Patents by Inventor Gurunath Gandikota

Gurunath Gandikota 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: 20230408093
    Abstract: A swirler assembly for a combustor includes at least one swirler including a plurality of swirl vanes arrayed about an axis of the swirler. The plurality of swirl vanes includes a first ring of first sub-vanes and a second ring of second sub-vanes, the first ring of first sub-vanes and the second ring of second sub-vanes being separated by a gap therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Gurunath Gandikota, Karthikeyan Sampath, Perumallu Vukanti, Allen M. Danis, Scott M. Bush, Steven Clayton Vise, Hari Ravi Chandra, Rimple Rangrej, Saket Singh, Pradeep Naik, Neeraj Kumar Mishra, Arvind Kumar Rao, Balasubramaniam Venkatanarayanan, Ranjeet Kumar Mishra
  • Publication number: 20230400186
    Abstract: A mixing assembly includes a pilot mixer and a main mixer. The main mixer includes a main housing, a fuel manifold positioned between a pilot housing and the main housing, a mixer foot extending outward from a forward end of the main housing, and a main swirler body including a plurality of vanes. The main swirler body surrounds the main housing and defines an annular mixing channel between the main housing and the main swirler body, and being coupled to the mixer foot. An annular main fuel ring extends axially aft from the mixer foot into the annular mixing channel. The mixer foot extends farther from the main housing than the main fuel ring. At least one of the mixer foot or the main fuel ring includes a plurality of fuel injection ports positioned to discharge fuel into a central portion of the annular mixing channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Hari Ravi Chandra, Arvind Kumar Rao, Shai Birmaher, Jayanth Sekar, Gurunath Gandikota, Michael A. Benjamin
  • Patent number: 11761632
    Abstract: A dome assembly for a combustor includes: at least one swirler assembly including: at least one swirler including a plurality of swirl vanes arrayed about an axis, the plurality of swirl vanes oriented so as to impart a tangential velocity to air passing through the swirler parallel to the axis; each of the plurality of swirl vanes having a thickness and including a plurality of edges which collectively define a peripheral boundary of the respective swirl vane; wherein at least a selected one of the plurality of swirl vanes includes at least one void passing through the thickness of the selected swirl vane, the void disposed within the peripheral boundary of the selected swirl vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Gurunath Gandikota, Karthikeyan Sampath, Perumallu Vukanti, Allen M. Danis, Scott M. Bush, Steven Clayton Vise, Hari Ravi Chandra, Rimple Rangrej, Saket Singh, Pradeep Naik, Neeraj Kumar Mishra, Arvind Kumar Rao, Balasubramaniam Venkatanarayanan, Ranjeet Kumar Mishra
  • Patent number: 11754288
    Abstract: A mixing assembly for a combustor, including: a pilot mixer and a pilot fuel nozzle; a main mixer including: a main housing surrounding the pilot mixer; a fuel manifold positioned between the pilot housing and the main housing; a mixer foot extending outward from a forward end of the main housing; a main swirler body surrounding the main housing such that an annular mixing channel is defined between the main housing and the main swirler body, and coupled to the mixer foot; and a main fuel ring in the mixing channel downstream of the mixer foot connected to the main housing by main fuel vanes, at least one of the main fuel ring and the main fuel vanes including fuel injection ports positioned to discharge fuel into a central portion of the mixing channel, wherein the mixer foot extends farther from the main housing than the main fuel ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Hari Ravi Chandra, Arvind Kumar Rao, Shai Birmaher, Jayanth Sekar, Gurunath Gandikota, Michael A. Benjamin
  • Patent number: 11603799
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes an inner liner and an outer liner positioned outward of the inner liner along the radial direction such that a combustion chamber is defined between the inner and outer liners. Furthermore, the combustor includes a fuel nozzle configured to supply fuel to the combustion chamber. Moreover, the combustor includes a bristle pack having a base plate and a plurality of bristles extending outward from the base plate such that the bristle pack forms at least a portion of at least one of a heat shield coupled to the fuel nozzle, a deflector of the combustor, or a flare of the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Hiranya Kumar Nath, Michael Anthony Benjamin, Rajendra Mahadeorao Wankhade, Gurunath Gandikota
  • Patent number: 11592177
