Patents Examined by Scott Walthour
  • Fuel nozzle having an inner tube and an outer tube engaged with the inner tube
    Patent number: 9435262
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle (2) for two fuels, with an inner pipe (5) with radially oriented outlet openings (7) for a first fuel and with an outer pipe (6), surrounding the inner pipe (5), with axially oriented outlet openings (10) for a second fuel; an axially extending groove (18) on an outer surface of the inner pipe (5) and a projection (19) inward from the outer pipe which engages in the groove (18) as an anti-torsion device (17) and which is arranged between two axial outlet openings (10). Alternative groove and projection configurations are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Olga Deiss, Berthold Köstlin, Jaap Van Kampen
  • Gasification power generation plant
    Patent number: 9429043
    Abstract: A gasifier (101) including a fluid communication channel (131) that communicates a fluid, which undergoes heat exchange in the furnace, and that generates syngas by gasifying fuel; gas purifying equipment that removes impurities contained in the syngas generated by the gasifier (101); a gas turbine that is driven by the gas purified by the gas purifying equipment; and a heat exchanger that heats a fluid with exhaust expelled from the gas turbine. The fluid heated by the heat exchanger is supplied to the fluid communication channel (131) by being pressurized by pressurizing gas when performing warm-up of the gasifier (101).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenta Haari, Yasunari Shibata, Yuichiro Kitagawa, Osamu Shinada
  • Gas turbine thermal control and related method
    Patent number: 9422824
    Abstract: Thermal control is provided for a gas turbine casing by supplying thermal control gas from a compressor to a space between an outer casing and an inner casing, and transferring the thermal control gas from the space through the opening in the inner casing via a plurality of holes defined through a plate attached to an outer surface of the inner casing. The holes are arranged with a predetermined non-uniform distribution corresponding to a desired preferential impingement pattern for providing non-uniform heat transfer. A gas turbine thermal control assembly includes structure providing preferential heat transfer from the inner casing during operation of the gas turbine via a thermal control gas flow path from radially outside of the inner casing into the interior of the gas turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Matthew Stephen Casavant, Kenneth Damon Black, David Martin Johnson, Radu Ioan Danescu
  • Air management arrangement for a late lean injection combustor system and method of routing an airflow
    Patent number: 9423131
    Abstract: An air management arrangement for a late lean injection combustor system includes a combustor liner defining a combustor chamber. Also included is a sleeve surrounding at least a portion of the combustor liner, the combustor liner and the sleeve defining a cooling annulus for routing a cooling airflow from proximate an aft end of the combustor liner toward a forward end of the combustor liner. Further included is a cooling airflow divider region configured to split the cooling airflow into a first cooling airflow portion and a second cooling airflow portion, wherein the first cooling airflow portion is directed to at least one primary air-fuel injector, wherein the second cooling airflow portion is directed to at least one lean-direct injector extending through the sleeve and the cooling annulus for injection of the second cooling airflow portion into the combustor chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Wei Chen
  • Method and architecture for recombining the power of a turbomachine
    Patent number: 9422863
    Abstract: A method and architecture for recombining power of a turbomachine improving on problems of size, mass, or reliability. In the method energy is recovered in an exhaust nozzle and converted and recirculated using a mechanical and/or electrical power recombining mechanism. An example of an architecture of a turbomachine includes a main turbine engine and a heat exchanger positioned in the exhaust nozzle and coupled, via pipes, to an independent system that converts thermal energy into mechanical energy. This independent system is connected to a localized mechanical recombination mechanism via a power shaft to supply power to a power transmission shaft according to aircraft requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: TURBOMECA
    Inventors: Olivier Bedrine, Patrick Marconi, Alphonse Puerto
  • Intercooled gas turbine with closed combined power cycle
    Patent number: 9410478
    Abstract: A turbine engine includes a fan that provides an air flow to the turbine engine as compressor intake air and as compressor bypass air, a first stage compressor positioned to receive the compressor intake air and output a first stage compressed air, and a boiler positioned to cool the first stage compressed air using a fluid. A second stage compressor is positioned to receive the cooled first stage compressed air. A pump is configured to pump the fluid as a liquid into the boiler, extract energy from the first stage compressed air, and cause the cooling of the first stage compressed air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: James C. Loebig, Robert Manning
  • System and method for washing and purging the liquid fuel system of a turbine with water
    Patent number: 9410486
    Abstract: This system for supplying a turbine with liquid fuel comprises a liquid fuel inlet (3), a piping assembly (4) connecting the inlet to the turbine, and draining means for draining at least a portion of the said piping assembly. The draining means comprise water inlet means (9) and a system of controllable valves suitable for injecting water into at least one of the said portions of the piping assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: GE Energy Products France SNC
