Patents Examined by David J. Torrente
  • Patent number: 6244051
    Abstract: The invention relates to a burner for combustors of gas turbines, the burner having an atomizer nozzle for atomisation of fuel in the combustion air and having a primary and secondary flow channel. In the burners, mostly used in aircraft engines, an extensively homogenous distribution of the air-fuel mixture is to be achieved in the combustor to reduce emissions. The flow channels opening into the combustor are separated from a first component arranged concentrically in relation to the burner axis and having a sleeve-shaped atomizer lip extending cylindrically or conically, and the external secondary flow channel is bounded externally and radially by a second annular component arranged concentrically and having an internal wall extending to converge and diverge. The second component forms an area with the most narrow flow cross-section, and the first component is arranged radially inwards and ends with the atomizer lip at the axial height of the cross-section or upstream thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Inventors: Nikolaos Zarzalis, Thomas Ripplinger, Bernhard Glaeber, Burkhard Simon
  • Patent number: 6244836
    Abstract: A pneumatic pump pumps liquids from natural gas wells. First and second pneumatic rams have first and second pistons housed in first and second cylinders with a lifting beam connecting the first and second pistons above the first and second cylinders and connectable to sucker rods for lifting liquids from a well. First and second gas connections are provided beneath the first and second pistons in the first and second cylinders. First valves are connected to the first and second gas connections to introduce compressed gas beneath the first and second pistons for raising the lifting beam during an upstroke of the sucker rods and a first control valve regulates the up-stroke rate of the lifting beam. Second valves are connected to the first and second gas connections to exhaust gas beneath the first and second pistons for lowering the lifting beam during a down-stroke of the sucker rods and a second control valve regulates the down-stroke rate of the lifting beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2001
    Inventors: Robert A. Jordan, William D. Nystrom
  • Patent number: 6237344
    Abstract: An impingement baffle in the form of a plate includes spaced apart impingement holes for directing cooling air in corresponding jets against a hot wall. Dimples are integrally formed in the plate adjacent corresponding ones of the impingement holes for shielding thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ching-Pang Lee
  • Patent number: 6233916
    Abstract: In a power generating plant which utilizes fuel gas for combustion at a predetermined pressure to drive a primary load, and where the fuel gas is supplied at a pressure higher than the predetermined pressure, an improvement is provided wherein a fuel gas expander is located downstream of a source of the fuel gas and upstream of a combustor for decreasing the pressure of the fuel gas, and wherein excess energy from the expander is used to drive a secondary load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Co.
    Inventors: Ashok Kumar Anand, Raub Warfield Smith
  • Patent number: 6227812
    Abstract: A refrigerant circuit includes a compressor and an expansion valve. The expansion valve is connected to a discharge muffler of the compressor by a high pressure conduit. The expansion valve is also connected to a suction passage of the compressor by a low pressure conduit. The high pressure conduit includes a condenser and the low pressure conduit includes an evaporator. A check valve is located between the discharge muffler and the high pressure conduit to selectively connect and disconnect the high pressure conduit with the discharge muffler. A relief valve is attached to the discharge muffler upstream of the check valve. If the pressure in the compressor is abnormally high when the check valve closes, the relief valve releases the abnormally high pressure from the discharge muffler. Therefore, if the check valve fails to function, the relief valve prevents the pressure in the compressor from being abnormally high.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyoda Jidoshokki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Masahiro Kawaguchi, Yoshihiro Makino, Masanori Sonobe, Koji Kawamura
  • Patent number: 6223538
    Abstract: The invention relates to a ceramic lining for combustion chambers (8) consisting of several juxtaposed elements (1) that are attached by means of a retention bolt (3) to the inside of a thermally highly stressed metallic support wall (4), whereby at least one insulation body (5) is arranged between the metallic support wall (4) and the ceramic elements (1). It is characterized in that the ceramic elements (1) essentially have the shape of a straight, regular pyramid whose base (2) has n corners, preferably three corners, and faces the combustion chamber (8), and into whose tip the retention bolt (3) is integrated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Asea Brown Boveri AG
    Inventors: Urs Benz, Armin Heger, Marcel König, Axel Kranzmann, Andreas Pfeiffer, Roger Suter, Hugo Wetter
  • Patent number: 6220016
    Abstract: A rocket engine comprises first and second combustion chambers with respective combustion chamber liners bounding respective annular passages, wherein the first combustion chamber discharges into the second, and the respective annular passages are in fluid communication with one another. A portion of the effluent from the first combustion chamber flows from the first combustion chamber to the second combustion chamber through the respective annular passages via orifices in the respective combustion chamber liners, so as to provide for effusion cooling of a surface of the second combustion chamber. The first combustion chamber preferably operates fuel rich, reducing the temperature of the effusion cooling gases, which may be further cooled by a portion of unburned fuel. A flow restriction such as a turbine between the first and second combustion chambers provides a pressure differential therebetween that induces flow of effusion cooling gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2001
