System and method for control of a gas turbine engine
A method and system of controlling a turboprop engine are described. The method comprises obtaining a propeller speed and a pressure-based measurement signal from a torque pressure transducer coupled to the turboprop engine, determining an output power of the turboprop engine from the pressure-based measurement and the propeller speed, calculating a gas generator speed request based on an error between the output power and a reference power, determining a fuel flow command based on the gas generator speed request, and issuing the fuel.
1. A method of controlling a turboprop engine, the method comprising:
obtaining a propeller speed and a pressure-based measurement signal from a torque pressure transducer coupled to the turboprop engine;
determining an output power of the turboprop engine from the pressure-based measurement and the propeller speed;
calculating a gas generator speed request based on an error between the output power and a reference power;
determining a fuel flow command based on the gas generator speed request; and
issuing the fuel flow command to fuel control components to control fuel to the turboprop engine.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the gas generator speed request is calculated by an outer control loop and the fuel flow command is determined by an inner control loop of a control structure.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the torque pressure transducer is a differential oil pressure transducer.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the torque pressure transducer obtains the pressure-based measurement signal across a reduction gearbox of the engine.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is performed by an electronic engine control (EEC).
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the torque pressure transducer is connected to the EEC.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising filtering the pressure-based measurement signal as obtained from the torque pressure transducer.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein filtering the pressure-based measurement signal comprises removing frequencies corresponding to propeller blades passing the torque pressure transducer.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reference power for the engine is based on a position of a power lever.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting a momentary loss of the pressure-based measurement signal from the torque pressure transducer and maintaining a feedback command from a feedback controller during the momentary loss.
11. A system for controlling a turboprop engine, the system comprising:
at least one processing unit; and
a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon program code executable by the at least one processing unit for:
obtaining a propeller speed and a pressure-based measurement signal from a torque pressure transducer coupled to the turboprop engine;
determining an output power of the turboprop engine from the pressure-based measurement and the propeller speed;
calculating a gas generator speed request based on an error between the output power and a reference power;
determining a fuel flow command based on the gas generator speed request; and
issuing the fuel flow command to fuel control components to control fuel to the turboprop engine.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the gas generator speed request is calculated by an outer control loop and the fuel flow command is determined by an inner control loop of a control structure.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the torque pressure transducer is a differential oil pressure transducer.
14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the torque pressure transducer obtains the pressure-based measurement signal across a reduction gearbox of the turboprop engine.
15. The system of claim 11 , wherein the system is an electronic engine control (EEC).
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the torque pressure transducer is connected to the EEC.
17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the program code is further executable for filtering the pressure-based measurement signal as obtained from the torque pressure transducer.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein filtering the pressure-based measurement signal comprises removing frequencies corresponding to propeller blades passing the torque pressure transducer.
19. The system of claim 11 , wherein the reference power for the engine is based on a position of a power lever.
20. The system of claim 11 , wherein the program code is further executable for detecting a momentary loss of the pressure-based measurement signal from the torque pressure transducer and maintaining a feedback command from a feedback controller during the momentary loss.