MAINTENANCE OF CHAOS IN A COMPUTATIONAL MODEL OF A THERMAL PULSE COMBUSTOR

The dynamics of a thermal pulse combustor model are examined. it is fo und that, as a parameter related to the fuel flow rate is varied, the combustor will undergo a transition from periodic pulsing to chaotic p ulsing to a chaotic transient leading to flameout. Results from the nu merical model are compared to those obtained from a laboratory-scale t hermal pulse combustor. Finally the technique of maintenance (or antic ontrol) of chaos is successfully applied to the model, with the result that the operation of the combustor can be continued well into the fl ameout regime. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.