Patents by Inventor Anthony John Dean
Anthony John Dean 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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Patent number: 7836682Abstract: A method for operating a pulse detonation engine, wherein the method includes channeling air flow from a pulse detonation combustor into a flow mixer having an inlet portion, an outlet portion, and a body portion extending therebetween. The method also includes channeling ambient air past the flow mixer and mixing the air flow discharged from the pulse detonation combustor with the ambient air flow such that a combined flow is generated from the flow mixer that has less flow variations than the air flow discharged from the pulse detonation combustor.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2006Date of Patent: November 23, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Adam Rasheed, Keith Robert McManus, Anthony John Dean
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Patent number: 7828546Abstract: A pulse detonation device for dividing a pulse detonation shock wave into an primary and control portion to reduce the strength of a propagating shock wave and/or change its direction. The device contains a flow separator which directs a portion of the shock wave into itself, thus reducing the shock wave's strength. In one configuration, the control region converges in cross-sectional area so as to accelerate the flow in the control region, while the primary region diverges to slow the flow in the primary region. The flow in the control region is directed, at an angle, into the flow of the primary region to impede and/or redirect the flow of the primary region.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2005Date of Patent: November 9, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: James Fredric Wiedenhoefer, Adam Rasheed, Anthony John Dean, Pierre Francois Pinard
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Patent number: 7818956Abstract: A pulse detonation (PD) assembly includes a number of PD chambers adapted to expel respective detonation product streams and a number of barriers disposed between respective pairs of PD chambers. The barriers define, at least in part, a number of sectors that contain at least one PD chamber. A hybrid engine includes a number of PD chambers and barriers. The hybrid engine further includes a turbine assembly having at least one turbine stage, being in flow communication with the PD chambers and being configured to be at least partially driven by the detonation product streams. A segmented hybrid engine includes a number of PD chambers and segments configured to receive and direct the detonation product streams from respective PD chambers. The segmented hybrid engine further includes a turbine assembly configured to be at least partially driven by the detonation product streams.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2005Date of Patent: October 26, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Adam Rasheed, Anthony John Dean, Christian Lee Vandervort
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Patent number: 7784265Abstract: A pulse detonation combustor (PDC) assembly includes an upstream chamber forming an inlet plenum, a downstream chamber including a downstream portion of at least one PDC tube, and an integrated PDC head coupled to the upstream chamber and the downstream chamber. The integrated PDC head is configured to facilitate fuel injection and ignition within the PDC tube. The PDC tube includes an inner seal surface and an outer seal surface configured to mate with the inner seal surface, wherein the inner seal surface includes an elevated section thereon that engages with the outer seal surface such that the PDC tube is free to partially pivot about a longitudinal axis thereof.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2006Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Adam Rasheed, Anthony John Dean
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Patent number: 7784287Abstract: An aircraft engine is provided with at least one pulse detonation device, and the operational frequency of the pulse detonation device is varied over an operational range of frequencies around a mean frequency value. The pulse detonation device can be positioned upstream, downstream or adjacent to a turbine section of the engine. An additional embodiment of the present invention is an aircraft engine provided with more than one pulse detonation device, and the operational frequency of one, or more, of the pulse detonation devices is varied over an operational range of frequencies around a mean frequency value.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2005Date of Patent: August 31, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Bruce John Badding, Adam Rasheed, Anthony John Dean
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Patent number: 7739867Abstract: A system for efficiently creating cyclic detonations is provided. The system includes at least a first initiator chamber configured to generate an initial wave, at least one main chamber coupled to the first initiator chamber. The main chamber is configured to generate a main wave and to output products of supersonic combustion. The products are generated within the main chamber. The main chamber is configured to enable the main wave to travel upstream and downstream within the main chamber when the first initiator chamber is located outside the main chamber. The system further includes an initial connection section located between the first initiator chamber and the main chamber that enhances a combustion process via shock focusing and shock reflection.Type: GrantFiled: February 3, 2006Date of Patent: June 22, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ross Hartley Kenyon, Venkat Eswarlu Tangirala, Kevin Michael Hinckley, Anthony John Dean, Stephen Daniel Myers
