Patents by Inventor Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow
Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240051670Abstract: An aircraft equipped with a distributed fan propulsion system and methods of operating such aircraft are provided. In one aspect, an aircraft includes a wing having a top surface and a bottom surface. The aircraft also has a distributed propulsion system that includes a suction fan array having one or more fans mounted to the wing and a pressure fan array having one or more fans mounted to the wing. The fans of the suction fan array are each positioned primarily above the top surface of the wing and the fans of the pressure fan array are each positioned primarily below the bottom surface of the wing. The fans of the suction fan array are controllable independent of the fans of the pressure fan array so that the air pressure above and/or below the wing can be locally controlled, allowing for adjustment of lift on the wing.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2023Publication date: February 15, 2024Inventors: Brendan Michael Freely, Kurt David Murrow, Michael James McMahon, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow
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Patent number: 11859515Abstract: There is provided apparatuses and methods for a gas turbine engine. The embodiments include a core section with a flow path. The flow path includes a stator vane array having outlet vanes. Each outlet vane has a trailing edge. A strut has a leading edge that is upstream of the trailing edges. Alternatively, the flow path includes a stator vane array having inlet vanes. Each inlet vane has a leading edge. The strut has a trailing edge that is downstream of the leading edges. There also is increased spacing between adjacent vanes and rotor blades.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2022Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Tsuguji Nakano, Darek Zatorski, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow
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Publication number: 20230415914Abstract: A method is provided of operating a single unducted rotor engine, the single unducted rotor engine comprising a single stage of unducted rotor blades. The method includes operating the single unducted rotor engine to define a flight speed, V0, in a length unit per second and an angular speed, n, in revolutions per second, the single stage of unducted rotor blades defining a diameter, D, in the length unit; wherein operating the single unducted rotor engine comprises operating the single unducted rotor engine to define an advance ratio greater than 3.8 while operating the single unducted rotor engine at a net efficiency of at least 0.8, the advance ratio defined by the equation V0/(n×D).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2023Publication date: December 28, 2023Inventors: Syed Arif Khalid, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow
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Patent number: 11834186Abstract: An aircraft equipped with a distributed fan propulsion system and methods of operating such aircraft are provided. In one aspect, an aircraft includes a wing having a top surface and a bottom surface. The aircraft also has a distributed propulsion system that includes a suction fan array having one or more fans mounted to the wing and a pressure fan array having one or more fans mounted to the wing. The fans of the suction fan array are each positioned primarily above the top surface of the wing and the fans of the pressure fan array are each positioned primarily below the bottom surface of the wing. The fans of the suction fan array are controllable independent of the fans of the pressure fan array so that the air pressure above and/or below the wing can be locally controlled, allowing for adjustment of lift on the wing.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2020Date of Patent: December 5, 2023Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Brendan Michael Freely, Kurt David Murrow, Michael James McMahon, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow
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Publication number: 20230322412Abstract: A flow conditioning structure is disposed about a central axis of an unducted thrust producing apparatus. The unducted thrust producing apparatus has a propeller that generates thrust in a working fluid by rotating about the central axis. The propeller is comprised of blades each with a free end. Each blade also has a leading edge where the working fluid enters during forward thrust operation. The flow conditioning structure comprises a structure forming a passage and the structure forming the passage controls a speed and a direction of the working fluid drawn into the unducted thrust producing apparatus so as to approximate operational speeds and operational directions of the working fluid entering the unducted thrust producing apparatus during operations of a vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2023Publication date: October 12, 2023Inventors: Daniel L. Tweedt, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow, Syed Arif Khalid, William J. Solomon, Alexander Hills
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Patent number: 11753939Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided including a turbine section including a turbine having a plurality of first speed turbine rotor blades; a compressor section including a compressor having a plurality of first speed compressor rotor blades and a plurality of second speed compressor rotor blades; a gearbox; and a first spool rotatable by the plurality of first speed turbine rotor blades, the first spool coupled to the plurality of first speed compressor rotor blades for driving the plurality of first speed compressor rotor blades in a first direction and to the plurality of second speed compressor rotor blades across the gearbox for driving the plurality of second speed compressor rotor blades in a second direction, opposite the first direction.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2019Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Alan Roy Stuart, Tsuguji Nakano, Thomas Ory Moniz, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow, Richard Schmidt
