Inverted decoupling and LMI-based controller design for a turboprop engine with actuator dynamics

Abstract The main objective of the turboprop engine control system is to ensure propeller absorbed power at a constant propeller speed by controlling fuel flow and blade angle. Since each input variable affects the selected output variables, there exist strong interactions between different control loops of a Two-Spool TurboProp Engine (TSTPE). Inverted decoupling is used to decouple the interactions and decompose the TSTPE into two independent single-input single-output systems. The multi-variable PI controller and two single-variable PI controllers are designed for the TSTPE with actuator dynamics based on Linear Matrix Inequality (LMI), respectively, which is derived from static output feedback and pole placement condition. The step responses show that due to the difference in the response times of the selected output variables, it is difficult to design an appropriate multi-variable PI controller. The designed single-variable PI controllers are tested on the TSTPE integrated model to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, that is, the interactions are first decoupled and then the controllers are designed, and the resulting simulated responses show that compared with the controller designed without actuator dynamics, the gas-generator shaft speed and power turbine shaft speed can better track their respective commands under the action of the controller designed with actuator dynamics.