Patents Examined by Ted Kim
  • Multistaged lean prevaporizing premixing fuel injector
    Patent number: 10197282
    Abstract: A multistaged lean prevaporizing premixing fuel injector apparatus is provided. The fuel injector may be utilized with a turbogenerator. Preheated combustion air from the turbogenerator's recuperator may be utilized by the fuel injector to prevaporize liquid fuel. The injector may provide for premixing of multiple fuel streams and include multiple stages with a flow distributor plate separating adjacent stages. The injector may include multiple stages, with a pilot tube located in a final stage splitting the fuel stream into a premixed pilot stream and a premixed final fuel and air mixture stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Capstone Turbine Corporation
    Inventors: Mark G. Mitchell, Junhua Chen
  • Emergency shut-down detection system for a gas turbine
    Patent number: 10190440
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided with a controller configured to detect a spool shaft failure and to initiate an engine shut-down in response to the shaft failure. The controller evaluates the compressor speed probe, the speed probe continuity, P30 pressure and compressor surge to determine whether a shaft failure has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Argote, John K. Harvell
  • Method for generating electrical energy and energy generation plant
    Patent number: 10177629
    Abstract: A method for producing electrical energy in a combined energy generation plant which comprises an air treatment unit and a power station unit is proposed. In a first operating mode, air is liquefied to form an air liquefaction product and, in a second operating mode, an air liquefaction product is converted into a gaseous or supercritical state, in which said product is introduced into the power station unit and is used for producing electrical energy. In a third operating mode, air is condensed in the air treatment unit and used in the power station unit directly for producing electrical energy. It is envisaged that, in the first operating mode, the air is cooled to several temperature levels by two liquid coolants and the air liquefaction product is correspondingly heated. In addition, in the first operating mode, the air is condensed stepwise over several pressure levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems Europe GMBH
    Inventors: Christoph Stiller, Sebastian Rehfeldt, Brian Stöver, Alexander Alekseev
  • Thrust reverser of a turbofan pod comprising a single control for movable cowlings and a variable nozzle
    Patent number: 10167815
    Abstract: A thrust reverser of a turbofan pod is provided that includes movable cowlings that retract relative to stationary front structure to reveal stationary or movable thrust reverser cascades, as well as a secondary variable nozzle section connected to the movable cowlings by guiding means enabling movement controlled by actuators engaged with the front structure to apply an axial thrust. The actuators are directly connected to the secondary nozzle, and in that the thrust reverser comprises latches connected to the movable cowlings, having two positions providing, alternately, latching onto the front structure or latching onto the control of the secondary nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: AIRCELLE
    Inventors: Patrick Boileau, Olivier Kerbler
  • Gas turbine engine bearing chamber seals
    Patent number: 10138812
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine sealing air system including a bearing chamber seal to prevent lubricant fluid loss from a fluid chamber, the sealing effected by ingress of sealing air. The system includes an air vent duct coupled to the bearing chamber seal. An ejector is located within the air vent duct to pump sealing air from the bearing chamber seal and through the air vent duct. A first duct is coupled between a starter air system of the gas turbine engine and the ejector to provide motive fluid to the ejector during gas turbine engine starting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Peter Ellison Heaton, Crispin David Bolgar
  • Method and system for cooling down a gas turbine
    Patent number: 10125685
    Abstract: A method for cooling down a gas turbine, wherein the gas turbine is run down from the power operation thereof to cool-down operation, and wherein a liquid is sprayed into air sucked in by a compressor of the gas turbine during the cool-down operation, and wherein the liquid is sprayed into the sucked-in air in dependence on a humidity of the sucked-in air, a flow velocity of cooling air flowing in the gas turbine in the region of at least one flow-guiding component of the gas turbine, which component is to be cooled, and a temperature difference between a temperature of the sucked-in air and a temperature of the at least one flow-guiding component of the gas turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Marco Larson
  • Ceramic-to-metal turbine volute attachment for a gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 10094288
    Abstract: A means of attachment applicable to mating parts which have substantially different coefficients of thermal expansion is disclosed. The means of attachment substantially reduces the friction between the mating surfaces while still keeping the mating parts centered with respect to one another. The approach is based on radial recessed faces wherein the radial faces slide relative to each other. There may be three or more recessed/raised faces on each mating component, which when mated, maintain the alignment between the mating parts while allowing differential growth of the mating parts. This approach also the provides a much larger bearing surface for the attachment than a radial pin/slot approach, for example, and substantially eliminates areas of high stress concentration. It is thus a more robust design for components that undergo many thousands of thermal cycles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: ICR TURBINE ENGINE CORPORATION
    Inventor: Matthew Stephen Baldwin
