Multiple Zone Pilot For Low Emission Combustion System

A method of operating a combustor comprising:

• delivering a primary fuel flow through a plurality of primary fuel nozzles toward a primary combustion zone;
• combusting the primary fuel flow in one or more of the primary combustion zone or a secondary combustion zone;
• delivering a secondary fuel flow through a secondary fuel nozzle toward the secondary combustion zone, the secondary fuel nozzle disposed such that the plurality of primary fuel nozzles are arrayed around the secondary fuel nozzle;
• combusting the secondary fuel flow in the secondary combustion zone;
• locating an outer swirler between the plurality of primary fuel nozzles and the secondary fuel nozzle, the outer swirler including a plurality of outer swirler channels extending therethrough;
• and
• delivering a flow of swirler fuel through the plurality of outer swirler channels into the combustor substantially between the primary combustion zone and the secondary combustion zone to stabilize combustion in the primary combustion zone and/or the secondary combustion zone.