Robust control of combustion oscillations

The physics involved in combustion oscillations is complex, and the controller design has frequently been hampered by the lack of reliable models. We make use of a new theory, based on the constant flame speed model of Fleifil et al. (1996), for the nonlinear oscillations of a ducted flame burning in the wake of a bluff-body flame-holder to provide a vehicle on which a robust controller is developed. The feedback control we consider involves the unsteady addition of fuel in response to a signal monitoring the oscillation. A linear design is produced using H_∞ loop-shaping techniques