Patents Examined by Lorne Meade
  • Patent number: 9346555
    Abstract: An on board inert gas generation system receives cabin air, or air from another relatively low pressure source, passing a portion thereof through an energy recovery turbine to ambient to extract power which is used to provide all, or part of, the energy required to drive a positive displacement compressor to compress another portion of cabin air to increase the pressure thereof to be suitable for supply to an air separation module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: EATON LIMITED
    Inventor: Alan Massey
  • Patent number: 9346565
    Abstract: A nuclear thermal propulsion rocket engine. A reactor is provided to receive a fissionable fuel and a propellant fluid. Fuel may be transported and injected using a carrier fluid. Carrier fluid for fuel may be hydrogen or an isotope thereof. Fuel may be plutonium or selected actinide. A neutron generator is provided, and utilizes an ion generator and a target container which extends into the reactor to hold a target material therein. Neutrons may be emitted almost omni-directionally by impact of ions from the ion generator on target material. Cooling of the target container may be provided by a cooling sleeve that receives and circulates a cooling fluid, and discharges the cooling fluid after it has been heated. Fuel injectors provide fuel through fuel injector valves regulated to cycle on and off to pulse output power of the rocket engine, by timing frequency and duration of fuel feed, and regulating injected fuel amounts, to regulate the energy released over discrete time periods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Inventors: Richard Hardy, Jonathan Hardy
  • Patent number: 9347400
    Abstract: A rocket stage for a spacecraft includes an engine, a tank for storing a fuel and an oxidizer for combustion in the engine, a rocket stage primary structure, and an engine thrust frame that connects and transmits forces between the engine and the primary structure. The engine thrust frame includes at least an internal part thereof arranged internally within the tank. This internal part of the engine thrust frame forms an imperforate partition that divides an interior space of the tank into at least two chambers for storing the fuel and the oxidizer separately from one another. Propellant management devices including liquid guide vanes and refillable liquid reservoirs may be provided in connection with the partition in the tank interior space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Astrium GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Jaeger, Menko Wisse, Jesus Gomez Garcia
  • Patent number: 9347376
    Abstract: A system for supplying a gaseous fuel to a gas turbine includes a liquefied fuel source for supplying a liquefied fuel to a liquid fuel pump that is disposed downstream from the liquefied fuel source. The liquid fuel pump is sufficient to raise the pressure of the liquefied fuel to a substantially supercritical pressure. A supercritical liquefied fuel vaporizer is disposed downstream from the liquid fuel pump. A heat recovery system is in thermal communication with the liquefied fuel. The heat recovery system is positioned between the liquid fuel source and the supercritical liquefied fuel vaporizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Predrag Popovic
  • Patent number: 9347375
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a turbine combustor of a turbine system with the turbine combustor at least partially enclosed within a compressor discharge casing. The turbine system also includes an exhaust gas recovery system that includes an exhaust gas recirculation duct. The exhaust gas recirculation duct is configured to recirculate exhaust gas from a downstream end of the turbine combustor to an upstream end of the turbine combustor. This exhaust gas recirculation duct is entirely enclosed within the compressor discharge casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: General Electronic Company
    Inventor: Michael John Hughes
  • Patent number: 9341372
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a tile fastening arrangement of a gas-turbine combustion chamber having a combustion chamber wall with tiles fastened to said combustion chamber wall at a distance from the latter, characterized in that the tile is provided with an annular flange arranged on its side assigned to the combustion chamber wall, said flange being dimensioned to match a recess of the combustion chamber wall and fastened to the combustion chamber wall by means of a fastening element which engages in the combustion chamber wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventor: Stefan Penz
  • Patent number: 9291342
    Abstract: An arrangement for influencing the flow of an exhaust gas of a gas turbine in a channel that preferably leads to a waste-heat exchanger or boiler. A flow grating is disposed transversely in the channel at an end of the channel that faces the gas turbine. The flow grating partially obstructs the cross-sectional area of the channel, and is provided with passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: NEM POWER-SYSTEMS
