A TEST RIG FOR EXPERIMENTATION ON FAULT TOLERANT CONTROL AND CONDITION MONITORING ALGORITHMS IN FLUID POWER SYSTEMS: FROM DESIGN THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION

This paper reports the relevant aspects of a novel experimental test facility for research on fault tolerant control design and condition monitoring of fluid power systems recently constructed at the University of Manitoba. Common faults and their effects on the operation of valve controlled hydraulic actuators, such as those found in aerospace applications, are summarized first. The manuscript then presents the main features of the test rig and the modifications made to simulate various faults. The design also incorporates techniques to easily simulate load conditions from viscous forces to complex dynamic loads. The significance of the test rig in the development of advanced condition monitoring and fault tolerant control strategies is also illustrated by the presentation of the results of some recent research work conducted using the test facility. By sharing their experience with other investigators in this active area of fluid power research, the authors hope to establish a national benchmark test fa...