Patents Examined by Katheryn A Malatek
  • Patent number: 11236683
    Abstract: A control system operable includes a modified primary control parameter for an aircraft, the control system includes: a primary control parameter leg configured to output a demand in an aircraft primary control parameter; a primary control parameter compensation leg configured to receive a change in absolute levels and/or spatial distributions of swirl angle and/or fan pressure at a primary control parameter relative to a reference and convert the change into the primary control parameter; a processor adapted to receive the demand in the primary control parameter output from the primary control parameter leg and the change to the primary control parameter output from the primary control parameter compensation leg; compare the demand in the primary control parameter output from the primary control parameter leg and the change to the primary control parameter output from the primary control parameter compensation leg; and generate a modified primary control parameter for the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Vasileios Kyritsis, Maurice Bristow
  • Patent number: 11226101
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine swirler that includes a tubular body having a forward face, an aft end, and a throat. A plurality of primary swirl vanes that is positioned between the aft end and the forward face. A plurality of secondary swirl vanes that is positioned between the primary swirl vanes and the aft end. The plurality of primary swirl vanes and the plurality of secondary swirl vanes are configured such that the throat is fluidly connected to a plenum that is positioned outside of the tubular body. A tubular ferrule is positioned such that it joins the body at the forward face thereof. Each of the primary swirl vanes extend radially inwardly to a vane lip. The secondary swirl vanes extend radially inwardly for swirling air therefrom. The body also includes a tubular Venturi that extends aft from between the primary swirler vanes and the secondary swirler vanes for radially separating air swirled therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Karthikeyan Sampath, Saket Singh, Gurunath Gandikota, Perumallu Vukanti, Pradeep Naik, Steven Clayton Vise
  • Patent number: 11225905
    Abstract: Supercritical fluid systems and aircraft power systems are described. The systems include a compressor, a turbine operably coupled to the compressor, a generator operably coupled to the turbine and configured to generate power, a primary working fluid flow path having a primary working fluid configured to pass through the compressor, a separator, the turbine, and back to the compressor, and a secondary working fluid flow path passing through the generator, the compressor, the separator, and back to the generator. The primary working fluid is supercritical carbon dioxide (sCO2) and the secondary working fluid is a fluid having at least one of a density less than the primary working fluid and a molecular size smaller than the primary working fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Brian M. Holley, Christopher Britton Greene
  • Patent number: 11221143
    Abstract: A combustor assembly comprising a deflector wall in which a plurality of openings is defined through the deflector wall and around the fuel nozzle opening. The plurality of openings defines a first set of openings at a first radius, a second set of openings at or greater than a second radius greater than the first radius, and a third set of openings at one or more of a third radius between the first radius and the second radius. The first set of openings defines one or more of a first angle relative to the radial direction between approximately 60 degrees and approximately 100 degrees. The second set of openings defines one or more of a second angle between approximately zero and approximately 30 degrees. The third set of openings defines one or more of a third angle between the first angle and the second angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Eric John Stevens, Allen Michael Danis
  • Patent number: 11215364
    Abstract: A combustor includes: a first cylindrical body which is configured to hold a fuel nozzle extending in an axial line direction and through which air flows toward a downstream side thereof; a second cylindrical body that is connected to a downstream side of the first cylindrical body; and an outer shell that has an inner peripheral surface configured to define an air introduction channel through which air is introduced such that the air reverses course at an upstream end of the first cylindrical body and flows toward the downstream side together with an outer peripheral surface of the first cylindrical body. The inner peripheral surface has an outside narrowing surface that is formed to extend inward in a radial direction toward the upstream end of the first cylindrical body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI POWER, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Miyamoto, Satoshi Takiguchi, Koichi Nishida, Yoshitaka Hirata, Shohei Numata, Keita Yunoki, Yasuhiro Akiyama, Tomoki Uruno
  • Patent number: 11209161
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a combustor capable of improving impingement cooling performance by reducing the influence of a cross-flow on a jet flow. The combustor includes a combustion liner, in which fuel sprayed from fuel nozzles of a gas turbine is mixed with compressed air and the mixture is combusted, a sleeve surrounding the outer surface of the combustion liner while being spaced apart therefrom in order to form a flow passage for compressed air, a cooling hole formed in the sleeve to introduce compressed air discharged from a compressor into the flow passage, and a first auxiliary hole formed upstream of the cooling hole in the airflow direction. Compressed air discharged from the compressor is introduced into the flow passage through the first auxiliary hole, impinges with compressed air flowing through the flow passage, and forms an air column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co. LTD