    Abstract: A mixing assembly for a combustor includes: a pilot mixer including a pilot housing extending along a mixer centerline and a pilot fuel nozzle; a main mixer surrounding the pilot mixer; a fuel manifold between the pilot and main mixers; a mixer foot extending from a main housing of the main mixer; a main swirler body surrounding the main housing defining a mixing channel between the main housing and the main swirler body; and a main fuel ring in the mixing channel connected to the main housing by main fuel vanes, at least one of the main fuel ring and main fuel vanes including fuel injection ports for discharging fuel into the mixing channel, wherein the fuel injection ports are disposed non-uniformly relative to the mixer centerline, so as to produce a static pressure difference therebetween in response to mixer air flow passing around the main fuel ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Hari Ravi Chandra, Jayanth Sekar, Gurunath Gandikota, Michael A. Benjamin
  • Publication number: 20230042970
    Abstract: A dome assembly for a combustor includes: at least one swirler assembly including: at least one swirler including a plurality of swirl vanes arrayed about an axis, the plurality of swirl vanes oriented so as to impart a tangential velocity to air passing through the swirler parallel to the axis; each of the plurality of swirl vanes having a thickness and including a plurality of edges which collectively define a peripheral boundary of the respective swirl vane; wherein at least a selected one of the plurality of swirl vanes includes at least one void passing through the thickness of the selected swirl vane, the void disposed within the peripheral boundary of the selected swirl vane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2021
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventors: Gurunath Gandikota, Karthikeyan Sampath, Perumallu Vukanti, Allen M. Danis, Scott M. Bush, Steven Clayton Vise, Hari Ravi Chandra, Rimple Rangrej, Saket Singh, Pradeep Naik, Neeraj Kumar Mishra, Arvind Kumar Rao, Balasubramaniam Venkatanarayanan, Ranjeet Kumar Mishra
  • Patent number: 11572835
    Abstract: A turbofan gas turbine engine configured to reduce hotspots within combustors. The engine includes an axis and a combustor that is circumferentially disposed about the axis. The combustor includes an annular combustor liner that includes a front portion and a rear portion. The annular combustor liner is joined to an annular combustor dome via front portion and defines a chamber and a nozzle is mounted within the annular combustor dome and is configured to inject fuel into a plurality of swirlers. At least one or more dilution openings is circumferentially distributed around the liner such that a region is fluidly connected through the annular combustor liner to the chamber. Each one of the pluralities of dilution openings includes an opening and a radial support wall that is positioned aft of the opening such that the radial support wall extends into the chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Gurunath Gandikota, Varun Lakshmanan, Perumallu Vukanti, Allen M. Danis, Michael A. Benjamin
  • Patent number: 11549686
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes a forward liner segment and an aft liner segment positioned downstream from the forward liner segment relative to a direction of flow through the combustor. The forward and aft liner segments at least partially define a combustion chamber. Furthermore, the combustor includes a dilution slot frame positioned between the forward and aft liner segments along a longitudinal centerline of the gas turbine engine. Moreover, the dilution slot frame defines a plurality of dilution slots spaced apart from each other along a circumferential direction of the gas turbine engine such that the plurality of dilution slots provides an annular ring of dilution air to the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gurunath Gandikota, Hiranya Kumar Nath, Michael Anthony Benjamin, Daniel J. Kirtley
  • Publication number: 20220372915
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine that is configured to mitigate fuel coupled dynamics. The engine includes a combustor, a fuel delivery system, a fuel manifold line; and a device configured to mitigate fuel coupled dynamics. The device is attached to the fuel manifold line and includes a housing and a reflector. The housing includes a wall and the wall defines a housing surface that is configured to reflect waves conducted by fuel within the fuel delivery system. The reflector is positioned within the housing and the reflector includes an anterior surface that is configured to reflect waves conducted by fuel within the fuel delivery system such that wave the reflected waves can strike the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Inventors: Gurunath Gandikota, Steven Clayton Vise, Clayton S. Cooper, Michael A. Benjamin
