Patents by Inventor Daniel Alan NIERGARTH

Daniel Alan NIERGARTH 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: 11319085
    Abstract: A fuel oxygen conversion unit includes a contactor; a fuel gas separator, the fuel oxygen conversion unit defining a circulation gas flowpath from the fuel gas separator to the contactor; and an isolation valve in airflow communication with the circulation gas flowpath for modulating a gas flow through the circulation gas flowpath to the contactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Richard Alan Wesling, Christian Xavier Stevenson, Peter Allen Andrews, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20220128317
    Abstract: A system for heat exchange and leak detection is generally provided, the system including a heat exchanger including a first wall defining a first passage containing a first fluid. A leak detection enclosure containing a leak detection medium is defined between the first wall and a second wall surrounding the first wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Nicholas Taylor Moore, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Hendrik Pieter Jacobus de Bock, William Dwight Gerstler
  • Publication number: 20220112902
    Abstract: The variable pitch propeller assembly includes a hub. The variable pitch propeller assembly also includes a plurality of propeller blade assemblies spaced circumferentially about the hub. Each of the plurality of propeller blade assemblies configured to rotate a respective propeller blade. The variable pitch propeller assembly also includes a hydraulic fluid port assembly integrally formed and including at least three hydraulic fluid ports configured to receive respective flows of hydraulic fluid from a stationary hydraulic fluid transfer sleeve. The variable pitch propeller assembly also includes a pitch actuator assembly coupled in flow communication with at least three hydraulic fluid ports through respective hydraulic fluid transfer tubes. The pitch actuator coupled to the plurality of propeller blade assemblies to selectively control a pitch of the propeller blades. The pitch actuator assembly includes a travel stop configured to limit a rotation of at least one of the pitch actuator assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Christopher James Kroger
  • Patent number: 11300365
    Abstract: A system for heat exchange and leak detection is generally provided, the system including a heat exchanger including a first wall defining a first passage containing a first fluid. A leak detection enclosure containing a leak detection medium is defined between the first wall and a second wall surrounding the first wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Nicholas Taylor Moore, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Hendrik Pieter Jacobus de Bock, William Dwight Gerstler
  • Patent number: 11261792
    Abstract: A thermal management system is provided for incorporation into at least one of a gas turbine engine or an aircraft. The thermal management system includes: a thermal transport bus having a heat exchange fluid flowing therethrough, the thermal transport bus further including: a first flow loop comprising at least one first heat source exchanger, at least one first heat sink exchanger, and a first pump to move the heat exchange fluid through the first flow loop; and a second flow loop comprising at least one second heat source exchanger, at least one second heat sink exchanger, and a second pump to move the heat exchange fluid through the second flow loop; wherein the first flow loop is isolated from the second flow loop, and wherein the first heat source exchanger and the second heat source exchanger are configured with a common heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Justin Paul Smith
  • Patent number: 11247779
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a compressor section and a turbine section together defining a core air flowpath. Additionally, a rotary component is rotatable with at least a portion of the compressor section and at least a portion of the turbine section. An electric machine is mounted coaxially with the rotary component and positioned at least partially inward of the core air flowpath along a radial direction of the gas turbine engine. A cavity wall defines at least in part a buffer cavity surrounding at least a portion of the electric machine to thermally insulate the electric machine, e.g., from the relatively high temperatures within the core air flowpath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Kupiszewski, Brandon Wayne Miller, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Randy M. Vondrell
  • Patent number: 11225975
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a core turbine engine and a fan mechanically coupled to the core turbine engine. The fan includes a plurality of fan blades, each fan blade defining a base and an inner end along a radial direction of the gas turbine engine. The fan also includes a hub covering the base of each of the plurality of fan blades. Further, the fan includes one or more bearings for supporting rotation of the plurality of fan blades. The one or more bearings define a fan bearing radius along a radial direction of the gas turbine engine. Similarly, the hub defines a hub radius along the radial direction of the gas turbine engine. The ratio of the hub radius to the fan bearing radius is less than about three, providing for desired packaging of the various components within the fan of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Darek Tomasz Zatorski
