US 12,215,870 B2
Method of operating a gas turbine combustor comprising injecting a diluent into the primary and secondary combustion zones
Manampathy G. Giridharan, Mason, OH (US); and Pradeep Naik, Bengaluru (IN)
Assigned to GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, Evendale, OH (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Dec. 5, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/529,360.
Application 18/529,360 is a continuation of application No. 17/397,396, filed on Aug. 9, 2021, granted, now 11,846,426.
Claims priority of application No. 202111028367 (IN), filed on Jun. 24, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0102656 A1, Mar. 28, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. F23R 3/34 (2006.01); F02C 3/20 (2006.01); F02C 3/30 (2006.01); F23R 3/36 (2006.01); F23R 3/00 (2006.01); F23R 3/28 (2006.01)
CPC F23R 3/346 (2013.01) [F02C 3/20 (2013.01); F02C 3/30 (2013.01); F23R 3/34 (2013.01); F23R 3/36 (2013.01); F23R 3/002 (2013.01); F23R 3/286 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of operating a gas turbine engine, the method comprising:
flowing compressed air through a combustion chamber of a combustor in a bulk airflow direction from a forward end of the combustion chamber to an outlet of the combustion chamber;
injecting a primary portion of a fuel into a primary combustion zone at the forward end of the combustion chamber using a primary fuel nozzle;
injecting a primary portion of a diluent into the primary combustion zone at the forward end of the combustion chamber;
injecting a secondary portion of the fuel into a secondary combustion zone of the combustion chamber using a secondary fuel nozzle, the secondary combustion zone being located downstream of the primary combustion zone in the bulk airflow direction; and
injecting a secondary portion of the diluent into the combustion chamber,
wherein the primary portion of the diluent being from twenty percent to eighty percent of the diluent injected into the combustion chamber over a time interval, and the secondary portion of the diluent is the remaining portion of the diluent injected into the combustion chamber over the time interval.