Integrated Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulation of a Complex Turbine Engine and Power System

The interdependency between propulsion, power, and thermal subsystems on military aircraft such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) and F-22 Raptor continues to increase as advanced war-fighting capabilities including solid-state radars, electronic attack, electric actuation, and Directed Energy Weaponry (DEW) expand to meet Air Force needs. Novel analysis and testing methodologies are required to predict these interdependencies and address adverse interactions prior to costly hardware prototyping. As a result, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has established a dynamic hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test-bed wherein transient simulations can be integrated through advanced real-time simulation with prototype hardware for integrated system studies and analysis. This paper details a test-bed configuration where a dynamic simulation of an aircraft turbine engine is utilized to control a dual-head electric drive stand. The drive stand is connected to an electric generator and associated power system implemented in hardware. The electromagnetic torque produced by the generator is measured and fed back into the turbine engine simulation as a load to the shaft. The HIL capability of this test-bed configuration enables reduced cost altitude testing, supports the design and analysis of integrated starter/generators and alternative power/propulsion architectures, and sets the stage for advanced integrated turbine engine/generator control design.