Patents by Inventor Douglas J. Snyder

Douglas J. Snyder 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: 9587561
    Abstract: One embodiment of an engine may include an enclosure surrounding an engine having an engine centerline, and the enclosure defining a passage for a cold-side airflow. The engine may also include one or more contiguous heat exchangers having a cold side inlet surface receiving a cold-side airflow. The heat exchanger may be disposed within the passage, such that a surface normal relative to the cold side inlet surface is offset by at least 30 degrees from the engine centerline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Snyder, Kenneth M. Pesyna, Anthony F. Pierluissi
  • Publication number: 20170050740
    Abstract: An air vehicle power and thermal management system includes an aircraft controller structured to distribute power provided by a gas turbine engine between a cooling system and an electrically powered load. The controller is configured to direct the power to create a first duration cooling power to the cooling system to cool the engine fuel cooling medium over a first power time period. The controller is configured to shift the power to reduce the first duration cooling power to create a load electrical power to drive the electrically powered load over a second power time period. By operation of the controller to shift the power from the first duration cooling power to the load electrical power a second duration cooling power is provided to the cooling system to cool the electrically powered load using the engine fuel cooling medium that was cooled during the first power time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Inventor: Douglas J. Snyder
  • Publication number: 20170044984
    Abstract: A propulsion system including a gas turbine engine is disclosed herein. The propulsion system further includes a heat exchanger arranged outside the gas turbine engine and adapted to cool fluid from the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Kenneth M. Pesyna, Douglas J. Snyder
  • Patent number: 9482451
    Abstract: A cooling system includes a heat exchanger through which a refrigerant flows, and which rejects heat to a fluid, an evaporator, a first circuit having an expansion device, a second circuit having an expansion machine coupled to a compressor, and a set of valves arranged to direct the refrigerant through the first circuit, the second circuit, or both the first and second circuits based on ambient conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Igor Vaisman, Douglas J. Snyder, Patrick C. Sweeney
  • Publication number: 20160311550
    Abstract: An air vehicle power and thermal management system includes an aircraft controller structured to distribute power provided by a gas turbine engine between a cooling system and an electrically powered load. The controller is configured to direct the power to create a first duration cooling power to the cooling system to cool the engine fuel cooling medium over a first power time period. The controller is configured to shift the power to reduce the first duration cooling power to create a load electrical power to drive the electrically powered load over a second power time period. By operation of the controller to shift the power from the first duration cooling power to the load electrical power a second duration cooling power is provided to the cooling system to cool the electrically powered load using the engine fuel cooling medium that was cooled during the first power time period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2015
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventor: Douglas J. Snyder
  • Publication number: 20160215696
    Abstract: A cooling assembly for a gas turbine engine including a heat source at a first temperature, a heat sink at a second temperature, and a heat pump coupled to the first heat source and the first heat sink. The heat pump is configured to convey a quantity of heat from the heat source through the heat pump and to the heat sink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2015
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventor: Douglas J. Snyder
  • Publication number: 20160122027
    Abstract: An aircraft capable of operating at a variety of speeds includes a power plant and an auxiliary turbine. The auxiliary turbine can be a ram air turbine used to expand and cool an airflow and provide work. The cooled airflow from the auxiliary turbine can be used in a heat exchange device such as, but not limited to, a fuel/air heat exchanger. In one embodiment the cooled airflow can be used to exchange heat with a compressor airflow being routed to cool a turbine. Work developed from the auxiliary turbine can be used to power a heating device and rotate a device to add work to a shaft of the aircraft power plant. In one form the aircraft power plant is a gas turbine engine and the work developed from the auxiliary turbine is used to heat a combustor flow or to drive a shaft that couples a turbine and a compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventor: Douglas J. Snyder
  • Patent number: 9157328
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine component is disclosed having a cooling fluid passageway that provides relatively cool fluid to a surface of the gas turbine engine component. The cooling fluid passageway can be shaped in cross section to reduce a stress present in the gas turbine engine component. One form of the shape is non-circular. The gas turbine engine component can be formed such that an overhanging material otherwise formed by the intersection of a cooling fluid passageway and a surface of the gas turbine engine component is absent. The gas turbine engine component can also have a depression formed near the surface of the gas turbine engine component such that the cooling fluid passageway exits into an upstream portion and a downstream portion of the depression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: J. Edward Pope, Jeffery Forest Rhodes, Douglas J. Snyder
  • Publication number: 20150047315
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine flow duct comprising a flow duct disposed along an engine centerline of the gas turbine engine and defining a stream flow passage, and first and second rows of heat exchangers disposed along the engine centerline of the gas turbine engine and integrated in the flow duct in fluid communication with the stream flow passage of the flow duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas J. Snyder
  • Publication number: 20140366563
    Abstract: A cooling system includes a heat exchanger through which a refrigerant flows, and which rejects heat to a fluid, an evaporator, a first circuit having an expansion device, a second circuit having an expansion machine coupled to a compressor, and a set of valves arranged to direct the refrigerant through the first circuit, the second circuit, or both the first and second circuits based on ambient conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicants: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Igor Vaisman, Patrick C. Sweeney, Douglas J. Snyder
  • Patent number: 8910465
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a unique gas turbine engine. Another embodiment is a unique gas turbine engine heat exchange system. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for gas turbine engines and heat exchange systems for gas turbine engines. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application shall become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas J. Snyder
