Patents by Inventor Eric S. Donovan
Eric S. Donovan 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).
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Patent number: 11821355Abstract: Systems and methods to increase the recharge rate of a supplemental cooling system are provided. The system may include a primary cooling system configured to cool a thermal load, a supplemental cooling system, and a thermoelectric cooling apparatus. The thermoelectric cooling apparatus may assist the primary cooling system in recharging the supplemental cooling system in response to the supplemental cooling system operating in a recharge state, to the availability of electrical capacity, and to one or more operating parameters of the primary cooling system falling outside a predetermined range, wherein the operating parameter affects a cooling capacity of the primary cooling system.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2021Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Keith D. Noderer, Eric S. Donovan
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Publication number: 20210404374Abstract: Systems and methods to increase the recharge rate of a supplemental cooling system are provided. The system may include a primary cooling system configured to cool a thermal load, a supplemental cooling system, and a thermoelectric cooling apparatus. The thermoelectric cooling apparatus may assist the primary cooling system in recharging the supplemental cooling system in response to the supplemental cooling system operating in a recharge state, to the availability of electrical capacity, and to one or more operating parameters of the primary cooling system falling outside a predetermined range, wherein the operating parameter affects a cooling capacity of the primary cooling system.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2021Publication date: December 30, 2021Applicant: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventors: Keith D. Noderer, Eric S. Donovan
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Patent number: 11035595Abstract: Methods and systems for recuperated superheat return are provided. A coolant is supplied in a vapor state to a compressor. The coolant compressed by the compressor is cooled with a gas cooler. The coolant cooled by the gas cooler is supplied to an inlet of a high pressure side of a recuperator. The coolant from an outlet of the high pressure side of the recuperator is supplied to a portion of a coolant circuit. The coolant is supplied back from the portion of the coolant circuit to an inlet of a low pressure side of the recuperator. The coolant in the low pressure side of the recuperator is heated with thermal energy transferred by the recuperator from the coolant in the high pressure side of the recuperator. The coolant in the vapor state from an outlet of the low pressure side of the recuperator is supplied to the compressor.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2018Date of Patent: June 15, 2021Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Eugene C. Jansen, Eric S. Donovan
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Patent number: 10995656Abstract: Systems and methods to increase the recharge rate of a supplemental cooling system are provided. The system may include a primary cooling system configured to cool a thermal load, a supplemental cooling system, and a thermoelectric cooling apparatus. The thermoelectric cooling apparatus may assist the primary cooling system in recharging the supplemental cooling system in response to the supplemental cooling system operating in a recharge state, to the availability of electrical capacity, and to one or more operating parameters of the primary cooling system falling outside a predetermined range, wherein the operating parameter affects a cooling capacity of the primary cooling system.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2017Date of Patent: May 4, 2021Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Keith D. Noderer, Eric S. Donovan
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Patent number: 10876497Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for decreasing thermalization time and/or increasing coefficients of performance by adding waste heat. A thermal management system may include a coolant loop and be configured to cool a target component via the coolant loop, the thermal management system may be further configured to heat the target component during a thermalization period with a waste heat source via the same coolant loop with which the thermal management system is configured to cool the target component.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2018Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.Inventors: Erik A. Munevar, Eric S. Donovan, Ken S. Rubel
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Patent number: 10746440Abstract: A thermal management system for regulating dissipation of multiple thermal loads during operation of an apparatus includes a two-phase pump loop (TPPL), a vapor cycle system (VCS), and a liquid thermal energy storage (TES) system integrated together to maintain the apparatus at a constant temperature. The TPPL is configured to remove heat from the apparatus; the TES system is configured to provide thermal energy storage and temperature regulation; and the VCS is configured to transfer heat to the environment. The multiple thermal loads include a primary thermal load in the form of heat from the apparatus and a secondary thermal load in the form of at least one of a housekeeping thermal load or a power electronics thermal load. The primary and secondary loads are at different temperatures with each being independently selected to be transient or steady state.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2018Date of Patent: August 18, 2020Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC., ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATIONInventors: Eric S. Donovan, Michael J. Head, Ken S. Rubel, Brian T. Spangler, Douglas J. Snyder, Aric Acius
