Patents by Inventor Christopher Jon Potokar

Christopher Jon Potokar 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: 11624290
    Abstract: An aspirating face seal between high and low pressure regions of a turbomachine at a juncture between rotatable and non-rotatable members of turbomachine includes gas bearing rotatable and non-rotatable face surfaces. Primary and starter seal teeth and optional deflector seal tooth are mounted on seal teeth carrier on rotatable member. Non-rotatable face surface is mounted on an annular slider on the non-rotatable member. A pull-off biasing means urges the annular slider away from the rotatable member and the non-rotatable face surface away from the rotatable surface. A secondary seal is in sealing engagement with the annular slider in the low pressure region and the pull-off biasing means is located radially outwardly of the annular slider in the high pressure region. Biasing means may include coil springs within spring chambers of circumferentially spaced cartridges. Tongues extend inwardly from spring chambers into grooves in slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nathan Evan McCurdy Gibson, Christopher Jon Potokar, Hariharan Manickavasagam Sarojini, Arnab Sen, Bikramjit Chatterjee
  • Patent number: 11174752
    Abstract: A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component and method of fabrication including one or more elongate functional features formed in multiple fiber plies of the CMC component. The CMC component includes a plurality of longitudinally extending ceramic matrix composite plies in a stacked configuration. Each of the one or more elongate functional features includes an inlet and an outlet to provide a flow of fluid from a fluid source to an exterior of the ceramic matrix composite component. The one or more elongate functional features are configured in multiple plies of the plurality of longitudinally extending ceramic matrix composite plies to form a plurality of cooling channels in multiple plies of the ceramic matrix composite component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Earl Dyson, Daniel Gene Dunn, Changjie Sun, Christopher Jon Potokar, Douglas Glenn Decesare
  • Patent number: 11047306
    Abstract: A turbine engine includes: a core cowl, a core within the core cowl, the core including a compressor having a bleed port; an undercowl space; a cooling duct at least partially in the undercowl space and having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet communicating with a source of cooling air, the outlet communicating with the compressor bleed port; a valve assembly in the cooling duct; and a cooling blower operable to move air flow from the inlet of the cooling duct towards the outlet of the cooling duct and into the compressor bleed port. A method of cooling an engine having a core cowl and a compressor, combustor and turbine includes: operating the engine; shutting the engine down; after or during engine shutdown, operating a cooling blower internal to the engine cowl, to force air through the compressor by way of a compressor bleed port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Millhaem, Byron Andrew Pritchard, Hendrik Pieter Jacobus de Bock, John Carl Glessner, Jeffrey Scott Ksander, Craig A. Gonyou, Christopher Jon Potokar
  • Publication number: 20210189902
    Abstract: A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component and method of fabrication including one or more elongate functional features formed in multiple fiber plies of the CMC component. The CMC component includes a plurality of longitudinally extending ceramic matrix composite plies in a stacked configuration. Each of the one or more elongate functional features includes an inlet and an outlet to provide a flow of fluid from a fluid source to an exterior of the ceramic matrix composite component. The one or more elongate functional features are configured in multiple plies of the plurality of longitudinally extending ceramic matrix composite plies to form a plurality of cooling channels in multiple plies of the ceramic matrix composite component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Earl Dyson, Daniel Gene Dunn, Changjie Sun, Christopher Jon Potokar, Douglas Glenn Decesare
  • Publication number: 20210148243
    Abstract: An aspirating face seal between high and low pressure regions of a turbomachine at a juncture between rotatable and non-rotatable members of turbomachine includes gas bearing rotatable and non-rotatable face surfaces. Primary and starter seal teeth and optional deflector seal tooth are mounted on seal teeth carrier on rotatable member. Non-rotatable face surface is mounted on an annular slider on the non-rotatable member. A pull-off biasing means urges the annular slider away from the rotatable member and the non-rotatable face surface away from the rotatable surface. A secondary seal is in sealing engagement with the annular slider in the low pressure region and the pull-off biasing means is located radially outwardly of the annular slider in the high pressure region. Biasing means may include coil springs within spring chambers of circumferentially spaced cartridges. Tongues extend inwardly from spring chambers into grooves in slider.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Nathan Evan McCurdy Gibson, Christopher Jon Potokar, Hariharan Manickavasagam Sarojini, Arnab Sen, Bikramjit Chatterjee
  • Patent number: 10900369
    Abstract: An aspirating face seal between high and low pressure regions of a turbomachine at a juncture between rotatable and non-rotatable members of turbomachine includes gas bearing rotatable and non-rotatable face surfaces. Primary and starter seal teeth and optional deflector seal tooth are mounted on seal teeth carrier on rotatable member. Non-rotatable face surface is mounted on an annular slider on the non-rotatable member. A pull-off biasing means urges the annular slider away from the rotatable member and the non-rotatable face surface away from the rotatable surface. A secondary seal is in sealing engagement with the annular slider in the low pressure region and the pull-off biasing means is located radially outwardly of the annular slider in the high pressure region. Biasing means may include coil springs within spring chambers of circumferentially spaced cartridges. Tongues extend inwardly from spring chambers into grooves in slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nathan Evan McCurdy Gibson, Christopher Jon Potokar, Hariharan Manickavasagam Sarojini, Arnab Sen, Bikramjit Chatterjee
  • Publication number: 20200088059
