Low emission combustion and method of operation

Abstract

A combustor is provided. The combustor includes a combustor liner and a swirl premixer disposed on a head end of the combustor liner and configured to provide a fuel-air mixture to the combustor. The combustor also includes a plurality of tangentially staged injectors disposed downstream of the swirl premixer on the combustor liner, wherein each of the plurality of injectors is configured to introduce the fuel-air mixture in a transverse direction to a longitudinal axis of the combustor and to sequentially ignite the fuel-air mixtures from adjacent tangential injectors.

1 . A combustor, comprising: 
 a combustor liner;    a swirl premixer disposed on a head end of the combustor liner and configured to provide a fuel-air mixture to the combustor; and    a plurality of tangentially staged injectors disposed downstream of the swirl premixer on the combustor liner; wherein each of the plurality of injectors is configured to introduce the fuel-air mixture in a transverse direction to a longitudinal axis of the combustor and to sequentially ignite the fuel-air mixtures from adjacent tangential injectors.    
   
   
       2 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the combustor comprises a can combustor, or a can-annular combustor.  
   
   
       3 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel mixtures introduced through the plurality of injectors are ignited by utilizing heat from previous burnt gases from the injectors.  
   
   
       4 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of injectors are configured to induce a torroidal momentum inside the combustor to facilitate flame stabilization.  
   
   
       5 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the swirl premixer is configured to induce a core swirl of the fuel-air mixture within the combustor during a startup, or an acceleration, or a turndown condition of the combustor.  
   
   
       6 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the combustor comprises a Dry Low Emission (DLE) combustor.  
   
   
       7 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of injectors are configured to introduce the fuel-air mixture in a direction at an angle to the axis of the combustor.  
   
   
       8 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel comprises a natural gas, or hydrogen, or syngas, or a hydrocarbon, or carbon monoxide, or a distillate fuel or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       9 . The combustor of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of dilution holes disposed downstream of the injectors for introducing dilution air to facilitate cooling of combustor walls.  
   
   
       10 . The combustor of  claim 1 , further comprising an igniter to ignite the fuel-air mixture during the startup condition of the combustor.  
   
   
       11 . The combustor of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of injectors are arranged in a staggered configuration on the combustor liner to achieve fuel staging within the combustor.  
   
   
       12 . The combustor of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of injectors may be staggered axially or tangentially to achieve dynamics reduction.  
   
   
       13 . A gas turbine system, comprising: 
 a compressor configured to compress ambient air;    a combustor in flow communication with the compressor, the combustor being configured to receive compressed air from the compressor and to combust a fuel stream to generate a combustor exit gas stream; wherein the combustor comprises: 
 a swirl premixer disposed on a head end of the combustor to induce a core swirl of a fuel-air mixture within the combustor; and  
 a plurality of tangential injectors disposed downstream of the swirl premixer; wherein each of the tangential injectors is configured to introduce fuel-air mixtures in a transverse direction to a longitudinal axis of the combustor to facilitate sequential ignition of the fuel-air mixtures through the injector; and  
   a turbine located downstream of the combustor and configured to expand the combustor exit gas stream.    
   
   
       14 . The gas turbine system of  claim 13 , wherein the combustor comprises a can combustor, or a can-annular combustor.  
   
   
       15 . The gas turbine system of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of injectors is configured to induce a torroidal movement of the fuel-air mixture inside the combustor to facilitate flame stabilization.  
   
   
       16 . The gas turbine system of  claim 15 , wherein the swirl premixer and the plurality of injectors are configured to substantially reduce pollutant emissions from the combustor.  
   
   
       17 . The gas turbine system of  claim 16 , wherein the swirl premixer and the plurality of injectors are configured to facilitate a turndown capability of the combustor and to facilitate mode switching to move from a 0% load to about 100% load.  
   
   
       18 . The gas turbine system of  claim 15 , wherein the core swirl of the fuel-air mixture generated by the swirl premixer facilitates ignition propagation from the swirl premixer to the plurality of injectors.  
   
   
       19 . The gas turbine system of  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of injectors is configured to facilitate self-ignition of the fuel-air mixture through previous burnt gases from an adjacent injector.  
   
   
       20 . The gas turbine system of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of injectors are configured to introduce the fuel-air mixture in a direction at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the combustor.  
   
   
       21 . The gas turbine system of  claim 15 , wherein the fuel comprises a natural gas, or hydrogen, or syngas, or a hydrocarbon, or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       22 . A method of operating a combustor, comprising: 
 generating a core swirl flow of a fuel-air mixture within the combustor through a swirl premixer disposed at a head end of the combustor;    transversely introducing fuel-air mixtures downstream of the swirl premixer through a plurality of injectors; and    sequentially igniting the fuel-air mixtures introduced through each of the injectors by utilizing heat from previous burnt gases from an adjacent injector.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , comprising substantially reducing pollutant emissions generated from the combustor via fuel staging achieved through the swirl premixer and the plurality of injectors.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22 , comprising inducing a toroidal movement of the fuel-air mixture within the combustor to facilitate flame stabilization.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising introducing fuel-air mixtures in a direction at an angle to a longitudinal axis of combustor through the plurality of injectors.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 22 , comprising achieving flame stabilization within the combustor through the swirl premixer during startup of the combustor and subsequently by self-sustaining ignition of the fuel-air mixtures through the plurality of injectors.  
   
   
       27 . A method of reducing emissions from a combustor, comprising: 
 disposing a swirler premixer at a head end of the combustor to provide a core swirl flow of a fuel-air mixture to the combustor; and    coupling a plurality of tangentially staged injectors downstream of the swirler premixer to introduce fuel-air mixtures in a transverse direction to a longitudinal axis of the combustor and to facilitate sequential ignition of the fuel-air mixtures through the injectors.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the core swirl flow of the fuel-air mixture generated by the swirl premixer facilitates ignition propagation from the swirl premixer to the plurality of injectors.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein ignition propagation from the swirl premixer to the plurality of injectors facilitates flame stabilization via recirculation of previous burnt gases within the combustor.  
   
   
       30 . A combustor, comprising: 
 a combustor housing;    a swirl premixer disposed on a head end of the combustor housing and configured to provide a fuel-air mixture to the combustor; and    a plurality of tangentially staged injectors disposed downstream of the swirl premixer on the combustor housing; wherein each of the plurality of injectors is configured to introduce the fuel-air mixture in a transverse direction to a longitudinal axis of the combustor and to sequentially ignite the fuel-air mixtures from adjacent tangential injectors.    
   
   
       31 . The combustor of  claim 30 , wherein the fuel mixtures introduced through the plurality of injectors are ignited by utilizing heat from previous burnt gases from the injectors.  
   
   
       32 . The combustor of  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of injectors are configured to induce a torroidal momentum inside the combustor to facilitate flame stabilization.  
   
   
       33 . The combustor of  claim 30 , wherein the swirl premixer is configured to induce a core swirl of the fuel-air mixture within the combustor during a startup, or an acceleration, or a turndown condition of the combustor.