Patents Examined by Marc J Amar
  • Patent number: 11732659
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprising a variable geometry combustor having pilot fuel injectors and main fuel injectors; a fuel metering system configured to control fuel flow to the pilot fuel injectors and the main fuel injectors; a variable geometry airflow arrangement for the variable geometry combustor, which is configured to vary the airflow through the pilot fuel injectors and/or the main fuel injectors; a control system configured to control the variable geometry airflow arrangement in dependence upon airflow delivered to the combustor, the fuel flow to the pilot fuel injectors and the main fuel injectors, and a target index of soot emissions, thereby controlling airflow through the pilot fuel injectors and/or the main fuel injectors and hence the quantity of soot produced by combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Peter Swann, Christopher P Madden
  • Patent number: 11719168
    Abstract: An example compressor bleed slot apparatus includes an annular compressor casing, a blade row mounted for rotation about a centerline axis inside the compressor casing, a bleed slot passing through the forward section of the compressor casing, wherein the bleed slot is bounded by inboard and outboard walls defined within the compressor casing, the bleed slot extending along a slot axis, at least a portion of the bleed slot lying within an axial extent of the blade row, an array of struts interconnecting the inboard and outboard walls, and an annular supplemental flange extending radially outward from the forward section of the compressor casing, wherein at least a portion of the supplemental flange is axially positioned within an axial extent of the bleed slot, wherein the supplemental flange includes a necked-down portion adjacent the forward section of the compressor casing, the necked-down portion positioned axially between an inlet of the bleed slot and an outlet of the bleed slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Mitchell Taylor, Vishnu Das K, Manish Singhal, Atanu Saha, Michael Anthony Thomas
  • Patent number: 11713730
    Abstract: In a convergent-divergent flap pair for a turbojet engine nozzle of the variable-geometry convergent-divergent type, the convergent flap and the divergent flap include respective cooling-air ducts connected to one another through air passage openings formed in respective contact surfaces of the convergent flap and of the divergent flap arranged facing one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Thierry Kohn, Frédéric Paul Eichstädt, Florent Luc Lacombe, François Leglaye, Brice Marie Yves Emile Le Pannerer
  • Patent number: 11708792
    Abstract: A twin-engine system includes a gas turbine engine comprising a core and a first output shaft drivable by the core. An electric engine has an electric motor configured to drive a second output shaft. A reduction gear box (RGB) has an RGB input drivingly engaged to both the first output shaft and the second output shaft. The RGB has an RGB output to provide rotational output to a rotatable load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Guy Lefebvre
  • Patent number: 11698004
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsion assembly includes a turbine engine surrounded by a nacelle with an annular air-intake lip extending around the turbine engine by two annular walls, inner and outer, respectively, intended for being swept across by air flows at least when the aircraft is in flight. The inner and outer walls each includes or supports at least one network of pipes forming heat exchangers. The inner wall pipe network having liquid outlet connected with a liquid intake of the outer wall pipe network. The propulsion assembly further includes means for circulating the liquid, connected to at least one liquid intake of the network of pipes of the inner wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignees: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES, SAFRAN NACELLES
    Inventors: Sébastien Oriol, Mohammed-Lamine Boutaleb, Vincent Jean-François Peyron
  • Patent number: 11692448
    Abstract: A nozzle assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a nozzle having a first material defining a first coefficient of thermal expansion, the nozzle having an airfoil defining a fluid passage therein, an inlet wall defining a fluid inlet that is fluidly connected to the fluid passage, and a passive valve assembly comprising an annular band, the annular band comprising a second material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion less than the first coefficient of thermal expansion such that the passive valve assembly is at least partially moveable relative to the fluid inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Paul Hadley Vitt, Steven Douglas Johnson
  • Patent number: 11685541
