Patents Examined by Katheryn A Malatek
  • Patent number: 11506390
    Abstract: A method for operating a fuel injector of a gas turbine engine includes injecting a hydrogen-based primary fuel from a primary fuel passage of the fuel injector directly into a combustion chamber. The primary fuel passage includes a primary fuel outlet located within the combustion chamber. The method further includes injecting a second fuel, different than the hydrogen-based primary fuel, from a secondary fuel passage of the fuel injector into a hood chamber separated from the combustion chamber by a bulkhead. The secondary fuel passage includes a plurality of secondary fuel outlets located within the hood chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Timothy S. Snyder
  • Patent number: 11506133
    Abstract: A method of delivering fuel to an engine during operation of the engine, that includes, sensing the speed of sound in the fuel, determining a density or property of the fuel, and based on that density or fuel property adjusting the flow rate of the fuel. Further, an established fuel profile or determined energy density value can also be used to adjust the flow rate of the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Adam Edgar Klingbeil, William James Mailander
  • Patent number: 11499440
    Abstract: A turbine vane and a gas turbine including the same are provided. The turbine vane includes an airfoil having a pressure side and a suction side, at least one cooling channel formed radially in the airfoil, and an insert inserted into the at least one cooling channel to divide the cooling channel into a pressure side passage and a suction side passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Inventors: Hyuk Hee Lee, Sung Chul Jung
  • Patent number: 11492968
    Abstract: A discharge duct (30) of an intermediate housing hub for an aircraft turbojet engine, comprises an inlet end (41) and an outlet end (42), intended to ensure the passage of air from at least one discharge inlet opening to at least one secondary outlet opening, and comprising an ejection grill (32) arranged at the outlet end (42), the ejection grill (32) comprising a plurality of fins (43), characterised in that the fins (43) comprise flow channels (44) for a fluid to be cooled, so as to form a heat exchange system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Benjamin Bulot, Pradeep Cojande, Eva Julie Lebeault
  • Patent number: 11466855
    Abstract: A combustor adapted for use in a gas turbine engine includes a combustor shell comprising metallic materials. The combustor shell is formed to define an internal space. The combustor further includes a heat shield mounted to an axially aft surface of the combustor shell within the internal space and a combustor liner arranged to extend along inner surfaces of the combustor shell within the internal space. The combustor liner cooperates with the heat shield to define a combustor chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, Aaron D. Sippel
  • Patent number: 11459895
    Abstract: A turbine blade includes an airfoil including a pressure side and a suction side. A platform includes a pressure side wall and a suction side wall, and has a leading edge end wall and a trailing edge end wall. A pocket is positioned under the platform on the pressure side. A hole has a first end communicating with the pocket and having a second end communicating with the pressure side wall. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Pedro David Laureano, John A. Lucena
  • Patent number: 11454171
    Abstract: A method and system for cooling an engine and/or vehicle using energy separation is disclosed herein. An energy separation device is operable for separating a compressed gaseous coolant stream into a first relatively cooler coolant flow stream and a second relatively hotter coolant flow stream. The relative cooler coolant flow stream is directed to a first region requiring increased cooling and the relative hotter coolant flow stream is directed to a second region requiring lower cooling than the first region in the engine or vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: James Rutledge, Matthew Fuqua, Carol Bryant
  • Patent number: 11448132
    Abstract: A turbine engine heat exchanger has an array of heat exchanger plates mounted to an inner case wall for providing heat transfer from a bleed flowpath to a bypass flowpath. Each plate has: first and second faces along the bypass flowpath; a proximal edge mounted to the inner case wall; an inlet along the proximal edge; an outlet along the proximal edge; and a branch segment of the bleed flowpath passing from the inlet to the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James F. Wiedenhoefer, Russell J. Bergman, William P. Stillman, Patrick M. Hart
  • Patent number: 11441485
    Abstract: A fuel system for a gas turbine engine includes a first electric motor, a main fuel pump driven by the first electric motor to provide a fuel flow, and an actuator operable by a second electric motor. A first motor controller governs operation of the first electric motor. A second motor controller governs operation of the second electric motor. The second motor controller is operable to control operation of the first electric motor in response the first motor controller being incapable of governing operation of the first electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Neal R. Herring
  • Patent number: 11434822
    Abstract: A cooling arrangement for a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, an offtake duct that has an offtake inlet coupled to a cooling source, the offtake duct defining a throat, and a valve downstream of the throat. The valve couples the offtake duct and a first cooling flow path. The valve is operable to selectively modulate flow through the offtake duct. A bleed passage includes a bleed inlet coupling the offtake duct and a second cooling flow path. The bleed inlet is defined at a location between the offtake inlet and the throat, inclusive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michael Ronan
  • Patent number: 11428410
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes a combustor shell, a heat shield and a burner seal. The combustor shell includes metallic materials and is formed to define an interior combustion space. The heat shield includes ceramic matrix composite materials and is configured to shield a portion of the combustor shell from the interior combustion space. The burner seal includes ceramic matrix composite materials and is configured to extend through apertures formed in the combustor shell and the heat shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, Aaron D. Sippel, Paulo Bazan
  • Patent number: 11421599
