Patents Examined by Pascal M. Bui-Pho
  • Patent number: 10041364
    Abstract: An inner diffuser case for a gas turbine engine may include a pre-diffuser including a plurality of struts. At least one of the struts may include an aperture therethrough. A cone may have a downstream end coupled to the pre-diffuser downstream of, and proximate to, the aperture. A skirt may have a forward end coupled to the pre-diffuser downstream of, and proximate to, the aperture. The forward end of the skirt may be axially aligned with the downstream end of the cone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jonathan Jeffery Eastwood, Dave J. Hyland, Timothy Dale
  • Patent number: 10024188
    Abstract: An inner fixed structure for an aircraft nacelle may comprise a nanoreinforced polyimide composite skin. The nanomaterials may increase thermal conductivity and decrease microcracking in the inner fixed structure. The inner fixed structure may comprise an inner polyimide composite skin, an acoustic core, and an outer polyimide composite skin. The inner fixed structure may be blanketless.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: ROHR, INC.
    Inventors: Vijay V. Pujar, Teresa Kruckenberg
  • Patent number: 10024539
    Abstract: A method of providing fuel to a combustion chamber of a combustion can in a radial direction of the combustion can, and a micromixer cap having axially arranged fuel stages that receive fuel from a radial direction, the fuel stages supplies fuel to different radial zones of micromixer tubes arranged in a concentric configuration to provide a mixture of fuel and air for combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Scott Robert Simmons
  • Patent number: 10012176
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an aircraft gas turbine comprising a thrust-reverser device that is arranged at the rear area of an engine cowling and that has multiple cascade elements which are distributed at the circumference and which divert a stream, characterized in that the cascade elements are mounted in a displaceable manner, in that on both sides of each cascade element at least one gear rack is formed that can be displaced via a respective cog wheel which is coupled to a driving device, and in that each cascade element is connected to a rear area of the engine cowling via a coupling element for the purpose of displacing the engine cowling in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG, LIEBHERR-AEROSPACE LINDENBERG GMBH
    Inventors: Predrag Todorovic, Josef Baer, Frank Mueller, Uwe Schumann
  • Patent number: 10012113
    Abstract: A combined cycle power plant for frequent stops and startups comprises at least one gas turbine, a heat recovery steam generator, at least one steam turbine and a thermal energy storage and retrieval system utilizing latent heat of fusion. Phase change materials receive thermal charge from two sources: (a) renewable energy generation plants, when their production exceeds demand and (b) gas turbine exhaust heat. The thermal energy storage and retrieval system, discharges efficiently thermal energy for steam production, which keeps the at least one steam turbine preheated and ready for fast startups, thus increasing the plant's flexibility and efficiency. A novel two stage latent thermal energy storage system provides at least supercritical steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Inventor: Vassilios Vamvas
  • Patent number: 10006308
    Abstract: A mid-turbine frame (MTF) system for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The MTF includes an inner case, an outer case and a fairing sandwiched between the inner and outer cases. The fairing includes an inner ring spaced apart from and coupled to an outer ring by a plurality of hollow struts. The hollow struts accommodate support rods that connect the inner case to the outer case. Further, the hollow struts act as turning vanes for turning the flow of gases passing from a high pressure turbine (HPT) to a low pressure turbine (LPT) for purposes of providing the correct incidence angle to the first vane of the LPT. The outer ring of the fairing includes a plurality of bosses which receive attachment pins that pass through the outer case for correctly locating the fairing with respect to the outer case and for permitting radial expansion in contraction of the fairing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jorge I. Farah, Jonathan P. Burt, Paul K. Sanchez, Kalpendu J. Parekh, Jonathan J. Jakiel
  • Patent number: 10006404
    Abstract: An example thrust reverser blocker door includes a blocker door that is movable from a stowed position to a deployed position. Flow moves through an area of a bypass flowpath when the blocker door is in the stowed position. The blocker door blocks no less than about 70% and no more than about 85% of flow through this area when the blocker door is in the deployed position, wherein the area does not extend circumferentially past the blocker door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Robert E. Malecki
  • Patent number: 10001281
