The invention discloses a system for effecting a control strategy in a reactive flow field of a turbulent flow system. The system is configured to analyze flow field properties such as velocity, heat release rate, or mixture fraction of a device during the onset of the oscillatory instability using measures from complex network theory such as betweenness centrality, degree, or closeness. The system identifies critical regions in the flow field responsible for the oscillatory instability. Further, the system also identifies optimal control strategies to avoid the onset of oscillatory instabilities by analyzing the relative strength of various network parameters and thereby controlling oscillatory instabilities which are detrimental to the fluid dynamic system. The disclosed method and system provide for optimization of control of oscillatory instabilities in fluid dynamic systems.

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for controlling 4 a process within a system, particularly a combustion process in a boiler or furnace, comprising the following steps: capturing 1 of state variables (s.sub.t) of the system; creating 2 an interference model, which describes the effects of interference-based system changes (v.sub.t) on the state variables (s.sub.t) of the system; creating 3 a process model, which describes the effects of setting actions (a.sub.t) on the state variables (s.sub.t) of the system; and controlling 4 the process within the system by performing setting actions (a.sub.t) by considering the process model, the interference model and predetermined controlling goals.

A system configured to generate heat when supplied with a first fuel or a second fuel can include a fuel supply line operatively connected to a fuel source. A valve assembly can be operatively connected to the fuel supply line. A main burner can be operatively connected to the valve assembly. A thermoelectric generating system can be configured to transform heat to electricity. A first pilot burner can include at least one of a first thermocouple and a first Fe-ion sensor. A second pilot burner can include at least one of a second thermocouple and a second Fe-ion sensor. A printed circuit board (PCB) can be operatively connected to the valve assembly and the first and second pilot burners. The PCB can be configured to control operation of the valve assembly based on information received from at least one of the first and second pilot burners.

Real-time dynamic optimization of a process model in an online model-based process control computing environment. A mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) solver utilizes grouping of first-principle model units to implement constraints of the underlying process. A group identifier parameter and a group complement parameter enable the grouping behavior through association with the first-principles model units.

The invention discloses a system for effecting a control strategy in a reactive flow field of a turbulent flow system. The system is configured to analyze flow field properties such as velocity, heat release rate, or mixture fraction of a device during the onset of the oscillatory instability using measures from complex network theory such as betweenness centrality, degree, or closeness. The system identifies critical regions in the flow field responsible for the oscillatory instability. Further, the system also identifies optimal control strategies to avoid the onset of oscillatory instabilities by analyzing the relative strength of various network parameters and thereby controlling oscillatory instabilities which are detrimental to the fluid dynamic system. The disclosed method and system provide for optimization of control of oscillatory instabilities in fluid dynamic systems.

A furnace controller for a modulating furnace that helps provide a balance between energy efficiency and occupant comfort across various burner firing rates and/or across various circulating blower speeds. In some cases, the furnace controller can be configured to permit a user to customize operation of the furnace in accordance with their particular needs and/or desires with respect to efficiency and comfort. A selection may be made between an energy efficiency setting and a user comfort setting. Then, a plenum parameter such as a discharge air temperature (DAT) or discharge air flow (DAF) may be regulated in accordance with the selected setting.

A heat controlled oven system includes a plurality of oven levels, including an oven belt and gas burners; a gas flow network, including a gas supply line, a variable flow control valve, and on/off flow control valves; and a heat control unit, including a processor, a non-transitory memory, and input/output component, a heat modeler, a heat manager, a feedback controller, and a valve controller, such that the heat control unit is configured to calculate an estimated heat demand to adjust to a temperature set point, based on a heat model of the at least one oven level, and further calculates an optimized heat demand using a control loop feedback algorithm. Also disclosed is a method of heat calculation for an oven, including defining a heat model, calculating and optimizing the estimated heat demand, calculating and setting a variable valve position for the gas burners.

Real-time dynamic optimization of a process model in an online model-based process control computing environment. A mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) solver utilizes grouping of first-principle model units to implement constraints of the underlying process. A group identifier parameter and a group complement parameter enable the grouping behavior through association with the first-principles model units.

A heat controlled oven system includes a plurality of oven levels, including an oven belt and gas burners; a gas flow network, including a gas supply line, a variable flow control valve, and on/off flow control valves; and a heat control unit, including a processor, a non-transitory memory, and input/output component, a heat modeler, a heat manager, a feedback controller, and a valve controller, such that the heat control unit is configured to calculate an estimated heat demand to adjust to a temperature set point, based on a heat model of the at least one oven level, and further calculates an optimized heat demand using a control loop feedback algorithm. Also disclosed is a method of heat calculation for an oven, including defining a heat model, calculating and optimizing the estimated heat demand, calculating and setting a variable valve position for the gas burners.

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for controlling 4 a process within a system, particularly a combustion process in a boiler or furnace, comprising the following steps: capturing 1 of state variables (s.sub.t) of the system; creating 2 an interference model, which describes the effects of interference-based system changes (v.sub.t) on the state variables (s.sub.t) of the system; creating 3 a process model, which describes the effects of setting actions (a.sub.t) on the state variables (s.sub.t) of the system; and controlling 4 the process within the system by performing setting actions (a.sub.t) by considering the process model, the interference model and predetermined controlling goals.