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor including a fuel injector having a plurality of annular fuel injection portions in each of which multiple fuel injection holes are formed, is provided with: an auxiliary fuel introduction passage for introducing an auxiliary fuel that is to be supplied to an auxiliary fuel injection portion that is a part of the plurality of annular fuel injection portions, into the fuel injector; a first main fuel introduction passage provided with a flow regulating valve for introducing a main fuel that is to be supplied to a main fuel injection portion that is an annular fuel injection portion other than the auxiliary fuel injection portion, into the fuel injector; and a second main fuel introduction passage provided with a flow regulating valve for introducing the main fuel that is to be supplied to the auxiliary fuel injection portion, into the fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Horikawa, Masahide Kazari, Kunio Okada, Kazuki Koga
  • Patent number: 11408348
    Abstract: A fuel supply system for fuel injectors of a multi-stage combustor of a gas turbine engine is provided. The system has a metering and splitting arrangement which receives a pressurised fuel flow and controllably meters and splits the received flow into metered pilot and mains flows for injecting respectively at pilot and mains fuel discharge orifices of the injectors to perform staging control of the combustor. The system further has pilot and mains fuel distribution pipeworks respectively distributing fuel from the metering and splitting arrangement to the pilot and mains discharge orifices. The system further has a controller which is configured to command the metering and splitting arrangement to provide the metered flows, to select the pilot distribution pipework and deselect the mains distribution pipework for pilot-only operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventor: Steven P. Culwick
  • Patent number: 11408353
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a plural spool assembly including a first spool and a second spool. The engine also includes an accessory configured to change between a motor mode and a generator mode and a transmission configured to transmit mechanical power between the accessory and at least one of the first spool and the second spool. The transmission, when the accessory is in the generator mode, is configured to transmit mechanical power from the first spool to the accessory for generating electric power at the accessory. The transmission, when the accessory is in the motor mode, is configured to transmit mechanical power from the accessory to the second spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: David K Jan, Christopher Zollars
  • Patent number: 11408347
    Abstract: A fuel system can include a total flow line configured to receive a total flow and a primary flow line connected to the total flow line. The primary flow line can be in fluid communication with one or more primary fuel nozzles of a nozzle assembly. The fuel system can include a secondary flow line connected to the total flow line in parallel with the primary flow line, the secondary flow line in fluid communication with a plurality of secondary flow nozzles of the nozzle assembly. The fuel system can include a flow split system configured to control a flow split between a primary flow of the primary flow line and a secondary flow of the secondary flow line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Charles E. Reuter, Kevin Gibbons
  • Patent number: 11391172
    Abstract: A face seal includes a seal carrier defining an axis and having a pilot flange, a seal element disposed at least partially in the seal carrier, and a retaining plate connected to one axial end of the seal carrier. The retaining plate has an axial step disposed circumferentially about the retaining plate. The axial step is interfaced with the pilot flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Alexander J. Maret, Jonathan Logan Miller
  • Patent number: 11391203
    Abstract: The invention relates to an aircraft propulsion system, comprising a main transmission unit (12) and at least two turbojet engines connected to the main transmission unit (12), respectively a first turbojet engine (14a) and a second turbojet engine (14b), each turbojet engine comprising a free turbine (24a, 24b), characterized in that the first turbojet engine (14a) comprises a heat exchanger (30) configured to recover some of the thermal energy from the exhaust gas at the outlet of the free turbine, and in that the propulsion system comprises at least one computer (28a, 28b) configured to control the two turbojet engines and to limit the acceleration and the deceleration of the first turbojet engine (14a) when neither of the turbojet engines is broken down, in order to limit the reactor power transients at the heat exchanger (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN HELICOPTER ENGINES
    Inventors: Olivier Audrey David Lafargue, Thomas Klonowski, Antoine Pascal Moutaux
  • Patent number: 11391462
    Abstract: The invention relates to a combustion chamber comprising: a duct (722) with a recess for a spark plug (13) emerging into an inner space of the combustion chamber, and a plug guide mounted on the duct so as to be movable transversely relative to the axis of the duct. The duct is crossed by openings (722b) which, parallel to the axis of the duct, are staggered in a plurality of rows (74a, 74b . . . ) over the height (H) of the duct, with at least some of the openings individually having a diameter of 0.2 to 0.6 mm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventor: Joseph Jean Marie Burguburu
  • Patent number: 11377971
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor includes multiple aft frames each having a floating seal that seals a gap between an aft frame and a gas turbine in inner and outer peripheries of the aft frame, and a side seal that seals a gap between the aft frames adjacent to each other in a circumferential direction, and a corner seal that is placed in a gap portion provided between corner portions of the aft frames adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction, seals air leaking from at least the gap portion into the gas turbine side, and is independent of the floating seal and the side seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shota Igarashi, Tomomi Koganezawa, Keisuke Miura, Yoshitaka Hirata, Shohei Yoshida, Yoshitaka Terada, Takehiko Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 11378007
    Abstract: A system and method of an airflow control system for a vehicle is described herein. The airflow control system (100) includes an airflow housing (120) defining an airflow passageway (125) extending between a bypass opening (122) and an intake outlet (124). The airflow housing also defines a duct opening (126) positioned between the bypass opening (122) and the intake outlet (124). The intake outlet (124) may be in fluid communication with an engine intake (12) of the vehicle such that air passes from the bypass opening (122) and/or the duct opening (126) to the engine intake (12). The airflow control system (100) also includes a movable duct (160) movably connected to the airflow housing (120) to selectively allow or prevent air passage through the duct opening (126) and into the engine intake (12), and further includes a bypass door (140) movably connected to the airflow housing (120) to selectively allow or prevent air passage through the bypass opening (122) and into the engine intake (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Donaldson Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael P. O'Brien