Patents Assigned to Rolls-Royce
  • Publication number: 20240133314
    Abstract: There is provided a method of starting a gas turbine engine, comprising: selecting a baseline starting procedure of the gas turbine engine based on environmental data; receiving condition information for the gas turbine engine and/or for a starting system of the gas turbine engine, the condition information comprising at least one of: health information for the gas turbine engine and/or the starting system; maintenance information for the gas turbine engine and/or the starting system; and operation information relating to an expected future usage of the gas turbine engine. The method further comprises determining a predicted degradation profile for the gas turbine engine and/or the starting system based on the condition information; determining a starting procedure of the gas turbine engine by adapting the baseline starting procedure based on the predicted degradation profile; and controlling the gas turbine engine and/or the starting system according to the determined starting procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: David M. DONNELLY, Caroline L. TURNER, Derek S. WALL, Peter F. DOUGLAS
  • Publication number: 20240133343
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine fuel system includes a fuel offtake configured to divert a portion of hydrogen fuel from a main fuel conduit, a burner configured to burn the portion of hydrogen fuel diverted from the main fuel conduit, a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from exhaust gasses produced by the burner to hydrogen fuel in the main fuel conduit and a power recovery device configured to extract power from exhaust gasses of the burner downstream of the heat-exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Chloe J. PALMER, Jacopo TACCONI, Nicholas GRECH
  • Publication number: 20240138108
    Abstract: A thermal management system for cooling at least one electronic component, the thermal management system including: a heat exchanger connectable to at least one electronic component, the heat exchanger configured to dissipate heat generated by the at least one electronic component; a plurality of cooling channels each connected to a respective pump and the heat exchanger, wherein: each cooling channel is configured to carry fluid between the heat exchanger and the respective pump, and each pump is configured to pump fluid along the respective cooling channel such that fluid carried by each cooling channel flows through the heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Chandana J. GAJANAYAKE, Shuai WANG, Pranshu KHARBANDA
  • Publication number: 20240132227
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system fuel system comprises a fuel line configured to receive liquid hydrogen fuel from a fuel tank, a vaporizer configured to vaporize liquid hydrogen fuel from the fuel line to generate a supercritical or gaseous fuel, a main fuel pump configured to receive and to pump the gaseous or supercritical fuel from the vaporizer during operation of the propulsion system, and a heater provided downstream in fuel flow to the main fuel pump, and configured to raise the temperature of the gaseous or supercritical fuel to a propulsion system delivery temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Marko BACIC, John COULL
  • Publication number: 20240133340
    Abstract: A combined gas turbine engine and hydrogen fuel cell system includes a hydrogen fuelled gas turbine engine, a cryogenic liquid hydrogen fuel tank, a first fuel offtake configured and arranged to divert a portion of hydrogen fuel from a main fuel conduit, a burner configured and arranged to burn the portion of hydrogen fuel diverted from the main fuel conduit, a heat exchanger configured and arranged to transfer heat from exhaust gasses produced by the burner to hydrogen fuel in the main fuel conduit, a second fuel offtake arranged to divert a portion of hydrogen fuel from the main fuel conduit downstream of the heat exchanger, and a hydrogen fuel cell configured and arranged to produce electric power using hydrogen fuel diverted from the second fuel offtake.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Nicholas GRECH, Chloe J. PALMER, Jacopo TACCONI
  • Patent number: 11964388
    Abstract: A locking system for a continuum arm robot system, the robot system includes: a continuum arm robot having a manipulatable tip, a passive robot section through which controls for the manipulatable tip, and at least one ferromagnetic collar, and at least one external controllable electromagnetic device which can be activated so that the ferromagnetic section on the continuum arm robot is attracted to the electromagnetic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Andrew D Norton, Matteo Russo, Xin Dong
  • Patent number: 11965467
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system comprises first and second thrust producing gas turbine engines. The system comprises a controller configured to determine a required overall propulsion system thrust level, and determine an engine core power level contribution from each aircraft gas turbine engine such that the overall propulsion system produces a minimum overall noise level and meets the required overall propulsion system thrust level. In meeting the minimum overall noise level, at least the first and second gas turbine engines are operated at different engine core power settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Peter Swann, Kevin M Britchford
  • Patent number: 11965528