    Inventors: Walter Kramer, Wim Stijger, Raymond Johannes Josephus Gunnewijk, Uwe Hensch
  • Patent number: 9291064
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is defined wherein the inlet guide vanes leading into a core engine flow path are sized and positioned such that flow paths positioned circumferentially intermediate the vane are sufficiently large that a hydraulic diameter of greater than or equal to about 1.5 is achieved. This will likely reduce the detrimental effect of icing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew R. Feulner, Shengfang Liao
  • Patent number: 9261024
    Abstract: A method and device producing a setpoint signal representing a flow rate of fuel that a metering unit having a slide valve is to supply to a fuel injection system of a combustion chamber in a turbine engine, the position of the valve depending on the setpoint signal. The method: obtains a first signal representing a measurement as delivered by a flow meter of a flow rate of fuel injected into the chamber; evaluates a second signal representing the flow rate of fuel injected into the chamber based on a measurement of the position of the valve; estimates a third signal representative of the measurement delivered by the flow meter by applying a digital model of the flow meter to the second signal; and produces the setpoint signal by adding a compensation signal to the first signal, the compensation signal obtained by subtracting the third signal from the second signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Bruno Robert Gaully, Alexandra Riou, Cedrik Djelassi
  • Patent number: 9243506
    Abstract: A transition nozzle for use with a turbine assembly is provided. The transition nozzle includes a liner defining a combustion chamber therein, a wrapper circumscribing the liner such that a cooling duct is defined between the wrapper and the liner, a cooling fluid inlet configured to supply a cooling fluid to the cooling duct, and a plurality of ribs coupled between the liner and the wrapper such that a plurality of cooling channels are defined in the cooling duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kevin Weston McMahan, Ronald James Chila, David Richard Johns
  • Patent number: 9188000
    Abstract: The aim of the invention is to improve the efficiency of an axial-piston motor. To this end, the axial-piston motor is provided with a system for regulating the combustion chamber, said system comprising a means for supplying water into the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: GETAS Gesellschaft fuer thermodynamische Antriebssysteme mbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Rohs, Dieter Voigt
  • Patent number: 9188337
    Abstract: A system for supplying a working fluid to a combustor includes a fuel nozzle and a combustion chamber downstream from the fuel nozzle. A flow sleeve circumferentially surrounds the combustion chamber, and fuel injectors provide fluid communication to the combustion chamber. A distribution manifold circumferentially surrounds the fuel injectors and defines an annular plenum. A fluid passage through the distribution manifold provides fluid communication through the distribution manifold. A radial cross-sectional area of the annular plenum varies around the flow sleeve. A method for supplying a working fluid to a combustor includes flowing a working fluid through a combustion chamber, diverting a portion of the working fluid through a distribution manifold that circumferentially surrounds fuel injectors circumferentially arranged around the combustion chamber, and changing at least one of a pressure or flow rate of the diverted portion of the working fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Lucas John Stoia, Patrick Benedict Melton
  • Patent number: 9180985
    Abstract: A fission based nuclear thermal propulsion rocket engine. An embodiment provides a source of fissionable material such as plutonium in a carrier gas such as deuterium. A neutron source is provided, such as from a neutron beam generator. By way of engine design geometry, various embodiments may provide for intersection of neutrons with the fissionable material injected by way of the carrier gas, while in a reactor provided in the form of a reaction chamber. Impact of neutrons on fissionable material results in a nuclear fission in sub-critical mass reaction conditions in the reactor, resulting in release of heat energy to the materials within the reactor. The reactor is sized and shaped to receive the reactants and an expandable fluid such as hydrogen, and to confine heated and pressurized gases for discharge out through a throat, into a rocket engine expansion nozzle for propulsive discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Inventors: Richard Hardy, Jonathan Hardy
  • Patent number: 9175856
    Abstract: A combustion chamber for a turbomachine, including two coaxial walls including air inlets, each of which is configured such that its orthogonal projection, in a plane passing through the axis of the injection system closest to the inlet and perpendicular to an axial plane passing through this axis and through the axis of the combustion chamber, has an upstream edge of convex shape when seen from downstream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Denis Jean Maurice Sandelis
