Apparatus and method for gas turbine active combustion control system

An apparatus for active control modulation of a flame in a combustor having instabilities, wherein the instabilities cause natural oscillation, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one actuator, wherein the at least one actuator periodically injects pulsed fuel into the combustor;
• a sensor connected to the combustion chamber down stream from an inlet, wherein the sensor generates a signal based on the pressure oscillations in the combustor;
• a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) microvalve adapted to modulate fuel flow into the combustor;
• a fuel flow sensor downstream of the microvalve and having a bandwidth capable of detecting modulations of the fuel flow of the MEMS microvalve;
• and
• a control system coupled to the at least one loop actuator and responsive to the sensor, the control system performing a real time spectral analysis of the dynamic pressure measured by the combustor pressure sensor and determining a main pressure frequency and at least one sympathetic frequency in the combustor,
• wherein the control system prompts the at least one actuator to periodically inject pulsed fuel into the combustor at the at least one sympathetic frequency and magnitude, and wherein the control system controls the amplitude of the pressure oscillations in the combustor by modulating the natural oscillations.