Patent ID: 7007487

Claim:
A recuperated gas turbine engine system employing catalytic combustion, comprising: a compressor arranged to receive air and to compress the air; a fuel system operable to supply fuel into the compressor, such that a mixture of compressed air and fuel is discharged from the compressor; a catalytic combustor operable to combust the mixture to produce hot combustion gases; a turbine arranged to receive the combustion gases and expand the gases to produce mechanical power that drives the compressor; a recuperator arranged to receive exhaust gases from the turbine and the mixture discharged from the compressor and cause heat exchange therebetween such that the mixture is pre-heated before entering the catalytic combustor; and a system operable to direct a portion of turbine exhaust gases into the compressor during part-load and near full-load operation of the gas turbine engine, such that the mixture discharged from the compressor is raised in temperature by said exhaust gases, whereby an inlet temperature to the catalytic combustor is raised, wherein said system comprises a valve that is controllable to variably adjust a flow rate of the exhaust gases into the compressor, and a control system operably connected to the valve.