Patents Examined by Craig Kim
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Patent number: 11506124Abstract: Gas turbine engines are described. The gas turbine engines include a compressor section, a combustor section, a turbine section, and a nozzle, wherein the compressor section, the combustor section, the turbine section, and the nozzle define a core flow path that expels through the nozzle. A waste heat recovery system is operably connected to the gas turbine engine, the waste heat recovery system having a working fluid. An auxiliary cooling system is configured to provide cooling to a working fluid of the waste heat recovery system.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2020Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Joseph B. Staubach, Amanda J. L. Boucher
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Patent number: 11499449Abstract: A gas turbine module includes a gas turbine that has a gas turbine rotor and a turbine shell; an inlet plenum that is connected to an inlet of the gas turbine; an exhaust plenum that is connected to an exhaust of the gas turbine; an enclosure that covers the gas turbine; and a common base on which the gas turbine, the inlet plenum, the exhaust plenum, and the enclosure are mounted. When moving the gas turbine, the gas turbine module is moved together.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2020Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.Inventors: Yosuke Oba, Shingo Nakashima
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Patent number: 11499502Abstract: A gas turbine engine system according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure may include a core engine defined about an axis, a fan driven by the core engine about the axis to generate bypass flow, and at least one integrated mechanism in communication with the bypass flow. The at least one integrated mechanism includes a variable area fan nozzle (VAFN) and thrust reverser, and a plurality of positions to control bypass flow.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2020Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventor: Richard M. Marshall
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Patent number: 11492969Abstract: A method of controlling the oil flow in an engine is provided. In preferred embodiments, the method comprises: flowing oil to a first oil pump upstream or downstream of a fuel oil heat exchanger and flowing oil to a second oil pump upstream or downstream of an air oil heat exchanger. One of two control functions to control the oil mass flow rate through the first oil pump is selected wherein the first control function minimizes specific fuel consumption (“SFC”) by the engine and the second control function minimizes average oil temperature. Preferably, the oil pumps are electric and the total combined oil mass flow rate of the first and second oil pumps is maintained constant.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2019Date of Patent: November 8, 2022Assignee: MEGGITT AEROSPACE LIMITEDInventors: David Bosak, Philip Walsh, Steve Parker
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Patent number: 11486311Abstract: A turbofan engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a fan including an array of fan blades rotatable about an engine axis, a compressor including a high pressure compressor section and a low pressure compressor section, the low pressure compressor section including a low pressure compressor section inlet with a low pressure compressor inlet annulus area, a fan duct including a fan duct annulus area outboard of the low pressure compressor section inlet, and a turbine having a high pressure turbine section and a low pressure turbine section driving the fan through a speed reduction mechanism, wherein the low pressure turbine section defines a maximum gas path radius and the fan blades define a maximum radius, and a ratio of the maximum gas path radius to the maximum radius of the fan blades is less than 0.6.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2021Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Paul R. Adams, Shankar S. Magge, Joseph B. Staubach, Wesley K. Lord, Frederick M. Schwarz, Gabriel L. Suciu
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Patent number: 11486309Abstract: An embodiment of a combustor for a gas turbine engine includes a combustor case, a combustor liner disposed within the combustor case, a fuel nozzle at an upstream end of the combustor liner, a torch igniter at least partially within the combustor case, and a removable surface igniter. The torch igniter includes a combustion chamber, a cap configured to receive a fuel injector, a tip, an annular igniter wall extending from the cap to the tip and defining a radial extent of the combustion chamber, an aperture, a structural wall coaxial with and surrounding the igniter wall, and an outlet passage within the tip which fluidly connects the combustion chamber to the combustor. The torch igniter is configured to receive the removable surface igniter through the aperture. An internal end of the removable surface igniter extends through the aperture into the combustion chamber of the torch igniter.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2020Date of Patent: November 1, 2022Assignee: Delavan Inc.Inventors: Jason Ryon, Lev Alexander Prociw, Brandon P. Williams
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Patent number: 11480106Abstract: An acoustic liner for a gas turbine engine includes an acoustic panel that is curved about a central axis. The acoustic panel includes a support backing, a face sheet, and a cellular structure disposed between the support backing and the face sheet. The face sheet has elongated slots that extend along respective slot centerlines in the plane of the face sheet. The slot centerlines are sloped at oblique angles to the central axis.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2019Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Bruce L. Morin, Anthony R. Bifulco
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Patent number: 11480108Abstract: A turbofan engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a fan including a circumferential array of fan blades, a compressor in fluid communication with the fan, the compressor including a low pressure compressor section and a high pressure compressor section, the low pressure compressor section including a low pressure compressor section inlet with a low pressure compressor section inlet annulus area, a fan duct including a fan duct annulus area outboard of the a low pressure compressor section inlet, a turbine in fluid communication with the combustor, the turbine having a high pressure turbine section and a low pressure turbine that drives the fan, a speed reduction mechanism coupled to the fan and rotatable by the low pressure turbine section to allow the low pressure turbine section to turn faster than the fan, wherein the low pressure turbine section includes a maximum gas path radius and the fan blades include a maximum radius, and a ratio of the maximum gas patType: GrantFiled: April 14, 2021Date of Patent: October 25, 2022Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Paul R. Adams, Shankar S. Magge, Joseph B. Staubach, Wesley K. Lord, Frederick M. Schwarz, Gabriel L. Suciu