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Patent number: 10654162Abstract: Systems and methods for thermal management are provided. Thermal management components may include an electrical source and a cooling source. The electrical source may supply electricity to an electrical apparatus. In addition, the thermal management components store thermal energy. A controller may cause the electrical apparatus to be cooled by the cooling source and delay or suspend cooling the electrical source with the cooling source while a state of charge of the electrical source is greater than a predefined value for the electrical source. The state of charge of the electrical source may include a measurement of cooling capacity available by the electrical source.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2017Date of Patent: May 19, 2020Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventors: Erik A. Munevar, Eric Schneider, Eric S. Donovan, Keith D. Noderer, Russell E. White
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Publication number: 20190316817Abstract: A thermal management system for regulating dissipation of multiple thermal loads during operation of an apparatus includes a two-phase pump loop (TPPL), a vapor cycle system (VCS), and a liquid thermal energy storage (TES) system integrated together to maintain the apparatus at a constant temperature. The TPPL is configured to remove heat from the apparatus; the TES system is configured to provide thermal energy storage and temperature regulation; and the VCS is configured to transfer heat to the environment. The multiple thermal loads include a primary thermal load in the form of heat from the apparatus and a secondary thermal load in the form of at least one of a housekeeping thermal load or a power electronics thermal load. The primary and secondary loads are at different temperatures with each being independently selected to be transient or steady state.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2018Publication date: October 17, 2019Inventors: Eric S. Donovan, Michael J. Head, Ken S. Rubel, Brian T. Spangler, Douglas J. Snyder, Aric Acius
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Patent number: 10316750Abstract: A gas turbine engine heat exchange system including a first multi-width channel heat exchanger (MWCHX) configured to transfer heat between a first air stream and a heat transfer fluid. The first MWCHX includes a first plurality of air-passage mini-channels configured to allow passage of the first air stream therethrough, where each air-passage channel has an air-channel width and an air-channel length greater than the air-channel width. The MWCHX also includes a first plurality of heat transfer fluid channels configured to allow passage of the heat transfer fluid therethrough, where each heat transfer fluid channel has a heat transfer channel width and a heat transfer channel length greater than the heat transfer channel width. The heat transfer channel width is less than the air-channel width.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 2015Date of Patent: June 11, 2019Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc., Rolls-Royce CorporationInventors: James C. Loebig, Emil R. Dejulio, Eric S. Donovan
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Publication number: 20190055880Abstract: Systems and methods to increase the recharge rate of a supplemental cooling system are provided. The system may include a primary cooling system configured to cool a thermal load, a supplemental cooling system, and a thermoelectric cooling apparatus. The thermoelectric cooling apparatus may assist the primary cooling system in recharging the supplemental cooling system in response to the supplemental cooling system operating in a recharge state, to the availability of electrical capacity, and to one or more operating parameters of the primary cooling system falling outside a predetermined range, wherein the operating parameter affects a cooling capacity of the primary cooling system.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 17, 2017Publication date: February 21, 2019Applicant: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventors: Keith D. Noderer, Eric S. Donovan
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Publication number: 20190055899Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for decreasing thermalization time and/or increasing coefficients of performance by adding waste heat. A thermal management system may include a coolant loop and be configured to cool a target component via the coolant loop, the thermal management system may be further configured to heat the target component during a thermalization period with a waste heat source via the same coolant loop with which the thermal management system is configured to cool the target component.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2018Publication date: February 21, 2019Applicant: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventors: Erik A. Munevar, Eric S. Donovan, Ken S. Rubel