  • Patent number: 9169807
    Abstract: A rocket engine with an extendible exit cone including an exhaust nozzle for gas from a combustion chamber, the nozzle presenting a longitudinal axis having a first portion defining a nozzle throat and a stationary first exit cone segment, at least one extendible second exit cone segment of section greater than the section of the stationary first exit cone segment, and an extension mechanism for extending the extendible second exit cone segment, the mechanism being located outside the first and second exit cone segments. A rigid thermal protection shield is interposed between the extension mechanism and the stationary first exit cone segment. The thermal protection shield presents a convex wall on its face facing towards the stationary first exit cone segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Olivier Dobek, Noel David, Nicolas Ravier
  • Patent number: 9163841
    Abstract: A casting (52) for a support housing (50), including: a fuel manifold (56) comprising an a-stage gas gallery (80) and a b-stage gas gallery (82); a-stage and a b-stage rocket bases (60) integrally cast with the fuel manifold (56), the a-stage gas gallery (80) in fluid communication with the a-stage stage rocket bases and the b-stage gas gallery (82) in fluid communication with the b-stage rocket bases; and one oil tube passageway (64) for each fuel rocket base (60), each oil tube passageway (64) spanning from an upstream end (66) of the fuel manifold (56) to an interior (68) of a respective fuel rocket base (60). Each oil tube passageway (64) is disposed radially inward of an inner perimeter (102) of the b-stage gas gallery (82).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Stephen A. Ramier, Abhijeet Tiwary, Timothy A. Fox, James Bertoncello, Steven Williams, Daniel W. Garan
  • Patent number: 9151244
    Abstract: An aircraft jet engine comprising a nozzle to eject a gas stream, and a system for reducing the noise generated by the ejection of the gas stream. This system comprises several ducts which each are connected upstream to a recess divided into several chambers and open, downstream, at the outlet of nozzle. In this way, each duct ejects a fluid jet deriving from the recess and which interacts with the gas stream of the engine. The system also comprises a pulsation means for the fluid jet which brings about its ejection at the nozzle outlet and/or modulates its speed by varying the volume contained in the recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignees: AIRBUS Operations (S.A.S.), CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, UNIVERSITE DE POITIERS
    Inventors: Jerome Huber, Jean Paul Bonnet, Luis Gomes, Remy Maury
  • Patent number: 9151500
    Abstract: A system for supplying a working fluid to a combustor includes a combustion chamber and a flow sleeve that circumferentially surrounds at least a portion of the combustion chamber. A tube provides fluid communication for the working fluid to flow through the flow sleeve and into the combustion chamber, wherein the tube comprises an axial centerline. A first set of injectors are circumferentially arranged around the tube and angled radially with respect to the axial centerline of the tube, wherein the first set of injectors provide fluid communication for the working fluid to flow through a wall of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Wei Chen, Patrick Benedict Melton, Russell DeForest, Lucas John Stoia, Richard Martin DiCintio
  • Patent number: 9145778
    Abstract: The present application provides a combustor for use with a gas turbine engine. The combustor may include a head end with a non-circular configuration, a number of fuel nozzles positioned about the head end, and a transition piece extending downstream of the head end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Won-Wook Kim, Kevin Weston McMahan
  • Patent number: 9133733
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine test cell has a turbine detuner capable of recovering kinetic energy from exhaust gases emitted by a gas turbine engine while also detuning the exhaust flow to reduce unwanted infrasound. The gas turbine engine test cell includes a test cell building, a thrust frame for mounting the gas turbine engine, and the turbine detuner disposed downstream of the thrust frame for extracting energy from the exhaust gases of the gas turbine engine when in operation. The turbine detuner has an inlet for receiving the exhaust gases, a kinetic energy recovery mechanism (e.g. stator and rotor) for converting the kinetic energy of the exhaust gases into rotary power, and an outlet through which de-energized exhaust gases are emitted after being de-energized by the kinetic energy recovery mechanism. By eliminating the augmentor, the test cell is more compact. The turbine detuner not only reduces infrasound but also recovers otherwise wasted energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: MDS AERO SUPPORT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gley Zitouni, Maxime Cloutier, Martin Gratton