Patents Examined by Rene D Ford
  • Patent number: 11512612
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft comprising an engine core comprising a turbine, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor; a fan located upstream of the engine core, the fan comprising a plurality of fan blades; a gearbox that receives an input from the core shaft and outputs drive to the fan so as to drive the fan at a lower rotational speed than the core shaft, and a front mount and a rear mount, the front and rear mounts being configured to connect the gas turbine engine to the aircraft, wherein the front mount is coupled to a casing of the engine core and the front mount is located at substantially the same axial position as a centre of gravity (CG) of the gas turbine engine or forward of the centre of gravity of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: David R. Coles, Gavin M. Rowntree, Matthew J. Willshee, Zubair Ahmed
  • Patent number: 11512643
    Abstract: A device for securing at least one thermal protection mat to an internal fixed structure of a nacelle includes at least one removable fastening element for securing the at least one thermal protection mat to the internal fixed structure designed to be arranged between the mat and the internal fixed structure. The device includes at least one gripping element connected to the removable fastening element to project relative to the mat on the opposite side to the internal fixed structure, the removable fastening element being intended to be detached from the internal fixed structure by a pulling force exerted on the gripping element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Safran Nacelles
    Inventors: Alexis Loncle, Jérémie Rabineau, François Bellet, Cédric Renault
  • Patent number: 11506126
    Abstract: A system mounted on a skid for use in fracturing operations is disclosed along with an associated method. The system includes a line heater on the skid to enable heating of fuel to be used with a turbine generator and includes one or more pressure regulators coupled to the line heater to enable adjustment of a pressure associated with the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: U.S. Well Services, LLC
    Inventors: Brandon Hinderliter, Jared Oehring
  • Patent number: 11506382
    Abstract: An acoustic damper for a rotary machine includes at least one wall, at least one inlet, at least one outlet, at least one separating wall, and at least one neck. The wall extends from the back side of a combustor front panel and defines a damping chamber. The inlet is defined within the wall and is oriented to channel a flow of air into the damping chamber. The outlet is defined within the back side of the front panel. The separating wall is oriented to separate the damping chamber into a first volume and a second volume. The first volume of the damping chamber is configured to damp an acoustic pressure oscillation at a first frequency. The second volume of the damping chamber is configured to damp the acoustic pressure oscillation at a second frequency. The neck extends through the separating wall and is axially offset from the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Layal Hakim Doisneau, Dariusz Oliwiusz Palys
  • Patent number: 11499474
    Abstract: A power generation system for a nuclear reactor includes an externally-heated turbine engine, a reactor heat exchanger, and a heat recuperating system. The externally-heated turbine engine produces compressed air that is heated by the reactor heat exchanger. The heat recuperating system includes a heat exchanger thermally connected to the externally-heated turbine engine to transfer heat to the compressed air to supplement the reactor heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Michalik, Daniel G. Edwards, Andrew J. Eifert, Brian T. Spangler
  • Patent number: 11499476
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a buffer system that communicates a buffer supply air to a portion of the gas turbine engine. The buffer system includes a first bleed air supply having a first pressure, a second bleed air supply having a second pressure that is greater than the first pressure, and a valve that selects between the first bleed air supply and the second bleed air supply to communicate the buffer supply air to the portion of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter M. Munsell, Philip S. Stripinis
  • Patent number: 11498689
    Abstract: An attachment for attaching an aircraft engine with a first receiving element to an aircraft structure with a second receiving element may include at least three fasteners and a stacked layer. Stacked layer may include at least two sheets, at least three holes through the stacked layer, a first connecting portion that includes a first hole of the at least three holes, a second connecting portion that includes second and third holes of the at least three holes, and a suspension portion that is located between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Martin Blacha, Marc Schelcher, Adriana Garcia Rios
  • Patent number: 11480066
