Patent ID: 8079218

Claim:
A fuel nozzle for a gas turbine comprising: a nozzle body defining an exterior and an axial direction, said nozzle body also having a tip portion; an inner tube extending axially within said nozzle body and defining an inner passage; an intermediate tube extending axially within said nozzle body, said intermediate tube concentrically arranged and radially spaced from said inner tube and defining an intermediate passage therebetween; an outer tube extending axially within said nozzle body, said outer tube concentrically arranged and radially spaced from said intermediate tube and defining an outer passage therebetween; and a plug attached to the tip portion of said nozzle body, said plug defining a first port connected to the outer passage; wherein said outer tube defines a second port connected to the exterior, said second port located near the tip portion of said nozzle body at a position proximate to the first port such that during normal conditions the first port is closed by said outer tube while during flameholding conditions the outer tube slides relative to said plug so as to connect the second port with the first port and thereby connect the outer passage to the exterior of said nozzle body.