Design and Implementation of Model Predictive Controller for Turbofan Engine Fuel Control

In this paper, design and implementation of model predictive controller for turbofan engine fuel control are proposed. The satisfaction of operational and structural limits of the engine is a controller design challenge. The control system must ensure that the engine operates without any limit violation at all times, i.e. without over-speed of the shaft, compressor stall, combustion chamber blow out and turbine over-temperature. In this regard, a controller is required which can take into account these constraints while obtaining an optimal control input. Therefore, the model predictive control for turbofan engine fuel control using a linear model of the engine at one operating point is designed. The simulation results show that while model predictive control generate optimal control signal, all the constraints are perfectly satisfied. After assuring the valid performance of the controller in computer simulations, the fuel control algorithm is implemented on a hardware framework. For this purpose, the controller algorithm is implemented on a microcontroller and hardware-in-the-loop test is performed. The results of the hardware-in-the-loop simulation indicate the correct implementation of the model predictive controller on the hardware framework.