Patents Examined by Thuyhang N Nguyen
  • Patent number: 11459896
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods, assemblies, and systems for power production that can allow for increased efficiency and lower cost components arising from the control, reduction, or elimination of turbine blade mechanical erosion by particulates or chemical erosion by gases in a combustion product flow. The methods, assemblies, and systems can include the use of turbine blades that operate with a blade velocity that is significantly reduced in relation to conventional turbines used in typical power production systems. The methods and systems also can make use of a recycled circulating fluid for transpiration protection of the turbine and/or other components. Further, recycled circulating fluid may be employed to provide cleaning materials to the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: 8 Rivers Capital, LLC
    Inventors: Miles R. Palmer, Jeremy Eron Fetvedt, Rodney John Allam
  • Patent number: 11441516
    Abstract: A compressor adapted for use in for a gas turbine engine includes a diffuser and a housing. The diffuser is arranged circumferentially around an axis and includes a fore plate, an aft plate spaced apart axially from the fore plate to define a flow path therebetween, and a plurality of vanes that extend between the fore plate and the aft plate. The housing is arranged circumferentially about the axis and located adjacent the diffuser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan Humes
  • Patent number: 11435077
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to apparatuses and methods that are useful for one or more aspects of a power production plant. More particularly, the disclosure relates to combustor apparatuses and methods for a combustor adapted to utilize different fuel mixtures derived from gasification of a solid fuel. Combustion of the different fuel mixtures within the combustor can be facilitated by arranging elements of the combustor controlled so that a defined set of combustion characteristics remains substantially constant across a range of different fuel mixtures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: 8 Rivers Capital, LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy Eron Fetvedt, Xijia Lu, Brent Gregory, Chris Bonilha, James Lenertz, Stefan Tschirren, Hassan Abdulsater
  • Patent number: 11428162
    Abstract: Gas turbine engines are described. The gas turbine engines includes a compressor section, a combustor section, a turbine section, and a nozzle section. The compressor section, the combustor section, the turbine section, and the nozzle section define a core flow path that expels through the nozzle section. A cooling duct is provided that is separate from the core flow path. A waste heat recovery system is arranged with a heat rejection heat exchanger arranged within the cooling duct and a blower is arranged within the cooling duct and configured to generate a pressure drop across the heat rejection heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joseph B. Staubach, Amanda J. L. Boucher
  • Patent number: 11428413
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a fuel injection module for a segmented annular combustion system. The fuel injection module includes a housing body, a fuel nozzle portion, and at least one fuel injection lance. The fuel nozzle portion is fluidly coupled to a fuel nozzle plenum within the housing body, and the at least one fuel injection lance is fluidly coupled to an injector fuel plenum within the housing body. In some cases, the fuel nozzle portion is a bundled tube fuel nozzle having one or more subsets of tubes. The fuel injection lances are positioned along a radial side of the housing body or circumferentially between two subsets of tubes. Liquid fuel cartridges extend through the fuel nozzle portion, the fuel injection lances, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Michael John Hughes, James Scott Flanagan
  • Patent number: 11428168
    Abstract: A starter/generator arrangement includes a starter/generator, a power converter electrically connected to the starter/generator, and coolant circuit with a pump and a condenser in fluid communication with the power converter. The power converter is arranged to flow start mode electrical power in a first direction in a start mode and a second direction in a generate mode. The coolant circuit fluidly couples the pump to the condenser for storing heat in a coolant disposed within the coolant circuit while flowing the start mode electrical power in the first direction. Gas turbine engines and methods of cooling starter/generator arrangements are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Debabrata Pal, Craig R. LeGros, Tom A. Utecht
  • Patent number: 11421597