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Patent number: 11466628Abstract: A method of controlling a gas turbine engine including receiving an instantaneous thrust demand for current operation of the engine, determining the inlet flow rate and/or the pressure ratio within the compressor of the engine and determining whether the inlet flow rate and/or the pressure ratio match the working line for the compressor. The angle of one or more vane of the compressor is adjusted according to a closed control loop if the inlet flow rate and/or pressure ratio lie outside said desired range in order to adjust the inlet inflow rate and/or pressure ratio to meet the working line. The fuel flow to the engine combustor is adjusted concurrently in order to meet the thrust demand.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2020Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventors: Cerith Davies, Marko Bacic
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Patent number: 11466626Abstract: A method for controlling a turbomachine comprising an electric motor forming a torque injection device on a high-pressure rotation shaft, in which method a fuel flow setpoint QCMD and a torque setpoint TRQCMD provided at the electric motor are determined, the control method comprising: • a step of implementing a first fuel control loop in order to determine the fuel flow set point QCMD, • a step of implementing a second, torque control loop in order to determine the torque setpoint TRQCMD comprising i. a step of determining a torque correction variable ?TRQCMD as a function of a transitory speed setpoint NHTrajAccelCons, NHTrajDecelCons and ii. a step of determining the torque setpoint TRQCMD as a function of the torque correction variable ?TRQCMD.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2019Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINESInventor: Cedrik Djelassi
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Patent number: 11459909Abstract: The heat exchanger includes an inner casing extending circumferentially around the central axis and securable to the shaft for concurrent rotation therewith, and an outer casing extending circumferentially around the central axis and secured to the inner casing, the outer casing located radially outwardly of the inner casing relative to the central axis. First conduits are secured to the outer casing and to the inner casing for rotation about the central axis, the first conduits located radially between the outer casing and the inner casing, and circumferentially distributed about the central axis. First passages are defined in the first conduits. Second passages are circumferentially interspaced between the first passages and are located radially between the inner casing and the outer casing. The second passages are in heat exchange relationship with the first passages.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2020Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.Inventors: Laslo Diosady, Daniel Alecu
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Patent number: 11448130Abstract: A thermal management system for a gas turbine engine includes a heat exchanger including a first coolant passage for a first coolant medium and a second coolant passage for a second coolant medium that is different than the first coolant medium. A first hot flow passage is in thermal communication with the first coolant passage. A second hot flow passage is in thermal communication with the second coolant passage all within a common housing. A first valve controls a flow of a hot medium into at least one of the first hot flow passage or the second hot flow passage. A controller configured to operate the first valve to direct the flow of hot medium into one of the first hot flow passage and the second hot flow passage for transferring thermal energy from the flow of hot medium into one of the first coolant medium and the second coolant medium.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2020Date of Patent: September 20, 2022Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventor: Lubomir A. Ribarov
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Patent number: 11427343Abstract: An air intake structure for an aircraft nacelle is disclosed. The air intake structure delimits a channel and includes a lip having a U-shaped cross section oriented towards the rear, a first sound-absorbing panel fixed behind the lip and delimiting the channel, and a second sound-absorbing panel fixed behind the first sound-absorbing panel and delimiting the channel. Each sound-absorbing panel includes a cellular core which is fixed between an inner skin pierced with holes and oriented towards the channel, and an outer skin oriented in the opposite direction, where the inner skin of the first sound-absorbing panel has a thickness greater than the thickness of the inner skin of the second sound-absorbing panel, and where each of the inner skins includes a heat source which is embedded in the mass of the inner skin.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2019Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS (S.A.S.)Inventors: Alain Porte, Jacques Lalane, Florent Mercat
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Patent number: 11421626Abstract: A nozzle assembly is provided and includes an outer cowl, an inner nozzle sleeve disposable within the outer cowl, nested support rings by which the outer cowl and the inner nozzle sleeve are coupled, sets of rivets to respectively connect the nested support rings to the inner nozzle sleeve, the nested support rings together and the nested support rings to the outer cowl and an elongate washer configured to reinforce three or more rivets of one or more of the sets of rivets.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2019Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventor: Michael J. McKenzie
