A Survey of Intelligent Control and Health Management Technologies for Aircraft Propulsion Systems

TLDR

Intelligent control and health management for aircraft propulsion is well developed in laboratories but remains largely unimplemented in practice, prompting industry and government efforts to reduce lifecycle costs, improve fuel efficiency, and enhance durability. This survey examines the current state of engine control and onboard health management and identifies technologies that could make aircraft propulsion systems self‑diagnostic, self‑prognostic, self‑optimizing, and mission‑adaptable. The paper reviews propulsion control, diagnostics, prognostics, and their integration, focusing on software and algorithmic innovations that can be deployed without major sensor or actuator upgrades. These technologies could yield highly reliable, safer systems that dramatically cut emissions, boost fuel efficiency, lower noise, and reduce costs, though practical implementation issues remain.

Abstract

Intelligent Control and Health Management technology for aircraft propulsion systems is much more developed in the laboratory than in practice. With a renewed emphasis on reducing engine life cycle costs, improving fuel efficiency, increasing durability and life, etc., driven by various government programs, there is a strong push to move these technologies out of the laboratory and onto the engine. This paper describes the existing state of engine control and on-board health management, and surveys some specific technologies under development that will enable an aircraft propulsion system to operate in an intelligent way--defined as self-diagnostic, self-prognostic, self-optimizing, and mission adaptable. These technologies offer the potential for creating extremely safe, highly reliable systems. The technologies will help to enable a level of performance that far exceeds that of today s propulsion systems in terms of reduction of harmful emissions, maximization of fuel efficiency, and minimization of noise, while improving system affordability and safety. Technologies that are discussed include various aspects of propulsion control, diagnostics, prognostics, and their integration. The paper focuses on the improvements that can be achieved through innovative software and algorithms. It concentrates on those areas that do not require significant advances in sensors and actuators to make them achievable, while acknowledging the additional benefit that can be realized when those technologies become available. The paper also discusses issues associated with the introduction of some of the technologies.