Engine Variability Impact on Reduced Order Thrust Estimation Filters

Toward an intelligent, deterioration accommodating controller for aging turbofan engines

“…However, because thrust is not directly measurable in flight, for any of these methodologies to be implemented a reliable thrust estimate is required. This has led to several different approaches to thrust estimation using standard sensor measurements which have been validated in simulation (4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9) , and progress is being made toward an engine test of model predictive control within the next few years (5) . In this work thrust is controlled directly, with the assumption that a reliable estimate is available.…”