Burner and related method for combustors involving hydrogen production from ammonia

Abstract

This invention provides a burner and related methods for a combustor that involves hydrogen production from ammonia. [Solution] The internal hydrogen generator 250 is located inside the external fuel / air premixer body 210. The hydrogen generator 250 includes a hollow body 251 having a second air inlet 252 and an ammonia passage 254 within the hollow body 251. The ammonia passage 254 has an ammonia inlet 260, a heat exchanger section 262, a catalyst section 264, and an outlet 266 to the combustion chamber 172. The airflow from the second air inlet 252 within the hollow body 251 heats the heat exchanger section 262 and the catalyst section 264, generating a hydrogen-containing flow 282 from the internal ammonia flow 270. The hydrogen 282 exits the ammonia passage 254 and reaches the combustor reaction zone, stabilizing the combustion of ammonia with the fuel / air mixture from the external fuel / air premixer body 210. Related methods are also disclosed.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present disclosure generally relates to turbomachinery combustors, and more specifically to burners that produce hydrogen from ammonia, combustors that include such burners, and related methods.

Background Art

[0002] A gas turbine system includes a combustion section that includes a plurality of combustors that create a flow of combustion gases in which fuel is burned and converted to kinetic energy in a downstream turbine section. Current combustors include a head-end fuel nozzle assembly that includes a plurality of burners for burning fuel in a (primary) combustion zone. An axial fuel stage (AFS) injector can be used to burn fuel in another (secondary) combustion zone downstream of the primary combustion zone. For example, a portion of the air supply from the compressor discharge is delivered to the head-end fuel nozzle assembly and the AFS injector within various flow paths.

[0003] One problem with conventional combustors is that the combustion of hydrocarbons (e.g., natural gas) generally results in the formation of carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), which are costly to mitigate. To reduce the amount of CO2 produced, some manufacturers have attempted to use alternative fuel sources, including hydrogen and ammonia, that remove carbon from the combustion products. Current combustors present challenges with respect to using ammonia as a fuel. In particular, ammonia has low flammability, low heat of combustion, and is not very stable, which can potentially extinguish at least a portion of the combustion reaction.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] All aspects, examples, and features described below can be combined in any technically possible way.

[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure includes an outer fuel / air premixer body having a first air inlet, a fuel inlet, and a mixing passage for mixing fuel and air for injection into a combustion chamber; and an inner hydrogen generator within the outer fuel / air premixer body, comprising a hollow body having a second air inlet, and an ammonia passage within the hollow body having an ammonia inlet, a heat exchanger section downstream of the ammonia inlet, a catalyst section downstream of the heat exchanger section, and an outlet to a combustor reaction zone downstream of the catalyst section, wherein an airflow from the second air inlet within the hollow body heats the heat exchanger section and the catalyst section to generate a hydrogen-containing flow from the internal ammonia flow, the hydrogen-containing flow exiting the outlet of the ammonia passage to the combustion chamber.

[0006] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the prior aspects, wherein the heat exchanger portion includes either a helical passage or a sinusoidal passage.

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the prior aspects, wherein the first and second air inlets are in fluid communication with the discharge port of a compressor upstream of the burner, and the air entering the second air inlet has a higher temperature than the ammonia flow in the heat exchanger section.

[0008] Another aspect of this disclosure includes any of the prior aspects, wherein the ammonia stream is gaseous ammonia.

[0009] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the prior aspects, wherein the outer fuel / air premixer body includes a first tube concentrically spaced from a second tube and a swozle assembly between the first tube and a second tube downstream of a first air inlet, the swozle assembly including a plurality of swirling vanes that impart vortices to air passing between the vanes, each of the swirling vanes including an internal fuel passage that is in fluid communication with at least one fuel nozzle, and the fuel inlet introduces fuel into the internal fuel passage.

[0010] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the prior aspects, further comprising an end plate coupled to an inner hydrogen generator, wherein the end plate is configured to removably position the inner hydrogen generator within an outer fuel / air premixer body.

[0011] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the prior aspects, wherein the second air inlet includes an opening in an end plate that is in fluid communication with a source of hot air.

[0012] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the prior aspects, wherein the second air inlet includes an opening in a hollow body that is in fluid communication with the mixing passage.

[0013] Another aspect of this disclosure includes any of the prior aspects, wherein the catalyst portion is interchangeable.

[0014] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the prior aspects and further comprises a first passage support positioned upstream of a catalyst portion for arranging an ammonia passage within a hollow body, and a second passage support positioned downstream of the catalyst portion for arranging an ammonia passage within a hollow body, each passage support including an open interior that allows air to pass through.

[0015] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes a combustor for a gas turbine system, the combustor comprising a combustor body including a combustion liner and a head-end assembly including a plurality of burners led into the combustion liner, at least one of which includes an outer fuel / air premixer body having a first air inlet, a fuel inlet, and a mixing passage for mixing fuel and air for injection into a combustion chamber, and an inner hydrogen generator within the outer fuel / air premixer body, the inner hydrogen generator comprising a hollow body having a second air inlet and an ammonia passage within the hollow body having an ammonia inlet, a heat exchanger section downstream of the ammonia inlet, a catalyst section downstream of the heat exchanger section, and an outlet to a combustor reaction zone downstream of the catalyst section, wherein an airflow from the second air inlet within the hollow body heats the heat exchanger section and the catalyst section to generate a hydrogen-containing flow from the internal ammonia flow, the hydrogen-containing flow exiting the outlet of the ammonia passage to the combustion chamber.

[0016] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the prior aspects, wherein the heat exchanger portion includes either a helical passage or a sinusoidal passage.

[0017] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the prior aspects, wherein the first and second air inlets are in fluid communication with the discharge port of a compressor upstream of the burner, and the air entering the second air inlet has a higher temperature than the ammonia flow in the heat exchanger section.

[0018] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the prior aspects, wherein the outer fuel / air premixer body includes a first tube concentrically spaced from a second tube and a swozle assembly between the first tube and a second tube downstream of a first air inlet, the swozle assembly including a plurality of swirling vanes that impart vortices to air passing between the vanes, each of the swirling vanes including an internal fuel passage that is in fluid communication with at least one fuel nozzle, and the fuel inlet introduces fuel into the internal fuel passage.

[0019] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the prior aspects, further comprising an end plate coupled to an inner hydrogen generator, wherein the end plate is configured to removably position the inner hydrogen generator within an outer fuel / air premixer body.

