Patents Examined by Michael K. Reitz
  • Patent number: 11454122
    Abstract: The invention concerns an inter-blade profile (14) for a turbine runner blade, said inter-blade profile (14) comprising a profile (16), and a plug (18), forming a basis of the profile (16) and intended for being inserted into a corresponding hole (21) made in a blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: GE Renewable Technologies
    Inventors: Benoît Papillon, Carl-Anthony Beaubien, David Allan Scott, Laurent Bornard, Louis Mathieu
  • Patent number: 11441440
    Abstract: A rotor assembly for a piece of rotational equipment includes a rotor disk configured to rotate about a rotational axis. The rotor disclose includes a first rotor attachment member including a first mount slot and a second rotor attachment member including a second mount slot. The rotor disk further includes an outer diameter surface extending between the first rotor attachment member and the second rotor attachment member. The rotor assembly further includes a rotor blade including an airfoil, a platform, a first mount portion retained within the first mount slot, and a second mount portion retained within the second mount slot. The platform includes an inner platform surface facing the outer diameter surface. The rotor disk and the rotor blade define a circumferential portion of a circumferentially-extending cavity between the inner platform surface, the outer diameter surface, the first rotor attachment member, and the second rotor attachment member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: William S. Pratt, Christopher J. Knortz
  • Patent number: 11441432
    Abstract: The turbine blade includes an airfoil, a root connected to the airfoil and having lobed edges spaced apart on laterally opposed sides of an axis extending axially through the root, and an air passage extending through the airfoil and the root. A first tab extends at least partially along and laterally outward from a first edge of the laterally opposed lobed edges, and a second tab extending at least partially along and laterally outward from a second edge of the laterally opposed lobed edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Chao Zhang
  • Patent number: 11434780
    Abstract: The invention relates to an air conditioning system for an aircraft comprising a turbine engine comprising at least one radial turbine and a compressor, said radial turbine extending along a central axis (10) and comprising a wheel (20) equipped with vanes (21) mounted so as to be able to rotate about said central axis (10), a nozzle (30) arranged at the periphery of said wheel (20) comprising a plurality of variable-pitch blades (31) arranged around said central axis (10), and a volute (12) comprising an air inlet (12a) and an air outlet (12b) opening onto said plurality of variable-pitch blades (31), characterized in that said variable-pitch blades (31) are arranged around said central axis (10) between two nozzle casing walls (11a, 11b) delimiting an air passage section of said nozzle between them, each variable-pitch blade (31) further comprising means for axial displacement of the blade between the two casing walls (11a, 11b).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: LIEBHERR-AEROSPACE TOULOUSE SAS
    Inventors: Sandrine Cros, Mathieu Roumeas, James Fouragnan, Pierre-Thomas Lauriau, Nicolas Binder
  • Patent number: 11435079
    Abstract: A compressor diffuser for a gas turbine engine includes diffuser pipes having a tubular body including a generally radial portion, a bend portion and a generally axial portion. The generally axial portion has an exit segment extending parallel to the center axis and terminating at a pipe outlet. The bend portion is disposed radially further from the center axis than the exit segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Hien Duong
  • Patent number: 11428112
    Abstract: A propulsion system including a casing surrounding a fan rotor assembly is provided. An example casing includes an outer layer material, an inner layer material including first openings extended partially through the inner layer material along a radial direction of a first side of the inner layer material, and second openings extended partially through the inner layer material along the radial direction of a second side of the inner layer material opposite the first side, and a spring member coupled to the outer layer material and the inner layer material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Joseph Kray, Nitesh Jain, Manoj Kumar Jain
  • Patent number: 11414998
    Abstract: A turbine blade includes an airfoil portion having a hollow portion extending along the blade height direction and film cooling holes arranged along the blade height direction, and an insert disposed in the hollow portion along the blade height direction and having impingement cooling holes. The insert includes a first high-density opening region having a higher density of the impingement cooling holes than in other surface regions of the insert. The geometric center of the first high-density opening region is positioned on the suction side of the airfoil portion in the leading-edge-to-trailing-edge direction and on the outer side of the midpoint of the airfoil portion in the blade height direction. The film cooling holes includes upstream film cooling holes disposed in the suction surface of the airfoil portion at a position corresponding to the first high-density opening region or at a position closer to a leading edge than the position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Fujii, Hidemichi Koyabu, Shunsuke Torii, Satoshi Hada
