Patents by Inventor Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger

Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger 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: 20140069541
    Abstract: Various systems and apparatuses are provided for a fluid transfer system for an engine. In one example, a system includes a first turbine having an exit for discharging a main fluid flow and a second turbine having an inlet for receiving at least a portion of the main fluid flow. A main conduit fluidically couples the exit of the first turbine to the inlet of the second turbine. A transition conduit is coupled with the main conduit and includes a volute passageway curving around the main conduit. The volute passageway includes a slot that follows a route around the curving volute passageway and opens into an interior of the main conduit. The slot is defined at least in part by a lip and establishes a path for either a secondary fluid flow to enter the main conduit or a portion of a main fluid flow to exit the main conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Inventors: Daniel Edward Loringer, Lukas William Johnson, Kendall Swenson, Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger
  • Publication number: 20140013740
    Abstract: An exemplary turbocharger system for an internal combustion engine is provided. The turbocharger system includes a first turbine and a second turbine. The first turbine is in fluid communication with the internal combustion engine. The first turbine receives a first portion exhaust gas discharged from the internal combustion engine and provides a first turbine exhaust gas. The second turbine is in fluid communication with the first turbine via an inter-stage channel. The inter-stage channel transports the first turbine exhaust gas from the first turbine to the second turbine. The inter-stage channel is in thermal connection with an exhaust gas recirculation channel defined between an inlet and an outlet of the internal combustion engine. The first turbine exhaust gas flowing through the inter-stage channel is capable of being heated by a second portion exhaust gas discharged from the internal combustion engine and flowing through the exhaust gas recirculation channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger, Cathal Clancy, Daniel Edward Loringer, Jassin Marcel Fritz, Neil Xavier Blythe, Lukas William Johnson, Sebastian Walter Freund, Pierre Sébastien Huck, Jonathan Edward Nagurney, Yu Du, Matthias Lang, Rudolf Konrad Selmeier, Elisa Jubany Arribas
  • Publication number: 20140017099
    Abstract: An exemplary compressor is provided. The compressor includes a plurality of blades, a hub defining a front surface and a back surface, and a first flow restriction structure provided at the back surface of the hub. The plurality of blades are arranged in a predefined manner on the front surface for receiving input air flow at a first pressure and compressing the input air flow to provide an output air flow at a second pressure higher than the first pressure. The first flow restriction member is configured for preventing at least a portion of the output air flow at the second pressure from entering into the back surface of the hub to reduce an air pressure at the back surface of the hub.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger, Kendall Roger Swenson, Daniel Edward Loringer, Anthony Holmes Furman, Neil Xavier Blythe, Lukas William Johnson, Jonathan Edward Nagurney, Yu Du, Cathal Clancy, Matthias Lang
  • Publication number: 20130221620
    Abstract: A seal assembly for a turbomachine includes a seal ring rotatable between a first position and a second position and having a plurality of tunnels. Also included is a back ring located adjacent the seal ring and having a plurality of apertures that align with more of the plurality of tunnels of the seal ring when at the second position than at the first position. Further included is a retention piece operably connecting the seal ring and the back ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Xiaoqing Zheng, Nathaniel Carmello Glinbizzi, Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger, Norman Arnold Turnquist
  • Patent number: 8430628
    Abstract: A pressure balance seal includes a sealing surface facing an inward radial direction, and a stator interface comprising at least one surface interfacing with a stator. The pressure balance seal further includes a friction reducing feature. The friction reducing feature includes a cavity on the sealing surface. The cavity is configured to receive a fluid such that a normal force acting on the pressure balance seal is counterbalanced by a force generated by a pressure of the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Norman Arnold Turnquist, Keith Michael Parker, Xiaoqing Zheng, Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger, Robbert Christiaan Pannekeet, Alexander Kimberley Simpson, Biao Fang
  • Publication number: 20130067917
    Abstract: Various apparatuses and systems are provided for a turbocharger. In one example, the turbocharger system includes a first turbine having an exhaust flow outlet and a second turbine having an exhaust flow inlet. The turbocharger system further includes a transition conduit fluidically coupling the outlet of the first turbine to the inlet of the second turbine, the transition conduit including an expansion region upstream of a first bend, and a bypass which routes exhaust flow around the first turbine, the bypass having an exhaust flow outlet fluidically coupled to the transition conduit downstream of the expansion region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventors: Jonathan Nagurney, Daniel Loringer, Kendall Swenson, Lukas Johnson, Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger, Amit Sharma, Swaminathan Gopalakrishnan
  • Publication number: 20130031902
    Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for an engine. In one example, the system includes a two-stage turbocharger which has first turbocharger with a first turbine and a first compressor and a second turbocharger with a second turbine and a second compressor, where the first turbine and the second turbine are arranged in parallel and the first compressor and the second compressor are arranged in series. The system may include a duct coupling turbine inlets of the first and second turbine, and a valve coupled between the duct and the inlet of the first turbine to throttle flow to first turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2011
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Inventors: Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger, Douglas C. Hofer, Jassin Fritz, Alberto Scotti Del Greco, Georgios Bikas, Mark Stablein, Sebastian Walter Freund, Vittorio Michelassi
  • Publication number: 20120251290
    Abstract: An aspirating face seal includes a primary seal, a secondary seal, and a biasing device. The primary seal includes a first seal component and a second seal component. The first seal component is configured to be coupled to a rotor and rotatable with the rotor. The secondary seal includes a plurality of flexible elements and configured to be disposed between the second seal component and a stator housing. A biasing device is coupled to the second seal component such that the second seal component is biased along an axial direction away from the first seal component during a non-operating condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Norman Arnold Turnquist, Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger, Xiaoqing Zheng, Robbert Christiaan Pannekeet, Keith Michael Parker
  • Publication number: 20120227400
    Abstract: A turbine system for a multistage turbocharger and a method for utilizing the same are disclosed. The turbine system includes a high pressure turbine having an inlet for receiving a flow of fluid, and an outlet for passing the flow on extraction of work from the high pressure turbine. The system further includes a low pressure turbine, having an inlet for receiving a flow of fluid from the high pressure turbine. A diffuser connects the outlet of the high pressure turbine and the inlet of the low pressure turbine. The system also includes a bypass channel for bypassing a portion of the flow around the high pressure turbine, from upstream of the high pressure turbine to downstream of the high pressure turbine. The system includes an injector to input the bypass flow in the diffuser in a manner to reduce flow separation in the diffuser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger, Alberto Scotti Del Greco, Vittorio Michelassi, Kendall Roger Swenson, Daniel Edward Loringer, Mark Thomas Stablein, Lukas William Johnson
  • Publication number: 20120195741
    Abstract: A brush seal assembly for turbomachinery having a rotor can include a stationary seal component, a floating seal component coupled to the stationary seal component and circumferentially angled bristles arranged in a bristle pack, disposed in the floating seal component and extended axially with respect to the rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Neelesh Nandkumar Sarawate, Norman Arnold Turnquist, William Edward Adis, Robert Gerard Baran, Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger, Robbert Christiaan Pannekeet, Keith Michael Parker, Xiaoqing Zheng
  • Publication number: 20120111552
    Abstract: A heat exchanger comprises a tube and fins extending from an outer surface of the tube in a helical path. The fins comprise serrated sections and solid sections that are disposed in a predetermined arrangement along the helical path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jorge Alejandro Carretero Benignos, Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger, Sal Albert Leone, Thomas Francis Taylor, Hua Zhang, Johannes Eckstein
  • Patent number: 8135245
    Abstract: A fiber optic sensing system comprises a housing disposed in a flow path, and a fiber optic sensor. The fiber optic sensor comprises an optical fiber secured in the housing, a Bragg grating, a light source for transmitting light to the optical fiber, and a detector for detecting light filtered by the Bragg grating of the optical fiber and monitoring wavelength changes of the detected light. The fiber is substantially perpendicular to the flow path. The housing defines an opening at an upstream side to allow flow through the flow path to exert a pressure on the optical fiber and cause a deformation of the Bragg grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger, Eric John Ruggiero, Alexander Kimberley Simpson, Christopher Edward Wolfe
  • Publication number: 20110209473
    Abstract: A system and method for waste heat recovery in exhaust gas recirculation is disclosed. The system includes an engine having an intake manifold and an exhaust manifold, an exhaust conduit connected to the exhaust manifold, and a turbocharger having a turbine and a compressor, the turbine being connected to the exhaust conduit to receive a portion of the exhaust gas from the exhaust manifold. The system also includes an EGR system connected to the exhaust conduit to receive a portion of the exhaust gas, with the EGR system including an EGR conduit that is connected to the exhaust conduit to receive a portion of the exhaust gas, a heat exchanger connected to the EGR conduit and being configured to extract heat from the exhaust gas, and a waste heat recovery system connected to the heat exchanger and configured to capture the heat extracted by the heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Inventors: Jassin Fritz, Georgios Bikas, Gabor Ast, Alexander Simpson, Thomas Johannes Frey, Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger
  • Patent number: 8002524
    Abstract: The present application provides a wind turbine system. The wind turbine system may include a number of blades, a number of wind speed sensors positioned on the blades, a controller in communication with the wind speed sensors, and one or more performance adjustment, mechanisms in communication with the controller. The controller activates the performance adjustment mechanisms in response to the wind speed sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Eric Eggleston, Christopher Wolfe, Eric John Ruggiero, Alexander Simpson, Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger, Robbert Pannekeet
  • Publication number: 20110135445
    Abstract: A pressure balance seal includes a sealing surface facing an inward radial direction, and a stator interface comprising at least one surface interfacing with a stator. The pressure balance seal further includes a friction reducing feature. The friction reducing feature includes a cavity on the sealing surface. The cavity is configured to receive a fluid such that a normal force acting on the pressure balance seal is counterbalanced by a force generated by a pressure of the fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Norman Arnold Turnquist, Keith Michael Parker, Xiaoqing Zheng, Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger, Robbert Christiaan Pannekeet, Alexander Kimberley Simpson, Biao Fang
  • Patent number: 7878172
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention relate to an intake channel of an internal combustion engine in which an adjustable position guide vane is configured to modify the velocity distribution inside the intake channel in order to vary the mean swirl number generated by the channel. The intake channel may comprise a combination of two or more ports, which can be helical or tangential, depending on their shape. By varying the velocity distribution inside the intake channel it is possible to vary the mean swirl number in an internal combustion engine. Contrary to existing systems to vary the swirl in internal combustion engines, the invention proposed does not require the separation of both ports inside the intake channel by a wall in order to achieve a variation in the swirl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jassin Fritz, Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger
  • Publication number: 20100282456
    Abstract: A heat exchanger comprises a tube and fins extending from an outer surface of the tube. The fins comprise first and second sets of fins with the first set of fins oriented in a first direction with respect to an axial direction of the tube and the second set of fins oriented in a second direction with respect to the axial direction of the tube to expose at least a portion of the first and second sets of fins to a free stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2009
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jorge Alejandro Carretero Benignos, Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger, Sal Albert Leone, Thomas Francis Taylor, Hua Zhang, Johannes Eckstein
  • Publication number: 20100146967
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is disclosed. The EGR apparatus includes an EGR circuit having an input configured to receive an exhaust gas from an engine exhaust port, an output configured to return the exhaust gas to an intake port of the engine, and an EGR path configured to circulate the exhaust gas between the input and the output. The EGR apparatus also includes an expansion turbine connected to the EGR circuit in the EGR path downstream of the input to receive the exhaust gas, the expansion turbine configured to expand the exhaust gas and reduce a pressure thereof. The EGR apparatus further includes an EGR compressor connected to the EGR path downstream of the expansion turbine and decoupled from the expansion turbine, the EGR compressor configured to compress the exhaust gas for circulation to the output.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventors: Alexander Simpson, Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger
  • Publication number: 20100146968
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) is disclosed. The EGR apparatus includes an EGR circuit having an input configured to receive an exhaust gas from an engine exhaust port, an output configured to return the exhaust gas to an intake port of the engine, and an EGR path configured to circulate the exhaust gas between the input and the output. The EGR apparatus also includes an EGR compressor connected to the EGR circuit in the EGR path downstream of the input and EGR compressor configured to compress the exhaust gas for circulation to the output. The EGR apparatus further includes a valve system positioned in the EGR circuit and upstream of the EGR compressor to selectively cut off a flow of the exhaust gas to the EGR compressor and selectively inject ambient air into the EGR path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2008
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventors: Alexander Simpson, Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger
  • Publication number: 20100143118
    Abstract: The present application provides a wind turbine system. The wind turbine system may include a number of blades, a number of wind speed sensors positioned on the blades, a controller in communication with the wind speed sensors, and one or more performance adjustment, mechanisms in communication with the controller. The controller activates the performance adjustment mechanisms in response to the wind speed sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Publication date: June 10, 2010
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Eric Eggleston, Christopher Wolfe, Eric John Ruggiero, Alexander Simpson, Rodrigo Rodriguez-Erdmenger, Robbert Pannekeet