[0020] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the prior aspects, wherein the second air inlet includes an opening in an end plate that is in fluid communication with a source of hot air.

[0021] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the prior aspects, wherein the second air inlet includes an opening in a hollow body that is in fluid communication with the mixing passage.

[0022] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the prior aspects and further comprises a first passage support positioned upstream of a catalyst portion for arranging an ammonia passage within a hollow body, and a second passage support positioned downstream of the catalyst portion for arranging an ammonia passage within a hollow body, each passage support including an open interior that allows air to pass through.

[0023] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes a method for a burner for a combustor of a gas turbine system, comprising the steps of: mixing air and fuel for injection into a combustor combustion chamber in an outer fuel / air premixer body having a first air inlet, a fuel inlet, and a mixing passage; generating hydrogen for injection into a combustor reaction zone in an inner hydrogen generator in the mixing passage of the outer fuel / air premixer body, comprising heating gaseous ammonia in an ammonia passage in the hydrogen generator to form a hydrogen-containing flow; and injecting the hydrogen-containing flow into the combustion chamber for combustion with the fuel / air mixture from the outer fuel / air premixer body.

[0024] Another aspect of the present disclosure includes any of the previous aspects, wherein the inner hydrogen generator includes a hollow body having a second air inlet, the ammonia passage is within the hollow body, and includes an ammonia inlet, a heat exchanger portion downstream of the ammonia inlet, a catalyst portion downstream of the heat exchanger portion, and an outlet to a combustion zone downstream of the catalyst portion, and the heating step includes directing an air flow from the second air inlet within the hollow body across the heat exchanger portion and the catalyst portion to produce hydrogen from an internal gaseous ammonia stream, and the hydrogen-containing stream exits from the outlet of the ammonia passage and is injected into the combustion chamber.

[0025] Two or more aspects described in this summary section can be combined to form embodiments not specifically described herein. That is, all embodiments described herein can be combined with each other.

[0026] Details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

[0027] These and other features of the present disclosure will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the present disclosure, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing various embodiments of the present disclosure.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0028] [Figure 1] A functional block diagram of an exemplary gas turbine system that can be used with a combustor including a burner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 2] [[ID=二十三]]A cross-sectional side view of a combustor including a burner according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 3] A partial cross-sectional perspective view of a burner for a combustor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 4] A cross-sectional view of a burner for a combustor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 5]A cross-sectional view of a burner for a combustor according to another embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. [Figure 6] This shows a cross-sectional view of an internal hydrogen generator removed from a burner for a combustor according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 7] A perspective view of a passage support for an ammonia passage for an internal hydrogen generator for a burner, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, is shown. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0029] Please note that the drawings in this disclosure are not necessarily to scale. The drawings are intended to illustrate only typical embodiments of this disclosure and should not be considered to limit the scope of this disclosure. In the drawings, similar reference numerals represent similar elements between drawings.

[0030] As a first issue, in order to clearly describe the current disclosure, it is necessary to select specific terminology when referring to and describing relevant mechanical components within exemplary uses of turbomechanical combustors and associated burners therefor. Where this is done, common industry terms are used and adopted, where possible, to match their accepted meanings. Unless otherwise stated, such terms should be given a broad interpretation consistent with the context of this application and the appended claims. Those skilled in the art will understand that, in many cases, certain components may be referred to using several different or overlapping terms. What may be described herein as a single part may comprise multiple components and be referred to in another context as consisting of multiple components. Or, what may be described herein as comprising multiple components may be referred elsewhere as a single part.

[0031] Furthermore, this specification may use several descriptive terms, and it will be useful to define these terms at the beginning of this section. These terms and their definitions are as follows, unless otherwise specified: As used herein, “downstream” and “upstream” are terms indicating direction relative to the flow of fluid, such as the working fluid through the combustor of a turbomachinery, or, for example, the flow of air or ammonia through the combustor or burner, or the flow of coolant through one of the component systems of the turbomachinery. The term “downstream” corresponds to the direction of the fluid flow, and the term “upstream” refers to the direction opposite to the flow. The terms “forward” and “rear” refer to direction, unless otherwise specified, with “forward” referring to the front of the turbomachinery or combustor or the compressor end, and “rear” referring to the rear of the turbomachinery or combustor or the turbine end.

[0032] The term “axial” refers to movement or position parallel to an axis, e.g., the axis of a combustor, the mixing chamber of an AFS injector, or a turbomachinery. The term “radial” refers to movement or position perpendicular to an axis, e.g., the axis of a combustor or turbomachinery. In such cases, if the first component is located closer to the axis than the second component, it is stated herein that the first component is “radially inward” or “inside” the second component. On the other hand, if the first component is located further from the axis than the second component, it may be stated herein that the first component is “radially outward” or “outside” the second component. Finally, the term “circumferential” refers to movement or position around an axis, e.g., the circumferential inner surface of a combustor body or the circumferential interior of a casing extending around a combustor. As stated above, depending on the context, it will be understood that such terms may be applied with respect to the axis of a combustor, burner, or turbine.

[0033] Furthermore, as described below, several descriptive terms may be used periodically in this specification. The terms “first,” “second,” and “third” may be used interchangeably to distinguish one component from another and are not intended to indicate the position or importance of any individual component.

[0034] The terms used herein are intended solely to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the disclosure. Where used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural form unless the context otherwise explicitly indicates. Where used herein, the terms “comprise” and / or “comprising” express the presence of the described feature, integer, step, action, element, and / or component, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, actions, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. “Optional” or “optionally” means that the event described thereafter may or may not occur, or the feature described thereafter may or may not exist, and this description includes both instances in which the event occurs or the feature exists and instances in which the event does not occur or the feature does not exist.

[0035] When an element or layer is referred to as "on top of," "engaged with," "connected to," "joined," or "attached" to another element or layer, it may be directly on top of, engaged with, connected to, joined to, or attached to the other element or layer, or there may be an intervening element or layer. Conversely, when an element is referred to as "directly on top of," "directly engaged with," "directly connected to," or "directly joined" to another element or layer, there is no intervening element or layer. Other words used to describe relationships between elements should be interpreted similarly (e.g., "between" vs. "directly between," "adjacent" vs. "directly adjacent"). As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any combination of one or more of the related enumerated items. The verb forms "join" and "attach" may be used interchangeably herein.

[0036] Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a burner, combustor, and associated method for a combustor in a gas turbine system. The burner includes an outer fuel / air premixer body that mixes fuel and air for injection into a combustor reaction zone within the combustor body. An inner hydrogen generator is located within the outer fuel / air premixer body. The hydrogen generator includes a hollow body having a second air inlet and an ammonia passage within the hollow body. The ammonia passage has an ammonia inlet, a heat exchanger section, a catalyst section downstream of the heat exchanger section, and an outlet to the combustor reaction zone. An airflow from the second air inlet of the hollow body heats the heat exchanger section and the catalyst section to produce a hydrogen-containing flow from the ammonia flow, e.g., gaseous ammonia. The hydrogen-containing flow exits the ammonia passage and reaches the combustor reaction zone.

[0037] The hydrogen generator presents an efficient method for providing hydrogen (H2) for combustion using ammonia decomposition. The hydrogen generator can result in either a complete conversion of ammonia (NH3) to hydrogen (H2) and nitrogen (N2), or a partial conversion of ammonia to hydrogen (H2) and nitrogen (N2) and ammonia (NH3). In either case, the hydrogen generator produces the minimum requirement of hydrogen in the hydrogen-containing flow, such as 0.5%–1% of the total fuel flow. The resulting hydrogen-containing flow, including air, is injected into the center of each burner, i.e., like a pilot fuel injection. The hydrogen-containing flow improves the overall stabilization of combustion by burning ammonia in the fuel / air mixture from the outer fuel / air premixer body and using hydrogen to stabilize the combustion.

[0038] Figure 1 shows a functional block diagram of an exemplary gas turbine (GT) system 90 into which various embodiments of the combustor 100 and burner 200 of the present disclosure can be incorporated. As shown, the GT system 90 typically includes an inlet section 102 which may include a series of filters, cooling coils, moisture separators, and / or other devices for purifying and otherwise conditioning the air 106 entering the GT system 90. The air 106 flows to a compressor 108 in a compressor section 110, which gradually imparts kinetic energy to the air 106 to generate high-pressure (HP) air 112 (hereinafter, "HP air 112" or "compressed air 112") compressed in a high-energy state. The HP air 112 is typically mixed with one or more fuels, e.g., fuels 114A and / or 114B from a fuel source 116, to form a combustible mixture in at least one combustor 100 in a combustion section 120 operably coupled to the compressor section 110. The combustible mixture is burned to produce high-temperature, high-pressure combustion gases 122. The combustion gases 122 flow through the turbine 128 (i.e., expansion turbine) of the turbine section 130 operably coupled to the combustion section 120, generating work. For example, the turbine 128 may be connected to a shaft 132 such that the rotation of the turbine 128 drives a compressor 108 to produce HP air 112. Alternatively or additionally, the shaft 132 may connect the turbine 128 to another load, such as a generator 134 for generating electricity. Exhaust gases 136 from the turbine 128 flow through an exhaust section 138 that connects the turbine 128 to an exhaust stack 140 downstream of the turbine 128. The exhaust section 138 may include, for example, a heat recovery steam generator (not shown) for purifying and extracting additional heat from the exhaust gases 136 before releasing them into the environment. If multiple combustors 100 are used, they may be spaced circumferentially around the turbine inlet 142 of the turbine 128.

[0039] In one embodiment, the GT system 90 may include current engine models commercially available from GE Vernova in Cambridge, Massachusetts. This disclosure is not limited to any one specific GT system and can be implemented in relation to other engines, including, for example, any HA, F, B, LM, GT, TM, and E-class engine models from GE Vernova, as well as engine models from other companies. Furthermore, this disclosure is not limited to specific turbomachinery and may be applicable to, for example, steam turbines, jet engines, compressors, turbofans, and the like.

[0040] Herein, an exemplary combustor 100 usable within the GT system 90 is described. Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional side view of the combustor 100 positioned within the GT system 90. As further described herein, the combustor 100 may include a plurality of burners 200 according to embodiments of the present disclosure. While an exemplary combustor 100 is described herein, it is emphasized that the burners 200 according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be used in a wide variety of different types of combustors 100. Therefore, the teachings of the present disclosure are not limited to any particular combustor.

[0041] As shown in Figure 2, the combustor 100 is at least partially surrounded by an outer casing 152, such as a compressor discharge casing and / or a turbine casing. The interior of the outer casing 152 is in fluid communication with the compressor discharge port 109 of the compressor 108, creating an HP air source 154. That is, the HP air source 154 contains HP air 112 from the compressor discharge port 109 of the compressor 108. The HP air source 154 is in direct fluid communication with the compressor discharge port 109 of the GT system 90. However, the HP air source 154 may be any source of HP air 112 that can flow into any various openings or passages within the combustor 100 for cooling and / or combustion of components, i.e., combustion using the burner 200 or an axial fuel stage (AFS) injector 150.

[0042] As shown in Figure 2, the combustor 100 for the GT system 90 includes a combustor body 160. The combustor body 160 can be fabricated using any currently known or future-developed techniques. For example, the combustor body 160 can be additively fabricated. The combustor body 160 may include a combustion liner 164, which may include, for example, a cylindrical portion 166 and a tapered transition portion 168. The combustion liner 164 may have an axis A, the direction of which may vary slightly depending on its axial position within the curved combustion liner 164. The tapered transition portion 168 is located at the rear end of the cylindrical portion 166 (on the right in Figure 2). As understood in the art, the tapered transition portion 168 transitions the high-temperature gas path (HGP) from the circular cross-section of the cylindrical portion 166 of the liner to a more arcuate cross-section for mating with the turbine inlet 142 of the turbine 128. The combustor 100 may also include a rear frame 170 at the rear end of the tapered transition section 168 (right side in Figure 2).

[0043] The combustion liner 164 can contain the combustion gas 122 and transport it to the turbine section 130 (Figure 1). More specifically, the combustion liner 164 defines the combustion chamber 172, i.e., the high-temperature gas path (HGP) in which combustion occurs. The combustion liner 164 may have a separate tapered transition section 168 from the cylindrical section 166, as in many conventional combustion systems. Alternatively, the combustion liner 164 may have a one-piece body (or "unibody") structure in which the cylindrical section 166 and the tapered transition section 168 are integrated with each other, i.e., as part of an additively manufactured one-piece component. Therefore, any description of the combustion liner 164 in this specification is intended to encompass both conventional combustion systems having separate cylindrical and tapered transition sections and combustion systems having a unibody liner.

[0044] The combustor body 160 also includes an air passage 174, at least partially defined by the cylindrical portion 166 of the combustion liner 164. As described herein, the air passage 174 is configured to deliver air (e.g., HP air 112A from the HP air source 154) at the front end (left end in Figure 2) of the combustion liner 164 to the head-end assembly 176 of the combustor 100. That is, it is sized, shaped, and / or arranged to deliver air, such as HP air 112A from the HP air source 154, to the head-end assembly 176 of the combustor 100, i.e., the high-pressure plenum 220 of the head-end assembly 176. The air passage 174 may be provided between the cylindrical portion 166 and a spaced-out flow sleeve 177 along at least a portion of the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 166. The air passage 174 has an open end 178 or airflow opening adjacent to the head end assembly 176 through which HP air 112A from the HP air source 154 enters.

[0045] An annular partition wall 179, positioned between the cylindrical section 166 and the flow sleeve 177, separates the front portion of the air passage 174 from the rear portion. The axial position of the annular partition wall 179 is approximately aligned with the cap assembly 198, described later, so that the front portion of the air passage 174 is radially outside the head-end assembly 176 (rather than the combustion chamber 172) and therefore requires less cooling. Behind the annular partition wall 179, the flow sleeve 177 may include a number of impingement holes 192 (shown in the outer sleeve 190) that allow HP air 112B to flow into the air passage 174. As a result of passing through the impingement holes 192, the HP air 112B undergoes a pressure drop and becomes LP air 182, which flows through the air passage 174 toward and / or into the AFS injector 150, as described further herein.

[0046] The head-end assembly 176 generally includes at least one axially extending fuel nozzle or burner 200 (hereinafter, "burner 200"). The burner 200 directs fuel and air to the combustion chamber 172 of the combustor 100, as further described herein. The combustor chamber 172 may include a primary combustion zone 202 in the forward portion of the combustion liner 164. In certain embodiments, although not shown, the axially extending burner 200 of the head-end assembly 176 may extend at least partially through the end cap assembly 198 to supply a combustible mixture of fuel 114A (Figures 3-5) and HP air 112A to the primary combustion zone 202 of the combustion reaction zone 201 of the combustion liner 164.

[0047] The combustor body 160 also optionally includes one or more axial fuel stage (AFS) injectors 150 that are led to a combustion liner 164 downstream of the head-end assembly 176. Each AFS injector 150 receives HP air 112B from an HP air source 154 and fuel 114B from a fuel source 116, possibly in other airflows as well. The AFS injectors 150 burn the fuel 114B and HP air 112B in a secondary combustion zone 204 of the combustion chamber 172 within the combustion liner 164, if provided. The fuel 114B may be delivered from the fuel source 116 using any form of fuel line 188. As shown, the combustor 100 and combustor body 160 may include a plurality of circumferentially spaced AFS injectors 150. Any number of AFS injectors 150 can be used. In other words, the AFS injector 150 may include a plurality of AFS injectors 150 spaced circumferentially around the combustor body 160. Each AFS injector 150 extends radially through the combustion liner 164 downstream of the head-end assembly 176, which includes an axially extending burner 200, as described above and further described herein. Although the AFS injector 150 is shown at one axial position on the combustor body 160, sets of AFS injectors 150 may be provided at different axial positions on the combustion liner 164, for example, downstream of the AFS injector 150 (as shown in Figure 2) and upstream of the rear frame 170.

[0048] Figure 3 shows a partial cross-sectional perspective view of a burner 200 for a combustor 100 of a GT system 90 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 4 shows a cross-sectional view thereof. Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a burner 200 for a combustor 100 of a GT system 90 according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0049] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the burner 200 includes an external fuel / air premixer body 210 (hereinafter referred to as "external premixer body 210") having a first air inlet 212, a fuel inlet 214, and a mixing passage 216. The external premixer body 210 mixes fuel 114A with air, for example, HP air 112A, for injection into the combustion chamber 172. The air 112A enters the burner 200 from a high-pressure plenum 220 in a head-end assembly 176 (Figure 2) that surrounds the burner 200 except for its discharge end 222 which may partially extend into the combustion chamber. The air 112A enters the high-pressure plenum 220 from an HP air source 154 as previously described. The air 112A for combustion enters the external premixer body 210 through the first air inlet 212. The first air inlet 212 may include any opening that allows airflow to the burner 200. For illustrative purposes, the first air inlet 212 is shown as an inlet flow regulator (IFC) including an annular flow channel 224 bounded by a solid cylindrical inner wall 226 in its inner diameter, a perforated cylindrical outer wall 228 in its outer diameter, and a perforated end cap 230 at its upstream end. One or more annular swirling vanes 232 may optionally be provided at the center of the flow channel 224. Air 112A from the outer premixer body 210 enters the IFC through the perforations in the end cap 230 and the cylindrical outer wall 228. As described above, other forms of air inlets are also possible.

[0050] In certain embodiments, the outer premixer body 210 may include a first (outer) tube 242 concentrically spaced from a second (inner) tube 244. The outer premixer body 210 may also include a swozle assembly 234 extending radially between the first tube 242 and the second tube 244 and positioned axially downstream of the first air inlet 212. The mixing passage 216 may extend through the swozle assembly 234 (i.e., between the vanes of the swozle assembly 234) and be annular between the first tube 242 and the second tube 244 outside the swozle assembly 234. The second tube 244 provides a solid cylindrical inner wall 226 in the inner diameter of the IFC.

[0051] The swozle assembly 234 includes a plurality of swirling vanes 236 that impart vortices to the air 112A flowing between the vanes. Each of the swirling vanes 236 may also include an internal fuel passage 238 that fluidly communicates with at least one fuel injector 240. A fuel inlet 214 introduces fuel 114A into the internal fuel passage 238. Air 112A, after exiting the IFC, enters the swozle assembly 234. Each swirling vane 236 includes various fuel 114A supply passages (not shown) within it, distributing fuel 114A, such as natural gas, to one or more sets of fuel injectors 240, and the fuel penetrates the aerodynamically shaped walls of the swirling vanes 236. The fuel injectors 240 can be located on the positive pressure side, the negative pressure side, or both sides of the swirling vanes 236. Fuel 114A begins mixing with air 112A within the swozule assembly 234, and the fuel / air mixture is completed within the mixing passage 216, which may be formed between the inside of the first outer pipe 242 and the outside of the second inner pipe 244, as described above. The second inner pipe 244 may alternatively be referred to as the swozule hub extension, and the first outer pipe 242 may alternatively be referred to as the swozule shroud extension. After exiting the mixing passage 216, the fuel / air mixture 284 enters the combustion chamber 172 and ignites in the primary combustion zone 202 where combustion takes place. As understood in the art, the swozule assembly 234 injects fuel 114A through the surface of the aerodynamically swirling vanes (airfoil sections) 236 in such a way that disturbance to the airflow field is minimized. While a specific external fuel / air premixing body 210 is described herein, it is emphasized that various other structures can be used to provide the fuel / air mixture 284 and are considered to be within the scope of this disclosure.

[0052] Continuing to refer to Figures 3 and 4, the burner 200 also includes an internal hydrogen generator 250 within the external premixer body 210. The internal hydrogen generator 250 (hereinafter, "internal body 250") includes a hollow body 251 having a second air inlet 252 and an ammonia passage 254 within the hollow body 251. In certain embodiments, the second air inlet 252 may include an opening 253 in the hollow body 251 that fluidly communicates with the mixing passage 216, for example, directly to the passage 216 or via a swozle assembly 234 to the passage 216. Alternatively or additionally, the second air inlet 252 may include an opening 255 in an end plate 257 that fluidly communicates with a hot air source 259. The high-temperature air source 259 can be any air 112C having a temperature sufficient to decompose the ammonia in the ammonia passage 254, which could be, for example, turbine 128 discharge cooling air or compressor discharge air 112C. Although both forms of the second air inlet 252 are shown, only one form may be used. In certain embodiments, the first air inlet 212 and the second air inlet 252 (regardless of the form) may be in fluid communication with the compressor outlet 109 of the compressor 108 upstream of the burner 200, for example, via the high-pressure plenum 220 of the head-end assembly 176 (Figure 2), the HP air source 154 or other fluid connections. The ammonia passage 254 includes an ammonia inlet 260, a heat exchanger section 262 downstream of the ammonia inlet 260, a catalyst section 264 downstream of the heat exchanger section 262, and an outlet 266 to the combustion chamber 172 downstream of the catalyst section 264.

[0053] As shown in Figure 3, ammonia 270 (see arrow) may be introduced from an ammonia source 272 to an ammonia inlet 260. Ammonia 270 may be another form of fuel, such as fuel 114B, and the ammonia source 272 may be another form of fuel source 116 as described above. In certain embodiments, ammonia 270 may be in liquid form, but this is undesirable because the temperature must be kept relatively low, for example, below approximately -33°C (-28°F) to maintain the liquid form. In other embodiments, the flow of ammonia 270 may be in gaseous form or nearly gaseous form. If necessary, the ammonia source 272 may include a heater 274 to increase the conversion of ammonia 270 to gaseous form. The heater 274 can take any suitable form for heating ammonia 270 to gaseous form.

[0054] The ammonia passage 254 may include any conduit, such as a pipe or tubular element, that can carry ammonia in liquid or gaseous form therein. The heat exchanger section 262 may include various different shapes within it to increase its area and thereby increase heat exchange between the air 112C and the ammonia 270. Figures 3 and 4 show a heat exchanger section 262 having a helical passage. In this case, the heat exchanger section 262 may include any number of helical coils having any total diameter within the hollow body 251. In another embodiment shown in Figure 5, the heat exchanger section 262 includes a sinusoidal passage. In this case, the heat exchanger section 262 may include any number of peaks / troughs and any total diameter within the hollow body 251. A combination of helical, sinusoidal, or other paths may also be used to increase the surface area of ​​the ammonia passage 254 to create the heat exchanger section 262.

[0055] The catalyst portion 264 may include any currently known or hereafter developed structures that contact ammonia 270 with a catalytic material capable of decomposing at least a portion of ammonia 270, i.e., NH3, into its constituent elements hydrogen (H2) and nitrogen (N2). As used herein with respect to ammonia 270, “decomposition” means dissociating, splitting, converting and / or separating ammonia NH3 into its constituent elements hydrogen (H2) and nitrogen (N2). The catalyst portion 264 may include, but is not limited to, materials such as: anodized aluminum (Al); carbon nanotube-supported ruthenium (Ru CNT); Ru CNT containing potassium hydroxide (KOH); ruthenium (Ru) and cesium (Cs); ruthenium (Ru) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3); nickel (Ni) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3); nickel-cerium oxide (Ni-CeO2) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3); nickel (Ni) and mesoporous silica; sodium (Na) and sodium amide (NaNH2). It will be understood that a wide variety of other ammonia decomposition materials are also possible. The heat transfer from air 112C to ammonia 270 in the heat exchanger section 262 and the catalyst section 264 is sufficient to achieve decomposition by the catalyst section 264. The catalyst section 264 does not need to decompose all of the ammonia 270, as the hydrogen content requirement is only 0.5% to 1% of the total fuel flow in order to achieve the desired combustion stabilization while burning ammonia 270 from the inner body 250, the fuel / air mixture 284 from the outer premixer body 210, and any other fuel supply to the combustion chamber 172.

[0056] In one example, the decomposition process resulting in over 30% conversion of ammonia 270 to hydrogen (H2) and nitrogen (N2) is sufficient to ensure 100% combustion with fuel 114A in the fuel / air mixture 284 from the outer premixer body 210, which is methane (natural gas). Thus, the hydrogen-containing stream 282 exiting the inner body 250 tends to contain less than 100% hydrogen (i.e., also tends to contain ammonia and nitrogen in gaseous form). In either case, the hydrogen from the inner body 250 is sufficient to act as a pilot in the combustor reaction zone 201 and stabilize combustion in the primary combustion zone 202. More specifically, the hydrogen from the inner body 250 reduces or eliminates any depletion of combustion in the primary combustion zone 202, which is typically experienced with ammonia injection alone. It will be recognized that the amount of hydrogen can be varied to address various situations, depending on factors such as the attributes of ammonia 270 (e.g., pressure, volume, flow rate, etc.), the attributes of fuel 114A in the fuel / air mixture 284 (e.g., type, pressure, volume, flow rate, flammability, heat generation, etc.), the attributes of the combustion liner 164, among other attributes of the combustor 100, the attributes of air 112A-C, and / or parameters of the AFS injector 150.

[0057] The outlet 266 of the ammonia passage 254 may be in various different positions depending on the desired flow and / or dispersion characteristics. In Figure 3, the outlet 266 is upstream of the end 256 of the second inner pipe 244, upstream of the end 258 of the first outer pipe 242 adjacent to the combustion chamber 172. In Figures 4 and 5, the outlet 266 is aligned with the end 256 of the second inner pipe 244 and is axially upstream of the discharge end 222 of the burner 200, i.e., the outer premixer body 210. The second pipe 244 may have the formation of any currently known or future-developed end 256, such as a constant inner diameter (Figure 3) or a narrowed inner diameter (Figure 4), to create the desired flow and / or dispersion of hydrogen and ammonia from the inner body 250 to the primary combustion zone 202.

[0058] The burner 200 may also include an end plate 257 coupled to an internal hydrogen generator 250, for example, a hollow body 251. The end plate 257 is configured to removably position the internal hydrogen generator 250 within an external fuel / air premixer body 210. For example, the external fuel / air premixer body 210 may include an end member 286 coupled to the end cover 196 of the combustor 100 for mounting the burner 200 to the head end assembly 176 (Figure 2). The end plate 257 may be coupled to the internal body 250, which may be coupled to the end member 286 coupled to the end cover 196 of the head end assembly 176 (Figure 2), among other structures as an option. More specifically, the end plate 257 may be coupled to at least a hollow body 251. The end plate 257 may include any necessary passages or openings upstream of the heat exchanger section 262 for the upstream end of the ammonia passage 254 to pass through. The end plate 257 also provides a second air inlet 252, which may include any necessary passages or openings to allow air 112C to enter the hollow body 251 when the second air inlet 252 is provided in the end plate 257.

[0059] The end plate 257 is configured to be removably positioned (together with the inner body 250) within the end member 286 that attaches the outer premixer body 210 to the end cover 196 of the head end assembly 176 of the combustor 100. Each component can be fastened to one another in any manner, for example, with screws (not shown). In this way, removal of the burner 200 can be achieved by detaching the end member 286 from the end cover 196 from its connection to the head end assembly 176 and sliding the burner 200 off. The end member 286 can be selectively coupled to the end cover 196 within the head end assembly 176 in any currently known or future-developed method, such as screws (not shown), but not limited to. Furthermore, removal of the inner body 250 from the rest of the burner 200 can be achieved by detaching the end plate 257 from the end member 286 and sliding the inner body 250 off, as shown in Figure 6. Since the lifespan of the catalyst section 264 is typically shorter than that of the rest of the burner 200, the catalyst section 264 is replaceable. That is, when either the inner body 250 or the burner 200 is removed from the combustor 100, the catalyst section 264 can be selectively removed from the inner body 250 as needed and replaced with a new version. The catalyst section 264 can be removably attached to the inner body 250 by any currently known or future-developed method, for example, by screw connections to a portion of the ammonia passage 254.

[0060] Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a passage support 285 for an ammonia passage 254 of an internal hydrogen generator 250 for a burner 200, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Any number of passage supports 285 can be used to position the ammonia passage 254 in the hollow body 251. Each passage support 285 may include any structure for holding the position of the ammonia passage 254, e.g., a tube or another part thereof, within the hollow body 251, and an open interior 287 that allows air 112C to pass through it. The example shown in Figure 7 is just one possible structure that enables this function. In the illustrated example, the passage support 285 holds the ammonia passage 254 in the center of the hollow body 251 (e.g., within a centrally located aperture 288), but this does not have to be the case in all cases, and it may be advantageous, for example, to position the ammonia passage 254 closer to the hollow body 251 to absorb more heat from there. Any number of passage supports 285 can be used. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the first passage support 285A can be positioned upstream of the catalyst portion 264 to arrange the ammonia passage 254 within the hollow body 251, for example, between the catalyst portion 264 and the heat exchanger portion 262. Furthermore, the second passage support 285B can be positioned downstream of the catalyst portion 264 to arrange the ammonia passage 254 within the hollow body 251, for example, between the catalyst portion 264 and the combustion reaction zone 201 and / or the end 256 (Figure 4) of the second inner tube 244.

[0061] In certain embodiments, the burner 200 may include a bellows portion (not shown) between the hollow body 251 of the inner body 250 and the outer fuel / air premixer body 210 to compensate for the difference in thermal expansion between the hollow body 251 of the inner body 250 and the outer fuel / air premixer body 210.

[0062] Herein, a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described. The method is performed in the burner 200 of the combustor 100 of the GT system 90. The method may include the step of mixing air 112A and fuel 114A (into a fuel / air mixture 284) for injection into the combustor reaction zone 201 of the combustor 100 in an outer fuel / air premixer body 210 having a first air inlet 212, a fuel inlet 214, and a mixing passage 216. After exiting the mixing passage 216, the fuel / air mixture 284 enters the combustion chamber 172 for combustion in the primary combustion zone 202. The method may also include the step of generating hydrogen for injection into the combustor reaction zone 201 in an inner hydrogen generator 250 in the mixing passage 216 of the outer fuel / air premixer body 210. As described herein, hydrogen generation includes heating gaseous ammonia 270 in an ammonia passage 254 in the hydrogen generator 250 to produce a hydrogen-containing stream 282. More specifically, heating involves directing a flow of air 112C from a second air inlet 252 in the hollow body 251 through the heat exchanger section 262 and the catalyst section 264, generating hydrogen from the flow of gaseous ammonia 270 within them. The air 112C carries heat to the heat exchanger section 262 and the catalyst section 264 as it flows through the hollow body 251. The air 112C entering the second air inlet 252 has a higher temperature than the flow of ammonia 270 in the heat exchanger section 262. The heat carried to the ammonia 270 generates a hydrogen-containing flow 282 from the ammonia 270 flowing through the ammonia passage 254.

[0063] More specifically, the additional heat can bring the ammonia 270 to a temperature in the range of, for example, 287–593°C (550–1100°F). The added heat enhances the performance of the catalytic region 264, which decomposes at least a portion of the ammonia 270 into its constituent elements, hydrogen (H2) and nitrogen (N2). The method also includes the step of injecting a hydrogen-containing stream 282 into the combustion reaction zone 201 for combustion with at least the fuel / air mixture 284 from the outer premixer body 210. More specifically, the resulting hydrogen-containing stream 282 (containing undecomposed ammonia) exits through the outlet 266 of the ammonia passage 254 and proceeds to the combustion chamber 172, where it burns in the primary combustion zone 202 with at least the fuel / air mixture 284 from the outer premixer body 210. The method may also include the steps of removing the inner body 250 and replacing the catalytic portion 264.

