Carlos C. Insaurralde

CANbus-based distributed fuel system with smart components

A new distributed control system for fuel management and other avionics applications is introduced. The system consists of a network of smart components such as sensors, valves, and pumps which are connected via a controlled area network bus (CANbus). Thus, no central fuel management computer is required, wiring is simplified, and the weight decreases. The heart of each smart component is a CAN-enabled microcontroller. All smart components share a copy of the same code inside its microcontroller, for easier certification. A distribution methodology has been developed based on a set of automata and on the employment of CANbus (as the communication protocol) for global state broadcasting.

A simulation of aircraft fuel management system

Abstract Aircrafts usually have several fuel tanks, and there are fuel transfers among these tanks along a flight. These transfers are controlled with valves, and may follow several alternative paths, since structural fuel system redundancies are provided for evident reasons. An on board program for the management and reconfiguration of the fuel system must be developed and tested. The article introduces an aircraft fuel management system simulation, which provides a platform for the study of the fuel system logic and sequencing that the on board program must implement for normal flights and for malfunction cases. The simulation environment can be easily modified and extended, for instance to consider the use of new components. A specific example is considered: an aircraft with six tanks in the wings and a tail tank. The article presents a two-layer model, the use of the model for simulation experiments, and some illustrative examples.

Distributed control system for fuel management using CANbus

A new distributed control system for fuel management and other avionics applications is introduced. The system consists in a network of smart components such as sensors, valves and pumps. They are connected via CANbus. No central fuel management computer is required. Wiring is simplified and has less weight. The heart of each smart component is a CAN-enabled microcontroller. All smart components have the same code in their microcontroller, for easier certification. BIT is implemented in each smart component. A protocol is defined for the action sequences and for message exchanging among components. This paper presents first results of an European project joining the efforts of six industry partners and three universities.

Computer Tool With a Code Generator for Avionic Distributed Fuel Control Systems With Smart Sensors and Actuators

This paper describes the development of a graphic computer tool that facilitates the generation of control software for a new distributed fuel management system for aircraft. The system has been the result of a three-year European Community Research Project. The goal was to move from a centralized control architecture to a fully distributed one, where each component of the system makes a decision by itself and the control of the whole system is a shared task. The interchange of information between components is performed via fieldbuses. The graphic computer tool developed is able to perform an automatic code generation starting from a graphic description of the system provided by the user. Thus, different aircraft fuel system configurations can be considered. According to the specific aircraft under study, they can include more or less tanks and components in the system. For each case, the control code of the distributed system can be quickly modified. It can, then, be integrated in each component device to operate in the system. This paper describes the main ideas of the new distributed avionic system and the graphical tool. Some experimental results in a laboratory plant simulator are also shown.

Experimental Results with a New Distributed Aircraft Fuel Control System Which Uses Smart Fieldbus Components

Along the last years a new distributed control system, using smart components and a fieldbus, has been developed and presented in recent DASC conferences. The present application example is the substitution of the conventional central computer aircraft fuel management system, with a new distributed network of smart sensors and actuators, capable of eliminating the need of a central computer. This paper is devoted to recent experimental studies about the performances of the distributed system. In this stage of the research it is interesting to confirm the correct operation of the control system for normal and abnormal fuel system conditions. An important aspect is to take a detailed note of the activity in the fieldbus. Another aspect is to confirm that the dynamic reconfiguration possibilities of the new distributed system, thanks to the smart components, do work in abnormal conditions. The case under study in this paper is more complex than the helicopter case taken initially as reference, now it is an airplane fuel system with six tanks in the wings and a tail tank

Model-Based Development Framework for distributed embedded control of aircraft fuel systems

Model-based approaches for control software architectures reduce risks and costs in the development process of embedded systems. They allow seeing the system-wide analysis impacts of architectural choices, and increases confidence through early verification/validation of the model assumptions. This representation technique is well suitable for a European project named “SmartFuel” which proposes a distributed control strategy for aircraft fuel systems. It is an embedded system with open architecture which allows aircraft-parts manufactures to develop their own commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) fuel components, i.e. networked mechatronic devices. Within the first SmartFuel phase, the verification and validation of the above avionics system has been successfully carried out through prototype-based simulations. The second project phase aims to develop models and tools to analyze, synthesize, and pre-verify/pre-validate by model simulation the avionics system architecture at early development stages. The results expected from the modeling (i.e. prediction of key system features and the automatic code generation for the COTS components) benefit to the development process. This paper presents a Model-Based Development Framework (MBDF) to deal with the avionics system specifications, and the creation of embedded system models. In addition, the experimental outcomes when the MBDF is applied to two case studies (helicopter and airplane fuel systems) are presented.

Automatic code generation tool for avionic fuel distributed control systems

A novel graphic computer tool to generate decentralized fuel control system for avionics is introduced. As a result of a European Community Research Project, a new distributed fuel management system involving fieldbus has been proposed, implemented and tested. Some different target fuel system configurations for aircrafts can be considered and according to their mission, could have more or less tanks and components in the system. For each case, the control code of the distributed system must be quickly modified. Then it can be injected into each field device to operate in the system. This paper focuses on a graphic computer tool that makes easy the control software development together with automatic code generation. This paper describes the main ideas of the new distributed avionic system and the graphical tool. Some experimental results in a laboratory physical simulator are also shown.

IEC 61499 Model for Avionics Distributed Fuel Systems with Networked Embedded Holonic Controllers

A current methodology for modeling distributed control systems (DCSs) is the standard IEC 61499. This technology is mainly applied in modern manufacturing industrial automation but it has begun to extend to other application areas. This paper proposes, in the framework of a European Research Project, a widespread use of IEC 61499, modeling an avionic distributed fuel control system (ADFCS) with smart components. The main Project target is to change the actual centralized system architecture to a full distributed one. This new system architecture includes fieldbuses and intelligence on the system components which are automata with holonic behavior. According to these new fuel system characteristics, IEC 61499 is perfectly suitable to develop it and at a time, it is interesting to spread the development of this kind of system. The paper objective is to propose a graphic modeling representation methodology to create an ADFCS with smart components. Thus, the generalization and systematization of ADFCS developments is achieved. This paper presents the main ideas of the new distributed avionic system and the control modeling of this system with IEC 61499 function blocks (FBs). Also, a particular example of ADFCS is presented; a helicopter fuel system.

A new distributed avionics system based on the CANbus and homogeneous nodes

In this paper a new avionic system based on the CANbus is introduced. Fieldbuses offer less weight, standardised technology and simpler system architecture. This appears in contrast with conventional avionic systems. The paper describes main approaches and results of a European research project. The research proposes a completely distributed control, using smart components connected with a CANbus. The research focuses on the fuel management system of helicopters and aeroplanes. The paper describes the monitoring and control problem to be solved, the distributed control architecture and software, the smart components, and development steps till verification on experimental rigs.

Aircraft fuel management reconfigurable system with smart components for distributed decision

This papers introduces a current research on avionic distributed control systems, using smart components. The research focus on fuel management systems. The nearest experimental target is real flight testing into three years. For safety reasons the new distributed system has to react with pertinent reconfigurations when there are problems in the system, as detected by the smart components. Likewise, it is possible that the fuel plant changes, for instance when extra tanks are added, so the distributed control system has to reconfigure its functionality. The specific experimental platform for the research is an helicopter. The paper describes the control problem, the control distribution concept, the smart components, and the present research for reconfiguration.