Patents by Inventor Carl Robert Barker

Carl Robert Barker 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: 9709277
    Abstract: The present application provides a micro-mixer fuel plenum for mixing a flow of fuel and a flow of air in a combustor. The micro-mixing fuel plenum may include an outer barrel and a number of mixing tubes positioned within the outer barrel. The mixing tubes may include one or more heat transfer features thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christopher Paul Keener, Thomas Edward Johnson, Carl Robert Barker
  • Patent number: 9500370
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle in a combustion turbine engine that includes: a fuel plenum defined between an circumferentially extending shroud and axially by a forward tube-sheet and an aft tube-sheet; and a mixing-tube that extends across the fuel plenum that defines a passageway connecting an inlet formed through the forward tube-sheet and an outlet formed through the aft tube-sheet, the mixing-tube comprising one or more fuel ports that fluidly communicate with the fuel plenum. The mixing-tube may include grooves on an outer surface, and be attached to the forward tube-sheet by a connection having a fail-safe leakage path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Carl Robert Barker
  • Patent number: 9175855
    Abstract: The present application provides a combustion nozzle for use with a gas turbine engine. The combustion nozzle may include a number of mixing tubes, an outer shell surrounding the mixing tubes, and a floating aft plate assembly. The floating plate assembly may enclose the outer shell. The mixing tubes may extend through the aft plate assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Gerritt Wegerif, Jonathan Dwight Berry, Carl Robert Barker
  • Publication number: 20150176841
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle in a combustion turbine engine that includes: a fuel plenum defined between an circumferentially extending shroud and axially by a forward tube-sheet and an aft tube-sheet; and a mixing-tube that extends across the fuel plenum that defines a passageway connecting an inlet formed through the forward tube-sheet and an outlet formed through the aft tube-sheet, the mixing-tube comprising one or more fuel ports that fluidly communicate with the fuel plenum. The mixing-tube may include grooves on an outer surface, and be attached to the forward tube-sheet by a connection having a fail-safe leakage path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Carl Robert Barker
  • Patent number: 8955327
    Abstract: A combustor includes a combustor wall defining a combustion zone and a fuel nozzle. The fuel nozzle includes a forward face, an aft face downstream from the forward face and adjacent to the combustion zone, a plurality of mixing tubes extending between the forward face and the aft face, an outer sleeve positioned radially outward of the plurality of mixing tubes, a heat shield positioned radially inward of the outer sleeve, and a baffle plate between the forward face and the aft face. At least one of the plurality of mixing tubes includes a sidewall that includes an injection opening defined therethrough. The baffle plate is oriented to channel fuel between the plurality of mixing tubes and between the baffle plate and the aft face prior to the fuel being channeled through the injection opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Carl Robert Barker, Thomas Edward Johnson
  • Publication number: 20140251483
    Abstract: A tube assembly for use in a fuel injection assembly of a turbine engine is provided. The tube assembly includes a housing, and a plurality of tube assembly units positioned adjacent to one another within the housing such that each tube assembly extends along a longitudinal axis of the housing. Each tube assembly unit includes a tube, and a plurality of flanges extending radially outward from each tube, wherein flanges of adjacent tube assembly units form at least a portion of at least one wall within the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Carl Robert Barker, Jonathan Dwight Berry
  • Patent number: 8769956
    Abstract: A system comprising a fuel nozzle. The fuel nozzle includes a mounting base and an inlet flow conditioner extending directly from the mounting base in a downstream direction. Moreover, the inlet flow conditioner structurally supports the fuel nozzle without a central support member extending directly from the mounting base inside the inlet flow conditioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Kevin Weston McMahan, Carl Robert Barker
  • Patent number: 8733106
    Abstract: An integrated plate is provided for use with a combustor including a casing, a fuel plenum extending circumferentially about the casing, and a fuel nozzle extending axially through the casing. The integrated plate includes a plurality of fuel injection pegs that extend radially between the fuel plenum and the fuel nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Carl Robert Barker, Thomas Edward Johnson, Jonathan Dwight Berry
  • Publication number: 20140000263
    Abstract: A system comprising a fuel nozzle. The fuel nozzle includes a mounting base and an inlet flow conditioner extending directly from the mounting base in a downstream direction. Moreover, the inlet flow conditioner structurally supports the fuel nozzle without a central support member extending directly from the mounting base inside the inlet flow conditioner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Kevin Weston McMahan, Carl Robert Barker
  • Publication number: 20130305734
    Abstract: The present application provides a micro-mixer fuel plenum for mixing a flow of fuel and a flow of air in a combustor. The micro-mixing fuel plenum may include an outer barrel and a number of mixing tubes positioned within the outer barrel. The mixing tubes may include one or more heat transfer features thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Christopher Paul Keener, Thomas Edward Johnson, Carl Robert Barker
  • Patent number: 8522555
    Abstract: A system comprising a fuel nozzle. The fuel nozzle includes a mounting base and an inlet flow conditioner extending directly from the mounting base in a downstream direction. Moreover, the inlet flow conditioner structurally supports the fuel nozzle without a central support member extending directly from the mounting base inside the inlet flow conditioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Kevin Weston McMahan, Carl Robert Barker
  • Patent number: 8381526
    Abstract: A combustor includes a first flow path and a second flow path. The first flow path places a diffuser in indirect fluid communication with a combustor cap assembly by way of an intervening lower combustor annular passageway. The second flow path places the diffuser in direct fluid communication with the combustor cap assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Constantin Dinu, Carl Robert Barker, Krishna Kumar Venkataraman
  • Publication number: 20130042625
    Abstract: A combustor includes a combustor wall defining a combustion zone and a fuel nozzle. The fuel nozzle includes a forward face, an aft face downstream from the forward face and adjacent to the combustion zone, a plurality of mixing tubes extending between the forward face and the aft face, an outer sleeve positioned radially outward of the plurality of mixing tubes, a heat shield positioned radially inward of the outer sleeve, and a baffle plate between the forward face and the aft face. At least one of the plurality of mixing tubes includes a sidewall that includes an injection opening defined therethrough. The baffle plate is oriented to channel fuel between the plurality of mixing tubes and between the baffle plate and the aft face prior to the fuel being channeled through the injection opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Inventors: Carl Robert Barker, Thomas Edward Johnson
  • Publication number: 20120279223
    Abstract: An integrated plate is provided for use with a combustor including a casing, a fuel plenum extending circumferentially about the casing, and a fuel nozzle extending axially through the casing. The integrated plate includes a plurality of fuel injection pegs that extend radially between the fuel plenum and the fuel nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Inventors: Carl Robert Barker, Thomas Edward Johnson, Jonathan Dwight Berry
  • Publication number: 20110197586
    Abstract: A combustor includes a first flow path and a second flow path. The first flow path places a diffuser in indirect fluid communication with a combustor cap assembly by way of an intervening lower combustor annular passageway. The second flow path places the diffuser in direct fluid communication with the combustor cap assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Constantin Dinu, Carl Robert Barker, Krishna Kumar Venkataraman
  • Publication number: 20100293955
    Abstract: A system comprising a fuel nozzle. The fuel nozzle includes a mounting base and an inlet flow conditioner extending directly from the mounting base in a downstream direction. Moreover, the inlet flow conditioner structurally supports the fuel nozzle without a central support member extending directly from the mounting base inside the inlet flow conditioner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Kevin Weston McMahan, Carl Robert Barker