Patents Examined by Vikansha Dwivedi
  • Patent number: 9062569
    Abstract: A steam generator coupled in flow communication downstream from a combustion device that produces a flow of exhaust gases includes a heating device configured to heat the exhaust gases that include oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and an oxidation catalyst coupled downstream from the heating device. The oxidation catalyst facilitates reducing an amount of NOx in the exhaust gases channeled into the oxidation catalyst at a first temperature that is less than a thermal regeneration temperature for a catalytic material and at a second temperature that is approximately equal to at least the thermal regeneration temperature such that the catalytic material is simultaneously regenerated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Gilbert Otto Kraemer
  • Patent number: 9051861
    Abstract: A regeneration method (10) for regenerating an adsorber (19), connected downstream of an internal combustion engine (13), of a motor vehicle (11) with a hybrid drive train is described. The internal combustion engine (13) is operated in a phase of rich combustion for regeneration of the adsorber (19). According to the description, an engine load (30) and/or an engine rotational speed (31) of the internal combustion engine (13) for the rich combustion is influenced by means of an electric machine (14) which can be coupled mechanically to the internal combustion engine (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Frank Linzen, Leonhard Bartsch, Matthew Allen Schneider, Yasser Mohamed sayed Yacoub, Jan Harmsen
  • Patent number: 9038393
    Abstract: A fuel gas cooling system for a combustion basket spring clip seal support is disclosed. The fuel gas cooling system may be formed from one or more fuel gas supply channels terminating proximate to a spring clip at the intersection between a combustor basket and a transition section such that fuel gas may be supplied to the hot gas path proximate to the intersection between the combustor basket and the transition section. The fuel gas supply channel may create an intermediate fuel gas burn at this intersection, which may reduce the firing temperature at the fuel nozzles and reduce NOx emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Samer P. Wasif, Muzaffer Sutcu, Walter R. Laster
  • Patent number: 9032737
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine having a ramburner is disclosed. The ramburner is disposed downstream of a gas turbine engine combustor and receives an engine exhaust flow from the gas turbine engine combustor. The ramburner also accepts a bypass air. Fuel is injected into the ramburner and a combustion reaction is auto-initiated based upon local gas temperatures. No mechanical flame holders need be used. A slidable valve may be used to vary the amount of bypass air into the ramburner. A movable cowl and a plug nozzle form an exit flow path of the gas turbine engine. The movable cowl can be positioned to vary a throat area and exit area of the gas turbine engine based upon the operation of the ramburner, which may be influenced by the amount of bypass air entering the ramburner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Ress, Jr., Victor L. Oechsle, Randall E. Yount, Stephen A. Bergeron
  • Patent number: 9021782
    Abstract: A laser ignition/ablation propulsion system that captures the advantages of both liquid and solid propulsion. A reel system is used to move a propellant tape containing a plurality of propellant material targets through an ignition chamber. When a propellant target is in the ignition chamber, a laser beam from a laser positioned above the ignition chamber strikes the propellant target, igniting the propellant material and resulting in a thrust impulse. The propellant tape is advanced, carrying another propellant target into the ignition chamber. The propellant tape and ignition chamber are designed to ensure that each ignition event is isolated from the remaining propellant targets. Thrust and specific impulse may by precisely controlled by varying the synchronized propellant tape/laser speed. The laser ignition/ablation propulsion system may be scaled for use in small and large applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
    Inventors: Jonathan W. Campbell, David L. Edwards, Jason J. Campbell
  • Patent number: 9010126
    Abstract: A turbofan engine includes a variable area fan nozzle which effectively changes the physical area and geometry within a fan bypass flow path to manipulate the pressure ratio of the bypass flow with a multitude of bladders circumferentially located about a core cowl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Alfred M. Stern
  • Patent number: 9003759
    Abstract: A particle separator (20) for a tip turbine engine (10) includes a generally conical inclined leading surface (24) leading to a maximum radius (25) and a tapered trailing surface (56) having a radius at all points therealong less than the maximum radius (25). The trailing surface (56) of the particle separator (20) is tapered and/or curved radially inwardly away from the maximum radius (25). Air flowing toward the core airflow inlet is first diverted radially outwardly by the inclined leading surface (24) of the particle separator (20) to the maximum radius (25) of the particle separator (20). The air then follows the trailing surface (56) radially inwardly to flow axially into the core airflow inlet. While the air can follow the contours of the particle separator (20) around the maximum radius (25) and into the core airflow inlet, any particles, such as dirt, will have more inertia and will pass radially outwardly of the core airflow inlet through the bypass fan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel Suciu, Gary D. Roberge, Brian Merry
