Model predictive control–based compound control strategy for ducted rockets gas flow with anti-regulation suppression

Variable flow ducted rockets are excellent candidates for propulsion systems in hypersonic vehicles. However, the anti-regulation characteristics of the gas flow not only decrease the stability of ducted rockets but also create difficulties in the control system design. In this study, a model predictive control (MPC)–based compound control algorithm that suppresses the anti-regulation is proposed. First, a mathematical model involving a gas flow regulation system was developed to describe and analyse the anti-regulation. Next, a fused feedback variable that included both the gas flow and the gas generator pressure signal was constructed. An MPC control system with the fused feedback variable was also designed. Then, to accurately predict the gas flow and the anti-regulation, a nonlinear disturbance observer was constructed. To evaluate the performance of the controller, two scenarios that were regulated by a tracking differentiator proportional–integral–derivative controller and a model reference adaptive control controller were constructed and compared. The theoretical results demonstrate that the proposed method exhibited a superior performance compared to previous methods by overcoming the supposed trade-off between the response rate and the anti-regulation of gas flow systems.