Patents by Inventor David Richard Johns

David Richard Johns 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).

  • Publication number: 20180372112
    Abstract: A turbomachine and a heat exchange system for the turbomachine are disclosed. The turbomachine includes a stationary component, a rotatable component, an abradable seal component, and a plurality of heat dissipating elements. The rotatable component includes teeth. The abradable seal component is operatively coupled to a surface of the stationary component and disposed facing the teeth to define a clearance there between the abradable seal component and the rotatable component. The plurality of heat dissipating elements is coupled to the abradable seal component. Each of the plurality of heat dissipating elements extends from the abradable seal component through the surface of the stationary component to a turbomachine cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Deoras Prabhudharwadkar, David Richard Johns
  • Patent number: 9938835
    Abstract: A system for providing cooling of a turbine rotor wheel includes a rotor wheel including a plurality of dovetail slots spaced circumferentially about a peripheral surface of the rotor wheel. Each of the dovetail slots includes a pair of opposite upper slot tangs and a pair of opposite lower slot tangs. The system also includes at least one turbine blade. The turbine blade includes an airfoil, a platform, and a dovetail. The dovetail includes a pair of opposite upper dovetail tangs and a pair of opposite lower dovetail tangs. The dovetail further includes at least one inlet aperture extending longitudinally therethrough. The pair of upper dovetail tangs include a first cooling hole extending therethrough and coupled in flow communication with the at least one inlet aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andrew Paul Giametta, David Richard Johns
  • Patent number: 9890653
    Abstract: The present application and the resultant patent provide improved gas turbine component sealing. In one example embodiment, a shank assembly may include a component shank with a platform including a first slash face. The shank assembly may include a seal pin slot extending into the first slash face, the seal pin slot having a slot length and a depth, and a seal pin disposed in the seal pin slot, the seal pin having a rounded end positioned adjacent to an end of the seal pin slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Omprakash Samudrala, David Richard Johns, Andrew Paul Giametta, Anthony Christopher Marin
  • Patent number: 9845690
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems and methods for sealing flow path components, such as turbomachine airfoils, with a front-leaded seal. A seal channel is defined between a portion of the suction side surface of a first flow path component and a portion of the pressure side of a second flow path component. A seal is retained within the seal channel formed by the pressure side portion and the suction side portion and the seal channel defines a forward opening through which the seal is inserted during installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andrew Paul Giametta, James Tyson Balkcum, III, David Richard Johns, Stephen Paul Wassynger
  • Publication number: 20170350263
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems and methods for sealing flow path components, such as turbomachine airfoils, with a front-leaded seal. A seal channel is defined between a portion of the suction side surface of a first flow path component and a portion of the pressure side of a second flow path component. A seal is retained within the seal channel formed by the pressure side portion and the suction side portion and the seal channel defines a forward opening through which the seal is inserted during installation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Andrew Paul Giametta, James Tyson Balkcum, III, David Richard Johns, Stephen Paul Wassynger
  • Patent number: 9810070
    Abstract: A turbine rotor blade includes a mounting portion that partially defines a cooling circuit within the turbine rotor blade and an airfoil portion that extends radially outward from the mounting portion. The airfoil portion further defines the cooling circuit. The turbine rotor blade further includes a platform portion that is disposed radially between the mounting portion and the airfoil. The platform portion includes a bottom wall, a top wall, a forward wall, an aft wall and a pair of opposing side walls. A cooling plenum that at least partially defines the cooling circuit is defined within the platform portion. The cooling plenum is at least partially defined between the forward wall, the aft wall and between the pair of opposing side walls.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Richard Johns, Mark Andrew Jones
  • Patent number: 9771820
    Abstract: A turbine in a gas turbine engine that includes a stator blade and a rotor blade having a seal formed in a trench cavity. The trench cavity may include an axial gap defined between opposing inboard faces of the stator blade and rotor blade. The seal may include: a stator overhang extending from the stator blade toward the rotor blade so to include an outboard edge and an inboard edge and, defined therebetween, an overhang face; a rotor outboard face extending radially inboard from a platform edge, the rotor outboard face opposing at least a portion of the overhang face across the axial gap of the trench cavity; and a first axial projection extending from the rotor outboard face toward the stator blade. The stator overhang and the first axial projection of the rotor blade may be configured so to axially overlap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Richard William Johnson, Kevin Richard Kirtley, David Richard Johns, James William Vehr, Andrew Paul Giametta
