedback measurements in the distributed controller. Additionally, it was also found that the added complexity of the smart transducer models did not prevent real-time operation of the distributed controller model, a requirement of an HIL system.

numerical simulation↗
NASA NTRS2014

A Modular Framework for Modeling Hardware Elements in Distributed Engine Control Systems

Progress toward the implementation of distributed engine control in an aerospace application may be accelerated through the development of a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) system for testing new control architectures and hardware outside of a physical test cell environment. One component required in an HIL simulation system is a high-fidelity model of the control platform: sensors, actuators, and the control law. The control system developed for the Commercial Modular Aero-Propulsion System Simulation 40k (40,000 pound force thrust) (C-MAPSS40k) provides a verifiable baseline for development of a model for simulating a distributed control architecture. This distributed controller model will contain enhanced hardware models, capturing the dynamics of the transducer and the effects of data processing, and a model of the controller network. A multilevel framework is presented that establishes three sets of interfaces in the control platform: communication with the engine (through sensors and actuators), communication between hardware and controller (over a network), and the physical connections within individual pieces of hardware. This introduces modularity at each level of the model, encouraging collaboration in the development and testing of various control schemes or hardware designs. At the hardware level, this modularity is leveraged through the creation of a Simulink (R) library containing blocks for constructing smart transducer models complying with the IEEE 1451 specification. These hardware models were incorporated in a distributed version of the baseline C-MAPSS40k controller and simulations were run to compare the performance of the two models. The overall tracking ability differed only due to quantization effects in the feedback measurements in the distributed controller. Additionally, it was also found that the added complexity of the smart transducer models did not prevent real-time operation of the distributed controller model, a requirement of an HIL system.

numerical simulation↗
NASA NTRS2015

A Modular Framework for Modeling Hardware Elements in Distributed Engine Control Systems

Progress toward the implementation of distributed engine control in an aerospace application may be accelerated through the development of a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) system for testing new control architectures and hardware outside of a physical test cell environment. One component required in an HIL simulation system is a high-fidelity model of the control platform: sensors, actuators, and the control law. The control system developed for the Commercial Modular Aero-Propulsion System Simulation 40k (C-MAPSS40k) provides a verifiable baseline for development of a model for simulating a distributed control architecture. This distributed controller model will contain enhanced hardware models, capturing the dynamics of the transducer and the effects of data processing, and a model of the controller network. A multilevel framework is presented that establishes three sets of interfaces in the control platform: communication with the engine (through sensors and actuators), communication between hardware and controller (over a network), and the physical connections within individual pieces of hardware. This introduces modularity at each level of the model, encouraging collaboration in the development and testing of various control schemes or hardware designs. At the hardware level, this modularity is leveraged through the creation of a SimulinkR library containing blocks for constructing smart transducer models complying with the IEEE 1451 specification. These hardware models were incorporated in a distributed version of the baseline C-MAPSS40k controller and simulations were run to compare the performance of the two models. The overall tracking ability differed only due to quantization effects in the feedback measurements in the distributed controller. Additionally, it was also found that the added complexity of the smart transducer models did not prevent real-time operation of the distributed controller model, a requirement of an HIL system.

propulsion simulation↗
DOE OSTI2025

Cyber-Informed Engineering (CIE) – Engineered Controls Database and Use

Cyber-Informed Engineering (CIE) addresses the reality that cyber-attacks on engineered systems can have consequences far beyond data loss or disruption of digital networks. When control systems are compromised, safety, reliability, and performance of the physical process itself may be threatened. This database is meant to establish clear examples and guidance for defining and applying engineered controls in CIE. It explains what engineered controls are, how they differ from information security measures, and how they are integrated into system design. The goal is to ensure that resilience is engineered into systems from the outset. Unlike cybersecurity protections that defend the digital layer, engineered controls act directly at the physical and algorithmic levels to guarantee that unacceptable consequences are prevented or limited. CIE keeps the consequences of a cyber attack from impacting the safety, reliability, and performance of engineered systems.

42 - ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS1966

Guidance and control engineering.

Guidance and control technology examining inertial guidance systems, Apollo space system, gyros, accelerometers and computers

INERTIAL GUIDANCE↗
NASA NTRS1983

Airstart performance of a digital electronic engine control system in an F-15 airplane

The airstart performance of the F100 engine equipped with a digital electronic engine control (DEEC) system was evaluated in an F-15 airplane. The DEEC system incorporates closed-loop airstart logic for improved capability. Spooldown and jet fuel starter-assisted airstarts were made over a range of airspeeds and altitudes. All jet fuel starter-assisted airstarts were successful, with airstart time varying from 35 to 60 sec. All spooldown airstarts at airspeeds of 200 knots and higher were successful; airstart times ranged from 45 sec at 250 knots to 135 sec at 200 knots. The effects of altitude on airstart success and time were small. The flight results agreed closely with previous altitude facility test results. The DEEC system provided successful airstarts at airspeeds at least 50 knots lower than the standard F100 engine control system.

Licata, S. J.↗
NASA NTRS2016

The Application of Hardware in the Loop Testing for Distributed Engine Control

The essence of a distributed control system is the modular partitioning of control function across a hardware implementation. This type of control architecture requires embedding electronics in a multitude of control element nodes for the execution of those functions, and their integration as a unified system. As the field of distributed aeropropulsion control moves toward reality, questions about building and validating these systems remain. This paper focuses on the development of hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test techniques for distributed aero engine control, and the application of HIL testing as it pertains to potential advanced engine control applications that may now be possible due to the intelligent capability embedded in the nodes.

Control↗
NASA NTRS1983

Flight evaluation results for a digital electronic engine control in an F-15 airplane

A digital electronic engine control (DEEC) system on an F100 engine in an F-15 airplane was evaluated in flight. Thirty flights were flown in a four-phase program from June 1981 to February 1983. Significant improvements in the operability and performance of the F100 engine were developed as a result of the flight evaluation: the augmentor envelope was increased by 15,000 ft, the airstart envelope was improved by 75 knots, and the need to periodically trim the engine was eliminated. The hydromechanical backup control performance was evaluated and was found to be satisfactory. Two system failures were encountered in the test program; both were detected and accommodated successfully. No transfers to the backup control system were required, and no automatic transfers occurred. As a result of the successful DEEC flight evaluation, the DEEC system has entered the full-scale development phase.

Burcham, F. W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2013

The Need and Challenges for Distributed Engine Control

The presentation describes the challenges facing the turbine engine control system. These challenges are primarily driven by a dependence on commercial electronics and an increasingly severe environment on board the turbine engine. The need for distributed control is driven by the need to overcome these system constraints and develop a new growth path for control technology and, as a result, improved turbine engine performance.

Distributed control↗
NASA NTRS1983

Comparison of Results Obtained from Flight Tests and Simulated Tests of a Digital Electronic Engine Control System in an F-15 Airplane

Substantial benefits of a full authority digital electronic engine control on an air breathing engine were demonstrated repeatedly in simulation studies, ground engine tests, and engine altitude test facilities. A digital engine electronic control system showed improvements in efficiency, performance, and operation. An additional benefit of full authority digital controls is the capability of detecting and correcting failures and providing engine health diagnostics.

Myers, Lawrence P.↗