Patent ID: 8607569

Claim:
A method of assembling a gas turbine engine, said method comprising: coupling a combustor in flow communication with a compressor such that the combustor receives at least some of the air discharged by the compressor; and coupling a fuel nozzle assembly to the combustor, wherein the fuel nozzle assembly includes at least one fuel nozzle that includes: a burner tube including an outer peripheral wall and an inner peripheral wall adjacent to the outer wall such that an annular peripheral cooling passage is defined therebetween; a nozzle center body positioned within the outer wall such that the inner peripheral wall and the nozzle center body define a premixing passage therebetween that is in flow communication with the peripheral cooling passage through at least one outlet orifice; a nozzle cooling passage defined within the nozzle center body is in fluid communication with a source of air or inert gas for channeling therethrough; wherein the air or inert gas is conveyed from said nozzle cooling passage to said peripheral cooling passage; a fuel/air premixer including an outer surface and surrounding a proximal end portion of the nozzle center body; and a thermal barrier coating applied across at least a portion of the fuel/air premixer outer surface, the burner tube, and the nozzle center body to facilitate shielding the fuel/air premixer outer surface, the burner tube, and the nozzle center body from combustion gases.