  • Patent number: 9765699
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine having a turbine that includes a stator blade and a rotor blade having a seal formed in a trench cavity defined therebetween. The seal may include: a stator overhang extending from the stator blade toward the rotor blade so to include an overhang topside, and, opposite the overhang topside, an overhang underside; a rotor outboard face extending radially inboard from a platform edge, the rotor outboard face opposing at least a portion of the overhang face across the axial gap of the trench cavity; an axial projection extending from the rotor outboard face toward the stator blade so to axially overlap with the stator overhang; and an interior cooling channel extending through the stator overhang to a port formed through the overhang underside. The port may be configured to direct a coolant expelled therefrom toward the axial projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kevin Richard Kirtley, David Richard Johns, Andrew Paul Giametta, Richard William Johnson
  • Patent number: 9670785
    Abstract: A cooling assembly for a gas turbine system includes a turbine nozzle having at least one channel comprising a channel inlet configured to receive a cooling flow from a cooling source, wherein the at least one channel directs the cooling flow through the turbine nozzle in a radial direction at a first pressure to a channel outlet. Also included is an exit cavity for fluidly connecting the channel outlet to a region of a turbine component, wherein the region of the turbine component is at a second pressure, wherein the first pressure is greater than the second pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Richard Johns, Kevin Richard Kirtley
  • Patent number: 9528382
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments include a multi-layer, modular and replaceable heat shield for gas turbines. The heat shield apparatus can include a base layer adjacent the airfoil and a thermal layer coupled to the base layer, wherein the base layer and the thermal layer match a contour of the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Victor John Morgan, David Richard Johns
  • Patent number: 9528377
    Abstract: A system for cooling an angelwing coupled to a rotor blade in a gas turbine engine is provided. An angelwing coupled to a shank of a rotor blade includes at least one cooling passage extending from at least one inlet opening coupled in flow communication with a gas turbine engine inner wheelspace to at least one outlet opening coupled in flow communication with a gas turbine engine outer rotor/stator cavity. The at least one outlet opening is located in an upper surface of the angelwing. The at least one cooling passage receives pressurized cooling air channeled from the inner wheelspace, such that the pressurized cooling air is channeled into the at least one inlet opening and discharged from the at least one outlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael James Fedor, David Richard Johns, Richard William Johnson
  • Publication number: 20160298478
    Abstract: The present application and the resultant patent provide improved gas turbine component sealing. In one example embodiment, a shank assembly may include a component shank with a platform including a first slash face. The shank assembly may include a seal pin slot extending into the first slash face, the seal pin slot having a slot length and a depth, and a seal pin disposed in the seal pin slot, the seal pin having a rounded end positioned adjacent to an end of the seal pin slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Omprakash Samudrala, David Richard Johns, Andrew Paul Giametta, Anthony Christopher Marin
  • Patent number: 9404378
    Abstract: A seal configuration includes a housing and a rotatable member rotationally mounted relative to the housing. The rotatable member has at least one portion defining an outer perimetrical face that is configured to contact the housing during operational conditions that cause a radial dimension of the at least one portion to increase. The at least one portion has opposing axial surfaces with each of the opposing axial surfaces being dimensionally axially nearer to the other of the opposing axial surfaces immediately radially inwardly of the outer perimetrical face than a furthest part of the outer perimetrical face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Richard Johns, Eric David Roush
  • Publication number: 20160186665
