In a burner for operating a
combustor, the former consists essentially of a rotation generator (100), a transition piece following the rotation generator, and a mixing
pipe following this transition piece. Transition piece and mixing
pipe form the mixing section (220) of the burner and are located upstream from a
combustion chamber (30). In the lower part of the mixing
pipe is located a
pilot burner
system (300) which creates, among other things, a stabilization of the
flame front, in particular in the transient load ranges, while minimizing
pollutant emissions. A sensor (400) installed in the burner detects a flashback of the
flame (80), whereupon the fuel quantity of this
flame is at least temporarily reduced and at the same time the fuel quantity for the
pilot burner is increased in such a way that the total fuel quantity and thus the
turbine output remains constant. This measure prevents a destruction of the burner.