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Patent number: 11421709Abstract: Turbine engine systems for interstage particle separation in multistage radial compressors are disclosed. The multistage radial compressor system includes an interstage region positioned between a first stage radial compressor and a second stage radial compressor. The interstage region includes a radially-outward oriented section, a longitudinally-oriented section, and a radially-inward oriented section. The radially-outward oriented section transitions to the longitudinally-oriented section at a first approximately 90-degree bend, and the longitudinally-oriented section transitions to the radially-inward oriented section at a second approximately 90-degree bend. The multistage radial compressor system further includes a particle separation system including an extraction slot and an aspiration slot located downstream from the extraction slot. The particle separation system is positioned along the interstage region outside of the air flow path.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2020Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventors: John Schugardt, Katherine Smith
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Patent number: 11415059Abstract: A torch ignitor system for a combustor of a gas turbine engine includes a torch ignitor, the torch ignitor including a combustion chamber oriented about a torch axis, the combustion chamber having axially upstream and downstream ends defining a flow direction through the combustion chamber, along the axis. The torch ignitor includes a cap defining the axially upstream end of the combustion chamber and oriented about the axis, wherein the cap is configured to receive a fuel injector and at least one glow plug. The torch ignitor includes an elbow connected to the downstream end of the combustion chamber for diverting combustion products along an ignition jet flame axis that is off of the torch axis for injection of combustion products into a gas turbine engine combustor. The torch ignitor further includes a tip at a downstream end of the elbow for issuing the injection of combustion products.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2020Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.Inventors: Jason Ryon, Lev A. Prociw, Brandon Phillip Williams
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Patent number: 11415321Abstract: A method for regulating jet wakes in a combustor including: directing compressed fluid into a passageway between a casing and a combustor liner; directing a combustion gas along a combustion zone; discharging a first portion of compressed fluid from the passageway into the combustion zone via a first through-hole which is disposed on a section of a combustor panel in a first circumferential row; and discharging a second portion of the compressed fluid from the passageway into the combustion zone via second through-holes, wherein the second through-holes are disposed on a section of the panel, spaced apart axially and circumferentially, and adjacent to the first through-hole, wherein the second through-holes include a first set of through-holes and a second set of through-holes, the first set of through-holes in a second row and the second set of through-holes in a third row, wherein the second and third rows extend circumferentially.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2020Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Mayank Krisna Amble, Perumallu Vukanti, Steven Clayton Vise, Michael Anthony Benjamin
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Patent number: 11415058Abstract: An embodiment of a torch ignitor system for a combustor of a gas turbine engine includes a torch ignitor, the torch ignitor include a combustion chamber oriented about a torch axis, the combustion chamber having axially upstream and downstream ends defining a flow direction through the combustion chamber, along the axis. The torch ignitor further includes a tip at a downstream end of the elbow for issuing the injection of combustion products. An embodiment of a method includes initiating combustion in a combustion chamber of a torch ignitor to produce an ignition jet flame extending along an ignition jet flame axis, and igniting a fuel/air mixture in a gas turbine combustor by issuing a respective spray cone of the fuel/air mixture from a respective fuel injectors in a plurality of fuel injectors, wherein the ignition jet flame axis intersects a plurality of the spray cones.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2020Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.Inventors: Jason Ryon, Lev A. Prociw, Brandon Phillip Williams
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Patent number: 11408338Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system, including a turbojet and a heat exchanger system including a main heat exchanger, a hot air supply pipe and regulating valve, a high pressure pipe bleeding high pressure stage hot air through a first valve, an intermediate pressure pipe bleeding intermediate pressure stage hot air through a second valve, a pipe transferring hot air to an air management system, a main supply pipe supplying fan duct cold air including a main regulating valve, an evacuation pipe expelling air to the outside, a sub heat exchanger, wherein the supply pipe from the regulating valve goes through the sub heat exchanger, a sub supply pipe supplying cold air from the main supply pipe, a sub evacuation pipe expelling air to the fan duct, a temperature sensor measuring hot air temperature exiting the main heat exchanger, and a controller controlling the valves according to the measured temperature.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 2020Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignees: AIRBUS SAS, AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS, AIRBUS OPERATIONS S.L.Inventors: Bruno Medda, Esteban Martino-Gonzalez, Thomas Stevens, Julien Cayssials, Juan Tomas Prieto Padilla, Adeline Soulie, Didier Poirier, Pierre-Alain Pinault, Diego Barron Vega
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Patent number: 11408369Abstract: A nacelle may comprise an inlet cowling defining an inlet of the nacelle, wherein the inlet cowling comprises an inlet cowling maximum point and an inlet cowling aft edge, wherein the inlet cowling aft edge comprises an aft edge length; and a boat tail cowling disposed aft of the inlet cowling, wherein the boat tail cowling comprises a boat tail cowling forward edge having a forward edge length, and wherein the boat tail cowling forward edge is disposed adjacent to the inlet cowling aft edge. The forward edge length may be smaller than the aft edge length, forming a step, the step being defined by a portion of the inlet cowling aft edge that is radially outward of the boat tail cowling forward edge.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2020Date of Patent: August 9, 2022Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Dmitriy B. Sidelkovskiy, Steven H. Zysman