Patents Examined by Scott Walthour
  • Patent number: 9850776
    Abstract: A variable-section nozzle for an aircraft nacelle includes a deformable portion of which is movable between a narrow section position and a wide section position. In particular, the variable-section nozzle includes piezoelectric actuators and a controller to control the piezoelectric actuators in order to displace the deformable portion between the narrow and wide section positions. The piezoelectric actuators can be disposed on at least one faces of the deformable portion or be disposed end-to-end to form actuating rods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: AIRCELLE
    Inventors: Hervé Hurlin, Hakim Maalioune, Olivier Kerbler
  • Patent number: 9845730
    Abstract: An aeroderivative gas turbine including an air intake plenum; a compressor with a compressor air intake in fluid communication with the air intake plenum; a combustor; a high pressure turbine; a power turbine. A forced air-stream generator is arranged in fluid communication with the air intake plenum. A shutter arrangement is provided in a combustion-air flow path, arranged and controlled to close the combustion-air flow path for pressurizing said air intake plenum by means of the forced air-stream generator to a pressure sufficient to cause pressurized air to flow through the aeroderivative air turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Nuovo Pignone Srl
    Inventors: Tommaso Betti, Antonio Baldassarre, Filippo Viti, Stefano Meucci, Marco Lazzeri, Roberto Merlo, Daniele Marcucci
  • Patent number: 9845732
    Abstract: A system includes a gas turbine engine having a first combustor and a second combustor. The first combustor includes a first fuel conduit having a first plurality of injectors. The first plurality of injectors are disposed in a first configuration within the first combustor along a first fuel path, and the first plurality of injectors are configured to route a fuel to a first combustion chamber. The system further includes a second combustor having a second fuel conduit having a second plurality of injectors. The second plurality of injectors are disposed in a second configuration within the second combustor along a second fuel path, and the second plurality of injectors are configured to route the fuel to a second combustion chamber. The second configuration has at least one difference relative to the first configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sarah Lori Crothers, Joseph Vincent Citeno, Christian Xavier Stevenson
  • Patent number: 9840924
    Abstract: A gas turbine system (1) including a burner arrangement having a tubular combustion chamber (5), a turbine (6) and a transition duct (7) connecting the combustion chamber (5) and the turbine (6), wherein the transition duct (7) is provided with an axially extending cooling air channel (11). The transition duct (7) includes a plurality of axially extending cooling air channels, and wherein each cooling air channel (11) is provided with one single inlet (12) opened to the outside of the transition duct (7) and with one single outlet (12) opened to the inside of the transition duct (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Matthias Hase, Paul A. Sanders, Vaidyanathan Krishnan
  • Patent number: 9841038
    Abstract: A system for supplying compressed air to a pneumatic network includes a load compressor, an air supply and a power shaft driving the load compressor. The system also includes in an air outlet of such load compressor, a connecting channel connected, on the one side, with a channel connected with the pneumatic network and, on the other side, with an air discharge conduct towards an exhaust nozzle. Air flow rate bleed valves are controlled by a processing unit via servo-loops as a function of the pressure sensors and the speed sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: MICROTURBO SA
    Inventors: Fabien Silet, Stephane Chevalier, Jean-Francois Rideau
  • Patent number: 9822704
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an operation control method for a gasification power generation system for gasifying carbon-based fuel such as coal in a gasifier using oxygen or oxygen-enriched air as an oxidizing agent, burning the obtained syngas as fuel in a gas turbine, driving the gas turbine by the syngas, driving a steam turbine by steam generated using exhaust heat of the gas turbine, thus executing combined power generation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumihiko Kiso, Yasuhiro Yoshida, Hirotsugu Fukuhara
  • Patent number: 9803498
    Abstract: A nozzle formed of one piece for a jet engine includes a mixing tube, a fuel conduit integrally formed with the mixing tube, and an opening through the fuel conduit and directed radially into the mixing tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gordon F. Jewess, Patrick M. Lydon, Robert O. Barkley, Eric J. Alexander, Davis Bunone
  • Patent number: 9803487
    Abstract: A transition duct system for routing a gas flow in a combustion turbine engine is provided. The transition duct system includes one or more converging flow joint inserts forming a trailing edge at an intersection between adjacent transition ducts. The converging flow joint insert may be contained within a converging flow joint insert receiver and may be disconnected from the transition duct bodies by which the converging flow joint insert is positioned. Being disconnected eliminates stress formation within the converging flow joint insert, thereby enhancing the life of the insert. The converging flow joint insert may be removable such that the insert can be replaced once worn beyond design limits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: David J. Wiebe, Andrew Carlson, Kyle C. Stoker
  • Patent number: 9759163
    Abstract: A combustion chamber including a diverging portion. The combustion chamber extends along a longitudinal axis and includes a fluid injection system from which there extends in a downstream direction a wall presenting a throat and a diverging portion situated downstream from the throat. The chamber further includes a tubular element surrounding the wall at least in part and configured to take up most of forces generated during operation of the chamber on the downstream end of the wall to transfer the forces to a structure situated upstream from the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Dominique Indersie, Didier Guichard
  • Patent number: 9745920
    Abstract: The present application provides a nozzle for a gas turbine engine. The nozzle may include a band, a seal slot positioned within the band, an airfoil extending from the band, a cavity within the airfoil, and an embossment positioned about the band and the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Martin James Jasper
  • Patent number: 9696037
    Abstract: The present application provides a combustor for use with a gas turbine engine. The combustor may include a liner and a flow sleeve surrounding the liner with the liner and the flow sleeve defining a flow path therebetween. A liner retaining feature extends into the flow path to retain the liner within the flow sleeve. The liner retaining feature may include a bolt therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kyle Lee Kidder, Charles Lewis Davis, III, Steven Bataille