    Abstract: A fan case assembly adapted for use with a gas turbine engine includes a case at extends circumferentially at least partway about an axis of the gas turbine engine and a plurality of vanes. The case is formed to define a plenum that extends circumferentially at least partway about the axis. The plurality of vanes are arranged in the plenum and spaced apart circumferentially about the axis to define a plurality of inlet openings in fluid communication with the plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. Heeter, Daniel E. Molnar, Jr., Jonathan M. Rivers
  • Publication number: 20240123655
    Abstract: A rodstock barrel drive having a first and second roller gears, each having a toothed section and a gripping surface section, such that the teeth of the roller gears intermesh, causing rotation of one of roller gear to rotate the other roller gear in the opposite direction, so as to draw a rodstock through a space between the gripping surfaces of the pair of roller gears, a ring gear which engages with one of the pair of roller gears, a drive gear which engages with the ring gear, and one or more idler gears which engage with the ring gear, all within a housing, the drive gear being connected to, and rotated by, a motor, which causes the rodstock to be drawn through the roller gears, wherein all the gears are all positioned within, and oriented parallel to, a common plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Kevin M. WORLD, Simon Groves, Wojciech Wasinski
  • Publication number: 20240123692
    Abstract: A needle apparatus for making a pinning hole in a composite material, the apparatus having a needle with a longitudinal axis, a collar fixed about the needle, a motor having an axis of rotation, and being fixed to the needle such that the needle can be rotated by the motor, the motor and the collar being situated within a motor housing, the motor housing having a first bush, and a second bush, wherein the collar is positioned between the first bush and second bush so as to prevent the needle from moving away from or towards the motor, but allow the needle to rotate freely around its longitudinal axis, wherein each needle apparatus further comprises a linear actuator connected to the motor such that the motor can be moved along the axis of rotation of the motor by the linear actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Kevin M. WORLD, Simon GROVES, Wojciech WASINSKI, Neal WRIGHT
  • Patent number: 11959669
    Abstract: Cooling systems and methods of operation are provided. The cooling system may include a two-phase pumped loop (TPPL). The two-phase pumped loop may include, a receiver, a pump downstream from the receiver, a heat load downstream from the pump, a TPPL tee downstream from the heat load, a TPPL check valve downstream from the TPPL tee, and a heat exchanger downstream from the TPPL check valve and upstream from the receiver. The cooling system may further include a vapor cycle system (VCS) loop. The vapor cycle system loop may include the receiver, a compressor downstream from a vapor outlet of the receiver, a compressor check valve downstream from the compressor and upstream of the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger, and the heat load downstream from a liquid outlet of the receiver.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Timothy Unton, Douglas J. Snyder, Christopher Banham
  • Patent number: 11958787
    Abstract: The disclosure describes braze tape coatings and technique to form articles with differing physical properties in different layers or regions of the article. An example method includes forming a braze tape defining at least one layer that includes a first segment and a second segment. A portion of the second segment in the plane is adjacent to a portion of the first segment in a plane of the layer. The method also includes positioning the braze tape on a surface of a substrate, the plane of the layer of the braze tape being parallel to the surface of the substrate. The method also includes heating the braze tape to melt a constituent of at least one of the first coating material and the second coating material to form a densified coating on the surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Alexander Sean Golden, Sungbo Shim, Li Li, Taylor K. Blair
  • Publication number: 20240117779
    Abstract: A closed-loop control device, for closed-loop control of a power assembly including an internal combustion engine and a generator having an operative drive connection to the internal combustion engine, includes: the closed-loop control device which is configured, in a first functional state, for: detecting a generator frequency (fG) of the generator as a controlled variable; determining a control deviation (ef) as a difference between the generator frequency (fG) which is detected and a target generator frequency fsoll); determining a target speed (nsoll) as a manipulated variable for controlling the internal combustion engine as a function of the control deviation (ef); using a control rule for determining the target speed (nsoll); and being operatively connected to an open-loop control device of the internal combustion engine in such a way that the target speed (nsoll) can be transmitted by the closed-loop control device to an open-loop control device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce Solutions GmbH
    Inventor: Armin Dölker
  • Publication number: 20240117744
    Abstract: Disclosed is an aerofoil for a gas turbine engine comprising: a first conduit formed in the aerofoil; a second conduit formed in the aerofoil; and a dividing wall separating the first and second conduits, the dividing wall comprising a transfer port configured to permit fluid flow between the first and second conduits; wherein the dividing wall further comprises a reinforcing boss at least partially encircling the transfer port. Also disclosed is a gas turbine engine comprising the aerofoil and an aircraft comprising the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Bogachan ALPAN, Jonathan M. PEACE, Thomas P. HOUGHTON
  • Publication number: 20240120862
