Patents by Inventor Rebecca Hefner

Rebecca Hefner 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: 11098724
    Abstract: A control system and method utilizing one or more processors that are configured to determine contaminant loading of blades of a turbomachinery compressor based on one or more environmental conditions to which the turbomachinery compressor is exposed and one or more atmospheric air inlet conditions of the turbomachinery compressor. The one or more processors then determine a corrosion contaminant concentration on the blades of the turbomachinery compressor based on the contaminant loading that is determined and determine an upper limit on or a distribution of potential corrosion of the blades of the turbomachinery based on the corrosion contaminant concentration, at least one of the environmental conditions to which the turbomachinery compressor is exposed, and the corrosion contaminant concentration that is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Guruprasad Sundararajan, Prashanth Pillai, Muralikrishan R., Rebecca Hefner, Bradford Foulkes, Anbarasan Viswanathan, Robert G. Kelly
  • Publication number: 20180340542
    Abstract: A control system and method utilizing one or more processors that are configured to determine contaminant loading of blades of a turbomachinery compressor based on one or more environmental conditions to which the turbomachinery compressor is exposed and one or more atmospheric air inlet conditions of the turbomachinery compressor. The one or more processors then determine a corrosion contaminant concentration on the blades of the turbomachinery compressor based on the contaminant loading that is determined and determine an upper limit on or a distribution of potential corrosion of the blades of the turbomachinery based on the corrosion contaminant concentration, at least one of the environmental conditions to which the turbomachinery compressor is exposed, and the corrosion contaminant concentration that is determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Publication date: November 29, 2018
    Inventors: Guruprasad Sundararajan, Prashanth Pillai, Muralikrishan R., Rebecca Hefner, Bradford Foulkes, Anbarasan Viswanathan, Robert G. Kelly
  • Patent number: 8475110
    Abstract: A system and method capable of performing online corrosion monitoring of a component installed in a gas turbine. A sensing device is located so that electrodes thereof are exposed to an operating environment within the gas turbine section containing the component. The electrodes are formed of a material so that the component and electrodes similarly respond to corrosive agents within the gas turbine section. The electrodes are electrically insulated from each other and each electrode is operable as an anodic electrode or a cathodic electrode, depending on the extent of corrosion thereat, so that each electrode has an electrical potential value, voltages exist across the electrodes, electric currents flow between the electrodes, and the electrical potential/current values correspond to corrosion behaviors at the anodic electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rebecca Hefner, Jeff P. Czapiewski
  • Publication number: 20110027063
    Abstract: A system and method capable of performing online corrosion monitoring of a component installed in a gas turbine. A sensing device is located so that electrodes thereof are exposed to an operating environment within the gas turbine section containing the component. The electrodes are formed of a material so that the component and electrodes similarly respond to corrosive agents within the gas turbine section. The electrodes are electrically insulated from each other and each electrode is operable as an anodic electrode or a cathodic electrode, depending on the extent of corrosion thereat, so that each electrode has an electrical potential value, voltages exist across the electrodes, electric currents flow between the electrodes, and the electrical potential/current values correspond to corrosion behaviors at the anodic electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2009
    Publication date: February 3, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Rebecca Hefner, Jeff P. Czapiewski
  • Publication number: 20070085345
    Abstract: A corrosion protected wind turbine unit includes a wind turbine unit support structure or foundation implanted in water and an impressed current anode electrochemically coupled to the wind turbine unit support structure or foundation through the water. Also included is a controlled current source configured to receive electrical current from the wind turbine unit or at least one other wind turbine unit located in proximity to the corrosion protected wind turbine unit and further configured to operate the impressed current anode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Publication date: April 19, 2007
    Inventors: Douglas Brown, Rebecca Hefner