  • Patent number: 9689573
    Abstract: Combustion equipment for use in a gas turbine engine is provided. The combustion equipment includes an inner and outer case, wherein the outer case encloses the inner case creating a cavity located between the two cases. The combustion equipment also has a fuel delivery device for delivering fuel into a combustion region within the inner case, wherein the fuel delivery device passes through a hole in the outer case and a corresponding hole in the inner case. The combustion equipment also includes a seal assembly to prevent the leaking of pressurized gas into the cavity located between the outer and inner cases via the hole through which fuel delivery device passes. The seal assembly includes a flexible sleeve that extends around the fuel delivery device and interconnects the inner case with the outer case, permitting relative movement of the inner and outer cases when the combustion equipment is in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Jason Robert Potts, Simon Mark Jolliff
  • Patent number: 9689309
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for generating power in combined low emission turbine systems and capturing and recovering carbon dioxide from the exhaust. In one or more embodiments, the exhaust from multiple turbine systems is combined, cooled, compressed, and separated to yield a carbon dioxide-containing effluent stream and a nitrogen-containing product stream. Portions of the recycled exhaust streams and the product streams may be used as diluents to regulate combustion in each combustor of the turbine systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Russell H. Oelfke, Richard A. Huntington, Sulabh K. Dhanuka, Dennis M. O'Dea, Robert D. Denton, O. Angus Sites, Franklin F. Mittricker
  • Patent number: 9683743
    Abstract: A combustion chamber tile of a gas turbine includes a bolt for mounting the combustion chamber tile on a combustion chamber wall, with the combustion chamber tile being designed substantially plate-like and having on one side at least one mounting element, on which the bolt, which is provided as a separate component, is positively anchored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventor: Carsten Clemen
  • Patent number: 9677472
    Abstract: A disclosed gas turbine engine includes a case for a case for a compressor section including a bleed air slot. The bleed air slot includes an inlet having a first area radially inward of an outlet having a second area with the second area being greater than the first area. The bleed air slot further includes a center portion disposed along a radial line extending from an axis of the engine and an elongated portion extending from the opening at an angle relative to a line normal to the radial line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Brittany Travis, Crystal Monteiro, Sean Nolan, Rishon Saftler, John P. Virtue, Jr., Stephen A. Sarcich
  • Patent number: 9657686
    Abstract: A virtual blocker door for use in an aircraft thrust reverser is provided. The virtual blocker door may be capable of creating a wall of air to inhibit fan air flow through a fan air duct. The wall of air may direct the fan air flow through a cascade to provide a reverse thrust. Moreover, the virtual blocker door provides for improved aerodynamic efficiency in the fan air duct by replacing traditional brackets, drag links, and doors with a wall of air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Rohr, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Aten
  • Patent number: 9657640
    Abstract: The present application relates to a splitter nose of an axial turbomachine configured to separate an annular flow into the turbomachine into a primary flow and a secondary flow, and including: a generally circular leading edge, an annular wall extending from the leading edge and bounding the secondary flow, and at least one duct for a de-icing fluid for the splitter nose extending substantially axially along the wall and opening out into the primary flow. The external surface of the wall is formed by a sheet bounding the de-icing duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Safran Aero Boosters SA
    Inventors: Ghislain Herbaut, Benoît Baldewijns
  • Patent number: 9650961
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor includes: multiple gaseous fuel nozzles to inject gaseous fuel; a manifold to distribute gaseous fuel to the multiple gaseous fuel nozzles; a burner flange to secure a burner to an end cover; and a burner body to connect the manifold and the burner flange. Gaseous fuel passages are provided in the end cover, the burner flange, and the burner body. The gaseous fuel passage communicates with the manifold. A second manifold is provided in the burner flange. The gaseous fuel passage is provided in the burner body to make the second manifold communicate with the first mentioned manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Hirata, Akinori Hayashi, Hirokazu Takahashi, Toshifumi Sasao, Shohei Yoshida
  • Patent number: 9631577
    Abstract: A divergent segment includes a stationary divergent portion and a movable divergent portion suitable for occupying a retracted position and a deployed position. The threaded rod has a head supported by a support secured to the stationary divergent portion in cooperation with a rotary drive for driving the threaded rod in rotation, and a tip suitable for being inserted in a holder sleeve secured to the stationary divergent portion. The threaded rod cooperates with a nut secured to the movable divergent portion so that rotation of the rod causes the movable divergent portion to move. The tip presents an enlargement having at least one groove passing axially therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Jacques Lelong
  • Patent number: 9625158
    Abstract: A gas turbine may include a rotatable shaft, a compressor disposed about the rotatable shaft and configured to output compressed air, and a combustor disposed about the rotatable shaft. The combustor may be configured to receive the compressed air and output high temperature compressed gas. The gas turbine may further include a power turbine disposed about the rotatable shaft and configured to receive the high temperature compressed gas, and a first liner defining a plurality of holes and disposed around the combustor. The power turbine may be configured to expand the high temperature compressed gas and rotate the rotatable shaft. The first liner may have a first end and a longitudinally opposite second end. The first end may be coupled to an inner surface of the casing at or adjacent an upstream end of the combustor and the second end may be substantially free from any connection with the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Dresser-Rand Company
    Inventors: Andrew J. Olsen, Ivar Austrem, M. Serkan Yildirim, Zheji Liu