    Abstract: A closed-loop control device includes: a power controller for: detecting a generator power of a generator as a controlled variable, determining a power control deviation as a difference between the detected generator power and a target generator power; and determining a first preset variable as a function of the power control deviation; a frequency controller for: detecting a generator frequency of the generator as a controlled variable, determining a frequency control deviation as a difference between the detected generator frequency and a target generator frequency; determining a second preset variable as a function of the frequency control deviation; and a preselection module for determining a third preset variable, the closed-loop control device for: combining the first preset variable, the second preset variable, and the third preset variable with one another to form an overall preset variable; and using the overall preset variable for controlling an internal combustion engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce Solutions GmbH
    Inventors: Armin Dölker, Johannes Baldauf
  • Publication number: 20240116285
    Abstract: A tool for curing and bonding a honeycomb stack with void filler. The tool has a first tool piece with a cavity for receiving layers of unfilled honeycomb material and a second tool piece with a cavity for receiving at least one layer of void-filled honeycomb. The tool also has a compression seal arrangement that creates gas-tight seals between the first tool piece, second tool piece, and a barrier layer positioned between them, with a further seal covering the cavity of the first tool piece to form a gas-tight sealed volume including the first cavity, a pressure plate to cover the cavity of the second tool piece to apply pressure to the void-filled honeycomb, with a further seal to cover the pressure plate to form a gas-tight sealed volume including the second cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Charlie RICCARD
  • Publication number: 20240117771
    Abstract: A method of determining at least one fuel characteristic of a fuel provided to a gas turbine engine of an aircraft includes making an operational change, the operational change being effected by a controllable component of a propulsion system of which the gas turbine engine forms a part, and being arranged to affect operation of the gas turbine engine, sensing a response to the operational change; and determining the at least one fuel characteristic based on the response to the operational change.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Benjamin J KEELER, David M BEAVEN, Craig W BEMMENT, Paul W FERRA, Kevin R MCNALLY, Andrea MINELLI, Martin K YATES
  • Publication number: 20240117776
    Abstract: A closed-loop control device includes: a power controller; a frequency controller for: detecting a generator frequency (fG) as a controlled variable; determining a frequency control deviation (ef) as a difference between the detected generator frequency (fG) and a target generator frequency (fsoll); determining a second preset variable as a manipulated variable for controlling an internal combustion engine as a function of the frequency control deviation (ef); and a switchover module for: using, in a first functional state, a first preset variable as a control preset variable for controlling the internal combustion engine; using, in a second functional state, the second preset variable as a control preset variable for controlling the internal combustion engine; wherein the power controller and the frequency controller can calculate a controller component for a respectively assigned preset variable during operation of the closed-loop control device, independently of a current functional state of the switchover
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce Solutions GmbH
    Inventor: Armin Dölker
  • Publication number: 20240117967
    Abstract: There is described a fuel injector for a gas turbine engine. The fuel injector comprises an air passageway having an inlet region and an outlet region in fluid communication with the inlet region at an air passageway interface, the inlet region being configured to receive a flow of air from a compressor of the gas turbine engine at an air inlet, the outlet region being configured to receive the flow of air from the inlet region via the air passageway interface and discharge the flow of air to a combustor head of the gas turbine engine. The fuel injector also comprises a fuel passageway having a fuel outlet configured to discharge a flow of fuel into the combustor head. A width of the inlet region in a direction perpendicular to a centreline of the air passageway decreases continuously from the air inlet to the air passageway interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Stephen C. HARDING
  • Publication number: 20240117777
    Abstract: A closed-loop control device, for closed-loop control of a power assembly including an internal combustion engine and a generator operatively connected in terms of drive to the internal combustion engine, includes: the closed-loop control device which is configured for: detecting a generator power (PG) of the generator as a controlled variable; ascertaining a control deviation (eP) as a difference between the generator power (PG) which is detected and a target generator power (Ptarget); determining a target torque (Mtarget) as a manipulated variable for actuating the internal combustion engine as a function of the control deviation (eP); using a control rule to determine the target torque (Mtarget); and determining the control rule used to determine the target torque (Mtarget) as a function of a predetermined loop gain (vP).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce Solutions GmbH
    Inventor: Armin Dölker