Honeywell International Inc.

Jansen's Aircraft Systems Controls, Inc.

Matthew C Caspermeyer

Harvey B Jansen

Ian L Critchley

Bruce Anson

Mike W Scott

An active combustion control device provides modulated fuel flow to the combustor of a turbine engine to mitigate combustion instability. The device includes a valve unit and an electronic valve driver controlling translation and rotation components in the valve unit that drive a metering member having a modulating end. The axial position and rotation of the end geometries relative to static flow ports inside the valve unit modulate the fuel flowing from the valve unit to the combustor atomizer. The amplitude and frequency of the modulated fuel flow match that of the instable combustor fuel flow and the phase is offset by 180 degrees so that the resultant fuel flow is at or near a stable state.

Active combustion control for turbine engine

The present invention provides an adaptive combustion controller and method for a turbine engine. The adaptive combustion controller and method modulates the fuel flow to the turbine engine combustor to reduce combustion instabilities. In particular, the adaptive combustion controller includes a fuel flow phase controller and a fuel flow magnitude controller. The adaptive combustion controller receives sensor data from the turbine engine. In response to the sensor data the fuel flow phase controller adjusts the phase of the modulated fuel flow to reduce instabilities in the combustor. Likewise, in response to the sensor data the fuel flow magnitude controller adjusts the magnitude of the modulated fuel flow to further reduce the instabilities in the combustor. By modulating the fuel flow to the combustor, and adaptively adjusting the phase and magnitude of the modulated fuel flow, the adaptive combustion controller is able to effectively reduce combustion instabilities.

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Phoenix, AZ, United States of America

Matthew C Caspermeyer