Digital Control of Equivalence Ratio using Chemiluminescence Feedback for a Continuous Combustor

Abstract

Recent pollution requirements and stringent operating conditions for gas turbine engines has prompted the need for real-time feedback control of combustion processes for power production and propulsion. NO and CO pollutants from gas turbine engines have been die focus of many researchers for some time. By accurately controlling the equivalence ratio (EQR), fluctuations to disturbances may be avoided so as to maintain desired levels of NO and CO. In this paper, we develop a feedback technique based on CH chemiluminescence for real-time control of EQR in combustion processes. We focus on a continuous combustor for experimental modeling and implementation. An in-depth presentation is given of model development and digital controller design. An experimental step response and pressure disturbance test is provided for experimental validation of the EQR controller. Equivalence ratio control produces over a 700% decrease in NO emissions for large pressure disturbances. A 1.18 second settling time with only 6.7% overshoot is achieved for EQR commands.

Keywords:

• Chemiluminescence
• Combustion
• Control
• Digital Control
• Equivalence Ratio
• Pollution

Notes

* Corresponding Author: King [email protected]