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Publication number: 20230279779Abstract: There is provided apparatuses and methods for a gas turbine engine. The embodiments include a core section with a flow path. The flow path includes a stator vane array having outlet vanes. Each outlet vane has a trailing edge. A strut has a leading edge that is upstream of the trailing edges. Alternatively, the flow path includes a stator vane array having inlet vanes. Each inlet vane has a leading edge. The strut has a trailing edge that is downstream of the leading edges. There also is increased spacing between adjacent vanes and rotor blades.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2022Publication date: September 7, 2023Inventors: Tsuguji Nakano, Darek Zatorski, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow
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Patent number: 11401824Abstract: A single unducted rotor engine includes a power source; a casing surrounding the power source; an unducted rotor assembly driven by the power source having a single row of rotor blades; and an outlet guide vane assembly having a plurality of pairs of outlet guide vanes, each pair of the plurality of pairs of outlet guide vanes including a first outlet guide vane extending from the casing at a location downstream from the single row of rotor blades of the unducted rotor assembly and a second outlet guide vane also positioned downstream from the single row of rotor blades of the unducted rotor assembly. The first outlet guide vane of each pair of outlet guide vanes defines a first geometry. The second outlet guide vane of each pair of outlet guide vanes defines a second geometry. The first geometry is not equal to the second geometry.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2020Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow, Syed Arif Khalid
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Patent number: 11391288Abstract: A turbo machine, a computer-implemented method, and a computer system for operating a compressor assembly are provided. The method includes comparing a first data set and a second data set to determine a first correlation factor, comparing the first correlation factor to a first threshold that at least partially determines whether a stall precursor exists, removing mean values from the first data set and the second data set, comparing the first data set and the second data set each removed of mean values to determine a second correlation factor, and comparing the second correlation factor to the first threshold, and classifying the stall precursor as either a spike stall precursor, a modal stall precursor, or a combination stall precursor.Type: GrantFiled: September 9, 2020Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Kyle Louis Miller, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow
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Patent number: 11352132Abstract: A lift fan apparatus includes: a rotor having at least one rotatable hub carrying at least one row of blades; a duct surrounding the rotor, the duct including spaced-apart peripheral walls extending between an inlet and an exit, the peripheral walls collectively defining a flow channel which includes a diffuser disposed downstream of the rotor, in which a flow area at the exit is greater than a flow area at the rotor; and a plurality of spaced-apart splitters disposed in the diffuser, each of the splitters having opposed side walls extending between an upstream leading edge and a downstream trailing edge, wherein the splitters divide the diffuser into a plurality of side-by-side flow passages.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2018Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow, Daniel Lawrence Tweedt, Syed Arif Khalid, Kurt David Murrow
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Patent number: 11300003Abstract: An unducted thrust producing system has a rotating element with an axis of rotation and a stationary element. The rotating element includes a plurality of blades, each having a blade root proximal to the axis, a blade tip remote from the axis, and a blade span measured between the blade root and the blade tip. The rotating element has a load distribution such that at any location between the blade root and 30% span the value of ?RCu in the air stream is greater than or equal to 60% of the peak ?RCu in the air stream.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2018Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow, Syed Arif Khalid, Leroy Harrington Smith, Jr.
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Patent number: 11300136Abstract: A fan for a gas turbine engine includes: an annular casing; a disk disposed inside the casing and mounted for rotation about an axial centerline, the disk including a row of fan blades extending radially outwardly therefrom; each of the fan blades including an airfoil having circumferentially opposite pressure and suction sides extending radially in span from a root to a tip, and extending axially in chord between spaced-apart leading and trailing edges, with the airfoils defining corresponding flow passages therebetween for pressurizing air; the row including no more than 21 and no less than 13 of the fan blades; and wherein each of the fan blades has a solidity defined by a ratio of the airfoil chord over a circumferential pitch of the fan blades, measured at 60% of a radial distance from the root to the tip, of less than about 1.6.Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2019Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Daniel Allen Wilkin, II, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow
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Publication number: 20220074420Abstract: A turbo machine, a computer-implemented method, and a computer system for operating a compressor assembly are provided. The method includes comparing a first data set and a second data set to determine a first correlation factor, comparing the first correlation factor to a first threshold that at least partially determines whether a stall precursor exists, removing mean values from the first data set and the second data set, comparing the first data set and the second data set each removed of mean values to determine a second correlation factor, and comparing the second correlation factor to the first threshold, and classifying the stall precursor as either a spike stall precursor, a modal stall precursor, or a combination stall precursor.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2020Publication date: March 10, 2022Inventors: Kyle Louis Miller, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow