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle apparatus for a gas turbine engine includes: an annular outer body extending parallel to a centerline axis and having an exterior surface, and having a ring of forward openings passing through the exterior surface, and a ring of aft openings passing through the exterior surface, the aft openings positioned axially aft of the forward openings; an annular main injection ring disposed inside the outer body and including: a forward main fuel gallery extending in a circumferential direction; an aft main fuel gallery extending in a circumferential direction; a ring of forward main fuel orifices communicating with the forward main fuel gallery and each aligned with one of the forward openings; a ring of aft main fuel orifices, communicating with the aft main fuel gallery and each aligned with one of the aft openings; and a pilot fuel injector disposed along the centerline axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nayan Vinodbhai Patel, Duane Douglas Thomsen
  • Patent number: 9995216
    Abstract: A disc turbine engine includes a multi disc engine in which each disc engine includes a turbine blade, and low-pressure compressor blade, a high-pressure compressor blade and a bearing that runs the disc engine freely around a shaft. Each disc engine has its own cooling system, the compressor's blades act as cooling fins for the turbine blade, and air bleeding from the high-pressure compressor to the lower pressure compressor through a hollow turbine blade. Cooling the nozzle is by attaching the nozzle to the guide fan and by air bleeding through the hollow body. There is no stator in between the disc engine and no large shaft is required because the power produced by each turbine blade is consumed by its own compressor. The weight and cost of this engine will be less than other engines at the same thrust output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Inventors: Mustafa Rez, Bassel Rez
  • Patent number: 9989256
    Abstract: An injection system for a turbine engine combustion chamber is provided. The injection system includes a first annular deflector surrounded by the bowl of the injection system and extending in the downstream direction from the downstream transverse surface that delimits the downstream side of the swirler. The first deflector has a free downstream end offset in the upstream direction from a downstream end of the bowl, so as to guide an air film output from the first orifices formed through the bowl. The internal radius of the cross section of the first annular deflector increases from the downstream transverse surface as far as the downstream end of the first annular deflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Denis Jean Maurice Sandelis, Romain Nicolas Lunel
  • Patent number: 9989011
    Abstract: A bypass housing receives a fan and defines a front end. An airflow path delivers air into an inlet duct over a limited circumferential extent of the bypass housing. An airflow path passes across a low pressure compressor rotor. An airflow path passes through a core engine, which includes a high pressure compressor rotor, a combustor, and a high pressure turbine rotor. Products of combustion downstream of the high pressure turbine rotor pass into an intermediate duct and then across a low pressure turbine rotor. The low pressure turbine rotor is positioned closer to the front end of the engine than is the high pressure turbine rotor. The low pressure turbine rotor is positioned axially intermediate the low pressure compressor rotor and the fan. The low pressure turbine rotor drives both the fan and the low pressure turbine rotor. An aircraft is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Jesse M. Chandler, Daniel Bernard Kupratis
  • Patent number: 9976480
    Abstract: A fluid intake system including a fluid collector scoop designed to be fastened on an inside surface of a wall in order to collect the fluid flowing on the outside of the wall; and an extraction duct suitable for directing the fluid from an inlet orifice into the duct to at least one outlet orifice from the duct, is provided. The scoop is arranged so as to direct the collected fluid towards the inlet orifice of the extraction duct. In this system, at least one outlet orifice is of substantially elliptical section with a ratio of the major diameter of the ellipse over its minor diameter being greater than 1.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Jackie Raymond Julien Prouteau, Pierrick Mouchoux
  • Patent number: 9976448
    Abstract: A method for operating a closed loop regenerative thermodynamic power generation cycle system is presented. The method includes supplying a high-temperature working fluid stream at a first pressure P1 to an expander, and extracting a partially expanded high temperature working fluid stream from the expander at a second pressure P2. Each of the first pressure P1 and the second pressure P2, are higher than a critical pressure of the working fluid; and the second pressure P2 is lower than P1. The method further includes regeneratively supplying the extracted high temperature working fluid stream at the second pressure P2 to a low temperature working fluid stream at the first pressure P1. A closed loop regenerative thermodynamic power generation cycle system is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Andrew Maxwell Peter, Chiranjeev Singh Kalra
  • Patent number: 9964002
