Systems and methods for suppressing thermoacoustic instabilities of flames
OwnerDustin L. Cruise, Galen B. Kinginventors
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Abstract
Systems and methods of operating a combustion burner to affect a flame output from the combustion burner are described. The combustion burner is configured to output the flame from a face of the burner defining a gas flow path in a direction away from the burner, with a positive electrode positioned within or adjacent to the flame, and a negative electrode positioned within or adjacent to the flame. The method includes generating a flame from the burner, generating a first electric field between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, thereby generating a modified flame, and combining a second electric field with the first electric field to affect the modified flame.
Claims20
An apparatus, comprising:
- (a) a combustion burner configured to output a flame and a gas flow from a face of the burner, wherein the gas flow defines a gas flow path in a direction away from the burner;
- (b) a first conductive element positioned within the flame;
- (c) a second conductive element positioned across the face of the burner;
- (d) a power source;
- (e) a positive electrode and a negative electrode each coupled with the power source, wherein the positive electrode is electrically coupled with the first conductive element and the negative electrode is electrically coupled with the second conductive element;
- wherein the positive electrode and the negative electrode are selectively operable to apply a first electric signal to the flame to form a modified flame having a modified flame characteristic relative to the flame;
- and
- wherein the positive electrode and the negative electrode are selectively operable to apply a second electric signal, simultaneous with the first electric signal, to the flame to affect a characteristic of the modified flame.
A method of operating a combustion burner to affect a flame output from the combustion burner, wherein the combustion burner is configured to output the flame from a face of the burner defining a gas flow path in a direction away from the burner, wherein a positive electrode is positioned within or adjacent to the flame, and a negative electrode is within or adjacent to the flame, the method comprising:
- (a) generating a flame from the burner;
- (b) generating a first electric field between the positive electrode and the negative electrode, thereby generating a modified flame;
- (c) combining a second electric field with the first electric field to affect the modified flame, wherein the second electric field selectively generates pinch-off and pocket formation of the modified flame.
A method of operating a combustion burner, wherein the combustion burner is configured to output a flame and a gas flow from a face of the burner defining a gas flow path in a direction away from the burner, wherein a conductive element is positioned across the face of the burner, a positive electrode is positioned within the flame, and a negative electrode is coupled with the conductive element, the method comprising:
- (a) generating a flame from the burner;
- (b) applying a first electric signal and a second electric signal to the flame simultaneously, wherein the first and second electric signals define different frequencies;
- (c) measuring an acoustic characteristic of the burner;
- (d) comparing the acoustic characteristic to a pre-determined acoustic characteristic;
- and
- (e) based upon the comparison, selectively modifying at least the first or second electric signal induced between the positive electrode and the negative electrode to modify the flame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.