  • Reverse-flow core gas turbine engine with a pulse detonation system
    Patent number: 10094279
    Abstract: The engine (10) includes a low spool (16) disposed aft of an air inlet (12) and a high spool (34) disposed aft of the low spool (16). An intake reverse-duct (44) is disposed radially outward of the high spool (34) and reverses direction of low pressure compressed air from the low spool (16) into a forward-flow high pressure compressor (40) of the high spool (34). A discharge reverse-manifold (48) directs flow of an exhaust gas stream (50} from a forward-flow low pressure turbine (20) into a rearward-flow direction and into at least one pulse detonation firing tube (54). An annular bypass air duct (72) directs cooling air along the engine (10)—The at least, one firing tube is positioned radially outward of the high spool (34), overlies the high spool (34) and is also positioned within the bypass air duct (72).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel B. Kupratis, Francis R Moon
  • Gas turbine engine with transmission
    Patent number: 10094295
    Abstract: A multi spool gas turbine engine with a differential having a selectively rotatable member which rotational speed determines a variable ratio between rotational speeds of driven and driving members of the differential. The driven member is engaged to the first spool and a rotatable shaft independent of the other spools (e.g. connected to a compressor rotor) is engaged to the driving member. First and second power transfer devices are engaged to the first spool and the selectively rotatable member, respectively. A circuit interconnects the power transfer devices and allows a power transfer therebetween, and a control unit controls the power being transferred between the power transfer devices. Power can thus be transferred between the first spool and the selectively rotatable member to change the speed ratio between the first spool and the rotatable shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Richard Ullyott, Keith Morgan, Jean Dubreuil, Lazar Mitrovic, Kevin A. Dooley, Stephen Kenny, Ilya Medvedev, Johnny Vinski
  • Turbofan thrust reverser system
    Patent number: 10087886
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a core engine, a fan, a bypass duct and a clutch. The fan is driven by the core engine. The bypass duct is configured to receive airflow from the fan. The clutch links the core engine and the fan. The core comprises a reverse-flow, two-spool gas generator in one embodiment. In another embodiment, the fan is driven by a free turbine aerodynamically powered by the core engine. In one embodiment, the clutch includes reverse gearing to reverse rotational output of the fan. In one embodiment, the clutch and reverse gearing are implemented in an epicyclic gear system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Allan R. Penda, Gabriel L. Suciu, William G. Sheridan, Wesley K. Lord
  • False start drain system with vertical header
    Patent number: 10082083
    Abstract: A drain system for a combustor of a gas turbine includes a plurality of drain tubes, a vertical header connected to an end of each drain tube to receive a fluid flow therefrom, and a horizontal header downstream of the vertical header and in fluid communication therewith. Each drain tube has another end adapted to be connected to a respective combustor can of the gas turbine to drain liquid therefrom. The vertical header is disposed at an angle between 30° and 90° with a horizontal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Dhiraj Lahukant Mahadik, Venugopala Durwasula Raju, Anil Kumar Dasoji
  • Injection system for a combustion chamber of a turbine engine, comprising an annular wall having a convergent inner cross-section
    Patent number: 10036552
    Abstract: An air and fuel injection system for a turbine engine combustion chamber dome, including at least two fuel injection devices including a central injector and a peripheral annular injector arranged around the central injector, and an inner annular air inlet channel into which the central injector opens up to enable mixing between the fuel from the central injector and the air inlet into the inner annular channel, and at least one outer annular air inlet channel to enable enrichment of this mix with air and to stabilize the pilot combustion zone, wherein the inner annular channel and at least one outer annular channel are separated by an intermediate annular wall extending around the central injector and having a convergent inner profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignees: SNECMA, OFFICE NATIONAL D'ETUDES ET DE RECHERCHES AEROSPATIALES
    Inventors: Matthieu Francois Rullaud, Didier Hernandez, Christian Guin
  • Rear nacelle assembly for a turbojet engine
    Patent number: 10036323
    Abstract: A rear nacelle assembly for turbojet engine includes an inner structure surrounding a downstream portion of the turbojet engine. In particular, the inner structure is movable in rotation between an operating position in which it forms a downstream fairing and defines an annular stream of cold air with a thrust reverser cowl, and a maintenance position in which the inner structure moves away from the downstream portion. A suspension pylon is further provided to mount the thrust reverser cowl and the inner structure. The thrust reverser cowl slides between an opening position clearing air flow deviation grids and a closing position recovering the air flow deviation grids. Moreover, the thrust reverser cowl is mounted on the suspension pylon by a pivot connection sliding around a main axis, and the inner structure is mounted on the suspension pylon by a pivot connection around the main axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: AIRCELLE
    Inventors: Herve Hurlin, Nicolas Dezeustre, Olivier Kerbler
  • Turbojet engine nacelle including a thrust reversing device with doors, including inner flanks on the sides of an opening
    Patent number: 10018152
