Mean-field synchronization model for open-loop, swirl controlled thermoacoustic system

TL;DR

This paper develops a mean-field synchronization model to describe and predict the transition from thermoacoustic instability to suppression in a combustor controlled by swirl, validated through experiments and detailed analysis.

Contribution

The study extends existing models by incorporating feedback between oscillators and acoustic pressure, accurately capturing the bifurcation and synchronization during instability suppression.

Findings

Model replicates bifurcation and dynamical states accurately.

Transition from bimodal to unimodal pressure PDF during suppression.

Model captures spatio-temporal synchronization aspects.

Abstract

Open-loop control is known to be an effective strategy for controlling self-excited thermoacoustic oscillations in turbulent combustors. In this study, we investigate the suppression of thermoacoustic instability in a lean premixed, laboratory-scale combustor using experiments and analysis. Starting with a self-excited thermoacoustic instability in the combustor, we find that a progressive increase in the swirler rotation rate transitions the system from thermoacoustic instability to the suppressed state through a state of intermittency. To model such transition while also quantifying the underlying synchronization characteristics, we extend the model of Dutta et al. [Phys. Rev. E 99, 032215 (2019)] by introducing a feedback between the ensemble of mean-field phase oscillators and the basis expansion of the acoustic pressure governing equation. The assumption that coupling strength among the oscillators is a linear combination of acoustic and swirler rotation frequency is justified \textit{a posteriori}. The link between the model and experimental results is quantitatively established by implementing an optimization algorithm for model parameter estimation. We show that the model replicates the bifurcation characteristics, time series, probability density function (PDF), and power spectral density (PSD) of the various dynamical states observed during the transition to the suppressed state, to excellent accuracy. Specifically, the model captures the change in the PDF of pressure and heat release rate fluctuations from a bimodal distribution during thermoacoustic instability to a unimodal distribution during suppression. Finally, we discuss the global and local flame dynamics and show that the model qualitatively captures various aspects of spatio-temporal synchronization that underlies the transition.