CPC F23R 3/40 (2013.01) [F02C 3/22 (2013.01); F02C 7/232 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
1. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a catalytic reactor configured (i) to receive hydrogen fuel, (ii) to receive reaction air containing oxygen from a first airflow path, (iii) to mix the reaction air and the hydrogen fuel, (iv) to catalytically react at least a portion of the oxygen in the reaction air with a portion of the hydrogen in the hydrogen fuel to produce water, and (v) to output a hydrogen fuel and diluent mixture comprising an unreacted portion of the hydrogen in the hydrogen fuel and diluent, the diluent comprising the catalytically produced water; and
a combustor including (a) a combustion chamber having a forward end configured to receive a primary air from a second airflow path and (b) at least one nozzle positioned at the forward end of the combustion chamber, the at least one nozzle fluidly coupled to the catalytic reactor to receive the hydrogen fuel and diluent mixture output by the catalytic reactor to inject the hydrogen fuel and diluent mixture into the combustion chamber; and
a fuel metering valve positioned upstream of the at least one nozzle and downstream of the catalytic reactor relative to a flow of the hydrogen fuel and diluent mixture, the fuel metering valve operable to regulate the flow of the hydrogen fuel and diluent mixture to the at least one nozzle.
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