Patents by Inventor Frank GERSBACH

Frank GERSBACH 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: 11421549
    Abstract: Disclosed is a cooled airfoil having a hub end and tip, an airfoil height being defined between the hub end and the tip. The airfoil has a leading edge, trailing edge, suction side and pressure side. The airfoil has a first airfoil height section adjacent the hub end and extending towards the tip, wherein, in a meridional view, the leading edge and trailing edge are straight along the first airfoil height section. The airfoil has a second airfoil height section adjacent the tip and extending towards the hub end, wherein, in a meridional view, the airfoil is concavely shaped at the leading edge and is convexly shaped at the trailing edge along the second airfoil height section. At least one cooling channel has a length principally extending along the airfoil height, extends straight in a first cooling channel length section, and is bent in a second cooling channel length section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Frank Gersbach, Brian Kenneth Wardle, Iannis Buffart
  • Publication number: 20200386120
    Abstract: Disclosed is a cooled airfoil having a hub end and tip, an airfoil height being defined between the hub end and the tip. The airfoil has a leading edge, trailing edge, suction side and pressure side. The airfoil has a first airfoil height section adjacent the hub end and extending towards the tip, wherein, in a meridional view, the leading edge and trailing edge are straight along the first airfoil height section. The airfoil has a second airfoil height section adjacent the tip and extending towards the hub end, wherein, in a meridional view, the airfoil is concavely shaped at the leading edge and is convexly shaped at the trailing edge along the second airfoil height section. At least one cooling channel has a length principally extending along the airfoil height, extends straight in a first cooling channel length section, and is bent in a second cooling channel length section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Applicant: Ansaldo Energia Switzerland AG
    Inventors: Frank GERSBACH, Brian Kenneth WARDLE, Iannis BUFFART
  • Patent number: 10087765
    Abstract: A rotating blade for a gas turbine includes an airfoil extending in a longitudinal direction and having a leading edge and a trailing edge, whereby the airfoil is bordered at its outer end by a tip shroud, whereby the airfoil includes two or more internal passages, which run in longitudinal direction and are separated by solid webs, and whereby a plurality of shroud fins is arranged on top of the tip shroud to improve gas sealing against a corresponding stator heat shield. The stability and life time of the blade can be enhanced by selecting a position of each of the shroud fins to be exclusively above one of the webs and/or a leading edge wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Martin Balliel, Stefan Andreas Retzko, Frank Gersbach, Igor Tsypkaykin, Julien Nussbaum, Marco Lamminger, Cornelia Santner
  • Patent number: 10036284
    Abstract: A rotating gas turbine blade is disclosed which includes an airfoil with a suction side and a pressure side, the airfoil extending in a radial direction from a blade root to a blade tip. The blade tip includes a tip shroud, the airfoil having internal cooling passages for a cooling medium, which extend through the tip shroud. Outlet ports are provided above a selected internal airfoil cooling passage for the cooling medium to be ejected above the tip shroud in a direction of the blade's pressure side. Dust accumulation is avoided at the tip end of the selected internal cooling passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Martin Balliel, Frank Gersbach, Stefan Andreas Retzko, Marco Lamminger
  • Publication number: 20160222824
    Abstract: Disclosed is a cooled airfoil having a hub end and tip, an airfoil height being defined between the hub end and the tip. The airfoil has a leading edge, trailing edge, suction side and pressure side. The airfoil has a first airfoil height section adjacent the hub end and extending towards the tip, wherein, in a meridional view, the leading edge and trailing edge are straight along the first airfoil height section. The airfoil has a second airfoil height section adjacent the tip and extending towards the hub end, wherein, in a meridional view, the airfoil is concavely shaped at the leading edge and is convexly shaped at the trailing edge along the second airfoil height section. At least one cooling channel has a length principally extending along the airfoil height, extends straight in a first cooling channel length section, and is bent in a second cooling channel length section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Applicant: Ansaldo Energia Switzerland AG
    Inventors: Frank GERSBACH, Brian Kenneth WARDLE, Iannis BUFFART
  • Publication number: 20160169006
    Abstract: A rotating blade for a gas turbine includes an airfoil extending in a longitudinal direction and having a leading edge and a trailing edge, whereby the airfoil is bordered at its outer end by a tip shroud, whereby the airfoil includes two or more internal passages, which run in longitudinal direction and are separated by solid webs, and whereby a plurality of shroud fins is arranged on top of the tip shroud to improve gas sealing against a corresponding stator heat shield. The stability and life time of the blade can be enhanced by selecting a position of each of the shroud fins to be exclusively above one of the webs and/or a leading edge wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2015
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Applicant: General Electric Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Martin BALLIEL, Stefan Andreas RETZKO, Frank GERSBACH, Igor TSYPKAYKIN, Julien NUSSBAUM, Marco LAMMINGER, Cornelia SANTNER
  • Publication number: 20160169052
    Abstract: A rotating gas turbine blade is disclosed which includes an airfoil with a suction side and a pressure side, the airfoil extending in a radial direction from a blade root to a blade tip. The blade tip includes a tip shroud, the airfoil having internal cooling passages for a cooling medium, which extend through the tip shroud. Outlet ports are provided above a selected internal airfoil cooling passage for the cooling medium to be ejected above the tip shroud in a direction of the blade's pressure side. Dust accumulation is avoided at the tip end of the selected internal cooling passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Applicant: General Electric Technology GmbH
    Inventors: Martin BALLIEL, Frank GERSBACH, Stefan Andreas RETZKO, Marco LAMMINGER
  • Patent number: 8720207
    Abstract: A gas turbine is disclosed which includes an annular combustion chamber defined by an inner wall and an outer wall. A stator airfoil row can be defined by an annular inner stator wall and an annular outer stator wall housing a plurality of stator airfoils, and at least a rotor airfoil row defined by an annular inner rotor wall and an annular outer rotor wall housing a plurality of rotor airfoils. A gap is arranged, for example, between at least one of the inner stator wall and the inner combustion chamber wall, and the outer stator wall and the outer combustion chamber wall, upstream of said stator airfoil row. A border of at least one of the inner and outer stator wall facing the gap can be axisymmetric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Frank Gersbach, Christian Sommer, Willy Heinz Hofmann, Ulrich Steiger
  • Publication number: 20100278644
    Abstract: A gas turbine is disclosed which includes an annular combustion chamber defined by an inner wall and an outer wall. A stator airfoil row can be defined by an annular inner stator wall and an annular outer stator wall housing a plurality of stator airfoils, and at least a rotor airfoil row defined by an annular inner rotor wall and an annular outer rotor wall housing a plurality of rotor airfoils. A gap is arranged, for example, between at least one of the inner stator wall and the inner combustion chamber wall, and the outer stator wall and the outer combustion chamber wall, upstream of said stator airfoil row. A border of at least one of the inner and outer stator wall facing the gap can be axisymmetric.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Applicant: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Frank GERSBACH, Christian Sommer, Willy Heinz Hofmann, Ulrich Steiger