Patents by Inventor Brad Aaron Kippel

Brad Aaron Kippel 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).

  • Patent number: 9850816
    Abstract: An inlet air conditioning system for a gas turbine includes an inlet duct for the with an air flow path to provide inlet air to the gas turbine; evaporative cooling media disposed in the air flow path; a water chiller; and a circulation pump that circulates water through the water chiller and the evaporative media in series. The chiller is configured to chill the water to below ambient wet-bulb temperature before the water is circulated to the evaporative cooling media. A power plant includes a gas turbine including a compressor, a combustion system, and a turbine section; a load; and the inlet air conditioning system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: JIanmin Zhang, Brad Aaron Kippel
  • Publication number: 20150377569
    Abstract: The present application provides an inlet heat exchanger for cooling an inlet air flow in a compressor of a gas turbine engine. The inlet air exchanger may include a media pad with a number of media sheets having a substantially three-dimensional contoured shape made from non-woven synthetic fibers and a heat exchange medium flowing from a top to a bottom of the media pad to exchange heat with the inlet air flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Jianmin Zhang, Brad Aaron Kippel
  • Publication number: 20150308338
    Abstract: An integrated coil and fin system in a gas turbine inlet. The integrated system includes at least one wavy, non-planar, fin integrated with at least one heating/cooling coil, wherein the at least one coil is configured to heat or cool air moving through the gas turbine inlet, and wherein the at least one non-planar fin is configured to remove moisture in the air moving through the gas turbine inlet. In one embodiment, at least one hook can be included at an end or along a length of at least one non-planar fin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventors: Yongjiang Hao, Doug Scott Byrd, Brad Aaron Kippel, Jianmin Zhang
  • Publication number: 20150159553
    Abstract: Methods of testing gas turbine filter elements under high or low temperature operating environments are provided. In one aspect, the method includes performing a fractional efficiency test on a filter. The method also includes heating or cooling the filter to a temperature that is higher or lower than an ambient temperature. The method further includes performing a second fractional efficiency test on the filter after the filter has been heated or cooled for a period of time at the temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: BHA Altair, LLC
    Inventors: Brad Aaron Kippel, Stephen David Hiner, Paul Sherwood Bryant, Giorgio Marchetti
  • Publication number: 20150121881
    Abstract: An inlet air conditioning system for a gas turbine includes an inlet duct for the with an air flow path to provide inlet air to the gas turbine; evaporative cooling media disposed in the air flow path; a water chiller; and a circulation pump that circulates water through the water chiller and the evaporative media in series. The chiller is configured to chill the water to below ambient wet-bulb temperature before the water is circulated to the evaporative cooling media. A power plant includes a gas turbine including a compressor, a combustion system, and a turbine section; a load; and the inlet air conditioning system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jianmin ZHANG, Brad Aaron KIPPEL
  • Publication number: 20130199150
    Abstract: A steam injection assembly for a combined cycle system includes a heat recovery system having at least one superheater configured to generate a steam supply. Also included is a gas turbine system having an inlet and a compressor, wherein the inlet receives an air supply and the steam supply for combined injection into the compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jianmin Zhang, Kihyung Kim, Brad Aaron Kippel, Hua Zhang
  • Patent number: 8475115
    Abstract: An inlet filter house is provided for use with a turbine engine including an inlet duct. The inlet filter house is coupled to the inlet duct and includes an inlet hood including a filter assembly selectively positionable between an operating position and a bypass position. An actuating assembly is coupled to the filter assembly to selectively position the filter assembly. A sensor is configured to detect at least one operating parameter. A controller is coupled to the sensor for actuating the actuating assembly based on the at least one operating parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jianmin Zhang, Brad Aaron Kippel
  • Publication number: 20130011249
    Abstract: A multi-layer filter, a gas turbine including a multi-layer filter, and a process of filtering are disclosed. The multi-layer filter includes a nano-fiber layer positioned to receive an airflow, a coalescing base medium layer, and a membrane layer. The coalescing base medium and the membrane layer are positioned for the airflow to travel through the nano-fiber layer and the coalescing base medium layer, then through the membrane layer. The gas turbine includes an inlet and the multi-layer filter in a filter portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Brad Aaron KIPPEL, Steve HINER
  • Publication number: 20110299973
    Abstract: An inlet filter house is provided for use with a turbine engine including an inlet duct. The inlet filter house is coupled to the inlet duct and includes an inlet hood including a filter assembly selectively positionable between an operating position and a bypass position. An actuating assembly is coupled to the filter assembly to selectively position the filter assembly. A sensor is configured to detect at least one operating parameter. A controller is coupled to the sensor for actuating the actuating assembly based on the at least one operating parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: Jianmin Zhang, Brad Aaron Kippel