Patents by Inventor Garland Ferguson

Garland Ferguson 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).

  • System and method of using a compressed air storage system with a gas turbine
    Patent number: 8341964
    Abstract: A power generation system includes a first compressor, a second compressor, a combustor configured to receive compressed air from the second compressor to produce an exhaust stream, a first turbine, and a power turbine. The first turbine is configured to receive the exhaust stream, generate a rotational power from the exhaust stream, output the rotational power to a second compressor, and output the exhaust stream. The system includes a coupling device configured to couple and decouple the first compressor to/from a second turbine, an electrical generator coupled to an output of the power turbine and configured to output electrical power, and a controller configured to cause the coupling device to mechanically decouple the second turbine from the first compressor, and cause the coupling device to direct compressed air from an air storage cavern to an inlet of the second compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Matthias Finkenrath, Balachandar Naidu, Charles Michael Booth, Garland Ferguson, Stephanie Marie-Noelle Hoffmann, Sebastian W. Freund
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD OF USING A COMPRESSED AIR STORAGE SYSTEM WITH A GAS TURBINE
    Publication number: 20110094236
    Abstract: A power generation system includes a first compressor, a second compressor, a combustor configured to receive compressed air from the second compressor to produce an exhaust stream, a first turbine, and a power turbine. The first turbine is configured to receive the exhaust stream, generate a rotational power from the exhaust stream, output the rotational power to a second compressor, and output the exhaust stream. The system includes a coupling device configured to couple and decouple the first compressor to/from a second turbine, an electrical generator coupled to an output of the power turbine and configured to output electrical power, and a controller configured to cause the coupling device to mechanically decouple the second turbine from the first compressor, and cause the coupling device to direct compressed air from an air storage cavern to an inlet of the second compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Inventors: Matthias Finkenrath, Balachandar Naidu, Charles Michael Booth, Garland Ferguson, Stephanie Marie-Noelle Hoffmann, Sebastian W. Freund