    Inventors: Maher Aboujaib, Daniel Deloge
  • Combustor resonator section with an internal thermal barrier coating and method of fabricating the same
    Patent number: 9395082
    Abstract: A combustor (100) for a gas turbine engine (30) has a circumferentially extending liner (109) defining at least a portion of an interior combustion chamber (107) and a hot gas path (115). The liner includes a resonator section (112) including at least one resonator (116A, 116B) having a resonator chamber (125A, 125B) formed on an exterior of the liner. A thermal barrier coating (118) is disposed along an inner surface of the liner including an inner surface (130) of the resonator section. The resonator further includes a plurality of apertures (117) and each aperture extends through the liner and the thermal barrier coating at the resonator section and there is fluid flow communication between the combustion chamber and the resonator chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Abhijeet Tiwary, Stephen A. Ramier, Timothy A. Fox, James Bertoncello, Steven Williams
  • Aircraft environmental control system selectively powered by three bleed ports
    Patent number: 9382841
    Abstract: A bleed air supply system configured to supply bleed air from an engine to an environmental control system (ECS) pack is provided including a high pressure port configured to bleed air from a high spool of the engine. An intermediate pressure port is configured to bleed air from the high spool of the engine. The bleed air at the intermediate pressure port has a pressure less than the bleed air at the high pressure port. A precooler is fluidly coupled to the ECS pack, the high pressure port and the intermediate pressure port. Bleed air from the high pressure port and the intermediate pressure port is conditioned in the precooler before being provided to the ECS pack. A low pressure port is configured to bleed air from a low spool of the engine. The bleed air from the low pressure port bypasses the precooler and is supplied directly to the ECS pack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Louis J Bruno, Thomas M. Zywiak
  • Turbomachine combustion chamber having a perforated chamber end wall and with no deflector
    Patent number: 9383106
    Abstract: An annular combustion chamber for a turbomachine, including an external wall and an internal wall which are oriented substantially axially relative to the rotation axis of the turbomachine, the combustion chamber being closed upstream by a chamber end wall oriented substantially radially, the chamber being supplied with compressed air coming from a compressor via a nozzle, the output direction of which is offset radially relative to the mid-axis of the combustion chamber, the chamber end wall including cooling air supply holes inclined to the direction normal to the chamber end wall. The number of holes oriented radially in the direction opposite to that where the outlet of the nozzle is located is greater than the number of holes oriented radially in the direction of the outlet of the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Thierry Cortes
  • Radial flow fuel nozzle for a combustor of a gas turbine
    Patent number: 9383098
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine generally includes a radial flow fuel nozzle having a fuel distribution manifold, and a fuel injection manifold axially separated from the fuel distribution manifold. The fuel injection manifold generally includes an inner side portion, an outer side portion, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced fuel ports that extend through the outer side portion. A plurality of tubes provides axial separation between the fuel distribution manifold and the fuel injection manifold. Each tube defines a fluid communication path between the fuel distribution manifold and the fuel injection manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Gregory Scott Means, Gregory Allen Boardman, Jonathan Dwight Berry
  • Injector for the combustion chamber of a gas turbine having a dual fuel circuit, and combustion chamber provided with at least one such injector
    Patent number: 9347667
    Abstract: A starting injector usable in all flight modes without additional cost or weight. The starting injector includes a dual fuel circuit and an air circuit. An injector for a combustion chamber of a gas turbine includes a dual fuel injection circuit including a starting fuel circuit for ignition and then for all the flight modes, and a main fuel circuit for all the flight modes after starting. The circuits include parallel pipes in a common tube having an axis. The pipe of the starting circuit is substantially in communication with a center of a spherical injector body. At the end, the pipe accommodates an injection manifold coupled to a central channel passing through a central wall of a swirler. The pipe of the main circuit is in communication with an annular channel opposite jet channels. An air circuit is guided between two portions shaped as concentric spheres.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: TURBOMECA
    Inventors: Bernard Joseph Jean Pierre Carrere, Jean-Luc Dabat
  • Combustor bulkhead assembly
    Patent number: 9322560
    Abstract: A heat shield is disclosed. The heat shield may comprise a body having a back surface and an opposite front surface, wherein an opening in the body communicates through the front and back surfaces. The heat shield may further comprise at least one radial rail disposed on the back surface and extending radially outward from the opening for directing cooling air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Nurhak Erbas-Sen, Frank J. Cunha
