Patent ID: 7966801

Claim:
An active combustion control system (ACCS) comprising: a combustor pressure sensor for measuring a dynamic pressure within a 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 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 sends a signal to the MEMS microvalve to modulate fuel flow into the combustor at a frequency coinciding with the main pressure frequency or the at least one sympathetic frequency in response to pressure oscillations indicative of an onset of lean blow out (LBO) or unacceptable combustion dynamics within the combustor.