Patents Represented by Attorney Patrick K. Patnode
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Patent number: 7969734Abstract: Disclosed is a system for cooling an electronics package. The system includes a fluid pump and a microcooler assembly. The system utilizes one or more cooling layers interspersed with layers of electronics in the electronics package. Each cooling layer has an array of cooling channels formed in a substrate, an input manifold through which cooling fluid is provided for distribution through the array of cooling channels, and an output manifold which collects fluid from the array of cooling channels. The elements of the cooling system are integrated by conduits including a package conduit for passage of fluid from the fluid pump to the electronics package, a cooler conduit for passage of fluid from the electronics package to the microcooler assembly, and a pump conduit for passage of fluid from the microcooler assembly to the fluid pump. Also disclosed is a method for cooling the electronics package.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2007Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Mehmet Arik, Chellappa Balan, Todd Garrett Wetzel, Stephen Adam Solovitz, Charles Max Byrd, Stanton Earl Weaver, Jr.
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Patent number: 7933744Abstract: A method of wind turbine management includes receiving operational information on operational characteristics of a wind turbine. The operational information is analyzed based on a set of rules, and a determination is made as to whether a fault of the wind turbine is resettable. The set of rules may be configured based on operating configuration of the wind turbine. Advanced operational information may be received for conducting enhanced diagnostics and a determination is made as to whether a fault of the wind turbine is resettable.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2009Date of Patent: April 26, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Vinay Bhaskar Jammu, Narayanan Urupuniakavu Madam, Ramesh Perla, Nidhi Naithani, Mahesh Amritlal Morjaria
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Patent number: 7926311Abstract: The present technique provides systems and methods for integrally washing and drying laundry articles in a home application. Certain embodiments provide a home laundry machine having a drying mechanism pneumatically coupled to a laundry enclosure via an air inlet and an air outlet. The drying mechanism comprises a heating device disposed upstream of the air inlet and a cooling device disposed downstream of the air outlet.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2003Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Vanita Mani, Darren L. Hallman, Olga K. Zhushma
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Patent number: 7928561Abstract: A system is provided. The system includes a device that includes top and bottom thermally conductive substrates positioned opposite to one another, wherein a top surface of the bottom thermally conductive substrate is substantially atomically flat and a thermal blocking layer disposed between the top and bottom thermally conductive substrates. The device also includes top and bottom electrodes separated from one another between the top and bottom thermally conductive substrates to define a tunneling path, wherein the top electrode is disposed on the thermal blocking layer and the bottom electrode is disposed on the bottom thermally conductive substrate.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2006Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Stanton Earl Weaver, Mehmet Arik
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Patent number: 7912659Abstract: A gearbox condition monitoring system includes at least one vibration sensor located on a gearbox casing. A processing unit is coupled to the vibration sensor and is configured to receive signals representative of the detected vibrations from the vibration sensor. The processing unit may be operable to process the signals representative of detected vibrations of gears and bearings and to compute at least one dynamic energy index or location of fault.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2004Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Huageng Luo
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Patent number: 7901110Abstract: A gas discharge lamp includes an arc envelope and a cooling device. Cooling passage is provided between the arc envelope and the cooling device. An airflow blocking structure is mounted rotatably to the arc envelope. The airflow blocking structure blocks airflow between the cooling device and the arc envelope except for a portion of the passage directed towards a top side of the arc envelope.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2005Date of Patent: March 8, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Amol Suresh Mulay, Viktor Karoly Varga, Gary Robert Allen, Sairam Sundaram, Svetlana Selezneva, Vijaykumar Mallappa Kannure, Rocco Thomas Giordano
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Patent number: 7892061Abstract: A hermetically sealed lamp having at least one seal-material-free bond. The seal material-free bond may be a material diffusion bond, a mechanically deformed bond such as a cold weld or crimp, a focused heat bond such as a laser bond, or any other such bond. For example, the hermetically sealed lamp may have one or more endcaps diffusion bonded to an arc envelope, such as a ceramic tube or bulb. The hermetically sealed lamp also may have one or more tubular structures, such as dosing tubes, which are mechanically closed via cold welding or crimping. Localized heating, such as the heat provided by an intense laser, also may be used to enhance any of the foregoing bonds.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2007Date of Patent: February 22, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Bernard P. Bewlay, James A. Brewer, Sylvain S. Coulombe, Sylvia M. DeCarr, Luana E. Iorio, Anteneh Kebbede, Timothy J. Sommerer, James S. Vartuli
