Distributed aero-engine control systems architecture selection using multi-objective optimisation

The cost of em bedding intelligence into sensors and actuators directly has dramatically reduced over the past 10 years. This has led to the recent explosion of smart sensors and actuators available from manufacturers. Initially, these have been developed for the process control industries but increasingly applications in aerospace are being found. Integration of intelligent components is being carried out in an ad hoc manner by incorporating smart elements in inherently centralised architectures. This paper discusses the application of a multidisciplinary, multiobjective optimisation approach to a military gas turbine engine control system architecture design, where implementation benefits and penalties must be systematically evaluated. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.