Patent ID: 8151574

Claim:
A gas turbine engine comprising: a compressor; a plenum that receives a source of air from the compressor, the plenum having an air collection device capable of diverting a portion of the air source from the plenum; a premixer in fluid communication with the plenum and capable of mixing the portion of the air source with a supply of natural gas to form a fuel/air mixture, wherein mixing is performed via a molecular diffusion process to ensure a minimum pressure drop; a catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) reactor in fluid communication with the premixer; a shift reactor in fluid communication with the CPOX reactor, wherein the shift reactor is capable of selectively injecting steam from an external steam source into the fuel/air mixture via a steam inlet, wherein the steam inlet selectively injects the steam using a variable valve within the steam inlet that is controlled by a control system; a separator capable of removing carbon dioxide from the fuel/air mixture; and one or more combustion systems in fluid communication with the plenum and the separator, the one or more combustion systems having a plurality of fuel injectors, wherein the fuel/air mixture is directed from the premixer to a catalyst in the CPOX reactor that initiates a partial oxidation of hydrocarbons to carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and wherein the carbon monoxide and hydrogen are then directed to the shift reactor that injects the steam for converting the carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide.