System and method to stage primary zone airflow

Abstract

A method of operating a combustion turbine engine that includes separating a flow of compressed air into a first flow stream and a second flow stream. The method also includes preheating the first flow stream to produce a preheated flow stream and premixing the second flow stream with a flow of fuel to produce a premixture. The method further includes mixing the premixture with a portion of the preheated first flow stream to produce a combustible mixture and combusting the combustible mixture to produce a flow of hot products of combustion.

1 . A method of operating a combustion turbine engine comprising: 
 separating a flow of compressed air into a first flow stream and a second flow stream;    preheating the first flow stream to produce a preheated flow stream;    premixing the second flow stream with a flow of fuel to produce a premixture;    mixing the premixture with a portion of the preheated first flow stream to produce a combustible mixture; and    combusting the combustible mixture to produce a flow of hot products of combustion.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising operating a compressor to produce the flow of compressed air.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising passing the first flow of compressed air through a recuperator to preheat the flow of compressed air, and bypassing the second flow of compressed air around the recuperator.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising dividing the first flow stream into a primary air stream and a secondary air stream, wherein the step of mixing the premixture with a portion of the preheated first flow stream includes mixing the primary air stream with the premixture.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising mixing the hot products of combustion with the secondary air stream.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising directing the flow of products of combustion into a turbine section of the engine and rotating the turbine section in response to the flow of products of combustion.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising metering the flow rate of at least one of the first and second flow streams.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein metering the flow rate of at least one of the first and second flow streams includes moving a valve member in the second flow stream between a first position and a second position.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein metering the flow rate of at least one of the first and second flow streams includes moving at least one of a plurality of valve members in the second flow stream between a first position and a second position.