    Inventor: Jongho Uhm
  • Patent number: 11209166
    Abstract: A combustor assembly for a gas turbine engine defining a radial direction and a circumferential direction includes a liner assembly at least partially defining a combustion chamber and including at least one liner extending between a downstream end and an upstream end, the downstream end of the at least one liner defining a radial opening and an interface surface extending along the circumferential direction and along the radial direction; and a seal member including a body, a flange, and a radial element, the body defining a body surface extending along the radial direction and positioned adjacent the interface surface of the at least one liner, the flange extending forward from the body, and the radial element coupled to the flange and extending into the radial opening defined by the at least one liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ernesto Andres Vallejo Ruiz, Aaron Michael Dziech, Jonathon Eli Farmer
  • Patent number: 11204164
    Abstract: A system effective for dual utilization of cooling fluid in a gas turbine engine is provided. A cooling annulus is subject to a hot-temperature combustion flow received from a combustor basket and includes a liner including a feed channel to receive cooling fluid. A feed manifold is in fluid communication with feed channel to feed cooling fluid to a plurality of conduits in fluid communication with a plurality of exit orifices that is in fluid communication with a plurality of resonators. A distributor manifold includes a plurality of manifold sectors in fluid communication with a plurality of conduits arranged to convey cooling fluid. Some of the plurality of resonators operates with different amounts of cooling fluid. A group of the plurality of exit orifices is configured to supply an amount of cooling fluid appropriate for a resonator in fluid communication with the group of the plurality of exit orifices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Domenico Gambacorta, Wojciech Dyszkiewicz, Daniel Cassar, Clifford E. Johnson
  • Patent number: 11199132
    Abstract: An air intake system includes an exterior housing for a vehicle, the exterior housing including an outer surface including a recessed portion defined therein. The recessed portion includes an angled bottom member having a first end and a second end that is coupled to the outer surface. The recessed portion further includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall opposing the first sidewall, and an inlet opening defined within the recessed portion. The inlet opening is bounded by the first sidewall, the second sidewall, and the second end, and the inlet opening is configured to receive a fluid stream therethrough. The air intake system further includes an actuation component coupled to the angled bottom member. The actuation component includes a shape memory alloy, and the actuation component is responsive to a change in a thermal condition and configured to move the second end, thereby regulating the inlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Carlos Enrique Diaz, Alvaro Enrique Hernandez, Mehdi Milani Baladi, David William Kimball
  • Patent number: 11199328
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a burner assembly for a gas turbine combustor, having a pilot burner extending along a longitudinal axis, and a premix burner surrounding the pilot burner, wherein the method includes manufacturing at least one portion of the pilot burner by an additive manufacturing technique which includes manufacturing at least one first thermal bridge connecting parts of the pilot burner having a temperature difference not greater than a threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Michael Maurer, Christoph Gaupp
  • Patent number: 11193392
    Abstract: An ingestion restricting device is provided, which is particularly useful in a turbine engine. The ingestion restricting device can include a first component defining a first edge and including a plurality of ceramic matrix composite (CMC) plies forming outer, inner, and intermediate layers. The ingestion restricting device can also include a second component adjacent to the first component and defining a second edge. The first edge of the first component is opposite the second edge of the second component and defines a gap therebetween. Also, at least one ply of the plurality of CMC plies in the outer layer of the first component comprises an integral protrusion extending from the first edge a distance sufficient to traverse the gap and to overlap the second edge of the second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: David Alan Frey
  • Patent number: 11187411
    Abstract: A combustion chamber assembly for an engine with at least one tile component, on the cold side of which facing away from a combustion space, a positioning aid with at least two positioning elements, wherein a defined position relative to the combustion chamber component is predefined for the tile component via the contact of the at least two positioning elements on at least one contact face of the combustion chamber component in two spatial axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG
    Inventors: Michael Ebel, Kay Heinze
  • Patent number: 11175044
    Abstract: A fuel swirler, for a gas turbine engine, has a primary cone housing defining an interior chamber. The interior chamber has an inlet in communication with a source of pressurized fuel. The interior chamber has a transition portion and a socket portion with an axisymmetric interior surface. A swirler core is disposed within the interior chamber. The swirler core has a downstream end and an upstream shank portion having an exterior surface mating the axisymmetric interior surface of the socket portion. The shank portion has a plurality of axially extending grooves. The grooves are disposed axisymmetrically about the exterior surface of the shank portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Sylvain Jette, Oleg Morenko