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Publication number: 20220074315Abstract: A shroud assembly for a turbine engine having a centerline axis. The shroud assembly having a shroud hanger, at least one shroud segment, and at least one biasing element extending between the two. The biasing element configured to radially bias the at least one shroud segment between an outboard position and an inboard position radially outward from the outboard position with respect to the centerline axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2021Publication date: March 10, 2022Inventors: Paul Hadley Vitt, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow
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Publication number: 20220063796Abstract: An aircraft equipped with a distributed fan propulsion system and methods of operating such aircraft are provided. In one aspect, an aircraft includes a wing having a top surface and a bottom surface. The aircraft also has a distributed propulsion system that includes a suction fan array having one or more fans mounted to the wing and a pressure fan array having one or more fans mounted to the wing. The fans of the suction fan array are each positioned primarily above the top surface of the wing and the fans of the pressure fan array are each positioned primarily below the bottom surface of the wing. The fans of the suction fan array are controllable independent of the fans of the pressure fan array so that the air pressure above and/or below the wing can be locally controlled, allowing for adjustment of lift on the wing.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2020Publication date: March 3, 2022Inventors: Brendan Michael Freely, Kurt David Murrow, Michael James McMahon, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow
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Publication number: 20220063793Abstract: An aircraft equipped with a distributed unducted fan propulsion system is provided. In one aspect, an aircraft includes a body defining a lateral centerline that separates the body into a first side and a second side. One or more first unducted fans are mounted to the first side of the body. The one or more first unducted fans are rotatable in a first direction. One or more second unducted fans are mounted to the second side of the body. The one or more second unducted fans are rotatable in a second direction that is opposite the first direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2020Publication date: March 3, 2022Inventors: Brendan Michael Freely, Kurt David Murrow, Michael James McMahon, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow
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Patent number: 11262144Abstract: A heat exchanger apparatus includes: spaced-apart peripheral walls extending between an inlet and an outlet, the peripheral walls collectively defining a flow channel which includes a diverging portion downstream of the inlet, in which a flow area is greater than a flow area at the inlet; a plurality of spaced-apart fins disposed in the flow channel, each of the fins having opposed side walls extending between an upstream leading edge and a downstream trailing edge, wherein the fins divide at least the diverging portion of the flow channel into a plurality of side-by-side flow passages; and a heat transfer structure disposed within at least one of the fins.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2017Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow, Daniel Lawrence Tweedt, Tsuguji Nakano, Syed Arif Khalid
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Patent number: 11208912Abstract: A shroud assembly for a gas turbine engine includes: at least one shroud hanger; an annular array of shroud segments carried by the child hanger at least one and arrayed about an engine centerline axis, each of the shroud segments having a flowpath side defining a portion of a primary engine flowpath, and an opposed backside facing the at least one shroud hanger, wherein the shroud segment is mounted to the at least one shroud hanger such that it is movable in a radial direction between an inboard position and an outboard position, in response to a balance of gas pressures prevailing on the flowpath side and the backside; and biasing means which urge each of the shroud segments towards one of the positions.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2018Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Paul Hadley Vitt, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow
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Patent number: 11193377Abstract: A method of controlling a transition from a laminar flow to a turbulent flow for an airfoil of a turbomachine includes forming an airfoil. The airfoil defines a span extending between a root and a tip and a chord extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The airfoil includes a suction side surface and a pressure side surface, opposite the suction side surface, each extending between the leading edge, the trailing edge, the root, and the tip. The method also includes finishing a majority of the suction and pressure side surfaces in order to form a finished surface. The finished surface defines a first roughness. The method additionally includes leaving at least a portion of the suction side surface and/or pressure side surface unfinished in order to form an unfinished surface. Furthermore, the unfinished surface defines a second roughness greater than the first roughness.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2019Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Aamir Shabbir, Christopher Robert Berndt, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow
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Publication number: 20210339879Abstract: An aircraft defines a vertical direction and includes a fuselage and a propulsion system comprising a power source and a plurality of vertical thrust electric fans driven by the power source. A wing extends from the fuselage. The plurality of vertical thrust electric fans are arranged along a length of the wing along a lengthwise direction of the wing. The wing comprises a diffusion assembly along the lengthwise direction of the wing and includes a first diffusion member positioned downstream of at least one of the plurality of vertical thrust electric fans. The first diffusion member defines a curved shape relative to a longitudinal direction of the aircraft. The longitudinal direction is generally perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the wing.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2021Publication date: November 4, 2021Inventors: Kurt David Murrow, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Dominic Barone