  • Patent number: 11401939
    Abstract: A two stage axial fan includes a tubular fan housing, first and second motors which are positioned in series in the fan housing, a first impeller which is positioned in the fan housing and is driven by the first motor, and a second impeller which is positioned in the fan housing and is driven by the second motor. The first motor is positioned on a first foot-mounted motor support structure which is connected to the fan housing and the second motor is positioned on a second foot-mounted motor support structure which is connected to the fan housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: Bascom Hunier Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: John Decker
  • Patent number: 11396819
    Abstract: Components for gas turbine engines are described. The components include an airfoil having a leading edge cavity with a baffle portion and a leading edge portion. A baffle is installed within the baffle portion and includes a first metering flow aperture. A first support element retention feature is located within the leading edge cavity. A first axial extending rib extends between an aft end of the cavity and a forward end proximate the first support element retention feature and is formed on an interior surface of the airfoil. A first axial extending flow channel extends along the first axial extending rib between an exterior surface of the baffle and an interior surface of the airfoil and the first metering flow aperture is located proximate the aft end of the first axial extending flow channel to generate a forward flowing cooling flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dominic J. Mongillo, Jr., Daniel P. Preuss
  • Patent number: 11396818
    Abstract: Impingement insert for an airfoil of a blade/vane of a gas turbine is provided. The impingement insert includes a triple-walled section having a central wall, an outer and an inner peripheral walls, that define—a central channel at an inner surface of the central wall, an inner channel between the central wall and the inner peripheral wall, a middle channel between the inner peripheral wall and the outer peripheral wall, and an outer channel at an outer surface of the outer peripheral wall. Impingement cooling holes are provided in the outer peripheral wall that use the cooling air of the middle channel to eject impingement jets into the outer channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Inventors: Vincent Galoul, Simon Hauswirth, Richard Jones
  • Patent number: 11359639
    Abstract: A waste water pump includes an impeller (12) and a surrounding pump housing (4), wherein an impeller side chamber (20) is formed between the impeller (12) and the pump housing (4). The impeller side chamber (20) has a first seal (16) between the impeller (12) and the pump housing (4), towards the intake side (32) of the impeller (12), and a second seal (18) between the impeller (12) and the pump housing (4), towards the pressure side (14) of the impeller (12). The first seal (16) is provided with a conveying device (28, 30) configured to convey debris from the impeller side chamber (20) to the intake side (32) of the impeller (12). The second seal (18) is provided with conveying device (38, 40) configured to convey debris from the side chamber (20) to the pressure side (14) of the impeller (12).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: GRUNDFOS HOLDING A/S
    Inventor: Poul Johannes Henning
  • Patent number: 11352892
    Abstract: A rotor assembly is provided for a piece of rotational equipment. This rotor assembly includes a rotor disk, a rotor blade and a seal element. The rotor disk is configured to rotate about a rotational axis. The rotor disk extends axially along the rotational axis to a rotor disk end face. The rotor blade includes an attachment. The attachment attaches the rotor blade to the rotor disk. The seal element is configured to seal a gap between the rotor disk and the attachment. The seal element has a longitudinal centerline that extends along an interface between the rotor disk and the attachment at the rotor disk end face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Scott D. Virkler
  • Patent number: 11306729
    Abstract: An axial flow impeller includes a hub and a blade at the hub. A blade edge of the blade includes a blade root edge, a front blade edge, a blade top edge, and a rear blade edge connected sequentially. The blade includes a divider strip arranged between the front blade edge and the rear blade edge and connecting the blade root edge and the blade top edge. At a same circumference, a ratio between a circumferential span from the divider to the front blade edge and a circumferential span from the front blade edge to the rear blade edge is equal to or greater than 0.2 and equal to or smaller than 0.4, a thickness of the divider strip is greater than thicknesses of other portions of the blade, and a thickness of the rear blade edge is smaller than a thickness of the front blade edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignees: GD MIDEA AIR-CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT CO., LTD., MIDEA GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Bo Wang, Xujie Cai, Hejie Zhou