  • Patent number: 11221017
    Abstract: The variable pitch propeller assembly includes a hub. The variable pitch propeller assembly also includes a plurality of propeller blade assemblies spaced circumferentially about the hub. Each of the plurality of propeller blade assemblies configured to rotate a respective propeller blade. The variable pitch propeller assembly also includes a hydraulic fluid port assembly integrally formed and including at least three hydraulic fluid ports configured to receive respective flows of hydraulic fluid from a stationary hydraulic fluid transfer sleeve. The variable pitch propeller assembly also includes a pitch actuator assembly coupled in flow communication with at least three hydraulic fluid ports through respective hydraulic fluid transfer tubes. The pitch actuator coupled to the plurality of propeller blade assemblies to selectively control a pitch of the propeller blades. The pitch actuator assembly includes a travel stop configured to limit a rotation of at least one of the pitch actuator assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Christopher James Kroger
  • Patent number: 11193671
    Abstract: A fuel oxygen conversion unit includes a contactor defining a liquid fuel inlet, a stripping gas inlet and a fuel/gas mixture outlet; and a fuel gas separator defining a fuel/gas mixture inlet in flow communication with the fuel/gas mixture outlet of the contactor and an axis. The fuel gas separator further includes a stationary casing; and a separator assembly including a core and a plurality of paddles extending from the core, the separator assembly rotatable about the axis within the stationary casing to separate a fuel/gas mixture received through the fuel/gas mixture inlet into a liquid fuel flow and stripping gas flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Richard Alan Wesling
  • Patent number: 11186382
    Abstract: An engine includes a stripping gas source, a combustion section, and a fuel oxygen conversion unit positioned upstream of the combustion section, the fuel oxygen conversion unit defining a stripping gas flowpath in airflow communication with the stripping gas source. The fuel oxygen conversion unit includes a contactor defining a fuel inlet, a gas inlet in airflow communication with the stripping gas flowpath, and a fuel gas mixture outlet; and a fuel gas separator defining a fuel gas mixture inlet for receiving a fuel gas mixture from the contactor, a liquid fuel outlet, and a stripping gas outlet; wherein the stripping gas flowpath receives substantially all of a stripping gas flow therethrough from the stripping gas source and provides the stripping gas flow to the contactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Peter Allen Andrews, Jr., Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Christian Xavier Stevenson, David Vickery Parker
  • Patent number: 11187156
    Abstract: A combustion engine includes a combustion section; a fuel delivery system for providing a fuel flow to the combustion section, the fuel delivery system including an oxygen reduction unit for reducing an oxygen content of the fuel flow; a thermal management system including a heat sink heat exchanger, the heat sink heat exchanger in thermal communication with the fuel delivery system at a location downstream of the oxygen reduction unit; and a control system including a sensor operable with the fuel delivery system for sensing data indicative of an operability of the oxygen reduction unit and a controller operable with the sensor, the controller configured to initiate a corrective action based on the data sensed by the sensor indicative of the operability of the oxygen reduction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Sridhar Adibhatla, Brandon Wayne Miller, David William Crall
  • Publication number: 20210340916
    Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of operating a fuel system for an aeronautical gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes: providing a flow of fuel to a fuel nozzle of the aeronautical gas turbine engine during a wind down condition; operating a fuel oxygen reduction unit to reduce an oxygen content of the flow of fuel provided to the fuel nozzle of the aeronautical gas turbine engine during the wind down condition; and ceasing providing the flow of fuel to the fuel nozzle of the aeronautical gas turbine engine, the fuel nozzle comprising a volume of fuel after ceasing providing the flow of fuel to the fuel nozzle; wherein operating the fuel oxygen reduction unit comprises operating the fuel oxygen reduction unit to reduce an oxygen content of the volume of fuel in the fuel nozzle to less than 20 parts per million.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Alfred Albert Mancini, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • Publication number: 20210340914
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a turbomachine and a thermal management system. The thermal management system includes a heat source heat exchanger configured to collect heat from the turbomachine during operation; a heat sink heat exchanger; and a thermal transport bus having a heat exchange fluid configured to flow therethrough at a pressure within an operational pressure range. The thermal management system defines an operational temperature range for the heat exchange fluid, the operational temperature range having a lower temperature limit less than about zero degrees Fahrenheit at a pressure within the operational pressure range and an upper temperature limit of at least about 1000 degrees Fahrenheit at a pressure within the operational pressure range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Adon Delgado, JR., Brandon Wayne Miller, Hendrik Pieter Jacobus de Bock
