Methods and apparatus to operate a gas turbine engine with hydrogen gas

A method to operate a gas turbine engine with up to 100% hydrogen gas as fuel, the method comprising:

• purging a gas turbine combustor and a first circuit of a combustor nozzle with an inert gas or an other combustible gas;
• injecting the hydrogen gas into the gas turbine combustor through the first circuit of the combustor nozzle, the first circuit including a blend of at least one of the hydrogen gas, the inert gas, or the other combustible gas, wherein up to 100% of the blend is formed of the hydrogen gas, up to 100% of the blend is formed of the inert gas, or up to 100% of the blend is formed of the other combustible gas;
• injecting water into the gas turbine combustor through a second circuit of the combustor nozzle;
• and
• increasing a percentage of the hydrogen gas in the blend of at least one of the hydrogen gas, the inert gas, or the other combustible gas such that to up to 100% of the blend is formed of the hydrogen gas as the gas turbine engine maintains or increases a power output;
• and
• increasing a volumetric flow rate of the water in the second circuit as the percentage of the hydrogen gas increases in the blend of at least one of the hydrogen gas, the inert gas, or the other combustible gas.

A method to operate a gas turbine engine with up to 100% hydrogen gas as fuel, the method comprising:

• purging a gas turbine combustor and a first circuit of a combustor nozzle with an inert gas or an other combustible gas;
• injecting the hydrogen gas into the gas turbine combustor through the first circuit of the combustor nozzle, the first circuit including a blend of at least one of the hydrogen gas, the inert gas, or the other combustible gas, wherein up to 100% of the blend is formed of the hydrogen gas, up to 100% of the blend is formed of the inert gas, or up to 100% of the blend is formed of the other combustible gas;
• injecting water into the gas turbine combustor through a second circuit of the combustor nozzle;
• increasing a percentage of the hydrogen gas in the blend of at least one of the hydrogen gas, the inert gas, or the other combustible gas such that up to 100% of the blend is formed of the hydrogen gas as the gas turbine engine maintains or increases a power output;
• and
• shutting down the gas turbine engine including:
• decreasing the percentage of the hydrogen gas in the blend of at least one of the hydrogen gas, the inert gas, or the other combustible gas as the gas turbine decreases the power output;
• decreasing a volumetric flow rate of the water in the second circuit;
• opening a circuit breaker of the gas turbine engine;
• purging the gas turbine combustor and the first circuit of the combustor nozzle with the inert gas;
• and
• powering down the gas turbine engine.