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A combustion system may include a plurality of heated volume portions. At least two of the plurality of heated volume portions may include corresponding respective electrodes. The electrodes may be driven to produce respective electric fields in their respective volumes. The electric fields may be c

A combustion system may include a plurality of heated volume portions. At least two of the plurality of heated volume portions may include corresponding respective electrodes. The electrodes may be driven to produce respective electric fields in their respective volumes. The electric fields may be configured to drive desired respective responses.

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1. A system for controlling a plurality of electric fields in a combustion system including at least one burner supporting a flame, comprising: an electronic controller programmed to produce at least a first electrode drive signal and a second electrode drive signal independent from the first electr

1. A system for controlling a plurality of electric fields in a combustion system including at least one burner supporting a flame, comprising: an electronic controller programmed to produce at least a first electrode drive signal and a second electrode drive signal independent from the first electrode drive signal;at least one first electrode arranged proximate a burner and operatively coupled to receive the first electrode drive signal, the first electrode being configured to apply, proximate a flame supported by the burner, a first electric field corresponding to the first electrode drive signal; andat least one second electrode arranged distal, in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the burner, from the burner, relative to the at least one first electrode, and operatively coupled to receive the second electrode drive signal, the second electrode being configured to apply a second electric field corresponding to the second electrode drive signal. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one first electrode and at least one second electrode includes at least two electrodes. 3. The system of claim 1, further comprising: at least one first sensor operatively coupled to the electronic controller and configured to sense a condition proximate the flame supported by the burner. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to sense a combustion parameter of the flame. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one first sensor includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a flame luminance sensor, a photo-sensor, an infrared sensor, a fuel flow sensor, a temperature sensor, a flue gas temperature sensor, a radio frequency sensor, and a flow sensor. 6. The system of claim 3, wherein the at least one first sensor includes a sensor located proximate the burner. 7. The system of claim 6, further comprising: at least one second sensor operatively coupled to the electronic controller and configured to sense a condition distal, in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the burner, from the flame supported by the burner, relative to the condition sensed by the at least one first burner. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one second sensor includes a sensor located distal, in the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the burner, from the burner, relative to the at least one first sensor. 9. The system of claim 7, wherein the at least one second sensor includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a transmissivity sensor, a particulate sensor, a temperature sensor, an ion sensor, a surface coating sensor, an acoustic sensor, a CO sensor, an O2 sensor, and an oxide of nitrogen sensor. 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller further includes a communications interface configured to receive at least one input variable. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to determine at least one parameter of at least one of the first and second electric field drive signals responsive to the at least one input variable. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one input variable includes at least one selected from the group consisting of fuel flow rate, electrical demand, steam demand, turbine demand, fuel type, carbon footprint cast, and emission credit value. 13. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic controller is further configured to produce at least one of a fuel flow control signal and an air flow control signal. 14. The system of claim 13, further comprising: a valve operatively coupled to receive the fuel flow control signal and responsively modulate a fuel flow rate to the burner. 15. The system of claim 13, further comprising: a blower operatively coupled to receive the air flow control signal and responsively modulate an air flow rate to the flame. 16. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic controller includes at least a first electronic controller configured to provide the first electrode drive signal and a second electronic controller configured to provide the second electrode drive signal. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first and second controllers are operatively coupled to one another. 18. The system of claim 1 wherein the electronic controller is configured to produce the first and second electrode drive signals such that the first and second electric fields produce different responses from one another in a combustion system including the burner. 19. The system of claim 7 wherein the electronic controller is configured to control a parameter of the combustion system by controlling the first and second electrode drive signals such that the first and second electric fields act cooperatively to produce a selected response related to the parameter. 20. The system of claim 7, wherein the electronic controller is configured to control the first electrode drive signal in response to a first sensor signal produced by the at least one first sensor, and to control the second electrode drive signal in response to a second sensor signal produced by the at least one second sensor. 21. The system of claim 7, wherein the electronic controller is configured to control a first parameter of the combustion system by controlling the first electrode drive signal in response to a first sensor signal produced by the at least one first sensor, and to control a second parameter of the combustion system by controlling the second electrode drive signal in response to a second sensor signal produced by the at least one second sensor. 22. An external combustion system, comprising: at least one burner configured to support at least one flame disposed in a combustion chamber;an electronic controller programmed to produce at least a first electrode drive signal and a second electrode drive signal independent from the first electrode drive signal;at least one first electrode positioned proximate to the combustion chamber, operatively coupled to the electronic controller, configured to receive the first electrode drive signal, and configured to apply a first time-varying electric field in the combustion chamber and near the at least one flame; andat least one second electrode positioned downstream of the at least one first electrode and positioned proximate to a heat exchange volume that is positioned and configured to receive at least hot gases from the combustion chamber, the at least one second electrode being operatively coupled to the electronic controller and configured to receive the second electrode drive signal; the at least one second electrode being further configured to apply a second time-varying electric field within the heat exchange volume and near the hot gases. 23. The external combustion system of claim 22, wherein the electronic controller further comprises: at least one electrode drive circuit configured to drive the at least one first electrode and the at least one second electrode to apply the respective first and second time-varying electric fields. 24. The external combustion system of claim 22, wherein the first and second electric fields have different time variations. 25. The external combustion system of claim 24, wherein the time variation of the first electric field is selected to increase an extent of reaction compared to not applying the first electric field. 26. The external combustion system of claim 24, wherein the at least hot gases include charged particles, and wherein the time variation of the second electric field is selected to drive the charged particles in at least one first direction. 27. The external combustion system of claim 26, wherein driving the charged particles in the first direction also propels at least a portion of the hot gases in the at least one first direction. 28. The external combustion system of claim 26, wherein the at least one first direction impinges upon at least one heat transfer surface. 29. The external combustion system of claim 26, wherein the at least one first direction includes a path back to the combustion chamber. 30. The external combustion system of claim 26, wherein the time variation of the second electric field is selected to sequentially drive the charged particles in the at least one first direction and an at least one second direction. 31. The external combustion system of claim 22, wherein the at least hot gases include charged particles, and wherein the second time varying electric field is configured to separate the charged particles from the hot gases. 32. The external combustion system of claim 22, further comprising: a fuel delivery system configured to deliver fuel to the at least one burner. 33. The external combustion system of claim 22, further comprising: a heat delivery system configured to receive heat from at least the hot gases and deliver the heat to a remote location. 34. The external combustion system of claim 33, further comprising: a steam turbine configured to receive the heat at the remote location. 35. The external combustion system of claim 22, wherein the at least one first electrode is configured to apply the first time-varying electric field to extend through the at least one flame.