Gas turbine combustor with variable airflow

An annular combustor for a gas turbine engine, comprising:

• a diffuser;
• an inboard liner extending circumferentially and extending longitudinally fore to aft;
• an outboard liner extending circumferentially and extending longitudinally fore to aft and circumscribing the inboard liner;
• a bulkhead extending between a forward end of the inboard liner and a forward end of the outboard liner and in cooperation with the inboard liner and the outboard liner defining the annular combustion chamber;
• a plurality of primary combustion air admission nozzles downstream of and operatively coupled with the diffuser, and opening through the bulkhead for admitting air into a forward region of the annular combustion chamber, each air admission nozzle of the plurality of air admission nozzles including a throat having a radially variable flow area geometry by radially translating a mechanism;
• a plurality of first dilution air admission holes formed in the outboard liner at a location downstream of the forward region of the combustion chamber and arranged in at least one circumferential row at circumferentially spaced intervals;
• a plurality of second dilution air admission holes formed in the inboard liner at a location downstream of the forward region of the combustion chamber and arranged in at least one circumferential row at circumferentially spaced intervals;
• wherein a flow area geometry of each dilution air admission hole of the plurality of first dilution air admission holes is variable and additionally, or alternatively, the flow area of each dilution air admission hole of the plurality of second dilution air admission holes is variable;
• and
• a plurality of plugs having a conically shaped outside surface, each plug of the plurality of plugs operatively associated with a corresponding dilution air admission hole of the plurality of first or second dilution air admission holes to adjust the flow area geometry of the corresponding dilution air admission hole.