    Abstract: A gas turbine power plant comprises a gas turbine, a power turbine, a clutch, an electrical generator and a controller. The power turbine is fluidly connected to the gas turbine without any mechanical connection. The clutch comprises an input mechanically connected to the power turbine and an output mechanically connected to the electric generator. The controller can identify that a speed of the electric generator is greater than a speed of the power turbine, determine a difference between the speed of the electric generator and the power turbine, in response to the difference being greater than a threshold, control the gas turbine to a first maximum acceleration of the power turbine, and in response to the difference being equal or less than to the threshold, control the gas turbine to a second maximum acceleration of the power turbine that is less than the first maximum acceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Energy Services LLC
    Inventors: William Harms, John J. Henderson, Anthony Maiorana, Ralph David Turley
  • Patent number: 11480337
    Abstract: A system includes a combustor. The combustor has a combustor wall with a combustor dome at an upstream end of the combustor wall, and an outlet at a downstream end of the combustor wall opposite the upstream end. The combustor wall includes an inner wall portion and an outer wall portion defining an interior of the combustor therebetween. Each of the inner wall portion and outer wall portion extends from the combustor dome to the downstream end of the combustor wall. The combustor wall includes an air cooling passage embedded inside at least one of the inner wall portion and the outer wall portion. The air cooling passage extends from the upstream end of the combustor wall to the downstream end of the combustor wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Lev A. Prociw, Jason Ryon
  • Patent number: 11473510
    Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine engine includes commanding an acceleration of the gas turbine engine and moving a variable pitch high pressure compressor vane toward an open position thereby reducing an acceleration rate of a high pressure turbine rotor thereby reducing a change in a clearance gap between the high pressure turbine rotor and a blade outer airseal. An active clearance control system of a gas turbine engine includes an engine control system configured to command an acceleration of the gas turbine engine and move a variable pitch high pressure compressor vane toward an open position thereby slowing an acceleration rate of a high pressure turbine rotor thereby reducing a change in a clearance gap between the high pressure turbine rotor and a blade outer airseal located radially outboard of the high pressure turbine rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joseph Kehoe, Richard P. Meisner, Manuj Dhingra, Patrick D. Couture, Matthew R. Feulner, Brenda J. Lisitano, Christopher L. Ho
  • Patent number: 11459980
    Abstract: An attachment system for an exhaust component is disclosed. In various embodiments, the attachment system includes a radial attachment flange of the exhaust component; and a radial ring having at least one of a radially outer surface configured for engagement with a radially inner surface of the radial attachment flange or a radially inner surface configured for engagement with a radially outer surface of the radial attachment flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Rohr, Inc.
    Inventors: Bryce Tyler Kelford, Adam Saunders, Richard Scott Alloway, Vijay V. Pujar
  • Patent number: 11454175
    Abstract: A system for bleeding air from a core flow path of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. In various embodiments, the system includes a bleed valve having a bleed valve inlet configured to receive a bleed air from a first access point to the core flow path and a bleed valve outlet; and an air motor having a first air motor inlet configured to receive the bleed air from the bleed valve outlet and a first air motor outlet configured to exhaust the bleed air, the air motor configured to pump the bleed air from the core flow path of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Martin Richard Amari
  • Patent number: 11435078
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine comprises a combustor chamber defined at least partially by an outer combustor skin and an inner combustor skin. A plurality of stand-off devices have a body including a first end and a second end, the second end of the body retained in an opening in the outer combustor skin, the first end spaced apart from the second end and abutting the inner combustor skin to space the inner combustor skin apart from the outer combustor skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Tin-Cheung John Hu, Oleg Morenko
  • Patent number: 11401890
    Abstract: A turbofan engine assembly including a compressor, an intermittent internal combustion engine having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the compressor through at least one first passage of an intercooler, a turbine having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the intermittent internal combustion engine, the turbine compounded with the intermittent internal combustion engine, a bypass duct surrounding the intermittent internal combustion engine, compressor and turbine, and a fan configured to propel air through the bypass duct and through an inlet of the compressor, wherein the intercooler is located in the bypass duct, the intercooler having at least one second passage in heat exchange relationship with the at least one first passage, the at least one second passage in fluid communication with the bypass duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Andre Julien, Jean Thomassin, Serge Dussault
