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n overview of UTRC work in modeling and active control of combustion will be presented. A simplified version of UTRC model for a single acoustic mode has a form of a feedback interconnection of a lightly damped linear 2nd order system, and a nonlinear heat release model involving a saturation nonlinearity and transport delay. The model includes a stochastic disturbance modeling effect of turbulent flow. Analysis predicts that the delay can lead to destabilization of the loop and results in a limit-cycling behavior. The results of analysis using a reduced-order model and experiments with active control using fuel modulation motivated a study of what performance is achievable using active control. Limitations due to unstable eigenvalues, delay, disturbances, and limited actuator authority and bandwidth are studied. Models involving noisy limit cycles are studied using random input describing function analysis. Other emerging challenges for modeling and control of combustion processes involve mixing enhancement with active control. Methods of control theory and dynamical system theory are used to enhance chaotic dynamics beneficial to mixing.

Andrzej Banaszuk Research Engineer Dynamical Systems an Control United Technologies Research Center Phone: 860-610-7381 Fax: 860-610-7909 banasza@utrc.utc.com