System and method for synchronizing the operation of airfoil actuators of a gas turbine engine

1. A method for controlling the operation of a gas turbine engine comprising a first actuator for adjusting the angular position of at least one airfoil included within a first array of airfoils of the gas turbine engine and a second actuator for adjusting the angular position of at least one airfoil included within a second array of airfoils of the gas turbine engine, the method comprising:

monitoring, with a controller of the gas turbine engine, an operating parameter of the gas turbine engine;

determining, with the controller, a first position demand for controlling an operation of the first actuator based, at least in part, on the monitored operating parameter;

controlling, with the controller, the operation of the first actuator based, at least in part, on the first position demand to adjust the angular position of the at least one airfoil included within the first array of airfoils;

determining, with the controller, a second position demand for controlling an operation of the second actuator based, at least in part, on the first position demand;

adjusting, with the controller, the second position demand based, at least in part, on a bias value associated with controlling the operation of the second actuator; and

controlling, with the controller, the operation of the second actuator based, at least in part, on the adjusted second position demand to adjust the angular position of the at least one airfoil included within the second array of airfoils.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, with the controller, the bias value associated with controlling the operation of the second actuator based, at least in part, on a predetermined position relationship defined for the first and second actuators.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, with the controller, a desired position setting for the second actuator based, at least in part, on an actual position of the first actuator and a predetermined position relationship defined for the first and second actuators.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising determining, with the controller, a position error between the desired position setting for the second actuator and an actual position of the second actuator.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising determining, with the controller, the bias value associated with controlling the operation of the second actuator based, at least in part, on the position error between the desired position setting for the second actuator and the actual position of the second actuator.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising limiting, with the controller, the bias value determined based, at least in part, on the position error to a value defined within a predetermined range of bias values.

7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

comparing, with the controller, the position error to a deadband range; and

applying a gain to modify the position error if the position error falls outside the deadband range.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising determining, with the controller, the bias value associated with controlling the operation of the second actuator based, at least in part, on the modified position error.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the adjusted second position demand comprises summing the second position demand and the bias value.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second arrays of airfoils correspond to separate arrays of variable stator vanes of a compressor of the gas turbine engine.

11. A system for controlling the operation of a gas turbine engine, the system comprising:

at least one airfoil included within a first array of airfoils of the gas turbine engine;

at least one airfoil included within a second array of airfoils of the gas turbine engine;

a first actuator configured to adjust an angular position of the at least one airfoil of the first array of airfoils;

a second actuator configured to adjust an angular position of the at least one airfoil of the second array of airfoils;

a controller configured to control an operation of the first and second actuators, the controller including a processor and associated memory, the memory storing instructions that, when implemented by the processor, configure the controller to:

monitor an operating parameter of the gas turbine engine;

determine a first position demand for controlling the operation of the first actuator based, at least in part, on the monitored operating parameter;

control the operation of the first actuator based, at least in part, on the first position demand to adjust the angular position of the at least one airfoil included within the first array of airfoils;

determine a second position demand for controlling the operation of the second actuator based, at least in part, on the first position demand;

adjust the second position demand based, at least in part, on a bias value associated with controlling the operation of the second actuator; and

control the operation of the second actuator based, at least in part, on the adjusted second position demand to adjust the angular position of the at least one airfoil included within the second array of airfoils.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the second position demand based, at least in part, on a predetermined position relationship defined for the first and second actuators.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a desired position setting for the second actuator based, at least in part, on an actual position of the first actuator and a predetermined position relationship defined for the first and second actuators.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a position error between the desired position setting for the second actuator and an actual position of the second actuator.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the bias value associated with controlling the operation of the second actuator based, at least in part, on the position error between the desired position setting for the second actuator and the actual position of the second actuator.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to limit the bias value determined based, at least in part, on the position error to a value defined within a predetermined range of bias values.

17. The system of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to compare the position error to a deadband range, and wherein the controller is configured to apply a gain to modify the position error if the position error falls outside the deadband range.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the bias value associated with controlling the operation of the second actuator based, at least in part, on the modified position error.

19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first and second arrays of airfoils correspond to separate arrays of variable stator vanes of a compressor of the gas turbine engine.