  • Patent number: 11156360
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle for a gas turbine engine is generally provided. The fuel nozzle includes an outer sleeve extended circumferentially around a fuel nozzle centerline and extended along a longitudinal direction co-directional to the fuel nozzle centerline. The outer sleeve defines a plurality of first radially oriented air inlet ports through the outer sleeve in circumferential arrangement relative to the fuel nozzle centerline. A centerbody is positioned radially inward of the outer sleeve. The centerbody includes an outer annular wall extended circumferentially around the fuel nozzle centerline and extended along the longitudinal direction co-directional to the fuel nozzle centerline. The outer sleeve further includes a first radial wall extended from a downstream end of the outer annular wall. The centerbody defines a plenum radially inward thereof. The outer annular wall and the outer sleeve together define a first fuel air mixing passage extended along the longitudinal direction therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Gregory Allen Boardman, Michael Anthony Benjamin, Pradeep Naik, Vishal Sanjay Kediya
  • Patent number: 11156362
    Abstract: A combustor with axially staged fuel injection includes an endcover and a fuel injector that extends axially downstream from the endcover. The fuel injector includes a cylindrical shell formed by an outer wall and an inner wall. A first plurality of outlets is circumferentially spaced across the inner wall. A first plurality of premix channels is defined between the outer wall and the inner wall. Each premix channel of the first plurality of premix channels is in fluid communication with a fuel supply, a compressed air supply and a respective outlet of the first plurality of outlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Jonathan Dwight Berry
  • Patent number: 11149648
    Abstract: A method of controlling at least part of a start-up or re-light process of a gas turbine engine, the method comprising: controlling ignition within a combustion chamber of the gas turbine engine; controlling rotation of a low pressure compressor using a first electrical machine, and controlling rotation of a high pressure compressor using a second electrical machine, the combustion chamber downstream of the low pressure compressor and high pressure compressor; determining if an exit pressure of the high pressure compressor is equal to or greater than a self-sustaining threshold pressure; and in response to determining that the exit pressure of the high pressure compressor is equal to or greater than the self-sustaining threshold pressure, ceasing controlling rotation of the low pressure compressor using the first electrical machine, and/or the high pressure compressor using a second electrical machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Inventors: Stephen M. Husband, Ahmed M Y Razak, Paul R. Miller
  • Patent number: 11137141
    Abstract: A combustor includes a nozzle, a burner cylinder surrounding the outer circumference of the nozzle, and an outside flow path cylinder surrounding the outer circumference of a downstream end portion of the burner cylinder. A purge air flow path through which air flows is formed between the inner circumferential side of the outside flow path cylinder and the outer circumferential side of the burner cylinder. A tapered surface is formed in the downstream end portion of the burner cylinder such that the plate thickness of a burner cylinder-forming plate that forms the burner cylinder gradually thins toward the downstream side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI POWER, LTD.
    Inventors: Kotaro Miyauchi, Koichi Nishida, Shinji Akamatsu, Keijiro Saito, Satoshi Takiguchi, Toshihiko Saito
  • Patent number: 11136923
    Abstract: A device for regulating the fuel supply flow rate for a turbine engine, comprising at least a pump, an upstream line leading to the pump, a downstream line downstream of the pump, a recirculation duct branched off the downstream line, allowing to collect the fluid in the downstream line and channel it towards the upstream line, a means for regulating the flow rate disposed on the recirculation duct, a phase measurer disposed in the upstream line, a computing unit connected to the phase measurer and to the flow rate regulating means, said computing unit controlling the flow rate regulating means such as to control the degree of opening of said flow rate regulating means, according to the gas content value in the upstream line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Abdallah Aounali, Petar Tomov
  • Patent number: 11125159
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for power production. In particular, the systems and methods utilize the addition of heat to an expanded turbine exhaust stream in order to increase the available quantity of heat for recuperation and use therein for heating a compressed carbon dioxide stream for recycle back to a combustor of the power production system and method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: 8 Rivers Capital, LLC
    Inventor: Brock Alan Forrest
  • Patent number: 11098678
    Abstract: A boundary layer ingestion engine includes a fan section configured to extend into a boundary layer of a full annulus of an aft end of a fuselage of an aircraft. The fan section includes a first fan stage and a second fan stage. The boundary layer ingestion engine also includes a differential planetary gear system is operable to transform rotation of an input shaft into counter rotation of a first shaft coupled to the first fan stage and a second shaft coupled to the second fan stage. The boundary layer ingestion engine further includes a motor operable to drive rotation of the input shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Jesse M. Chandler