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Patent number: 7721523Abstract: A ground based power generation system contains at least two compressor stages, a combustion stage and a turbine stage. An intercooler is positioned between the two compressor stages and a regenerator is positioned between the compressor stages and the combustion stage. The combustion stage contains at least one of a pulse detonation combustor and constant volume combustor. Downstream of the combustion stage is the turbine stage. Heat for the regenerator is supplied from the turbine stage. Further, a bypass flow device is included which re-directs flow upstream of the combustion stage to downstream of the combustion stage and upstream of the turbine stage.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2008Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Venkat Eswarlu Tangirala, Adam Rasheed, Narendra Digamber Joshi, Anthony John Dean
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Patent number: 7690191Abstract: A fuel preconditioning system for use with a pulse detonation combustor (PDC) makes use of a heat source to pyrolyze fuel prior to injecting it into the PDC for detonation. The fuel is decomposed into a more detonable form by pyrolysis in a conditioner that applies heat to the fuel in the absence of oxidizer. The heat may be provided by a hot section of the engine, including the walls of the PDC itself. The conditioned fuel is fed to the PDC and detonated.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2006Date of Patent: April 6, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Anthony John Dean, Ivett Alejandra Leyva, Chukwueloka Obiora Umeh
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Patent number: 7669406Abstract: A supersonic propulsion system is provided. The supersonic propulsion system includes a plurality of systems for efficiently creating cyclic detonations and at least one rocket booster device. Each of the systems include at least a first initiator chamber configured to generate an initial wave, at least one main chamber coupled to the first initiator chamber. The main chamber is configured to generate a main wave and to output products of supersonic combustion. The products are generated within the main chamber. The main chamber is configured to enable the main wave to travel upstream and downstream within the main chamber when the first initiator chamber is located outside the main chamber. The system further includes an initial connection section located between the first initiator chamber and the main chamber that enhances a combustion process via shock focusing and shock reflection.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2006Date of Patent: March 2, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Venkat Eswarlu Tangirala, Jonathan Sebastian Janssen, Anthony John Dean
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Patent number: 7669405Abstract: A detonation chamber for a pulse detonation combustor including: a plurality of dimples disposed on at least a portion of an inner surface of the detonation chamber wherein the plurality of dimples enhance a turbulence of a fluid flow through the detonation chamber.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2005Date of Patent: March 2, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Pierre Francois Pinard, Venkat Eswarlu Tangirala, Adam Rasheed, Anthony John Dean, Ronald Scott Bunker, David Michael Chapin
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Publication number: 20090320439Abstract: A pulse detonation cleaner system is described. The cleaner includes an elongated combustion chamber configured with at least one fuel injection inlet and one air inlet to provide fuel to the combustion chamber. The fuel and air are mixed and ignited to produce a flame. The flame is accelerated into a detonation as it propagates downstream through the combustion chamber. The detonation and its products are vented from the combustion chamber into a vessel to be cleaned. The shock and high-pressure products of the detonation are used to release debris from the walls of the vessel and blow them away.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2007Publication date: December 31, 2009Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: David Michael Chapin, Anthony John Dean, Terry Lewis Farmer, James Knox Shelton, Alan Wesley Bixler, Vincent Paul Berreto, Justin Thomas Brumberg
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Patent number: 7634904Abstract: A turbine disk assembly including a rotatable cylindrical member rotatably coupled to a shaft and a plurality of turbine blades extend circumferentially outward from said cylindrical member. The turbine blades include at least two different geometrical shapes, a first of the geometrical shapes is configured to facilitate extracting power from a first pulsed detonation combustor product stream. A second of said geometrical shapes is configured to facilitate extracting power from a second pulsed detonation combustor product stream that is different from the first pulsed detonation combustor product stream.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2006Date of Patent: December 22, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Adam Rasheed, Anthony John Dean, Venkat Eswarlu Tangirala, Pierre Francois Pinard, Christian Lee Vandervort
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Publication number: 20090293817Abstract: A detonation combustor cleaning device includes at least one combustion chamber having combustion flow path and including a deflection member. An ignition device is operatively connected to the at least one combustion chamber is selectively activated to ignite a combustible fuel within the at least one combustion chamber to produce a shockwave that moves in a first direction along the combustion flow path, impacts the deflection member, reverses direction and passes into a vessel to dislodge particles clinging to inner surfaces thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2008Publication date: December 3, 2009Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Anthony John Dean, David Michael Chapin, Donnell Eugene Crear