  • Publication number: 20210340907
    Abstract: A fuel oxygen reduction unit for an engine is provided. The fuel oxygen reduction unit includes an inlet fuel line; a stripping gas source; a contactor selectively in fluid communication with the stripping gas source, the inlet fuel line, or both to form a fuel/gas mixture; and a separator that receives the fuel/gas mixture, the separator configured to separate the fuel/gas mixture into an outlet stripping gas flow and an outlet fuel flow; wherein a flow of stripping gas passes through the fuel oxygen reduction unit a single time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Brandon Wayne Miller, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Alfred Albert Mancini
  • Publication number: 20210341145
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system for a gas turbine engine includes a fuel source; a draw pump downstream of the fuel source for generating a liquid fuel flow from the fuel source; a main fuel pump downstream of the draw pump; and a fuel oxygen reduction unit downstream of the draw pump and upstream of the main fuel pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Sridhar Adibhatla, Ethan Patrick O'Connor
  • Publication number: 20210339878
    Abstract: A fuel oxygen reduction unit assembly for a fuel system is provided. The fuel oxygen reduction unit assembly includes: a fuel oxygen reduction unit located downstream from the fuel source and defining a stripping gas flowpath and a liquid fuel flowpath, the fuel oxygen reduction unit comprising a means for transferring an amount of oxygen from a liquid fuel flow through the liquid fuel flowpath to a gas flow through the stripping gas flowpath; and an oxygen conversion unit in flow communication with the stripping gas flowpath configured to extract a flow of oxygen from a gas flow through the stripping gas flowpath, the oxygen conversion unit defining an oxygen outlet configured to provide the extracted flow of oxygen to an external system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, John Michael Pyles, Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Justin Paul Smith, William James Mailander
  • Patent number: 11161622
    Abstract: An engine includes a combustion section and a fuel delivery system in fluid communication with the combustion section for providing fuel to the combustion section. The fuel delivery system includes a fuel oxygen reduction unit defining a circulation gas flowpath. The fuel oxygen reduction unit includes a gas oxygen reduction unit positioned in the circulation gas flowpath for reducing an oxygen content of a flow of stripping gas through the circulation gas flowpath and a pre-heater positioned in thermal communication with the circulation gas flowpath upstream of the gas oxygen reduction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Peter Allen Andrews, Jr., Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Christian Xavier Stevenson
  • Patent number: 11148824
    Abstract: A fuel system for an aircraft includes a fuel source and a fuel oxygen reduction unit defining a liquid fuel supply path, a stripping gas supply path, a liquid fuel outlet path, and a stripping gas return path, wherein the stripping gas return path and stripping gas supply path are each in airflow communication with the fuel source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • Patent number: 11143104
    Abstract: A method of operating a thermal management system for a gas turbine engine includes determining the gas turbine engine is in a first operating mode; transferring heat from a first heat source exchanger to a heat sink system in response to determining the gas turbine engine is in the first operation mode, the first heat source exchanger thermally coupled to a first system/component of the gas turbine engine; determining the gas turbine engine is in a second operating mode, the second operating mode being different than the first operating mode; and transferring heat from a second heat source exchanger to the heat sink system in response to determining the gas turbine engine is in the second operation mode, the second heat source exchanger thermally coupled to a second system/component of the gas turbine engine, the second system/component being different than the first system/component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kishanjit Pal, Arnab Sen, Pranav R. Kamat, Brandon Wayne Miller, Daniel Alan Niergarth
  • Patent number: 11131256
    Abstract: A fuel oxygen conversion unit includes a contactor defining a liquid fuel inlet, a stripping gas inlet and a fuel/gas mixture outlet. The fuel oxygen conversion unit also includes a fuel/gas separator defining a fuel/gas mixture inlet in flow communication with the fuel/gas mixture outlet of the contactor, an axial direction, and a radial direction. The fuel/gas separator includes a separator assembly including a core including a gas-permeable section extending along the axial direction and defining a maximum diameter, the maximum diameter of the gas-permeable section being substantially constant along the axial direction; and a stationary casing, the fuel/gas separator defining a fuel/gas chamber in fluid communication with the fuel/gas mixture inlet at a location inward of the stationary casing and outward of the gas-permeable section of the separator assembly along the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Richard Alan Wesling