Minimum specific fuel consumption performance-seeking control for variable cycle engine based on CHOA-SQP hybrid algorithm and active disturbance rejection control

Abstract To reduce specific fuel consumption (SFC) of aero-engine, increase the combat radius of fighter jets, improve economic performance, and contribute to energy conservation and emission reduction, this paper proposes a hybrid optimization algorithm combining the chimp optimization algorithm (ChOA) and sequential quadratic programming (SQP). The algorithm ensures effective optimization while significantly reducing solving time. Focusing on a double bypass variable cycle engine, a sensitivity analysis is conducted to select optimal control variables. An intelligent optimization control system integrates ChOA-SQP with active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) for minimum SFC optimization. Results indicate that ChOA achieves a 7.28 % average SFC reduction, SQP achieves 6.71 %, and ChOA-SQP achieves 7.47 %, with ChOA-SQP reducing SFC an additional 0.57 % compared to SQP and 0.19 % compared to ChOA. Convergence time is only 24.25 % of ChOA and 109.75 % of SQP, with a convergence speed faster than ChOA and similar to SQP. The system transitions seamlessly to the minimum SFC point while ensuring safe engine operation, reducing SFC by 7.58 % at the subsonic cruise design point and 5.69 % at the supersonic cruise design point, with maximum thrust fluctuations of 0.87 % and 0.95 %, respectively.