Patent ID: 6658856
Filing Date: 2003-12-09
Classification: F02C,F23R

Abstract:
A method of combusting hydrocarbon fuel, comprising:compressing an air stream in a compressor; dividing the air stream into at least one air staging valve air stream and at least one secondary air stream; controllably dividing said air staging valve air stream into at least one bypass flow stream, and at least one primary air stream; introducing said bypass flow stream into a bypass manifold, wherein the output is an output bypass flow stream; introducing said primary air stream into a fuel preparation and mixing section, wherein fuel is injected and mixed to form a fuel/air mixture stream; introducing said fuel/air mixture stream into a catalyst section, wherein a catalyst is located, thereby generating a heat of reaction and a product stream of partially oxidized hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and excess air; combusting said product stream, in a main combustor, at a condition at which appreciable quantities of thermal NOx are not formed, thereby generating an effluent gas stream; and combining said effluent gas stream with said output bypass flow stream and secondary air stream to form an exit effluent gas stream, wherein the temperature and composition of the product stream are selected to control simultaneously the amounts of NOx formed in the main combustor and the stability of the flame in the main combustor, thereby controlling the total amount of NOx in the exit effluent gas stream.