  • Publication number: 20220373182
    Abstract: A pilot fuel nozzle assembly includes a fuel nozzle, a swirler, and a vented pilot venturi. The vented pilot venturi has an annular wall with an oxidizer flow passage therein. An expansion flow surface portion of the venturi has a larger diameter at an outlet than at a throat of the venturi. A plurality of venturi oxidizer outlet ports extend through the expansion flow surface to the oxidizer flow passage within the annular wall to provide a flow of oxidizer through the venturi wall into a mixing cavity of the venturi and at an outlet end of the venturi. The oxidizer outlet ports are circumferentially spaced about a circumference of the expansion flow surface, and may be arranged in a plurality of rows. The oxidizer outlet ports may be angled with respect to the expansion flow surface and may angled circumferentially in a co-swirl direction with the swirler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Publication date: November 24, 2022
    Inventors: Hiranya Nath, Steven C. Vise, Michael A. Benjamin, Gurunath Gandikota
  • Publication number: 20220364510
    Abstract: A turbofan gas turbine engine configured to reduce hotspots within combustors. The engine includes an axis and a combustor that is circumferentially disposed about the axis. The combustor includes an annular combustor liner that includes a front portion and a rear portion. The annular combustor liner is joined to an annular combustor dome via front portion and defines a chamber and a nozzle is mounted within the annular combustor dome and is configured to inject fuel into a plurality of swirlers. At least one or more dilution openings is circumferentially distributed around the liner such that a region is fluidly connected through the annular combustor liner to the chamber. Each one of the pluralities of dilution openings includes an opening and a radial support wall that is positioned aft of the opening such that the radial support wall extends into the chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Publication date: November 17, 2022
    Inventors: Gurunath Gandikota, Varun Lakshmanan, Perumallu Vukanti, Allen M. Danis, Michael A. Benjamin
  • Publication number: 20220333781
    Abstract: A mixing assembly for a combustor includes: a pilot mixer including a pilot housing extending along a mixer centerline and a pilot fuel nozzle; a main mixer surrounding the pilot mixer; a fuel manifold between the pilot and main mixers; a mixer foot extending from a main housing of the main mixer; a main swirler body surrounding the main housing defining a mixing channel between the main housing and the main swirler body; and a main fuel ring in the mixing channel connected to the main housing by main fuel vanes, at least one of the main fuel ring and main fuel vanes including fuel injection ports for discharging fuel into the mixing channel, wherein the fuel injection ports are disposed non-uniformly relative to the mixer centerline, so as to produce a static pressure difference therebetween in response to mixer air flow passing around the main fuel ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2021
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Hari Ravi Chandra, Jayanth Sekar, Gurunath Gandikota, Michael A. Benjamin
  • Publication number: 20220282867
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes a forward liner segment and an aft liner segment positioned downstream from the forward liner segment relative to a direction of flow through the combustor. The forward and aft liner segments at least partially define a combustion chamber. Furthermore, the combustor includes a dilution slot frame positioned between the forward and aft liner segments along a longitudinal centerline of the gas turbine engine. Moreover, the dilution slot frame defines a plurality of dilution slots spaced apart from each other along a circumferential direction of the gas turbine engine such that the plurality of dilution slots provides an annular ring of dilution air to the combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventors: Gurunath Gandikota, Hiranya Kumar Nath, Michael Anthony Benjamin, Daniel J. Kirtley
  • Patent number: 11371701
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes a forward liner segment and an aft liner segment positioned downstream from the forward liner segment relative to a direction of flow through the combustor. The forward and aft liner segments at least partially define a combustion chamber. Furthermore, the combustor includes a dilution slot frame positioned between the forward and aft liner segments along a longitudinal centerline of the gas turbine engine. Moreover, the dilution slot frame defines a plurality of dilution slots spaced apart from each other along a circumferential direction of the gas turbine engine such that the plurality of dilution slots provides an annular ring of dilution air to the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gurunath Gandikota, Hiranya Kumar Nath, Michael Anthony Benjamin, Daniel J. Kirtley