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Patent number: 7880419Abstract: A system for the transmission of a direct current (DC) at a medium voltage level includes a system DC link configured to carry power from a source to a load module. The load module includes a DC-to-DC voltage step-down converter, a DC-to-AC inverter coupled downstream to the DC-to-DC voltage step-down converter, and a system AC link for carrying power from the load module to a motor system on a load side of the system AC link. The system is effective for delivering power over distances that are greater than 30 kilometers, and for delivery of power from an on-shore to offshore and sub-sea load.Type: GrantFiled: February 29, 2008Date of Patent: February 1, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Christof Martin Sihler, Robert Roesner, Rajib Datta
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Patent number: 7879750Abstract: A method of making an anode for alkaline electrolysis cells includes adsorption of precursor material on a carbonaceous material, conversion of the precursor material to hydroxide form and conversion of precursor material from hydroxide form to oxy-hydroxide form within the alkaline electrolysis cell.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2006Date of Patent: February 1, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Grigorii Lev Soloveichik
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Patent number: 7874157Abstract: A low emission combustor includes a combustor housing defining a combustion chamber. A secondary nozzle is disposed along a centerline of the combustion chamber and configured to inject air or a first mixture of air and fuel on a downstream side of the combustion chamber. The secondary nozzle includes an air inlet configured to introduce a first fluid including air, a diluent, or combinations thereof into the secondary nozzle. At least one fuel plenum is configured to introduce a second fluid including a fuel, another diluent, or combinations thereof into the secondary nozzle and over a predetermined profile proximate to the fuel plenum. The predetermined profile is configured to facilitate attachment of the second fluid to the profile to form a fluid boundary layer and to entrain incoming first fluid through the fluid boundary layer to promote mixing of the first fluid and the second fluid and fuel to produce the first fluid.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2008Date of Patent: January 25, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Andrei Tristan Evulet, Balachandar Varatharajan, Gilbert Otto Kraemer, Ahmed Mostafa ElKady, Benjamin Paul Lacy
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Patent number: 7851943Abstract: A direct current (DC) transmission and distribution system includes a system DC link configured for carrying power from a source to a plurality of loads {16} and DC to alternating current (AC) power converter modules coupled in series to the system DC link on a load side of the system DC linkType: GrantFiled: December 8, 2006Date of Patent: December 14, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Rajib Datta, Christof Martin Sihler, Richard S. Zhang
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Patent number: 7828938Abstract: A hybrid water and power system comprises a power generation device for generating electricity and waste heat and a thermal purification system that utilizes at least a portion of the waste heat to cleanse nonpotable water introduced therein to produce a semi-cleaned water stream and a water filtration system for receiving and processing at least a portion of the semi-cleaned water stream to produce a potable water stream. In one embodiment, a containerized hybrid water and power unit comprises a power generation device, a thermal purification system and a water filtration system, and is housed in a containment vessel. Containerized water and power unit has an input for fuel and nonpotable water and produces both electricity and potable water.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2005Date of Patent: November 9, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Michael John Bowman
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Patent number: 7808240Abstract: An MRI apparatus includes a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system having a magnet to impress a polarizing magnetic field, a plurality of gradient coils positioned about the bore of the magnet to impose a magnetic field gradient, and an RF transceiver system and an RF switch controlled by a pulse module to transmit RF pulses to an RF coil assembly and to acquire MR images, and a computer programmed to apply a plurality of RF pulses configured to control RF excitation by a transmit coil array such that a waveform shape of each of the plurality of RF pulses is based on optimizing a spatial spectrum.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2008Date of Patent: October 5, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Yudong Zhu
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Patent number: 7803473Abstract: A system and method for producing electricity is described. The system comprises a fuel cell assembly. The system may comprise a steam turbine and a generator. The fuel cell assembly may be used to provide heat to produce the steam used to power the steam turbine. The system may comprise a gasifier that is operable to produce a fuel for use in the fuel cell assembly. The system may comprise an air separation unit that is operable to supply oxygen to the gasifier and to the fuel cell assembly for reaction with the fuel. The oxygen that is not reacted in the fuel cell assembly may be recirculated through the fuel cell assembly. Spent fuel from the fuel cell assembly may be recirculated through the fuel cell assembly. A carbon dioxide removal system may be used to remove carbon dioxide from the fuel upstream of the fuel cell.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2004Date of Patent: September 28, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Chellappa Balan, Daniel Preston Smith