    Abstract: An aspirating face seal between high and low pressure regions of a turbomachine at a juncture between rotatable and non-rotatable members of turbomachine includes gas bearing rotatable and non-rotatable face surfaces. Primary and starter seal teeth and optional deflector seal tooth are mounted on seal teeth carrier on rotatable member. Non-rotatable face surface is mounted on an annular slider on the non-rotatable member. A pull-off biasing means urges the annular slider away from the rotatable member and the non-rotatable face surface away from the rotatable surface. A secondary seal is in sealing engagement with the annular slider in the low pressure region and the pull-off biasing means is located radially outwardly of the annular slider in the high pressure region. Biasing means may include coil springs within spring chambers of circumferentially spaced cartridges. Tongues extend inwardly from spring chambers into grooves in slider.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Nathan Evan McCurdy GIBSON, Christopher Jon POTOKAR, Hariharan Manickavasagam SAROJINI, Arnab SEN, Bikramjit CHATTERJEE
  • Patent number: 9976420
    Abstract: An aspirating seal assembly for use in a turbine engine is provided. The aspirating seal assembly includes a face seal and a rotary component. The face seal includes a first annular seal surface, and the rotary component includes a second annular seal surface positioned adjacent the first annular seal surface and defining a seal interface therebetween. The face seal is configured to discharge a flow of air towards the seal interface. The seal assembly also includes a first seal member extending between the first and second annular seal surfaces such that the flow of air induces a back pressure across the seal interface, and a second seal member positioned radially inward from the first seal member and extending between the first and second annular seal surfaces. A length of the second seal member is selected to increase the back pressure induced across the seal interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Quang Tue Nguyen Tran, Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger, Christopher Jon Potokar
  • Publication number: 20170022837
    Abstract: An aspirating seal assembly for use in a turbine engine is provided. The aspirating seal assembly includes a face seal and a rotary component. The face seal includes a first annular seal surface, and the rotary component includes a second annular seal surface positioned adjacent the first annular seal surface and defining a seal interface therebetween. The face seal is configured to discharge a flow of air towards the seal interface. The seal assembly also includes a first seal member extending between the first and second annular seal surfaces such that the flow of air induces a back pressure across the seal interface, and a second seal member positioned radially inward from the first seal member and extending between the first and second annular seal surfaces. A length of the second seal member is selected to increase the back pressure induced across the seal interface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Inventors: Quang Tue Nguyen Tran, Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger, Christopher Jon Potokar
  • Publication number: 20130277142
    Abstract: Some example muffling devices may include an inner flow conditioner shaped as a generally conical frustrum and a generally cylindrical an exhaust can around the inner flow conditioner. A ratio of a downstream end wall area of the inner flow conditioner to a downstream end annular area between the downstream end wall and the exhaust can may be about 0.12 to about 0.97. A ratio of the downstream end annular area to the downstream end wall area may be proportional, by a factor of about 0.8 to about 1.9, to a ratio of an effective area of the inner flow conditioner sidewall holes to an effective area of the inner flow conditioner downstream end wall holes. A ratio of a dissipation distance between the inner flow conditioner downstream end wall and the exhaust screen to the inner flow conditioner downstream end wall hole diameter may be greater than about 10.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Christopher Jon POTOKAR
  • Patent number: 8550208
    Abstract: Some example muffling devices may include an inner flow conditioner shaped as a generally conical frustrum and a generally cylindrical an exhaust can around the inner flow conditioner. A ratio of a downstream end wall area of the inner flow conditioner to a downstream end annular area between the downstream end wall and the exhaust can may be about 0.12 to about 0.97. A ratio of the downstream end annular area to the downstream end wall area may be proportional, by a factor of about 0.8 to about 1.9, to a ratio of an effective area of the inner flow conditioner sidewall holes to an effective area of the inner flow conditioner downstream end wall holes. A ratio of a dissipation distance between the inner flow conditioner downstream end wall and the exhaust screen to the inner flow conditioner downstream end wall hole diameter may be greater than about 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Christopher Jon Potokar
  • Patent number: 8511096
    Abstract: High bleed flow muffling systems are disclosed. Example muffling devices according to at least some aspects of the present disclosure may include a first orifice plate and a second orifice plate at least partially defining a plenum arranged to receive the flow of a compressible fluid. The first orifice plate and the second orifice plate may be arranged to produce cross-impinging flow such that flow through the orifices of the first orifice plate into the plenum is directed at the wall of the second orifice plate and such that flow through the orifices of the second orifice plate is directed at the wall of the first orifice plate. Some example embodiments may include an inlet flow restrictor disposed upstream of the first and second orifice plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christina Granger Morrissey Haugen, Kevin Samuel Klasing, Christopher Jon Potokar, Robert Proctor
  • Patent number: 8307943
    Abstract: A system for venting a high-pressure flow stream is disclosed, the system comprising a device having a plurality of orifice plates, each orifice plate having a plurality of orifices, wherein the plurality of orifice plates are oriented relative to each other such that the pressure of the flow stream substantially drops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kevin Samuel Klasing, Bradley Willis Fintel, John Carl Glessner, Jeffrey Lee Mason, Christopher Jon Potokar, Robert Proctor
  • Publication number: 20120006615
    Abstract: A system for venting a high-pressure flow stream is disclosed, the system comprising a device having a plurality of orifice plates, each orifice plate having a plurality of orifices, wherein the plurality of orifice plates are oriented relative to each other such that the pressure of the flow stream substantially drops.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Kevin Samuel Klasing, Bradley Willis Fintel, John Carl Glessner, Jeffrey Lee Mason, Christopher Jon Potokar, Robert Proctor