The combustor is the combustion chamber for the gas turbine. The main type of turbine for stationary engines is the silo combustor ; the silo combustor is mounted externally to the gas turbine. This type of combustor may also be called the “single can,” “sore thumb,” or “green thumb” combustor by various manufacturers. A single can design is usually a smaller sized external combustion chamber, and silo combustors are usually referred to as larger sized combustors with a length that is over two times the diameter of the gas turbine. More than one external combustor can be used in the silo design.
Silo combustors look like grain silos or cylinders and they are generally mounted perpendicular to the gas turbine. The inside of the silo combustor is fitted with a ceramic lining to protect the metal of the combustor from heat.