Systems and methods for operation of a flexible fuel combustor

A method for normalizing combustion in a power production process, the method comprising:

• introducing to a combustor each of:
• a variable fuel with a variable chemistry subject to compositional changes during the power production process;
• an oxidant;
• and
• a plurality of diluents that includes at least two different diluents that are each introduced to the combustor separately from one another;
• combusting the variable fuel in a combustor with the oxidant in the presence of the plurality of diluents to form a combustor exhaust stream;
• introducing the combustor exhaust stream to a turbine through which the combustor exhaust stream is passed to generate power;
• and
• implementing at least one control function effective to normalize the combusting of the variable fuel in the combustor so that at least one combustion variable changes from a predetermined value by no greater than 10% and thereby accounts for the compositional changes to the variable chemistry of the variable fuel during the power production process,
• the implementing of the at least one control function being responsive to receipt by a controller of one or more inputs that provides data specifically related to the variable chemistry of the variable fuel;
• where the at least one control function includes varying an amount of at least one of the plurality of diluents that is introduced to the combustor.