    Abstract: A turbine in a gas turbine engine that includes a stator blade and a rotor blade having a seal formed in a trench cavity. The trench cavity may include an axial gap defined between opposing inboard faces of the stator blade and rotor blade. The seal may include: a stator overhang extending from the stator blade toward the rotor blade so to include an outboard edge and an inboard edge and, defined therebetween, an overhang face; a rotor outboard face extending radially inboard from a platform edge, the rotor outboard face opposing at least a portion of the overhang face across the axial gap of the trench cavity; and a first axial projection extending from the rotor outboard face toward the stator blade. The stator overhang and the first axial projection of the rotor blade may be configured so to axially overlap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Richard William Johnson, Kevin Richard Kirtley, David Richard Johns, James William Vehr, Andrew Paul Giametta
  • Publication number: 20160186664
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine having a turbine that includes a stator blade and a rotor blade having a seal formed in a trench cavity defined therebetween. The seal may include: a stator overhang extending from the stator blade toward the rotor blade so to include an overhang topside, and, opposite the overhang topside, an overhang underside; a rotor outboard face extending radially inboard from a platform edge, the rotor outboard face opposing at least a portion of the overhang face across the axial gap of the trench cavity; an axial projection extending from the rotor outboard face toward the stator blade so to axially overlap with the stator overhang; and an interior cooling channel extending through the stator overhang to a port formed through the overhang underside. The port may be configured to direct a coolant expelled therefrom toward the axial projection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Kevin Richard Kirtley, David Richard Johns, Andrew Paul Giametta, Richard William Johnson
  • Publication number: 20160146016
    Abstract: A system and method of cooling a radially outer surface of a rotor wheel post of a turbine wheel and a rotor wheel space between a turbine bucket and a rotor wheel post, including a turbine bucket having at least one cooling passage that extends between an inner cooling channel of the turbine bucket and an outer surface of a shank portion of the turbine bucket that directly faces a radially upper surface of the rotor wheel post, and using the cooling passage to direct cooling flow towards the radially upper surface of the rotor wheel post.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: David Richard JOHNS, Michael James FEDOR, Andrew Paul GIAMETTA
  • Publication number: 20160032752
    Abstract: A seal configuration includes a housing and a rotatable member rotationally mounted relative to the housing. The rotatable member has at least one portion defining an outer perimetrical face that is configured to contact the housing during operational conditions that cause a radial dimension of the at least one portion to increase. The at least one portion has opposing axial surfaces with each of the opposing axial surfaces being dimensionally axially nearer to the other of the opposing axial surfaces immediately radially inwardly of the outer perimetrical face than a furthest part of the outer perimetrical face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Inventors: David Richard Johns, Eric David Roush
  • Patent number: 9243506
    Abstract: A transition nozzle for use with a turbine assembly is provided. The transition nozzle includes a liner defining a combustion chamber therein, a wrapper circumscribing the liner such that a cooling duct is defined between the wrapper and the liner, a cooling fluid inlet configured to supply a cooling fluid to the cooling duct, and a plurality of ribs coupled between the liner and the wrapper such that a plurality of cooling channels are defined in the cooling duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kevin Weston McMahan, Ronald James Chila, David Richard Johns
  • Patent number: 9194247
    Abstract: A seal configuration includes a housing and a rotatable member rotationally mounted relative to the housing. The rotatable member has at least one portion defining an outer perimetrical face that is configured to contact the housing during operational conditions that cause a radial dimension of the at least one portion to increase. The at least one portion has opposing axial surfaces with each of the opposing axial surfaces being dimensionally axially nearer to the other of the opposing axial surfaces immediately radially inwardly of the outer perimetrical face than a furthest part of the outer perimetrical face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Richard Johns, Eric David Roush
  • Publication number: 20150118045
    Abstract: A system for providing cooling of a turbine rotor wheel includes a rotor wheel including a plurality of dovetail slots spaced circumferentially about a peripheral surface of the rotor wheel. Each of the dovetail slots includes a pair of opposite upper slot tangs and a pair of opposite lower slot tangs. The system also includes at least one turbine blade. The turbine blade includes an airfoil, a platform, and a dovetail. The dovetail includes a pair of opposite upper dovetail tangs and a pair of opposite lower dovetail tangs. The dovetail further includes at least one inlet aperture extending longitudinally therethrough. The pair of upper dovetail tangs include a first cooling hole extending therethrough and coupled in flow communication with the at least one inlet aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andrew Paul Giametta, David Richard Johns