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Patent number: 7614211Abstract: A swirler having cross-sectional area comparable to the area of a detonation chamber is placed upstream of the detonation chamber to enhance the fuel-air mixing. The swirler has a first region and a second region, each of which induces swirl in the flow through the swirler. Each region induces a different direction of swirl in the flow. The residual net swirl present in the flow downstream of the swirler is controlled by the relative properties of each region of the swirler. The swirler also provides high optical blockage to inhibit the upstream propagation of flow due to the detonation shockwave.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2005Date of Patent: November 10, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: David Michael Chapin, Anthony John Dean, Christian Lee Vandervort, Venkat Eswarlu Tangirala, Edward Randall Furlong
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Publication number: 20090266047Abstract: An engine contains a compressor stage, a pulse detonation combustion stage and a turbine stage. The pulse detonation combustion stage contains at least one pulse detonation combustor which has an inlet portion. The pulse detonation combustor is oriented longitudinally and/or tangentially with respect to a centerline of the engine.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2008Publication date: October 29, 2009Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ross Hartley Kenyon, Narendra Digamber Joshi, Venkat Eswarlu Tangirala, Anthony John Dean, Adam Rasheed, Aaron Jerome Glaser
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Publication number: 20090241507Abstract: A ground based power generation system contains at least two compressor stages, a combustion stage and a turbine stage. An intercooler is positioned between the two compressor stages and a regenerator is positioned between the compressor stages and the combustion stage. The combustion stage contains at least one of a pulse detonation combustor and constant volume combustor. Downstream of the combustion stage is the turbine stage. Heat for the regenerator is supplied from the turbine stage. Further, a bypass flow device is included which re-directs flow upstream of the combustion stage to downstream of the combustion stage and upstream of the turbine stage.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 1, 2008Publication date: October 1, 2009Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Venkat Eswarlu Tangirala, Adam Rasheed, Narendra Digamber Joshi, Anthony John Dean
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Publication number: 20090165436Abstract: A plasma enhanced pilot including a swirler mechanism is configured to be inserted into an existing blank (purge air) or liquid fuel (dual fuel) cartridge space within the centerbody of a lean, premixed land-based gas turbine combustor fuel nozzle.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2007Publication date: July 2, 2009Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: John Thomas Herbon, Grover Andrew Bennett, Anthony John Dean, Michael Solomon Idelchik, Seyed Gholamali Saddoughi, Abdelkrim Younsi
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Publication number: 20090139199Abstract: A pulse detonation combustor valve assembly contains at least one pulse detonation combustor having an inlet portion through which air and/or fuel enters the chamber of the combustor. An annular rotating valve portion is positioned adjacent to an outer surface of the pulse detonation combustor and concentrically with the pulse detonation combustor so that the annular rotating valve portion can be rotated with respect to the combustor. The annular rotating valve portion contains at least one inlet portion through which air and/or fuel passes to enter the inlet portion of the pulse detonation combustor.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2008Publication date: June 4, 2009Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ross Hartley Kenyon, Narendra Digamber Joshi, Venkat Eswarlu Tangirala, Anthony John Dean, Adam Rasheed, Aaron Jerome Glaser, James Fredric Wiedenhoefer, David Chapin, Kevin Hinckley, Pierre Francois Pinard
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Publication number: 20090133377Abstract: An engine contains a compressor stage, a pulse detonation combustion stage and a turbine stage. The pulse detonation combustion stage contains at least one pulse detonation combustor which has an inlet portion. The pulse detonation combustor is positioned such that the inlet portion of the pulse detonation combustor is located forward of an outlet of the compressor stage with respect to the engine. The pulse detonation combustor is angled with respect to a centerline of the engine.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2008Publication date: May 28, 2009Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ross Hartley Kenyon, Narendra Digamber Joshi, Venkat Eswarlu Tangirala, Anthony John Dean, Adam Rasheed, Aaron Jerome Glaser
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Patent number: 7526912Abstract: A pulse detonation engine comprises a primary air inlet; a primary air plenum located in fluid communication with the primary air inlet; a secondary air inlet; a secondary air plenum located in fluid communication with the secondary air inlet, wherein the secondary air plenum is substantially isolated from the primary air plenum; a pulse detonation combustor comprising a pulse detonation chamber, wherein the pulse detonation chamber is located downstream of and in fluid communication with the primary air plenum; a coaxial liner surrounding the pulse detonation combustor defining a cooling plenum, wherein the cooling plenum is in fluid communication with the secondary air plenum; an axial turbine assembly located downstream of and in fluid communication with the pulse detonation combustor and the cooling plenum; and a housing encasing the primary air plenum, the secondary air plenum, the pulse detonation combustor, the coaxial liner, and the axial turbine assembly.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2005Date of Patent: May 5, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Venkat Eswarlu Tangirala, Adam Rasheed, Christian Lee Vandervort, Anthony John Dean