[0064] The burner 200, including the outer premixer body 210 and the inner body 250, can be made of any currently known or future-developed flame-resistant and oxidation-resistant material. The material may be a metal, a pure metal, or an alloy. The burner 200, including the outer premixer body 210 and the inner body 250, may contain metals that have higher temperature resistance and oxidation resistance than materials typically used in turbine components such as turbine blades or nozzles and typically used in combustion hardware. In this case, the material may include, but is not limited to, non-reactive metals made from non-explosive or non-conductive powders, such as cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (CoCrMo) alloys, stainless steel, austenitic nickel-chromium-based alloys, such as nickel-chromium-molybdenum-niobium alloy (NiCrMoNb) (e.g., Inconel 625 or Inconel 718), nickel-chromium-iron-molybdenum alloy (NiCrFeMo) (e.g., Hastelloy® X, available from Haynes International, Inc.), nickel-chromium-cobalt-molybdenum alloy (NiCrCoMo) (e.g., Haynes 232 or Haynes 282, available from Haynes International, Inc.), or nickel-chromium-cobalt-titanium alloy (Ni-Cr-Co-Ti) (e.g., GTD 262, developed by General Electric Company). Other possibilities include, for example, Rene 108, CM 247, Mar M 247, and any precipitation-hardening (PH) nickel alloy.

[0065] In certain embodiments, the burner 200 and / or parts thereof, such as the outer premixer body 210, the swozle assembly 234, the inner body 250, etc., can be additively manufactured using any currently known or future-developed techniques capable of forming an integrated body. Thus, different parts may include multiple parallel sintered metal layers.

[0066] As shown in Figure 2, embodiments of the present disclosure may also include a combustor 100 for the GT system 90. The combustor 100 includes a combustor body 160 including a combustion liner 164. The combustor 100 also includes a head-end assembly 176 including a plurality of burners 200 led into the combustion liner 164. The burners 200 can be arranged in any desired manner, such as a circular pattern, but are not limited. Each burner 200 is led into the combustion liner 164, which may be as described herein. The combustor 100 generally terminates at a point adjacent to the first stage 290 of the stationary nozzle 292 of the turbine 128. The first stage 290 of the stationary nozzle 292 at least partially defines the turbine inlet 142 to the turbine 128. The combustor body 160, i.e., the combustion liner 164, at least partially defines a high-temperature gas path (HGP) for delivering combustion gases 122 from the combustion chamber 172, i.e., the primary combustion zone 202 and the secondary combustion zone 204, to the turbine inlet 142 of the turbine 128 during the operation of the GT system 90.

[0067] Embodiments of the present disclosure may also include a GT system 90 comprising a compressor section 110, a combustion section 120 operably coupled to the compressor section 110, and a turbine section 130 operably coupled to the combustion section 120, as shown in Figure 1. As described herein, the combustion section 120 comprises at least one combustor 100 comprising a combustor body 160 including a combustion liner 164, and a head-end fuel nozzle assembly 176 located at the front end of the combustor body 160. The head-end assembly 176 comprises a plurality of burners 200 led into the combustion liner 164, as described herein.

[0068] This disclosure provides various technical and commercial advantages, examples of which are described herein. Embodiments of this disclosure provide an efficient method for burning ammonia without combustion depletion / ejection over all operating conditions by decomposing a small portion of ammonia for stable combustion. The hydrogen product presents an efficient method for providing hydrogen (H2) for combustion with ammonia using ammonia decomposition. The hydrogen product can result in the complete conversion of ammonia (NH3) to hydrogen (H2) and nitrogen (N2), or the partial conversion of ammonia to hydrogen (H2) and nitrogen (N2) and ammonia (NH3). In either case, the hydrogen product generates a minimum requirement of hydrogen-containing flow, such as 0.5% to 1% of the total fuel flow. The resulting hydrogen-containing flow, including air, is injected into the center of each burner, i.e., like a pilot fuel injection. Thus, the hydrogen-containing flow can be injected at any aerodynamic stabilization position to improve the overall stabilization of gas turbine combustion by the fuel / air mixture from, for example, an external fuel / air premixer body.

[0069] The approximation language used herein and throughout the claims may be applied to modify any quantitative expression that is permitted to vary without altering the fundamental function of the subject. Thus, values ​​modified by terms such as “about,” “approximately,” and “substantially” are not limited to the exact values ​​specified. In at least some cases, the approximation language may correspond to the precision of the instrument used to measure the value. Herein, and throughout this specification and the claims, limitations on ranges are interchangeable and / or substitutable, and unless the context or wording indicates otherwise, such ranges are identified and include all subranges encompassed therein. “Approximately” or “about,” applied to specific values ​​within a range, may indicate + / - 10% of the stated value, unless applied to the values ​​at both ends and does not depend otherwise on the precision of the instrument used to measure the value.

[0070] All corresponding structures, materials, actions, and equivalents of all means-plus-function elements or step-plus-function elements in the following claims are intended to include any structures, materials, or actions for performing a function in combination with other specifically claimed elements. The descriptions in this disclosure are presented for illustrative and explanatory purposes and are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the forms disclosed herein. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of this disclosure. The embodiments have been selected and described to best illustrate the principles of this disclosure and the practical applications of the art, and to enable other those skilled in the art to understand this disclosure in order to consider various modifications to these embodiments that may be suitable for specific intended uses. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0071] 90 Gas Turbine Systems, GT Systems 100 Combustor 102 Entrance Section 106 Air 108 Compressor 109 Discharge port 110 Compressor Section 112 High-pressure air, HP air, compressed air 112A HP air, air 112B HP Air 112C Compressor discharge air, air 114A Fuel 114B Fuel 116 Fuel source 118 Fuel line 120 Combustion Sections 122 Combustion gases 128 Turbine 130 Turbine Section 132 shaft 134 Generators 136 Exhaust gas 138 Exhaust Section 140 exhaust stack 142 Turbine Inlet 150 Axial Fuel Stage (AFS) Injector 152 Outer casing 154 HP air source 160 Combustion Unit 164 Combustion Liner 166 Cylindrical section 168 Tapered transition section 170 Rear frame 172 Combustion Chamber 174 Airflow channel 176 Head End Assembly 177 Flow Sleeve 178 Open end 179 Annular partition 182 LP air 188 Fuel Line 190 outer sleeve 196 End cover 198 Cap Assembly, End Cap Assembly 200 burners 201 Combustion Reaction Zone 202 Primary Combustion Zone 204 Secondary Combustion Zone 210 Outer fuel / air premixer body, outer premixer body 212 First air inlet 214 Fuel inlet 216 Mixed aisle 220 High-Pressure Plenum 222 Discharge end 224 Circular channel 226 Solid cylindrical inner wall 228 Perforated cylindrical outer wall 230 Perforated End Caps 232 Swivel vanes 234 Swozle Assembly 236 Swirling vane, aerodynamic swirling vane (airfoil section) 238 Internal fuel passage 240 Fuel Injector 242 First (outer) tube 244 Second (inner) tube 250 Inner hydrogen generator, inner body, hydrogen generator 251 Hollow body 252 Second air inlet 253 Opening 254 Ammonia passage 255 opening 256 End 257 End Plate 258 End 259. Source of high-temperature air, airflow 260 Ammonia Inlet 261 Hollow body 262 Heat exchanger part 264 Catalyst part, catalyst area 265 Ammonia passage 266 Exit 270 Ammonia, Gaseous Ammonia 272 Ammonia source 274 Heater 282 Hydrogen-containing flow 284 Fuel / Air Mixture 285 Passage support 285A First passage support 285B Second passage support 286 End members 287 Open interior 288 Aperture 290 Section 1 292 Stationary Nozzle