    Abstract: An air-breathing turbojet engine for a hypersonic vehicle is shown. The engine comprises a pump for pumping a cryogenic fuel, an inlet configured to compress inlet air by one or more shocks, a cooler to cool the compressed inlet air using the cryogenic fuel, and a turbo-compressor to compress the air further. A precooler cools the compressed inlet air using compressed cooled air from the turbo-compressor. A combustor receives compressed cooled air from the turbo-compressor and a first portion of the cryogenic fuel for combustion. A first turbine expands and is driven by combustion products, and a second turbine expands and is driven by a second portion of the cryogenic fuel. The first turbine and the second turbine drive the turbo-compressor via a shaft. An afterburner receives combustion products from the first turbine and the second portion of the cryogenic fuel from the second turbine for combustion therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Ahmed My Razak
  • Patent number: 11679886
    Abstract: A linking device connecting an aircraft engine and a primary structure of an aircraft pylon, comprising a support connected to the primary structure, a spreader having a central part connected to the support and a first and a second end that are connected to thrust rods, at least one limiting system for limiting the travel of the spreader having an upper and a lower stop between which is positioned the first or second end of the spreader, the upper and the lower stop being connected to one another so as to form a single part connected to a fitting secured to the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Michael Berjot, Rémi Lansiaux, William Bras, Germain Gueneau, Sébastien Van Arendonk, Jacques Demange, Sébastien Commenge
  • Patent number: 11661867
    Abstract: A gas turbine exhaust heat recovery plant includes a plurality of gas turbine exhaust heat recovery devices that have a gas turbine and an exhaust heat recovery boiler for generating steam by recovering exhaust heat of the gas turbine, a steam-utilizing facility that utilizes the steam generated by the exhaust heat recovery boiler, and an inter-device heat medium supply unit capable of supplying a portion of water heated or a portion of the steam generated by at least one of the gas turbine exhaust heat recovery devices out of the plurality of gas turbine exhaust heat recovery devices, to the other gas turbine exhaust heat recovery device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Uechi, Eisaku Ito
  • Patent number: 11662095
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle includes a shroud; an injection cylinder surrounded by the shroud and configured to supply fuel to a combustion chamber; a swirler disposed between the injection cylinder and the shroud; and a porous disk disposed downstream of the swirler to surround an outer peripheral surface of the injection cylinder in order to prevent a flashback phenomenon occurring due to a reduction in pressure around the swirler. The porous disk includes a disk body to block a flame produced in the combustion chamber, and a plurality of flow holes are formed in the disk body through which the fuel flows. It is possible to prevent flashback by installing the porous disk downstream of the swirler, and to impart linearity and a swirling effect to the fuel passing through the fuel nozzle by forming variously configured flow holes in the porous disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: DOOSAN ENERBILITY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Moonsoo Cho, Inchan Choi
  • Patent number: 11649965
    Abstract: The fuel nozzle for the gas turbine includes a radial swirler and an axial swirler. The radial swirler is arranged to swirl a first flow of a first oxidant-fuel mixture and the axial swirler is arranged to swirl a second flow of a second oxidant-fuel mixture. The first flow may be fed by a central conduit and the second flow may be fed by an annular conduit surrounding the central conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: NUOVO PIGNONE TECNOLOGIE SRL
    Inventor: Matteo Cerutti
  • Patent number: 11643968
    Abstract: An air intake system for an aircraft, which is switchable between a performance mode and a filtered mode, includes a duct forming filtered air inlet slits. The air intake system also includes interconnected gills adjacent to the filtered air inlet slits. The gills are movable between various gill positions including a closed position substantially covering the filtered air inlet slits and an open position substantially exposing the filtered air inlet slits. The air intake system also includes an actuator configured to move the gills into the closed position in the performance mode and the open position in the filtered mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Textron Innovations Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce Bennett Bacon, Kristine Joyce Lazo, Shawn Patrick Leonard, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11639700