    Abstract: Various embodiments include a system having: at least one computing device configured to monitor a combined-cycle (CC) power plant during a transient event by performing actions including: determining whether a change in an operating condition of a component of the CC power plant is unintentional, the determining including comparing control system instructions for the component of the CC power plant with a reference look-up table, the reference look-up table including correlation data for the control system instructions for the component and historical data about the operating condition of the component; and providing instructions to a control system of the CC power plant to modify the operating condition in the CC power plant in response to determining that the change in operating condition of the component is unintentional.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Awadesh Kumar Tiwari, William Forrester Seely
  • Patent number: 9964038
    Abstract: An engine inlet for efficient operation at both design Mach number and off-design Mach numbers with an inlet having a caret configuration with rotatably extending effective leading edges on the inlet from a retracted position aligned with a nominal Mach number shock wave to an extended position aligned with an off-design Mach number shock wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Thuy Huynh
  • Patent number: 9957811
    Abstract: A cooled gas turbine engine component comprises a wall having first and second surfaces. The second surface has a plurality of recesses and each recess has a planar upstream end surface arranged so that it hangs over the upstream end of the recess. Each recess has a depth equal to the required depth plus the thickness of the thermal barrier coating to be deposited. The wall has a plurality of angled effusion cooling apertures extending from the first surface towards the second surface. Each effusion cooling aperture has an inlet in the first surface and an outlet in the end surface of a corresponding one of the recesses in the second surface. Each recess has smoothly curved transitions from the end surface and side surfaces to the second surface. Blocking of the effusion cooling apertures by thermal barrier coating is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Paul A Hucker, Stephen C Harding, Alan P Geary
  • Patent number: 9951954
    Abstract: A method of lining a turbofan casing (30) with an array (32) of liner modules (34), including the steps of: providing a liner module (34); and providing a coupling element (48) on the casing for interlocking engagement with the liner module to maintain the liner module in position relative to the casing; and interlockingly engaging the liner module (34) and coupling element (48) by progressive movement of the liner module relative to the coupling element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Christopher Benson, Matthew Ashley Charles Hoyland
  • Patent number: 9951633
    Abstract: A transition duct defining an airflow pathway between a low pressure compressor and a high pressure compressor of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The transition duct may comprise an inner wall and an outer wall located radially outward of the inner wall with respect to a central axis of the gas turbine engine. It may further comprise a first bend configured to turn the airflow radially inward with respect to the central axis, and a turning vane located at the first bend between the inner wall and the outer wall. The turning vane may be configured to assist the first bend in turning the airflow radially inward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Wesley K. Lord
  • Patent number: 9951693
    Abstract: A fuel supply system for a gas turbine combustor includes a fuel distribution manifold. A first fuel circuit extends from the fuel distribution manifold in a first circumferential direction around an outer surface of the outer casing and provides for fluid communication from the fuel distribution manifold, through the outer casing and to at least one fuel injector disposed within the outer casing. A second fuel circuit extends from the fuel distribution manifold in a second circumferential direction around the outer surface of the outer casing. The second fuel circuit provides for fluid communication from the fuel distribution manifold, through the outer casing and to at least one fuel injector within the outer casing. In particular configurations, the fuel supply system includes a shield that surrounds at least a portion of the outer casing and at least partially encases the first fuel circuit and the second fuel circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nazar Ahmed Elwasila, Robert Joseph Rohrssen, Ronnie Ray Pentecost, Lucas John Stoia
  • Patent number: 9945237
    Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a rotor is disclosed. The rotor may include a disk having a central axis, an airfoil radially extending from the disk, a bayonet tab extending radially from the disk, and a lock. The lock may further include a short tab and a long tab, both extending radially from the disk and in an axial direction with respect to the central axis. The long tab may have a greater axial length than the short tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Julian Partyka, Jonathan Perry Sandoval