Claims

1. An external fuel / air premixer body (210) having a first air inlet (212), a fuel inlet (214), and a mixing passage (216), the external fuel / air premixer body (210) mixes fuel (114A) and air (112A) for injection into a combustion chamber (172) having a combustor reaction zone (201), The inner hydrogen generator (250) within the outer fuel / air premixer body (210) is, A hollow body (251) having a second air inlet (252), An internal hydrogen producer (250) and an ammonia passage (254) within the hollow body (251), the ammonia passage (254) having an ammonia inlet (260), a heat exchanger section (262) downstream of the ammonia inlet (260), a catalyst section (264) downstream of the heat exchanger section (262), and an outlet (266) downstream of the catalyst section (264) to the combustor reaction zone (201). Equipped with, The airflow (112C) from the second air inlet (252) within the hollow body (261) heats the heat exchanger portion (262) and the catalyst portion (264), generating a hydrogen-containing flow (282) from the internal ammonia flow (270), and the hydrogen-containing flow (282) exits the outlet (266) of the ammonia passage (265) and reaches the combustion chamber (172). A burner (200) for the combustor (100) of a gas turbine system (90).

2. The burner (200) according to claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger portion (262) includes one of a spiral passage and a sinusoidal passage.

3. The burner (200) according to claim 1, wherein the first air inlet (212) and the second air inlet (252) are in fluid communication with the discharge port (109) of the compressor (108) upstream of the burner (200), and the air (112C) entering the second air inlet (252) has a higher temperature than the ammonia flow (270) in the heat exchanger portion (262).

4. The burner (200) according to claim 1, wherein the ammonia stream (270) is gaseous ammonia.

5. The burner (200) according to claim 1, wherein the external fuel / air premixer body (210) includes a first pipe (242) concentrically spaced from a second pipe (244), and a swozule assembly (234) between the first pipe (242) and the second pipe (244) downstream of the first air inlet (212), the swozule assembly (234) includes a plurality of swirling vanes (236) that impart vortices to air (112A) passing between the vanes, each of the swirling vanes (236) includes an internal fuel passage (238) that is in fluid communication with at least one fuel injector (240), and the fuel inlet (214) introduces fuel (114A) into the internal fuel passage (238).

6. The burner (200) according to claim 1, further comprising an end plate (257) coupled to the inner hydrogen generator (250), wherein the end plate (257) is configured to removably position the inner hydrogen generator (250) within the outer fuel / air premixer body (210).

7. The burner (200) according to claim 6, wherein the second air inlet (252) includes an opening (255) in the end plate (257) that is in fluid communication with a hot air supply source (259).

8. The burner (200) according to claim 1, wherein the second air inlet (252) includes an opening (253) of the hollow body (251) that is in fluid communication with the mixing passage (216).

9. The burner (200) according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst portion (264) is replaceable.

10. The burner (200) according to claim 1, further comprising: a first passage support (285A) positioned upstream of the catalyst portion (264) to position the ammonia passage (254) within the hollow body (251); and a second passage support (285B) positioned downstream of the catalyst portion (264) to position the ammonia passage (254) within the hollow body (251), wherein each passage support (285A, 285B) includes an open interior (287) that allows air (112C) to pass through.

11. The combustion chamber body (160) includes a combustion liner (164), A head end assembly (176) including a plurality of burners (200) led into the combustion liner (164), wherein at least one burner (200) is defined in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 10, and A combustor (100) for a gas turbine system (90) is provided.

12. A burner (200) for a combustor (100) of a gas turbine system (90) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, The steps include mixing air (112A) and fuel (114A) for injection into the combustion chamber (172) of the combustor (100) within an outer fuel / air premixer body (210) having a first air inlet (212), a fuel inlet (214), and a mixing passage (216), A step of generating hydrogen for injection into the combustor reaction zone (201) in the inner hydrogen generator (250) within the mixing passage (216) of the outer fuel / air premixer body (210), comprising heating gaseous ammonia (270) in the ammonia passage (254) within the hydrogen generator (250) to form a hydrogen-containing flow (282), The steps include injecting the hydrogen-containing stream (282) into the combustor reaction zone (201) for combustion with the fuel / air mixture (284) from the external fuel / air premixer body (210), and Methods that include...

13. The internal hydrogen generator (250) It includes a hollow body (251) having a second air inlet (252), The ammonia passage (254) is located within the hollow body (251) and includes an ammonia inlet (260), a heat exchanger section (262) downstream of the ammonia inlet (260), a catalyst section (264) downstream of the heat exchanger section (262), and an outlet (266) downstream of the catalyst section (264) to the combustor reaction zone (201). The method according to claim 12, wherein the heating step includes guiding an airflow (259) from the second air inlet (252) in the hollow body (251) through the heat exchanger portion (262) and the catalyst portion (264) to generate the hydrogen-containing flow (282) from the internal flow of gaseous ammonia (270), the hydrogen-containing flow (282) exiting the outlet of the ammonia passage (254) and being injected into the combustor reaction zone (201).

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