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Patent number: 7804215Abstract: A magnetically geared machine having an integrated cooling concept is provided. The machine includes a rotor having an inner surface and an outer surface, a magnet assembly coupled to one of the inner or outer surfaces of the rotor, and a stator having a plurality of stator windings. The machine further includes a magnetic flux modulator interposed between the rotor and the plurality of stator windings, where the flux modulator includes a plurality of magnetically conductive portions and a plurality of non-magnetically conductive portions placed alternately, where one or more of the plurality of non-magnetically conductive portions comprise a channel for a cooling fluid.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2008Date of Patent: September 28, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Jan Erich Hemmelmann, Michal Wolfgang Waszak
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Patent number: 7752848Abstract: A system for co-production of hydrogen and electrical energy comprising a reformer configured to receive a reformer fuel and steam and produce a reformate rich in hydrogen. The system further comprises a separation unit in fluid communication with the reformer wherein the separation unit is configured to receive the reformate to separate hydrogen from the reformate and produce an off gas. The system also includes a combustor configured to receive a fuel for combustion and produce heat energy and a hot compressed gas, wherein the combustor is coupled with the reformer. A gas turbine expands the hot compressed gas and produces electrical energy and an expanded gas; wherein at least a part of the heat energy from the combustor is used to produce the reformate in the reformer.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2004Date of Patent: July 13, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Chellappa Balan, Andrei Colibaba-Evulet
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Patent number: 7739864Abstract: A power generation system includes first and second turbines. The first turbine including a low-pressure compressor (14) and a high-pressure compressor (16). A combustion chamber (22) combusts compressed oxidant and a fuel stream to generate a hot flue gas (31). The first turbine further includes a high-pressure expander (20) for receiving the flue gas and generating a CO2 rich exhaust gas. A low-pressure expander (22) generates a first final exhaust (52) and electrical energy. A CO2 separation system receives exhaust gas (38) and provides a CO2 lean gas fed to low-pressure expander (22). The second turbine including a compressor section (64) configured to discharge a recycle stream (71) from a high pressure compressor (70) to a second combustion chamber (72) and supply a split stream (84) from a low-pressure compressor (68) to high pressure compressor (16) of the first turbine.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2006Date of Patent: June 22, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Matthias Finkenrath, Michael Bartlett
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Patent number: 7742796Abstract: A method for imaging a breast is provided. The method includes positioning a breast within a breast holder including a flexible membrane and creating at least a partial vacuum within the flexible membrane. A method of upgrading a mammography system and various configurations of breast holders are also provided.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2005Date of Patent: June 22, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Jeffrey Wayne Eberhard, Abdulrahman Abdallah Al-khalidy, Cynthia Elizabeth Landberg, Bernhard Erich Hermann Claus, Reinhold Franz Wirth
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Patent number: 7739875Abstract: In one embodiment, a power system comprises: a first compressor unit, a syngas generator in fluid communication with a fuel stream and the first compressor unit, a syngas expander unit configured to directly receive the first syngas stream from the syngas generator, a first steam generator, a water gas shift reactor, and a carbon dioxide removal unit. The first compressor unit is configured to compress an air stream and form a first pressurized stream, while the syngas generator is configured to generate a first syngas stream. The syngas expander is configured to reduce the pressure of the first syngas stream. The first steam generator is configured to cool the second syngas stream. The carbon dioxide removal unit configured to remove carbon dioxide from the converted syngas stream.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2006Date of Patent: June 22, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Michael Bartlett
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Patent number: 7739898Abstract: An exhaust gas sensor system includes an inner chamber disposed around a sensor element. The inner chamber has either a cylindrical shape or a frusto-conical shape. The system further includes an outer chamber disposed substantially around the inner chamber to redirect a flow of an exhaust gas stream having an original direction by allowing the exhaust gas stream to strike a surface of the inner chamber to change the original direction of the flow to a substantially perpendicular direction relative to the original direction, then to substantially reverse the substantially perpendicular direction of the flow to create a substantially reversed flow within the inner chamber. Alternately the exhaust sensor system includes a sintered metal filter that prevents exhaust gas particles from fouling a sensor element.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2005Date of Patent: June 22, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: David Mulford Shaddock, Ganapathisubbu Sethuvenkatraman, Kunal Ravindra Goray