  • Patent number: 11391461
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes a combustion chamber defined between an inner shell and an outer shell. The combustor further includes a bulkhead extending between the inner shell and the outer shell. The bulkhead includes a plurality of impingement cooling rings. Each impingement cooling ring of the plurality of impingement cooling rings includes a plurality of impingement cooling holes extending through the bulkhead. The combustor further includes a heat shield panel mounted to the bulkhead so as to define an impingement cooling chamber between the bulkhead and the heat shield panel. The heat shield panel further includes a radial portion between a perimeter and an opening, with respect to an opening center axis, which is free of penetrations. The plurality of impingement cooling holes of each of the plurality of impingement cooling rings are directed toward the radial portion of the heat shield panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Fumitaka Ichihashi, Albert K. Cheung, Timothy S. Snyder
  • Patent number: 11384690
    Abstract: A cooling system configured to reduce a temperature within a gas turbine engine in a shutdown mode of operation includes a first gas turbine engine including a compressor having a bleed port. In a first operating mode of the gas turbine engine, the compressor bleed port is configured to channel a high pressure flow of air from the compressor. During a shutdown mode of operation, the compressor bleed port is configured to channel an external flow of cooling air into the compressor. The cooling system also includes a source of cooling air and a conduit coupled in flow communication between the compressor bleed port and the source of cooling air. The source of cooling air configured to deliver a flow of cooling air into the compressor through the compressor bleed port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ilhan Bayraktar, Tuba Bayraktar, Mohamed Elbibary
  • Patent number: 11384687
    Abstract: An anti-icing system for a gas turbine engine comprises a closed circuit containing a phase-change fluid, at least one heating component for boiling the phase-change fluid, the anti-icing system configured so that the phase-change fluid partially vaporizes to a vapour state when boiled by the at least one heating component. The closed circuit has an anti-icing cavity adapted to be in heat exchange with an anti-icing surface of the gas turbine engine for the phase-change fluid to release heat to the anti-icing surface and condense. A feed conduit(s) has an outlet end in fluid communication with the anti-icing cavity to feed the phase-change fluid in vapour state from heating by the at least one heating component to the anti-icing cavity, and at least one return conduit having an outlet end in fluid communication with the anti-icing cavity to direct condensed phase-change fluid from the anti-icing cavity to the at least one heating component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: David Menheere, Richard Kostka, Steven Strecker
  • Patent number: 11378010
    Abstract: A ducted heat exchanger system for a gas turbine engine includes an additive manufactured heat exchanger core with a contoured external and/or internal geometry. A method of additively manufacturing a heat exchanger for a gas turbine engine includes additively manufacturing a core of a heat exchanger to set a ratio of local surface area to flow area to control a pressure drop per unit length along the core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John T. Schmitz
  • Patent number: 11370554
    Abstract: An example hybrid aircraft propulsion system includes one or more power units configured to output electrical energy onto one or more electrical busses; a plurality of propulsors; and a plurality of electrical machines, each respective electrical machine configured to drive a respective propulsor of the plurality of propulsors using electrical energy received from at least one of the one or more electrical busses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen Andrew Long
  • Patent number: 11365684
    Abstract: A method of controlling at least part of a start-up or re-light process of a gas turbine engine, the method comprising: determining when a flame in a combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine is extinguished, during a start-up process or re-light process or during operation; purging the combustion chamber by 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; and controlling rotation of the low pressure compressor using the first electrical machine, and controlling rotation of the high pressure compressor using the second electrical machine to restart the start-up process or perform the re-light process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Inventors: Stephen M. Husband, Ahmed M Y Razak, Paul R. Miller