Patent ID: 8453461

Claim:
A method for reducing electrical production from a power plant, comprising the steps of: compressing ambient air into a compressed ambient gas flow with at least one main air compressor; delivering at least a first portion of the compressed ambient gas flow, with a first compressed ambient gas flow rate, to a turbine combustor that is fluidly connected to the at least one main air compressor; delivering a fuel stream, having a fuel stream flow rate, to the turbine combustor for mixing with the at least a first portion of the compressed ambient gas flow and with at least a first portion of an exhaust gas flow to form a combustible mixture, wherein the fuel stream flow rate has a first flow rate; burning the combustible mixture with substantially stoichiometric combustion in the turbine combustor, thereby forming the exhaust gas flow and driving a turbine connected to a turbine compressor via a turbine shaft and operating the power plant at a first load, wherein the first load is in a range of about 50% to about 100% of a maximum load; recirculating at least a first portion of the exhaust gas flow from the turbine to the turbine compressor using a recirculation loop; delivering at least a second portion of the exhaust gas flow to an exhaust path; reducing the fuel stream flow rate to a second flow rate that is less than the first flow rate and reducing the first compressed ambient gas flow rate to a second compressed ambient gas flow rate that is less than the first compressed ambient gas flow rate, wherein substantially stoichiometric combustion is maintained and the power plant is operated at a second load that is lower than the first load, wherein the second load is in a range of about 50% to about 100% of the maximum load; and reducing the fuel stream flow rate to a third flow rate that is less than the second flow rate, wherein non-stoichiometric combustion is achieved and the power plant is operated at a third load that is lower than the second load, wherein the third load is less than about 50% of the maximum load.