US Patent 11371709 Combustor air flow path

A combustor for a turbomachine includes a head end, a liner at least partially defining a hot gas path, and a flow sleeve circumferentially surrounding at least a portion of the liner. The flow sleeve is spaced from the liner to form a cooling flow annulus therebetween. The cooling flow annulus is in direct fluid communication with a high pressure plenum, whereby air from the high pressure plenum flows into the cooling flow annulus and from the cooling flow annulus to the head end. The combustor further includes a first combustion zone and a second combustion zone downstream of the first combustion zone along the hot gas path. A plurality of fuel injectors are in fluid communication with the second combustion zone and are not in direct fluid communication with the high pressure plenum.