    Inventors: Guido D. Defever, Robert S. Thompson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6213729
    Abstract: A suction-throttled pump, comprising at least one displacement body for the delivery of a medium and movable in a delivery chamber, into which opens at least one inflow channel extending between the delivery chamber and a suction chamber, and comprising a suction control valve, the pump being characterised in that the suction control valve (33; 33′; 33″) co-operates directly with the inflow channel (25; 25′) and is arranged at the end thereof facing the suction chamber (27).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Assignee: Luk Fahrzeung-Hydraulik GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventors: Axel Fassbender, Hans-Juergen Lauth
  • Patent number: 6210134
    Abstract: In an electronic apparatus having a housing and a cooling device for cooling at least one section of heat-generating sections in the housing, the cooling device of the present invention has air-discharge-openings provided on the housing and a cooling fan motor that is thermally coupled with at least one part of the heat-generating section. The cooling fan motor of the present invention has a motor section including a rotary shaft, blades mounted on the shaft and a case, wherein the motor section is disposed at one end of the case and an opening is provided at the other end of the case. The case is made of heat conductive material, and is placed so that the openings face the air discharge openings. This structure effectively and sufficiently dissipates the build-up heat produced by the heat-generating components in the housing, and cools them down.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2001
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., LTD
    Inventor: Masaharu Miyahara
  • Patent number: 6205770
    Abstract: A rocket engine comprises first and second rotary injectors for injecting respective fuel and oxidizer propellant components into a first combustion chamber, and the effluent therefrom drives a turbine that rotates the rotary injectors. The mixture within the first combustion chamber is preferably fuel-rich so as to reduce the associated combustion temperature, and the fuel-rich effluent mixes in a second combustion chamber with additional oxidizer injected by a third rotary injector so as to generate a high temperature effluent suitable for propulsion. The rotary injectors are adapted so as to isolate the low pressure propellant supply from the relatively high pressures in the respective combustion chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2001
    Inventors: Gregg G. Williams, Robert S. Thompson, Jr., Richard D. Stephens, Dean S. Musgrave, John F. Jones, Guido D. Defever
  • Patent number: 6202402
    Abstract: Described are a gas-turbine construction and a method of operating this gas-turbine construction, having an air compressor, a heat exchanger connected downstream of the air compressor, a combustion chamber, and a turbine which can be driven by hot combustion gases and from which the combustion gases are fed to the heat exchanger for heating the compressed supply air coming from the air compressor. The invention is distinguished by the fact that the heat exchanger and the combustion chamber are integrated in a common unit, and that fuel can be added to the supply air before entry into the unit, which fuel can be ignited catalytically in the form of an air/fuel mixture inside the unit, in which a catalyst is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: ABB Research Ltd.
    Inventor: Thomas Sattelmayer
  • Patent number: 6202405
    Abstract: A combustion chamber wall structure for a high performance propulsion plant or a wall structure for a nozzle of flying bodies has an outer pressure jacket and an inner wall member provided with a multitude of cooling channels. In operation the inner wall is in contact with hot gases. An intermediate layer made of a material having shape memory characteristics and/or superelastic characteristics is arranged between the inner wall member and the outer pressure jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Steffen Beyer, Dietmar Wiedmann
  • Patent number: 6199371
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermally compliant liner for a gas turbine engine. The liner includes an outer wall, an inner wall spaced radially inwardly from the outer wall leaving a duct therebetween. A plurality of stiffeners are disposed in the duct. The stiffeners include a flexible medial portion which accommodates differential rates of thermal growth between the outer and inner walls. The stiffeners also include radially extending portions which in conjunction with the medial portion, minimize buckling of the liner due to pressure differentials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Keith S. Brewer, Gary F. Chaplin, David R. Olsen
  • Patent number: 6195983
