Systems and methods for using a combustion dynamics tuning algorithm with a multi-can combustor

A system for controlling a gas turbine engine with multiple cans, the system comprising:

• a plurality of sensors adapted to obtain operating frequency information associated with a respective can;
• a model adapted to receive information from the plurality of sensors, wherein the model is adapted to:
• determine the operating frequency information of at least two cans is within a predefined range;
• based at least in part on the operating frequency information of the at least two cans, determine a median value;
• determine a median target based at least in part on a maximum to median dynamics ratio associated with the at least two cans;
• and
• determine an output based at least in pan on the median value and median target;
• a controller adapted to determine an engine control action based at least in part on the output from the engine model, and further adapted to output a control command to implement the engine control action.

A system adapted to control a gas turbine engine with multiple cans, each can having at least one sensor, the control system comprising:

• at least one model adapted to estimate performance of a gas turbine engine;
• at least one estimator adapted to:
• determine a current state of the engine;
• initialize the at least one model with operating frequency information from the sensors, wherein:
• the operating frequency information of at least two cans is determined to be within a predefined range;
• based at least in part on the operating frequency information of the at least two cans, a median value is determined;
• and
• an output is determined based at least in part on a maximum to median dynamics ratio associated with the at least two cans;
• and
• at least one model-based control adapted to utilize the output from the at least one estimator and to provide at least one control command to the gas turbine engine.