IEC 61499 Model for Avionics Distributed Fuel Systems with Networked Embedded Holonic Controllers

A current methodology for modeling distributed control systems (DCSs) is the standard IEC 61499. This technology is mainly applied in modern manufacturing industrial automation but it has begun to extend to other application areas. This paper proposes, in the framework of a European Research Project, a widespread use of IEC 61499, modeling an avionic distributed fuel control system (ADFCS) with smart components. The main Project target is to change the actual centralized system architecture to a full distributed one. This new system architecture includes fieldbuses and intelligence on the system components which are automata with holonic behavior. According to these new fuel system characteristics, IEC 61499 is perfectly suitable to develop it and at a time, it is interesting to spread the development of this kind of system. The paper objective is to propose a graphic modeling representation methodology to create an ADFCS with smart components. Thus, the generalization and systematization of ADFCS developments is achieved. This paper presents the main ideas of the new distributed avionic system and the control modeling of this system with IEC 61499 function blocks (FBs). Also, a particular example of ADFCS is presented; a helicopter fuel system.