Patents by Inventor Robert Wade Clifford
Robert Wade Clifford 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: 11187415Abstract: An injection assembly for a gas turbine combustor having a liner defining a combustion zone and a secondary combustion zone and a forward casing circumferentially surrounding at least a portion of the liner is provided. The injection assembly includes a thimble assembly and an injector unit. The thimble assembly, which is mounted to the liner, includes a thimble that extends through a thimble aperture in the liner. The injector unit, which is mounted to and extends through the forward casing, includes an injector blade that extends into the thimble. The injection assembly introduces a flow of fuel into a flow of air flowing through the thimble, such that fuel and air are injected into the secondary combustion zone in a direction transverse to a flow of combustion products from the primary combustion zone.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2017Date of Patent: November 30, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Charlie Edmond Jones, James Harper, Matthew Bernard Wilson, Robert Wade Clifford, Yon Han Chong, Benjamin Robert Ryan, Gilbert Otto Kraemer
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Patent number: 11067281Abstract: A fuel injection assembly includes a fuel injector having end walls spaced apart from one another and side walls extending between the end walls. The end walls and the side walls collectively define a first opening for passage of air. At least one fuel injection member is disposed within the first opening and extends axially between the end walls. The fuel injector terminates at a radially inner surface. A boss that is fixedly connected to the combustion liner and extends radially through the cooling flow annulus to a flange portion positioned at the outer sleeve. The boss defines a second opening that provides for fluid communication between the fuel injector and the second combustion zone. The radially inner surface of the fuel injector is sealingly connected to the flange portion of the boss such that the first opening aligns with the second opening.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2020Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Marissa Singley Garcia, Robert Wade Clifford, Ronnie Ray Pentecost
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Patent number: 10816203Abstract: A thimble assembly, which directs fluid flow through a combustor liner, includes a thimble boss and a thimble. The thimble boss is mounted an outer surface of the liner and surrounds a liner opening, thus defining a thimble boss passage. The thimble is disposed through the passage and the liner opening. The thimble wall extends from an inlet portion to an outlet of the thimble. The inlet portion has a greater diameter than the outlet and defines an inlet plane and a parallel intermediate plane. A terminal plane, parallel to the intermediate plane, includes an array of points most distant from a corresponding array of points defining the intermediate plane. The thimble wall has a non-uniform length, such that the outlet of the thimble is oriented at an oblique angle relative to the terminal plane. The thimble wall may have an arcuate shape defined as one-fourth of an ellipse.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2017Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Charlie Edmond Jones, James Harper, Matthew Bernard Wilson, Robert Wade Clifford, Yon Han Chong, Gilbert Otto Kraemer
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Publication number: 20190178496Abstract: A thimble assembly, which directs fluid flow through a combustor liner, includes a thimble boss and a thimble. The thimble boss is mounted an outer surface of the liner and surrounds a liner opening, thus defining a thimble boss passage. The thimble is disposed through the passage and the liner opening. The thimble wall extends from an inlet portion to an outlet of the thimble. The inlet portion has a greater diameter than the outlet and defines an inlet plane and a parallel intermediate plane. A terminal plane, parallel to the intermediate plane, includes an array of points most distant from a corresponding array of points defining the intermediate plane. The thimble wall has a non-uniform length, such that the outlet of the thimble is oriented at an oblique angle relative to the terminal plane. The thimble wall may have an arcuate shape defined as one-fourth of an ellipse.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2017Publication date: June 13, 2019Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Charlie Edmond Jones, James Harper, Matthew Bernard Wilson, Robert Wade Clifford, Yon Han Chong, Gilbert Otto Kraemer
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Publication number: 20190178497Abstract: An injection assembly for a gas turbine combustor having a liner defining a combustion zone and a secondary combustion zone and a forward casing circumferentially surrounding at least a portion of the liner is provided. The injection assembly includes a thimble assembly and an injector unit. The thimble assembly, which is mounted to the liner, includes a thimble that extends through a thimble aperture in the liner. The injector unit, which is mounted to and extends through the forward casing, includes an injector blade that extends into the thimble. The injection assembly introduces a flow of fuel into a flow of air flowing through the thimble, such that fuel and air are injected into the secondary combustion zone in a direction transverse to a flow of combustion products from the primary combustion zone.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2017Publication date: June 13, 2019Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Charlie Edmond Jones, James Harper, Matthew Bernard Wilson, Robert Wade Clifford, Yon Han Chong, Benjamin Robert Ryan, Gilbert Otto Kraemer
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Patent number: 9249976Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a method for servicing a combustor cap assembly of a turbine includes determining a defect is present in a center ring of the cap assembly, the center ring being disposed within a plurality of vanes, removing the center ring from the cap assembly. The method also includes placing a replacement center ring in the cap assembly, wherein dimensions of the replacement center ring are substantially the same as the center ring that has been removed and brazing the replacement center ring to the plurality of vanes.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2012Date of Patent: February 2, 2016Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Mark Carmine Bellino, Charles Van Buchan, Robert Wade Clifford, Daniel James Dorriety, Steven Charles Woods
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Patent number: 8997558Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a turbine combustor probe having a combustion dynamics monitoring probe configured to monitor combustion dynamics within a turbine combustor. The turbine combustor probe also has a gas sampling sleeve configured to collect a gas sample from an airflow path between a liner and a flow sleeve of the turbine combustor.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2011Date of Patent: April 7, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Bryan Wesley Romig, Jonathan Hale Kegley, Robert Wade Clifford, Derrick Walter Simons
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Patent number: 8869536Abstract: A liner stop for retaining a flow sleeve relative to a combustion liner in a combustor is disclosed. The liner stop includes a female component defining a recess and a male component comprising a protrusion, the protrusion insertable in the female component. The liner stop further includes an insert disposable between the female component and the male component, the insert comprising a surface protrusion configured to interfere with one of the female component or the male component.Type: GrantFiled: July 26, 2012Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Robert Wade Clifford, Jonathan Hale Kegley
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Publication number: 20140026581Abstract: A liner stop for retaining a flow sleeve relative to a combustion liner in a combustor is disclosed. The liner stop includes a female component defining a recess and a male component comprising a protrusion, the protrusion insertable in the female component. The liner stop further includes an insert disposable between the female component and the male component, the insert comprising a surface protrusion configured to interfere with one of the female component or the male component.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2012Publication date: January 30, 2014Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Robert Wade Clifford, Jonathan Hale Kegley
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Publication number: 20140000111Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a method for servicing a combustor cap assembly of a turbine includes determining a defect is present in a center ring of the cap assembly, the center ring being disposed within a plurality of vanes, removing the center ring from the cap assembly. The method also includes placing a replacement center ring in the cap assembly, wherein dimensions of the replacement center ring are substantially the same as the center ring that has been removed and brazing the replacement center ring to the plurality of vanes.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2012Publication date: January 2, 2014Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Mark Carmine Bellino, Charles Van Buchan, Robert Wade Clifford, Daniel James Dorriety, Steven Charles Woods
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Publication number: 20120247108Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a turbine combustor probe having a combustion dynamics monitoring probe configured to monitor combustion dynamics within a turbine combustor. The turbine combustor probe also has a gas sampling sleeve configured to collect a gas sample from an airflow path between a liner and a flow sleeve of the turbine combustor.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2011Publication date: October 4, 2012Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Bryan Wesley Romig, Jonathan Hale Kegley, Robert Wade Clifford, Derrick Walter Simons