    Abstract: Airframe integrated scramjet engines are disclosed. Scramjet engines within the scope of this disclosure may be configured to integrate smoothly with an airframe of a hypersonic flight aircraft or vehicle. The scramjet engine may include capture shape of an inlet configured to capture airflow, a combustor configured for combustion of fuel and air, and an exit shape of a nozzle configured for expansion of the combusted fuel and air to provide hypersonic thrust. In some embodiments, the scramjet engine has a fixed geometry and a transitioning cross-sectional shape over its full length. The scramjet engine is configured to be a component of launch vehicle system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Hypersonix IP Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Kevin Smart
  • Patent number: 11578663
    Abstract: A method of providing an engine family includes providing a first engine having a low pressure turbine driving a low pressure compressor at a first speed ratio, and a high pressure turbine driving a high pressure compressor. The method includes providing a second engine by changing the first speed ratio of the first engine to a second speed ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Ghislain Plante, Keith Morgan, Stephen Mah, Patrick Valois, Robert Peluso
  • Patent number: 11578652
    Abstract: A combined heat and power system and method of operation is provided. The system includes a combustion chamber configured to directly combust solid organic material. A compressor turbine is fluidly coupled to the combustion chamber. An expansion turbine is fluidly coupled to the combustion chamber. In an embodiment, the system has a low turbine pressure ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: ENEXOR ENERGY, LLC
    Inventor: Ricardo Conde
  • Patent number: 11572840
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for multi-mode operation of a combustion system, a combustion system, and a heat engine are provided. The method includes initializing combustion of a fuel/oxidizer mixture, determining whether conditions at the combustion system meet or exceed a first threshold operating parameter, transitioning to detonation combustion of the fuel/oxidizer mixture if conditions at the combustion system meet or exceed the first threshold operating parameter, and maintaining or increasing fuel flow through a deflagrative fuel circuit if conditions at the combustion system do not meet or exceed the first threshold operating parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Joel Meier Haynes, Sarah Marie Monahan, Thomas Michael Lavertu, Venkat Eswarlu Tangirala, Kapil Kumar Singh
  • Patent number: 11572833
    Abstract: An aircraft engine assembly includes a dual-flow turbine engine, a pylon for mounting the turbine engine, thrust-absorbing rods connecting the turbine engine to the pylon, and an inter-flow compartment housing a lubricant tank. In order to facilitate the filling of the tank, a lubricant supply path is fluidly connected to the tank, this path passing through an inner hollow region of at least one of the two thrust-absorbing rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Antoine Elie Hellegouarch, Frédéric Paul Eichstadt, Quentin Matthias Emmanuel Garnaud
  • Patent number: 11572838
    Abstract: A turbine engine that includes an engine core, an inner cowl, an outer cowl and an accessory gearbox. The engine core includes at least a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in axial flow arrangement. The accessory gearbox is operably coupled to the engine core and includes a first portion and a second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, John Carl Glessner, Lawrence William Nurre, Ian Francis Prentice, Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Arthur William Sibbach
  • Patent number: 11555457
    Abstract: A fuel control device includes a stem fuel valve opening degree determination unit, a branch line flow rate determination unit, and a correction value determination unit. The stem fuel valve opening degree determination unit is configured to determine an opening degree of a flow rate adjustment valve of a stem fuel supply line. The branch line flow rate determination unit is configured to determine an opening degree of a flow rate adjustment valve of at least one branch line. The correction value determination unit is configured to determine a correction value of the opening degree of the flow rate adjustment valve of the at least one branch line based on a value of a pressure difference between a fuel pressure upstream of a nozzle connected to the at least one branch line and a corrected fuel pressure for a fuel pressure at an outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenji Miyamoto, Kotaro Miyauchi, Hisashi Nakahara, Kiyoshi Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 11549464
    Abstract: A system includes a gas turbine engine having a low speed spool, a high speed spool, and a combustor. The system also includes a low spool motor configured to augment rotational power of the low speed spool. The system further includes a controller configured to cause fuel flow. The controller is operable to control the low spool motor to drive rotation of the low speed spool responsive to a thrust command while the controller does not command fuel flow to the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Neil Terwilliger, Gary Collopy