Multi-objective adaptive sliding manifold control for More Electric Aircraft

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Control Systems Theory
• Aerospace Engineering

Background:

• The "More Electric Aircraft" (MEA) initiative necessitates sophisticated multi-objective control for onboard electrical systems.
• Traditional stability analysis methods like "small signal" analysis are insufficient due to changing operating points in MEA.
• Standard Proportional-Integral (PI) and Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controllers may face limitations in MEA applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To theoretically assess the stability of controlled electrical devices in MEA using nonlinear mathematical tools.
• To develop and validate a robust control strategy capable of autonomously switching between multiple objectives.
• To address the challenges posed by uncertain system parameters in the harsh aircraft environment.

Main Methods:

• Utilized nonlinear mathematical tools for rigorous stability analysis.
• Implemented a sliding mode control strategy with an adaptive sliding manifold for dual control objectives (battery charging and generator current limiting).
• Employed an automaton supervisor for seamless switching between control objectives.
• Conducted detailed simulations across various scenarios and proposed hardware implementation.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated the theoretical stability of the proposed control approach using nonlinear analysis.
• The adaptive sliding mode control exhibited enhanced robustness, crucial for uncertain MEA system parameters.
• Simulations and hardware implementation comparisons confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed strategy over traditional PI control.

Conclusions:

• The proposed sliding mode control with adaptive sliding manifold offers a robust and stable solution for multi-objective control in More Electric Aircraft.
• This approach effectively manages critical functions like battery charging and generator current limiting under uncertain operating conditions.
• The findings suggest a significant improvement over conventional control methods for advanced aerospace electrical systems.