    Abstract: A tangential on-board injector (TOBI) having: a body defining an annular passageway, discharge nozzles; a rotating component configured to be mounted for rotation relative to the body about an axis of rotation; a seal extending between the body and the rotating component; and flow passages circumferentially distributed about the axis of rotation and in fluid communication with the nozzles and the seal, the flow passages located upstream of the seal relative to a flow of the cooling air circulating toward the seal from the plurality of discharge nozzles, each of the flow passages extending along a respective passage axis, the passage axis of at least one of the flow passages having a tangential component at an outlet of the at least one of the flow passages that is different than a tangential component of an exit flow axis of at least one of the plurality of discharge nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Gabriel Naccache, Christopher Gover, Alexander Smith, Alain Martel, Matthieu Boudreau
  • Patent number: 11415054
    Abstract: In addition to a first fuel gas heater utilizing the heated water from the outlet of an economizer of a heat recovery steam boiler, there is provided a second fuel gas heater utilizing as the heat source the bleed air of a compressor of a gas turbine. A control device opens a bleed air control valve of the piping for supplying bleed air to the second fuel gas heater at the time of starting the gas turbine combined cycle system to heat a fuel gas by the bleed air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Tatsuya Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 11415008
    Abstract: There is disclosed a vane for a gas turbine engine, the vane comprising a three-dimensional weave of composite material. The vane is hollow to define a hollow core, wherein the vane has a maximum thickness (T), and a maximum wall thickness (WT) between an inner surface and an outer surface in a direction normal to the outer surface, wherein WT?0.1T. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing a composite vane for a gas turbine engine, the method comprising: forming a preform for the vane comprising a three-dimensional weave of composite material; and curing the preform. The preform has an internal hollow region, and the cured vane has a maximum thickness (T), and a maximum wall thickness (WT) between an inner surface and an outer surface in a direction normal to the outer surface, wherein WT?0.1T.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Inventors: Robert C. Backhouse, Christopher D. Jones
  • Patent number: 11408346
    Abstract: A fuel injector includes: a pilot fuel injection portion including a pilot fuel supply block and a pilot shroud; a main fuel injection portion arranged so as to surround the pilot fuel injection portion from an outer side in a radial direction; and an intermediate air passage arranged between the pilot fuel injection portion and the main fuel injection portion. The pilot shroud includes: a throat located at a downstream side of the pilot fuel supply block; and a flame holding portion surrounding flame located at the downstream side of the throat. An air injection slit is formed at the flame holding portion, the air injection slit being configured to inject compressed air of the intermediate air passage in a direction along an inner peripheral surface of the flame holding portion such that the compressed air covers the inner peripheral surface over an entire periphery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryusuke Matsuyama, Hitoshi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 11377219
    Abstract: A hybrid electric gas turbine propulsion system may comprise: a first propulsion system, a second propulsion system, and a third propulsion system. The first propulsion system may comprise a first fan, a first turbine, a first compressor, and a first electric motor, the first fan operably coupled to the first turbine and the first compressor by a first shaft, the first shaft coupled to the first electric motor, the first shaft configured to be disposed radially inward of a fuselage of an aircraft. The second propulsion system and the third propulsion system may be in accordance with the first propulsion system. The hybrid electric gas turbine propulsion system may be symmetric about a vertical plane extending through a neutral aerodynamic axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Kupratis, Gary Roberge
  • Patent number: 11359519
    Abstract: A floating vessel equipped with a power plant includes a hull and a process deck arranged on a portion of the hull above compartments within the hull. The power plant includes a fuel source and at least one electrical power generator driven by a gas turbine; the fuel source arranged for providing fuel to the gas turbine. Per gas turbine, the floating vessel is equipped with a steam production unit coupled to the gas turbine exhaust for receiving heat to produce pressurized steam. Per each steam production unit, the floating vessel is equipped with at least one secondary power generator driven by a steam turbine, which is coupled to the steam production unit for receiving steam. Each gas turbine and steam production unit are positioned on the process deck, and each secondary power generator and steam turbine are positioned under the process deck in the one or more compartments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: SINGLE BUOY MOORINGS INC.