  • Publication number: 20220195931
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes an inner liner and an outer liner positioned outward of the inner liner along the radial direction such that a combustion chamber is defined between the inner and outer liners. Furthermore, the combustor includes a fuel nozzle configured to supply fuel to the combustion chamber. Moreover, the combustor includes a bristle pack having a base plate and a plurality of bristles extending outward from the base plate such that the bristle pack forms at least a portion of at least one of a heat shield coupled to the fuel nozzle, a deflector of the combustor, or a flare of the combustor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Hiranya Kumar Nath, Michael Anthony Benjamin, Rajendra Mahadeorao Wankhade, Gurunath Gandikota
  • Publication number: 20220178540
    Abstract: A mixing assembly for a combustor, including: a pilot mixer and a pilot fuel nozzle; a main mixer including: a main housing surrounding the pilot mixer; a fuel manifold positioned between the pilot housing and the main housing; a mixer foot extending outward from a forward end of the main housing; a main swirler body surrounding the main housing such that an annular mixing channel is defined between the main housing and the main swirler body, and coupled to the mixer foot; and a main fuel ring in the mixing channel downstream of the mixer foot connected to the main housing by main fuel vanes, at least one of the main fuel ring and the main fuel vanes including fuel injection ports positioned to discharge fuel into a central portion of the mixing channel, wherein the mixer foot extends farther from the main housing than the main fuel ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2020
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Hari Ravi Chandra, Arvind Kumar Rao, Shai Birmaher, Jayanth Sekar, Gurunath Gandikota, Michael A. Benjamin
  • Patent number: 11280495
    Abstract: A flow device for a combustor assembly defining a longitudinal axis around which the flow device is positioned is provided. The flow device includes a body extended around the longitudinal axis. The body includes a first wall and a second wall separated longitudinally from one another along the longitudinal axis. A fuel injector passage is defined through the body coaxial to the longitudinal axis. A plurality of vane walls is extended radially between the first wall and the second wall relative to the longitudinal axis. A radial flow passage is extended between the plurality of vane walls and the fuel injector passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Gurunath Gandikota, Steven Clayton Vise, Perumallu Vukanti, Mayank Krisna Amble, Clayton Stuart Cooper, Nicholas Ryan Overman, Karthikeyan Sampath, Allen Michael Danis, Craig Douglas Young
  • Patent number: 11255543
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a combustor assembly for a gas turbine engine. The combustor assembly includes a liner defining a combustion chamber therewithin and a pressure plenum surrounding the liner. The liner defines an opening and includes a walled chute disposed at least partially through the opening. A plurality of flow openings is defined through the walled chute.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Mayank Krisna Amble, Gurunath Gandikota, Perumallu Vukanti, Ravi Chandra, Karthikeyan Sampath
  • Patent number: 11226101
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine swirler that includes a tubular body having a forward face, an aft end, and a throat. A plurality of primary swirl vanes that is positioned between the aft end and the forward face. A plurality of secondary swirl vanes that is positioned between the primary swirl vanes and the aft end. The plurality of primary swirl vanes and the plurality of secondary swirl vanes are configured such that the throat is fluidly connected to a plenum that is positioned outside of the tubular body. A tubular ferrule is positioned such that it joins the body at the forward face thereof. Each of the primary swirl vanes extend radially inwardly to a vane lip. The secondary swirl vanes extend radially inwardly for swirling air therefrom. The body also includes a tubular Venturi that extends aft from between the primary swirler vanes and the secondary swirler vanes for radially separating air swirled therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Karthikeyan Sampath, Saket Singh, Gurunath Gandikota, Perumallu Vukanti, Pradeep Naik, Steven Clayton Vise