  • Patent number: 11293289
    Abstract: A bladed rotor system includes a circumferential row of blades mounted on a rotor disc. Each blade includes an airfoil and a shroud attached to the airfoil at a span-wise height of the airfoil. The row of blades includes a first set of blades and a second set of blades. The airfoils in the first and second set of blades have substantially identical cross-sectional geometry about a rotation axis. The blades of the second set are distinguished from the blades of the first set by a geometry of the shroud that is unique to the respective set, whereby the natural frequency of a blades in the first and second sets differ by a predetermined amount. Blades of the first set and the second set alternate in a periodic fashion in said circumferential row, to provide a frequency mistuning to stabilize flutter of the blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignees: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG, Blade Diagnostics Corporation
    Inventors: Jerry H. Griffin, Yuekun Zhou
  • Patent number: 11268493
    Abstract: A method is provided for braking a rotor of a wind turbine. The rotor comprises rotor blades. The wind turbine comprises a pitch adjustment system for adjusting a pitch of the rotor blades. The method comprises detecting a system failure of the pitch adjustment system, estimating a current wind speed, estimating an available brake torque and estimating a required brake torque, based on the estimated current wind speed. The method further comprises determining a suitable point in time for activating a rotor brake, based on the estimated available brake torque and the estimated required brake torque. The rotor brake is then activated at the determined suitable point in time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: VESTAS WIND SYSTEMS A/S
    Inventor: Michael Riis Krabbe
  • Patent number: 11261878
    Abstract: A vaned diffuser provided on a downstream side of an impeller of a centrifugal compressor. The vaned diffuser includes: a diffuser passage forming portion having a hub-side surface and a shroud-side surface and forming an annular diffuser passage on a downstream side of the impeller; and a plurality of diffuser vanes provided in the diffuser passage at intervals in a circumferential direction of the impeller. A fillet is formed in a connection portion between each of the diffuser vanes and at least one of the hub-side surface and the shroud-side surface. Also, where R is a radius of the fillet and b is a vane height of each of the diffuser vanes, and a maximum value of R/b on a downstream side of a throat position of the diffuser passage is larger than a maximum value of R/b on an upstream side of the throat position of the diffuser passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Ishikawa, Isao Tomita, Kenichiro Iwakiri
  • Patent number: 11255334
    Abstract: A centrifugal blower includes a turbofan. The turbofan includes blades, a shroud ring, and a main panel. Each blade includes a leading edge that is located inward of the shroud ring in a radial direction of the turbofan, and a trailing edge that is located on an outer side in the radial direction of the turbofan. The leading edge includes a second side region located on the second side in the rotation axis direction, and a first side region located on the first side of the second side region in the rotation axis direction. The first side region is located on the first side in the rotation axis direction compared with the trailing edge. Stepped portions are formed only in a part of the leading edge, the stepped portions being formed in the first side region or in the first side region and the second side region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumiya Ishii, Shuzo Oda
  • Patent number: 11225944
    Abstract: Wind energy assemblies which contain arrays of wind diodes, which arrays are assembled into a wind energy collector assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Inventor: Randal S. Stewart
  • Patent number: 11193378
    Abstract: A turbine airfoil (10) includes a trailing edge coolant cavity (41f) located in an airfoil interior (11) between a pressure sidewall (14) and a suction sidewall (16). The trailing edge coolant cavity (41f) is positioned adjacent to a trailing edge (20) of the turbine airfoil (10) and is in fluid communication with a plurality of coolant exit slots (28) positioned along the trailing edge (20). At least one framing passage (70, 80) is formed at a span-wise end of the trailing edge coolant cavity (41f). The airfoil (10) further includes framing features (72A-B, 82A-B) located in the framing passage (70, 80). The framing features are configured as ribs (72A-B, 82A-B) protruding from the pressure sidewall (14) and/or the suction sidewall (16). The ribs (72A-B, 82A-B) extend partially between the pressure sidewall (14) and the suction sidewall (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Ching-Pang Lee
  • Patent number: 11187100
    Abstract: A method of forming a blade outer air seal includes applying a cavity layer that has a plurality of cavities to a radially inner side of a seal body. The cavity layer is coated with an abradable coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: William M. Barker, Thomas E. Clark