Engine Icing Modeling and Simulation (Part 2): Performance Simulation of Engine Rollback Phenomena 2011-38-0026

Ice buildup in the compressor section of a commercial aircraft gas turbine engine can cause a number of engine failures. One of these failure modes is known as engine rollback: an uncommanded decrease in thrust accompanied by a decrease in fan speed and an increase in turbine temperature. This paper describes the development of a model which simulates the system level impact of engine icing using the Commercial Modular Aero-Propulsion System Simulation 40k (C-MAPSS40k). When an ice blockage is added to C-MAPSS40k, the control system responds in a manner similar to that of an actual engine, and, in cases with severe blockage, an engine rollback is observed. Using this capability to simulate engine rollback, a proof-of-concept detection scheme is developed and tested using only typical engine sensors. This paper concludes that the engine control system's limit protection is the proximate cause of iced engine rollback and that the controller can detect the buildup of ice particles in the compressor section. This work serves as a feasibility study for continued research into the detection and mitigation of engine rollback using the propulsion control system.