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine fan assembly has a plurality of axially swept fan exit guide vanes circumferentially disposed around an axially extending centerline, a plurality of fan frame struts having axially swept strut leading edges and circumferentially disposed around the centerline directly aft of the exit guide vanes, and an axially extending annular gap between the trailing edges of the fan exit guide vanes and the strut leading edges. Each of the fan exit guide vanes has pressure and suction sides, vane trailing edges, and is circumferentially leaned such that the pressure side facing radially inward. Preferably, the axially swept vane trailing edges and the axially swept strut leading edges generally conform to each other in shape. An annular splitter is radially disposed at a spanwise position to split airflow from the fan into fan bypass airflow and core engine airflow and includes a splitter leading edge preferably positioned aft of the strut leading edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Aspi R. Wadia, Peter N. Szucs, Bruce A. Hemmelgarn
  • Patent number: 6190141
    Abstract: An electrical submersible pump assembly has a diluent fluid injection line to reduce viscosity of well fluid. The electrical submersible pump includes impellers for displacing well fluids, and a base member having an intake port for receiving well fluid. An inducer having a helical flight is mounted below the impellers in the base member. The submersible pump is additionally provided with injection ports, preferably radially spaced around the base member proximate the inducer through which diluent is injected for mixing with the well fluid. The diluent is pumped down to the injection ports by an injection line that runs down from the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventor: Joe V. Henry
  • Patent number: 6190138
    Abstract: A scroll compressor has a valve normally closed during forward operation of the scroll compressor. Upon reverse rotation, force imbalances allow the valve to open and communicate a chamber downstream of a check valve to a chamber upstream of the check valve. By communicating these two chambers, the detrimental effects of reverse rotation are reduced or eliminated. Two valve embodiments are disclosed. One embodiment also relieves unduly high discharge pressures. In a third embodiment, a pressure relief valve is provided to prevent desirably high pressure ratios or pressure differentials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2001
    Assignee: Scroll Technologies
    Inventors: Jason J. Hugenroth, Charles A. Stead, Thomas R. Barito
  • Patent number: 6185925
    Abstract: An apparatus for cooling a gas turbine engine annular rear turbine frame includes a first plenum box having an inlet for receiving cooling air and an annular first manifold tube in fluid communication with a first outlet of and extending in a first circumferential direction away from the plenum box. The first manifold tube is circumscribed radially outward of and around a centerline and has axially spaced apart first arcuate sections circumscribed about and perpendicular to the centerline. Each of the first arcuate sections of the first manifold tube has a corresponding portion of a first plurality of impingement cooling holes disposed through the first manifold tube and aimed generally radially inward. In one embodiment the impingement cooling holes are aimed towards a first circumference on the frame and A cooling air bleed is preferably connected to the plenum box with a selectable on and off control valve therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Proctor, Michael J. Epstein, Gordon G. Fraser, Scott E. Farley, Richard F. Koch, Robert W. Siebert
  • Patent number: 6178741
    Abstract: A synthesized divert propulsion system adapted to be utilized in various vehicles, including kill vehicles, interceptors, rockets, missiles and the like. The system is fabricated using microelectromechanical system (MEMS) technology which eliminates complex interconnections required for traditional divert propulsion systems by integrating all propulsion fluid functions and all controlled electronic functions onto a plurality of wafers. The wafers are integrated into a complete synthesized divert propulsion system by stacking and bonding the wafers together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventors: Steven D. Nelson, William J. Sipes, David K. Hoffmaster
  • Patent number: 6178742
    Abstract: A rear mixer ejector of a turbomachine for a supersonic aircraft has an ejector casing of rectangular cross-section fitted with movable flaps defining a variable geometry exhaust nozzle, and cold air mixing devices mounted on the casing side walls upstream of the nozzle. The mixing devices comprise a plurality of U-section chutes extending into the casing from apertures in the casing side walls, each chute being formed by a pair of lateral walls and a transverse wall disposed between them. The chutes are adjustable between a deployed position and an inoperative position, either by pivoting the chutes about axes at the downstream edges of the apertures or by pivoting only the transverse walls about the upstream edges of the apertures. In each case the lateral walls of the chutes remain in the gas flow path through the casing, parallel to the casing axis, in both the deployed and the inoperative positions, and the transverse walls are parallel to the casing axis in the inoperative position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2001
    Assignee: Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation “Snecma”
    Inventors: Xavier Jean Michel Andr{acute over (e)} Guyonnet, Pascal Claude Wurniestky
  • Patent number: 6176077
    Abstract: A rocket engine system comprising a single nozzle having a curved profile in axial section. In order to enable a control of the flow separation occurring within the nozzle outlet, the outlet portion in transverse section has a radius, the length of which varies such that the transverse section transitions smoothly from a circular nozzle throat to a polygonal outlet section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Volvo Aero Corporation
    Inventors: Jan H{umlaut over (a)}ggander, Lars-Olof Pekkari