Hierarchical Nonlinear Control of Integrated Propulsion, Power, and Thermal Management Systems for N
Abstract
Abstract (approved for public release)Research problem and objective: Propulsion, Power, and Thermal management (PPT) systems define, the overall capabilities of naval aircraft in terms of range, thermal endurance, operating envelope, component reliability, and mag,azine depth for electronic weaponry. To meet desired warfighter needs for future carrier-based tactical fighter and strike aircraft,, the operation of highly-coupled PPT systems needs to be strategically coordinated across multiple timescales throughout a mission.,Advanced control strategies can provide this coordination and increase overall aircraft capabilities but must directly account for t,he complex, nonlinear dynamics of PPT systems to safely operate these systems at their limits.The proposed research seeks to develop, a foundational theoretical framework for hierarchical model-based control with provable control guarantees for systems with nonline,ar dynamics. This hierarchical approach will also address fundamental issues associated with the uncertainty and control limitations, introduced by the federated design of PPT systems by partially-cooperating contractors.Technical approach: The proposed hierarchica,l control approach utilizes Model Predictive Control (MPC), where PPT system control decisions for the entire aircraft are decompose,d among multiple MPC controllers operating at different timescales and prediction horizons. To capture and utilize the nonlinear dyn,amics of these systems when determining optimal control decisions, each MPC controller will be formulated using Successive Lineariza,tion (SL). By representing the nonlinear dynamics as Linear Time-Varying (LTV) dynamics, a SL approach is capable of finding local,minima of the non-convex MPC optimization problem by iteratively solving multiple convex optimization problems. Additionally, set-ba,sed coordination mechanisms will be used to create contracts between dynamically coupled systems and controllers within the hierarch,y to guarantee safeoperation even in the presence of subsystem uncertainty. The effectiveness of this hierarchical control approach,will be evaluated through a strategic combination of high-fidelity simulations of naval aircraft PPT systems and laboratory-scale ex,perimental testing of aircraft thermal management systems.Anticipated outcome and impact: The proposed research is expected to produ,ce theoretical contributions in the area of dynamic systems and controls through the formation of a nonlinear, set-based hierarchica,l MPC framework. With the goal of safely increasing the overall capabilities of naval aircraft, the impact of these contributions wi,ll be assessed through the practical application of these controllers to both simulated and experimental PPT systems. Additionally,,the proposed technology is a key enabler for the Human-Machine Collaboration aspect of the Defense Department s Third Offset Strateg,y, where the control system ensures efficient and safe operation of an entire aircraft so thatthe human operator is free to make hig,h-level strategic decisions for one or more aircraft.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2022
- Source ID
- N000142212247
Entities
People
- Justin P. Koeln
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Texas at Dallas