Preliminary Supersonic Flight Test Evaluation of Performance Seeking Control

Orme, John S. and Gilyard, Glenn B. (1993) Preliminary Supersonic Flight Test Evaluation of Performance Seeking Control. Technical Report NASA TM-4494, Research Engineering, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.

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Abstract

Digital flight and engine control, powerful onboard computers, and sophisticated controls techniques may improve aircraft performance by maximizing fuel efficiency, maximizing thrust, and extending engine life. An adaptive performance seeking control system for optimizing the quasi-steady state performance of an F-15 aircraft has been developed and flight tested. This system has three optimization modes: minimum fuel, maximum thrust, and minimum fan turbine inlet temperature. Tests of the minimum fuel and fan turbine inlet temperature modes were performed at a constant thrust. Supersonic single-engine flight tests of the three modes were conducted using varied afterburning power settings. At supersonic conditions, the performance seeking control law optimizes the integrated airframe, inlet, and engine. At subsonic conditions, only the engine is optimized. Supersonic flight tests showed improvements in thrust of 9 percent, increases in fuel savings of 8 percent, and reductions of up to 85 °R in turbine temperatures for all three modes. This paper describes the supersonic performance seeking control structure and gives preliminary results of supersonic performance seeking control tests. These findings have implications for improving performance of civilian and military aircraft.

EPrint Type:	NASA Technical Memorandum
Keywords:	Afterburner controls, Aircraft flight tests, Aircraft performance, Engine control systems, Inlet controls, Propulsion systems (aircraft)
Subjects:	(01 - 09) Aeronautics: (07) Aircraft Propulsion And Power (01 - 09) Aeronautics: (05) Aircraft Design, Testing And Performance Aircraft/Project: F-15 PSC
ID Code:	1058
Deposited On:	24 August 2006
Additional Information:	20 pages. Also presented as AIAA-93-1821 at the 29th AIAA/SAE/ASME/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, Monterey, California, June 28–30, 1993.