Laboratory Testing of Controls for Aircraft Turbine Engines Free

Gas turbine engine controls have been developed integrally with the development engine. This dependence of the control development on the engine development cycle can jeopardize engine running, and is expensive in that the engine is being used as a tool in developing its own control. A test facility which integrates computers and interfacing hardware was assembled for developing controls in parallel with engine development. The test facility allows exercising the complete control system over its operating range prior to engine running, and has the capability of representing any type of engine. The development of such a test facility will be discussed in this paper.