  • Patent number: 9003801
    Abstract: An electronic control apparatus is applied to a gas turbine including a cylindrical combustor, a plurality of fuel injection valves, and an ignition plug. Air compressed by a compressor is supplied to the combustor. The plurality of fuel injection valves are aligned in a circumferential direction in the combustor and are capable of injecting fuel into the combustor. The ignition plug is provided in the combustor and is capable of igniting a fuel-mixture within the combustor. The electronic control apparatus controls the operation of the plurality of fuel injection valves so that when the gas turbine is started up, fuel injection opening times of the #6 and #12 fuel injection valves which are positioned far from the ignition plug are later than fuel injection opening times of the #1 and #7 fuel injection valves which are positioned close to the ignition plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takao Tate
  • Patent number: 8858199
    Abstract: A sump pump reservoir is disclosed, the sump pump reservoir having a housing of oblong cross-section having an interior arranged for housing at least two level-activated water pumps supported on adjacent floor areas thereof for non-interfering operation, the housing having a length substantially greater than its width and the housing having a top oblong reinforcing rim; and a cover section enclosing the interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Inventor: Lawrence M. Janesky
  • Patent number: 8850791
    Abstract: A flywheel engine which contains the shell, ignition system, cranking system and fuel system. Install flywheel shaft on shell while at least install a flywheel on the flywheel shaft. Set up gas mixture room on flywheel and open air inlet louver at the central part of the room. Install air cylinder at the peripheral region of flywheel and open jet exhaust at the peripheral region of gas mixture room. Set up admittance port at the bottom of the air cylinder; connect the admittance port and the jet exhaust. Install flame lighter in the air cylinder. The angle of the jet direction of chambers and the radius of flywheel is ?1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Jinan Metal Haber Metallurgical Technology Development Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Jiubin Chen
  • Patent number: 8850794
    Abstract: According to the invention, the said engine (I), which comprises at least one flame tube (2) with a mobile transverse end wall (18), comprises an external envelope (3) around the said flame tube (2), which defines a peripheral annular space (4) in which fixed flow guides (11, 12, 13, 14) are positioned, these flow guides forming flow channels (10) for the air, and at least one mobile plug (25), connected to the said mobile end wall (18), to close off and open one of the flow channels (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: MBDA France
    Inventors: Emeric Daniau, François Falempin, Etienne Bobo, Jean-Pierre Minard
  • Patent number: 8776531
    Abstract: The present application provides an integrated gasification combined cycle system. The integrated gasification combined cycle system may include a gas turbine engine, a syngas system for producing a syngas for the gas turbine engine and having a compressor therein, and a second gas engine in communication with the syngas system. The second gas engine dives the compressor via the syngas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Raymond Douglas Steele, Anindra Mazumdar, Pradeep S. Thacker, Richard DePuy, Gary D. Miller
  • Patent number: 8720184
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method and device for supplying a combustion chamber of a space propulsion engine with cryogenic liquid fuel and oxidizer propellants. The propellants are mixed at constant pressure to produce a propellant mixture, with the propellants being mixed at a location upstream of an orifice of a propellant injector. The propellant mixture is fed to an enclosure of the propellant injector, and from the propellant injector enclosure, the propellant mixture is injected into the combustion chamber. The flow rate of the propellant mixture from the propellant injector enclosure into the combustion chamber is varied by adjustment of the propellant injector, with the injection of the propellant mixture from the propellant injector enclosure into the combustion chamber being at constant pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Astrium SAS
    Inventor: Robert Andre Laine
  • Patent number: 8707703
    Abstract: A swirler arrangement for injecting a fluid into a tubular swirling chamber is provided. The swirler arrangement includes a first radial swirler device and a second radial swirler device. The swirler arrangement is fixed around an internal circulation zone of the tubular swirling chamber. The first radial swirler device includes first vanes, wherein the first vanes are formed to inject the fluid into the internal circulation zone with a first injecting angle. The second radial swirler device includes second vanes, wherein the second vanes are formed to inject the fluid into the internal circulation zone with a second injecting angle. The first injecting angle and the second injecting angle are defined by an angle between an injecting direction of the fluid and the tangential direction along the inner surface. A method of injecting a fluid into a tubular swirling chamber by the swirler arrangement is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Ik Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 8677762