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Publication number: 20190056154Abstract: Methods and systems for recuperated superheat return are provided. A coolant is supplied in a vapor state to a compressor. The coolant compressed by the compressor is cooled with a gas cooler. The coolant cooled by the gas cooler is supplied to an inlet of a high pressure side of a recuperator. The coolant from an outlet of the high pressure side of the recuperator is supplied to a portion of a coolant circuit. The coolant is supplied back from the portion of the coolant circuit to an inlet of a low pressure side of the recuperator. The coolant in the low pressure side of the recuperator is heated with thermal energy transferred by the recuperator from the coolant in the high pressure side of the recuperator. The coolant in the vapor state from an outlet of the low pressure side of the recuperator is supplied to the compressor.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2018Publication date: February 21, 2019Applicant: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventors: Eugene C. Jansen, Eric S. Donovan
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Publication number: 20180370013Abstract: Systems and methods for thermal management are provided. Thermal management components may include an electrical source and a cooling source. The electrical source may supply electricity to an electrical apparatus. In addition, the thermal management components store thermal energy. A controller may cause the electrical apparatus to be cooled by the cooling source and delay or suspend cooling the electrical source with the cooling source while a state of charge of the electrical source is greater than a predefined value for the electrical source. The state of charge of the electrical source may include a measurement of cooling capacity available by the electrical source.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2017Publication date: December 27, 2018Inventors: Erik A. Munevar, Eric Schneider, Eric S. Donovan, Keith D. Noderer, Russell E. White
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Patent number: 9915202Abstract: An apparatus includes a gas turbine engine and a heat transfer system. The gas turbine engine includes an inlet particle separator that separates inlet air into scavenge air and clean air. A scavenge air path conveys the scavenge air from the inlet particle separator to the heat transfer system. A heat exchange fluid path conveys a heat exchange fluid to the heat transfer system and a cooled heat exchange fluid away from the heat transfer system. The heat transfer system is configured to transfer heat from the heat exchange fluid path to the scavenge air path to cool the heat exchange fluid.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2013Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Eric S. Donovan, Daniel J. Vonderwell, Craig Heathco
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Publication number: 20150240722Abstract: A gas turbine engine heat exchange system including a first multi-width channel heat exchanger (MWCHX) configured to transfer heat between a first air stream and a heat transfer fluid. The first MWCHX includes a first plurality of air-passage mini-channels configured to allow passage of the first air stream therethrough, where each air-passage channel has an air-channel width and an air-channel length greater than the air-channel width. The MWCHX also includes a first plurality of heat transfer fluid channels configured to allow passage of the heat transfer fluid therethrough, where each heat transfer fluid channel has a heat transfer channel width and a heat transfer channel length greater than the heat transfer channel width. The heat transfer channel width is less than the air-channel width.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2015Publication date: August 27, 2015Inventors: James C. Loebig, Emil R. Dejulio, Eric S. Donovan
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Publication number: 20140356125Abstract: An apparatus includes a gas turbine engine and a heat transfer system. The gas turbine engine includes an inlet particle separator that separates inlet air into scavenge air and clean air. A scavenge air path conveys the scavenge air from the inlet particle separator to the heat transfer system. A heat exchange fluid path conveys a heat exchange fluid to the heat transfer system and a cooled heat exchange fluid away from the heat transfer system. The heat transfer system is configured to transfer heat from the heat exchange fluid path to the scavenge air path to cool the heat exchange fluid.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2013Publication date: December 4, 2014Applicant: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Eric S. Donovan, Daniel J. Vonderwell, Craig Heathco
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Patent number: 5497301Abstract: A headlamp mounting arrangement is provided including a screw with a first end for connection with a headlamp and a second end extending toward a vehicle panel aperture; a retainer body having a base engaged with the vehicle panel in a nonrotative fashion, the retainer body having a head portion extending from the base encircling and mounting the screw and also having an aperture aligned with the screw; a barb piece having a central opening allowing penetration of the screw and also having a head nonrotatively engaged with the base of the retainer body and at least partially encircled thereby, the barb piece head having an outer threaded periphery, the barb piece also having extending from the head through a panel aperture a plurality of legs with outer gripping surfaces extending radially outwardly for contacting an edge of the aperture rim generally opposite the headlamp; and a nut with a central aperture for passage of the retainer body head, the nut having inner threads for threaded engagement of the barbType: GrantFiled: February 13, 1995Date of Patent: March 5, 1996Assignee: General Motors CorporationInventors: David R. Mc Mahan, Mark L. Whittemore, Thomas B. Slick, Tom Sweetland, Steven V. Horsman, Carey D. Marks, Jan A. Wisler, Eric S. Donovan, Brian E. Witte