US 12,467,411 B2
Methods and apparatus to operate a gas turbine engine with hydrogen gas
Eloise Brightwell, West Chester, OH (US); Douglas M. Fortuna, West Chester, OH (US); Gilbert Henry Badeer, West Chester, OH (US); and Steven Keith Handelsman, Cincinnati, OH (US)
Assigned to GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, Evendale, OH (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Mar. 16, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/696,484.
Application 17/696,484 is a continuation of application No. 17/112,615, filed on Dec. 4, 2020, granted, now 11,306,661.
Prior Publication US 2022/0205393 A1, Jun. 30, 2022
Int. Cl. F02C 7/00 (2006.01); F02C 7/22 (2006.01); F02C 7/232 (2006.01); F02C 9/40 (2006.01); F23R 3/36 (2006.01)
CPC F02C 7/232 (2013.01) [F02C 7/22 (2013.01); F02C 9/40 (2013.01); F23R 3/36 (2013.01); F05D 2220/32 (2013.01); F05D 2240/35 (2013.01); F05D 2270/07 (2013.01); F05D 2270/08 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of operating a gas turbine using a hydrogen gas as fuel, the hydrogen gas being up to 100% hydrogen gas, the method comprising:
injecting an other combustible gas into a combustor via a fuel nozzle; and
determining that the gas turbine is operating at a synchronized idle speed in response to at least one of (i) a power output of the gas turbine satisfying a rated power threshold or (ii) an operating frequency of the gas turbine satisfying an operating frequency threshold;
injecting water into the combustor via the fuel nozzle and increasing a volumetric flow rate of the water from the fuel nozzle after injecting the other combustible gas, when the gas turbine is operating at the synchronized idle speed, and before injecting the hydrogen gas into the combustor;
injecting the hydrogen gas into the combustor via the fuel nozzle directly after increasing the volumetric flow rate of the water injected into the combustor; and
reducing a volumetric flow rate of the other combustible gas after injecting the hydrogen gas into the combustor,
wherein the water injected into the combustor to provide a thermal barrier between the hydrogen gas injected into the combustor and hardware associated with the combustor.