    Abstract: A process for the preparation of hydrocarbon products and for the generation of power that includes the steps of (a) providing a synthesis gas having a hydrogen to carbon monoxide ratio of between 0.1 and 1; (b) contacting the synthesis gas with one or more catalysts which together catalyse a reaction of hydrogen and carbon monoxide to oxygenates comprising methanol and dimethyl ether with a dimethyl ether to methanol ratio of higher than 2 and a carbon dioxide content of above 20 mole %; (c) contacting the carbon dioxide containing oxygenate mixture at an inlet temperature of between 240° and 4000° C. with a catalyst being active in the conversion of oxygenate to higher hydrocarbons and a tail gas being rich in carbon dioxide; (d) combusting the carbon dioxide rich tail gas in a gas turbine combustion chamber to flue gas; and (e) expanding the flue gas stream through a gas turbine for the generation of power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Haldor Topsoe A/S
    Inventors: Poul Erik Højlund Nielsen, Thomas Rostrup-Nielsen, Bodil Voss, Finn Joensen
  • Patent number: 8677732
    Abstract: The invention relates to a thrust reverser (1) comprising an opening with fixed grids (4) that is closed by a sliding lid (2) in case of direct thrust, and opened by the downstream longitudinal translation displacement of the lid (2) in case of thrust reversal. A flap (20) is pivotally mounted at one upstream end on the lid (2) and can move between a retracted position and an expanded position in which, in case of thrust reversal, it blocks an annular channel (10) in order to redirect a gas flow towards the grid opening (4). A slider (24) for driving the flap (20) is mounted so as to be capable of displacement in at least one translation guiding rail (33) provided in the structure of the lid (2), and is connected to a downstream end of the flap (20) through a driving connecting rod (30) so that a translation movement of the slider (24) in the guiding rail (33) results in a pivoting of the connecting rod (30) and of the flap (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Aircelle
    Inventors: Guy Bernard Vauchel, Pierre Andre Marcel Baudu
  • Patent number: 8656722
    Abstract: A method for cooling components of a gas turbine engine, having first and second sets of components that require cooling, includes removing thermal energy from cooling air, directing the cooling air from which thermal energy has been removed to the first set of components of the gas turbine engine, and transferring thermal energy away from the second set of components of the gas turbine engine using a vaporization cycle of a vapor cooling assembly. Use of the vaporization cycle offsets thermal energy removed from the cooling air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: James W. Norris, Bernard J. Raver, James D. Hill
  • Patent number: 8656698
    Abstract: A device and system for monitoring and controlling the flow media through a flow circuit, for example, the flow of coolant through a coolant circuit of a turbine engine fuel system, measures flow rates at the supply and return sides of the circuit and compares the measured flow rates against a threshold flow rate difference to detect the presence of a flow leak condition. Upon detecting a leak condition, the controller automatically operates a flow control valve to shut off flow to the flow circuit for repair of the leak or other low flow condition. The controller can also include components for measuring the temperate of the flow media at one or both of the supply and return sides of the circuit. The measured temperature signals can be processed to detect a high or low temperature condition. Upon detecting a low temperature condition, the controller automatically reduces the flow rate of the flow media until the condition has been corrected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: Jansen's Aircraft System Controls, Inc.
    Inventors: Harvey B. Jansen, Schuyler V. McElrath
  • Patent number: 8650854
    Abstract: A turbofan engine includes a core nacelle housing a spool having a turbine. A turbofan is arranged upstream from the core nacelle and is coupled to the spool. A fan nacelle surrounds the turbofan and core nacelle. A bifurcation supports the core nacelle relative to the fan nacelle and extends radially between the nacelles. The core and fan nacelles provide a bypass flow path receiving bypass flow from the turbofan. In the example, the nacelles provide a fixed nozzle exit area. The bifurcation includes an inlet that is in communication with a passage. The passage is selectively opened and closed by a valve to provide air from the inlet to a vent opening near the nozzle exit area. By opening the valve, the nozzle exit area is effectively increased to provide increased bypass flow through the turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Edward F. Migliaro, Jr., Michael Winter, Ashok K. Jain
  • Patent number: 8647077
    Abstract: A cooling fan having motor and an impeller. The cooling fan may comprise a three-phase DC motor. The impeller may comprise a hub to house the three-phase DC motor and a plurality of blades extending from the hub. Each blade may have a height that is at least 25 % of the impeller diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Wade D. Vinson, John P. Franz, Yousef Jarrah