  • Publication number: 20140271116
    Abstract: One embodiment of an engine may include an enclosure surrounding an engine having an engine centerline, and the enclosure defining a passage for a cold-side airflow. The engine may also include one or more contiguous heat exchangers having a cold side inlet surface receiving a cold-side airflow. The heat exchanger may be disposed within the passage, such that a surface normal relative to the cold side inlet surface is offset by at least 30 degrees from the engine centerline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Snyder, Kenneth M. Pesyna, Anthony F. Pierluissi
  • Publication number: 20140260340
    Abstract: A cooling system for an aircraft includes a first cooling circuit having a first evaporator and a second evaporator, and a second cooling circuit having a third evaporator and a fourth evaporator. One of the first and second cooling circuits includes a first set of valves arranged to direct refrigerant through a first cooling sub-circuit, a second cooling sub-circuit, or both the first and second cooling sub-circuits based on ambient conditions. Two of the evaporators are installed on a first side of the aircraft, and the other two of the four evaporators are installed on a second side of the aircraft opposite the first side, and the first and second cooling circuits reject heat, via a heat exchanger, from their respective cooling circuit to air passing into an engine of the aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicants: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Igor Vaisman, Douglas J. Snyder, Patrick C. Sweeney
  • Publication number: 20140246170
    Abstract: An aircraft may have a heat generating component and an engine, at least one of which generates a heat load, and a thermal management system to cool the heat load. The engine may have a duct and an engine fan configured to draw an inlet air stream into an inlet portion of the duct, where at least a portion of the inlet air stream may be used as an engine air stream. The thermal management system may include a cooling circuit configured to circulate a fluid through the heat load such that at least a portion of it may be transferred to the fluid, a heat exchanger configured to enable heat transfer between the fluid and a cooling air stream, and a pumping device. The pumping device may be configured to draw the cooling air stream through the heat exchanger and into a portion of the engine air stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Snyder, Kenneth M. Pesyna
  • Publication number: 20120237333
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine component is disclosed having a cooling fluid passageway that provides relatively cool fluid to a surface of the gas turbine engine component. The cooling fluid passageway can be shaped in cross section to reduce a stress present in the gas turbine engine component. One form of the shape is non-circular. The gas turbine engine component can be formed such that an overhanging material otherwise formed by the intersection of a cooling fluid passageway and a surface of the gas turbine engine component is absent. The gas turbine engine component can also have a depression formed near the surface of the gas turbine engine component such that the cooling fluid passageway exits into an upstream portion and a downstream portion of the depression.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Inventors: J. Edward Pope, Jeffery Forest Rhodes, Douglas J. Snyder
  • Publication number: 20120144842
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a unique gas turbine engine. Another embodiment is a unique gas turbine engine heat exchange system. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for gas turbine engines and heat exchange systems for gas turbine engines. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application shall become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Inventor: Douglas J. Snyder
  • Patent number: 7135687
    Abstract: Disclosed is an X-ray detector assembly for use in a computed tomography system. The X-ray detector assembly comprises an array of detector cells coupled between two rails. A thermoelectric cooler is coupled to an end of each of the rails, and is controlled to alternatively heat or cool the detector array to maintain the array in a substantially isothermal and thermally stable condition. The detector assembly preferably includes both passive and active cooling devices and insulation materials for controlling the temperature of the detector assembly. An electrical heater coupled at the center of the detector array can be used in conjunction with the TEC's to control the temperature profile of the detector array, and to minimize changes in the temperature gradients.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph J. Lacey, Lee F. Wichlacz, Douglas J. Snyder
  • Publication number: 20040071259
    Abstract: Disclosed is an X-ray detector assembly for use in a computed tomography system. The X-ray detector assembly comprises an array of detector cells coupled between two rails. A thermoelectric cooler is coupled to an end of each of the rails, and is controlled to alternatively heat or cool the detector array to maintain the array in a substantially isothermal and thermally stable condition. The detector assembly preferably includes both passive and active cooling devices and insulation materials for controlling the temperature of the detector assembly. An electrical heater coupled at the center of the detector array can be used in conjunction with the TEC's to control the temperature profile of the detector array, and to minimize changes in the temperature gradients.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Publication date: April 15, 2004
    Inventors: Joseph J. Lacey, Lee F. Wichlacz, Douglas J. Snyder
  • Patent number: 6704392
    Abstract: A computed tomography system comprises a gantry and an x-ray tube. The gantry rotates about a gantry axis of rotation. The x-ray tube is mounted to the gantry, and comprises a rotatable assembly having a tube axis of rotation. The tube axis of rotation is angularly displaced from the gantry axis of rotation by a tilt angle. Rotation of the x-ray tube about the gantry axis of rotation produces a first moment, and rotation of the rotatable assembly about the tube axis of rotation produces a second moment that opposes the first moment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas G. Ebben, Douglas J. Snyder
  • Publication number: 20040022351
    Abstract: Disclosed is an X-ray detector assembly for use in a computed tomography system. The X-ray detector assembly comprises an array of detector cells coupled between two rails. A thermoelectric cooler is coupled to an end of each of the rails, and is controlled to alternatively heat or cool the detector array to maintain the array in a substantially isothermal and thermally stable condition. The detector assembly preferably includes both passive and active cooling devices and insulation materials for controlling the temperature of the detector assembly. An electrical heater coupled at the center of the detector array can be used in conjunction with the TEC“s to control the temperature profile of the detector array, and to minimize changes in the temperature gradients.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Applicant: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph J. Lacey, Lee F. Wichlacz, Douglas J. Snyder