    Abstract: A turbojet engine nacelle includes a thrust reversing device having doors that swing to brake a direct gas flow, guiding it through counter-thrust openings, and the inside of each door has, at the front, a cavity receiving a spoiler turned towards the front when this door is open. The nacelle includes a fixed structure upstream from each door supporting a deflection edge that partially covers the cavity. In particular, the fixed structure supports, on each side, counter-thrust openings, a flank disposed in the continuation of the deflection edge and extending behind the cavity, which is incorporated into a leaf of the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2018
    Assignee: AIRCELLE
    Inventors: Sébastien Laurent Marie Pascal, Alexandre Breton
  • Mid-section of a can-annular gas turbine engine to introduce a radial velocity component into an air flow discharged from a compressor of the mid-section
    Patent number: 10012098
    Abstract: A midframe portion (113) of a gas turbine engine (110) is provided, including a compressor section (112) with a last stage blade (124). The compressor section (112) is configured to introduce a radial velocity component into an air flow (111) such that the air flow is discharged from the compressor section (112) at a mixed direction based on a combined longitudinal velocity component and radial velocity component. The midframe portion (113) further includes a manifold (121) to directly couple the air flow from an outlet of the compressor section (112) to an inlet of a respective combustor head (118) of the gas turbine engine (110).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventor: Jose L. Rodriguez
  • Thrust reverser system with translating-rotating blocker doors and method of operation
    Patent number: 10006405
    Abstract: A thrust reverser system and operation suitable for turbofan engines. Blocker doors of the thrust reverser system have stowed positions in which each door is disposed between a fixed structure and a translating cowl of the engine. The translating cowl is translated in an aft direction of the engine to define at least one opening with the fixed structure, after which the translating cowl is further translated aft to deploy linkage mechanisms that are received in slots recessed into the blocker doors and pivotably connect the doors to the fixed structure. Deployment of the linkage mechanisms from the slots causes the blocker doors to rotate to a deployed position in which each door extends across a bypass duct of the engine and diverts bypass air within the duct through the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alan Roy Stuart, James Michael Cosgrove
  • Thrust reverser for nacelle of aircraft turbofan
    Patent number: 9995246
    Abstract: A thrust reverser for a nacelle of an aircraft turbojet engine includes at least one movable thrust reverser cowl, a means for locking the cowl, a variable section outlet nozzle, and at least one actuator including an actuator rod. The thrust reverser is provided with a resilient coupler comprising a body which is rigidly connected to the thrust reverser cowl and a resilient return and abutment device that engages with the actuating rod of the actuator such as to resiliently return the nozzle to a neutral position. The return device is calibrated such that, when the cowl is unlocked, the return device opposes the relative movement of the actuating rod relative to the cowl, such as to enable the movement of the cowl and the nozzle, and when the cover is locked, the actuator drives the actuating rod against the return device to enable the movement of the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: SAFRAN NACELLES
    Inventors: Patrick Gonidec, Olivier Kerbler, Corentin Hue, Patrick Boileau
  • Exhaust nozzle and method for changing exhaust flow path
    Patent number: 9976515
    Abstract: Provided is an exhaust nozzle and a method for changing an exhaust flowpath, whereby noise can be reduced by using a simple and light-weight mechanism without increasing the complexity and size of the structure of the exhaust nozzle, and furthermore, the efficiency during cruising at supersonic speeds can be improved. The rear end side of main nozzle pieces 110 of an exhaust nozzle 100 are provided swingably in an inward and outward direction of an exhaust flow path 101, about an open/close bend section 111 to the rear of an engine, coupling nozzle pieces 120 are coupled bendably to adjacent main nozzle pieces 110 on either side, and when the main nozzle pieces 110 are swung inside the exhaust flow path 101, the coupling nozzle pieces 120 form projecting sections 102 inside the exhaust flow path 101.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION AGENCY
    Inventors: Junichi Akatsuka, Yasushi Watanabe
  • Gas turbine engine nozzle including housing having scalloped root regions
    Patent number: 9964070
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine exhaust nozzle comprises a housing having an aft end that terminates in a row of chevrons. At least one surface of the housing has scalloped root regions proximate bases of adjacent chevrons. The scalloped root regions have a reduced thickness relative to the rest of the aft end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: David F. Cerra, Lie-Mine Gea, Robert H. Willie, Leonard J. Hebert, Donald E. Robinson
  • Attachment pylon for a turbine engine
    Patent number: 9938901
    Abstract: A pylon for attaching a turbine engine, the pylon configured to connect the engine to a structural element of an aircraft. The pylon includes a streamlined profile defined by two opposite lateral faces and defined longitudinally between a leading edge and a trailing edge. On each of its lateral faces the pylon includes a series of deflectors that are transversely spaced apart from one another and that define between them convergent and curved channels configured to accelerate air streams flowing within the channels on aircraft takeoff or in flight to deflect the air streams towards a jet of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Guillaume Bodard, Cyprien Henry, Norman Jodet, Alexandre Alfred Gaston Vuillemin