    Inventors: Nor Fadilah Ahmad Radzi, Wouter Sassen
  • Patent number: 11359518
    Abstract: A combined cycle power plant is capable of improving power output and power generation efficiency by cooling intake air supplied to a gas turbine. The plant includes a gas turbine power generation system, an operating fluid power generation system, and a cooling system. The gas turbine power generation system includes an air compressor for compressing air supplied through an air incoming path, a gas turbine for generating rotary power by burning a mixture of fuel and the air compressed by the air compressor, and a first generator for generating electricity by using the rotary power of the gas turbine. The operating fluid power generation system heats an operating fluid by using combustion gas discharged from the gas turbine and generates electricity using the heated operating fluid. The cooling system cools air supplied from the air compressor by supplying the operating fluid to an upstream side of the air compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Inventors: Jun Tae Jang, Sang Hyeun Kim, Hwa Chang Sung, Gon Joo Lee, Song Hun Cha
  • Patent number: 11352952
    Abstract: The gas turbine engine comprises a gas generator (66), comprised of a compressor section (11), and a power turbine section (65). The power turbine section (65) comprises a power turbine rotor (81) supported by a power turbine shaft (93), which is mechanically uncoupled from the gas generator (66). The power turbine shaft (93) has an axial cavity (511) therein, fluidly coupled to a bearing sump (521) fluidly coupled to the compressor section (11) and housing at least one bearing (106) supporting a shaft of the gas generator (66). An air venting path (527) extends from said axial cavity (511) and leads in a combustion gas flow path (515) downstream of the power turbine rotor (81).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: NUOVO PIGNONE TECNOLOGIE SRL
    Inventors: Luciano Mei, Francesco Caratelli, Alessandro Russo, Massimiliano Mariotti, Alberto Ceccherini
  • Patent number: 11333361
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine is described. The combustor comprises a combustor liner, a metering plate attached to an end of the combustor liner and a combustor casing at least partially surrounding the combustor liner. An end cover is further connected to the combustor casing. The combustor liner is connected to the combustor casing by means of a retainer arranged between the metering plate and the end cover, and attached to the metering plate and to the end cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: NUOVO PIGNONE SRL
    Inventor: Biharilal Jangid
  • Patent number: 11333081
    Abstract: A rotating machine control device is provided with: an operating terminal for changing a parameter of the rotating machine; a clearance measuring device which measures the amount of clearance between a rotor and a casing; and a control device body. The control device body, in accordance with the amount of clearance measured by means of the clearance measuring device, determines an operating amount for the operating terminal so as to vary the rate of change in the parameter, and outputs the operating amount to the operating terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI POWER, LTD.
    Inventors: David Ferns, Keita Fujii, Osamu Ueda
  • Patent number: 11326518
    Abstract: A combustor panel arrangement for a gas turbine engine. The combustor panel arrangement includes a first combustor panel that has a first edge. A second combustor panel has a second edge facing the first edge. A first plurality of effusion holes extend through the first edge towards the second edge along a corresponding one of a first plurality of flow paths. A second plurality of effusion holes extend through the second edge along a corresponding one of a second plurality flow paths towards the first edge. The first plurality of flow paths and the second plurality of flow paths are non-intersecting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Maleek E. Wedderburn, Nurhak Erbas-Sen, John W. Mubeezi, Fumitaka Ichihashi, Roger O. Coffey
  • Patent number: 11319884
    Abstract: A distributor valve comprising a second element configured to be displaced relative to a first element, so as to form an overall passage opening of variable fuel passage section corresponding to the intersection of a first passage opening and a second passage opening. The head portion of the second passage opening comprises a first inclination having a first average slope, the intermediate portion of the second passage opening comprises a second inclination having a second average slope strictly greater than said first average slope, and the foot portion of the second passage opening comprises a third inclination having a third average slope, strictly less than said second average slope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Regis Michel Paul Deldalle, Pierre Charles Mouton
  • Patent number: 11320144
    Abstract: A combustion chamber assembly group, and a mounting method therefor, includes a combustion chamber for an engine that includes a curved combustion chamber wall extending along two spatial directions, and a combustion chamber shingle affixed at an inner side of the combustion chamber wall and having a shingle edge defining the outer contour of the shingle. For an at least sectional abutment of the shingle edge at the combustion chamber wall with a minimum clamping force in an operational state of the engine, the shingle is mounted to the combustion chamber wall in a mounting state in which the shingle at least at one section of the shingle edge has a curvature with respect to at least one of the spatial directions that differs from the curvature of the combustion chamber wall with respect to this spatial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventors: Kay Heinze, Michael Ebel, Igor Sikorski, Manfred Baumgartner, Ivo Szarvasy
  • Patent number: 11313560
    Abstract: A combustor assembly for a heat engine is generally provided. The combustor assembly defines a fuel nozzle centerline and a radial direction extended from the nozzle centerline. The combustor assembly includes a fuel nozzle disposed at least partially concentric to the nozzle centerline. The fuel nozzle defines a fuel injection opening. A deflector assembly is defined around the nozzle centerline extended therethrough. The deflector assembly includes a deflector wall extended at least partially along the radial direction. The deflector assembly includes a conical portion defined around the nozzle centerline. The conical portion defines a fuel nozzle opening. A plurality of openings is defined through the conical portion radially adjacent to the fuel injection opening at the fuel nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Anne Dord, Nayan Vinodbhai Patel