  • Leaf spring hanger for exhaust duct liner
    Patent number: 9309833
    Abstract: A hanger assembly for use between a first duct and a second duct has a flexible leaf spring having a body and a leg, a locking member for attaching the leg to the first duct, and a mounting member for attaching the body to the second duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Paul R. Senofonte
  • Systems and methods for determining a target exhaust temperature for a gas turbine
    Patent number: 9297315
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention can provide systems and methods for determining a target exhaust temperature for gas turbines. In one embodiment of the disclosure, there is disclosed a method for determining a target exhaust temperature for a gas turbine. The method can include determining a target exhaust temperature based at least in part on a compressor pressure condition; determining a temperature adjustment to the target exhaust temperature based at least in part on steam humidity; and changing the target exhaust temperature based at least in part on the temperature adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Derrick Simons, Douglas Dean, Carey Romoser, Kevin Wilkes, Predrag Popovic, Abhijit Kulkarni
  • Structure for extracting compressed air from compressor of gas turbine engine and gas turbine engine with the structure
    Patent number: 9291099
    Abstract: Provided is a structure of a gas turbine engine for extracting a part of compressed air generated by a compressor. The structure comprises a cylindrical housing having an annular portion extending around the compressing chamber to define an annular chamber, an annular partition dividing the annular chamber into first and second plenum chambers. The cylindrical housing has first apertures to communicate between the compressing chamber and the first plenum chamber. The partition has second apertures to communicate between the first and second plenum chambers. The first and second apertures are configured so that that the first apertures have a first total cross-sectional area and the second apertures have a second total cross-sectional area which is smaller than the first total cross-sectional area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Sakai, Takuya Ikeguchi, Koji Terauchi
  • Method of determining a combustor exit temperature and method of controlling a gas turbine
    Patent number: 9284890
    Abstract: A method of determining an exit temperature of a gas exiting a combustor of a gas turbine includes determining a mass flow and a temperature of fuel being delivered to the combustor; determining a mass flow and a temperature of air being delivered to the combustor, determining a temperature dependence of the specific heat capacity of a burnt mixture of the fuel and the air being delivered to the combustor; and determining an exit temperature of the burnt mixture exiting the combustor. The exit temperature is determined based on the determined mass flow and temperature of the fuel, the determined mass flow and temperature of the air, and the determined temperature dependence of the specific heat capacity of the burnt mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Vili Panov
  • Power augmentation systems and methods for grid frequency control
    Patent number: 9279365
    Abstract: The present application provides a combined cycle system. The combined cycle system may include a compressor water wash system in communication with a compressor and a water wash flow, a combustor water injection system in communication with a combustor and an injection flow, and a transient power augmentation system in communication with the compressor, the combustor, and a flow of supplemental water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Indrajit Mazumder, Rajarshi Saha
  • Sliding U-joint hanger for gas turbine engine nozzle
    Patent number: 9255548
    Abstract: A disclosed hanger assembly for supporting a liner within a gas turbine engine exhaust nozzle includes a first mount for attachment to a case and a second mount for attachment to the liner. A u-joint assembly is attached between the first and second mounts and includes a first yoke and a second yoke aligned transverse to the first yoke. A pivot block is includes a first set of pins received by the first yoke and a second set of pins received by the second yoke. The u-joint assembly accommodates relative movement between the liner and case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Lon H. Preston, III
  • Controlling a combustion device to lower combustion-induced pulsations by changing and resetting fuel stagings at different rates of change
    Patent number: 9249979
    Abstract: A method is provided for operating a combustion device having at least one premix burner equipped with fuel stagings and is connected to a combustion chamber. The method includes changing, during transient operating states, the fuel staging of the at least one premix burner in accordance with combustion-induced pulsations which occur in the combustion chamber. A pulsation level of the pulsations which occur in the combustion chamber is continuously determined, the fuel staging of the at least one premix burner is changed for lowering the pulsation level if the pulsation level exceeds a predetermined maximum value, and, after a predetermined time interval, by the fuel staging being reset to the undisturbed value which determines the respective operating point if within the predetermined time interval the predetermined maximum value is not exceeded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD.
    Inventors: Martin Zajadatz, Solaf Sulta, Berthold Stay