Patents by Inventor Ronald James Chila

Ronald James Chila 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: 11859818
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure, a system includes a combustor liner disposed about a combustion chamber of a combustor of a gas turbine system. The combustor liner includes an inner wall portion exposed to the combustion chamber, an outer wall portion disposed about the inner wall portion, and multiple channels between the inner and outer wall portions of the combustor liner. Each channel of the multiple channels is configured to direct a coolant along the combustor liner to convectively cool the combustor liner, and each channel of the multiple channels includes a cross-sectional area that progressively changes along a length of each channel of the plurality of channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Robert Simmons, Ronald James Chila
  • Patent number: 10982593
    Abstract: A combustion system includes a head end comprising a liquid fuel cartridge. The liquid fuel cartridge has liquid fuel injection ports and is configured to produce combustion products via a diffusion flame. A liner is configured to deliver the combustion products from the head end to an aft frame, and an injector having an outlet is located along the liner between the head end and the aft frame. The injector outlet delivers a stream of oxidant inwardly into the liner, such that a mixedness and a velocity of the combustion products are increased prior to the combustion products reaching the aft frame. A method of producing combustion products having characteristics of a premixed flame in a liquid fuel combustion system is also provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ronald James Chila, Mark William Pinson, Baifang Zuo, Lucas John Stoia, Timothy James Purcell
  • Publication number: 20200271317
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure, a system includes a combustor liner disposed about a combustion chamber of a combustor of a gas turbine system. The combustor liner includes an inner wall portion exposed to the combustion chamber, an outer wall portion disposed about the inner wall portion, and multiple channels between the inner and outer wall portions of the combustor liner. Each channel of the multiple channels is configured to direct a coolant along the combustor liner to convectively cool the combustor liner, and each channel of the multiple channels includes a cross-sectional area that progressively changes along a length of each channel of the plurality of channels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventors: Scott Robert Simmons, Ronald James Chila
  • Patent number: 10684016
    Abstract: An aft frame assembly for a gas turbine transition piece has a main body with an upstream facing surface, a downstream facing surface, a radially outer facing surface and a radially inner facing surface. A plurality of feed hole inlets are located on the upstream facing surface. Each of the feed hole inlets are coupled to one of a plurality of cooling channels passing through the main body towards the radially inner facing surface. A plurality of microchannels are formed near the radially inner facing surface and extend at least partially along the downstream facing surface. The cooling channels are connected to and terminate in the microchannels. A pre-sintered preform is located on the radially inner facing surface of the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Robert Simmons, Ronald James Chila, Kevin Weston McMahan, Wei Chen, Charles Lewis Davis, III
  • Patent number: 10578306
    Abstract: A liquid fuel cartridge unit for a gas turbine combustor includes a cartridge tip having an aft plate and a side wall circumscribing the aft plate. First injection ports are defined through the side wall, and second injection ports are defined through the side wall upstream of the first injection ports, relative to fuel flow through the cartridge tip. Nested conduits extend into the cartridge tip with the concentric conduits defining therebetween respective flow passages. The first injection ports are in fluid communication with a first flow passage, and the second injection ports are in fluid communication with a second flow passage. A method of assembling the liquid fuel cartridge unit is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy James Purcell, Ronald James Chila, Lucas John Stoia
  • Publication number: 20190113230
    Abstract: An aft frame assembly for a gas turbine transition piece has a main body with an upstream facing surface, a downstream facing surface, a radially outer facing surface and a radially inner facing surface. A plurality of feed hole inlets are located on the upstream facing surface. Each of the feed hole inlets are coupled to one of a plurality of cooling channels passing through the main body towards the radially inner facing surface. A plurality of microchannels are formed near the radially inner facing surface and extend at least partially along the downstream facing surface. The cooling channels are connected to and terminate in the microchannels. A pre-sintered preform is located on the radially inner facing surface of the main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Publication date: April 18, 2019
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Robert Simmons, Ronald James Chila, Kevin Weston McMahan, Wei Chen, Charles Lewis Davis, III
  • Publication number: 20180363907
    Abstract: A liquid fuel cartridge unit for a gas turbine combustor includes a cartridge tip having an aft plate and a side wall circumscribing the aft plate. First injection ports are defined through the side wall, and second injection ports are defined through the side wall upstream of the first injection ports, relative to fuel flow through the cartridge tip. Nested conduits extend into the cartridge tip with the concentric conduits defining therebetween respective flow passages. The first injection ports are in fluid communication with a first flow passage, and the second injection ports are in fluid communication with a second flow passage. A method of assembling the liquid fuel cartridge unit is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy James Purcell, Ronald James Chila, Lucas John Stoia
  • Publication number: 20180363551
    Abstract: A combustion system includes a head end comprising a liquid fuel cartridge. The liquid fuel cartridge has liquid fuel injection ports and is configured to produce combustion products via a diffusion flame. A liner is configured to deliver the combustion products from the head end to an aft frame, and an injector having an outlet is located along the liner between the head end and the aft frame. The injector outlet delivers a stream of oxidant inwardly into the liner, such that a mixedness and a velocity of the combustion products are increased prior to the combustion products reaching the aft frame. A method of producing combustion products having characteristics of a premixed flame in a liquid fuel combustion system is also provided herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ronald James Chila, Mark William Pinson, Baifang Zuo, Lucas John Stoia, Timothy James Purcell
  • Patent number: 9822649
    Abstract: An integrated combustor and stage one nozzle in a gas turbine includes a combustion chamber that receives premixed fuel and air from at least one fuel nozzle group at separate axial locations. The combustion chamber includes a liner and a transition piece that deliver hot combustion gas to the turbine. The stage one nozzle, the liner and the transition piece are integrated into a single part. At least one of the axial locations of the one or more fuel nozzle groups includes a plurality of small scale mixing devices that concentrate heat release and reduce flame length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr., Willy Steve Ziminsky, Kevin Weston McMahan, Ronald James Chila, Sergey Anatolievich Meshkov
  • Patent number: 9765973
    Abstract: A system includes a multi-tube fuel nozzle. The multi-tube fuel nozzle includes multiple mixing tubes. Each mixing tube includes an annular wall disposed about a central passage and an air inlet region configured to be disposed about a fuel injector extending into the central passage. The central passage extends from an upstream end to a downstream end of the annular wall relative to a direction of flow through the central passage. The air inlet region includes an air entry surface of the annular wall that gradually decreases in diameter in the direction of flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Ronald James Chila, Patrick Benedict Melton, Gregory Allen Boardman, James Harold Westmoreland
  • Patent number: 9759425
    Abstract: A system includes a multi-tube fuel nozzle. The multi-tube fuel nozzle includes multiple fuel injectors. Each fuel injector is configured to extend into a respective premixing tube of a plurality of mixing tubes. Each fuel injector includes a body, a fuel passage, and multiple fuel ports. The fuel passage is disposed within the body and extends in a longitudinal direction within a portion of the body. The multiple fuel ports are disposed along the portion of the body and coupled to the fuel passage. A space is disposed between the portion of the body with the fuel ports and the respective premixing tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: James Harold Westmoreland, Ronald James Chila, Gregory Allen Boardman, Patrick Benedict Melton
  • Patent number: 9671112
    Abstract: A system includes a multi-tube fuel nozzle of a turbine combustor. The multi-tube fuel nozzle includes a support structure defining an interior volume configured to receive an air flow; a plurality of mixing tubes disposed within the interior volume, wherein each of the plurality of mixing tubes comprises a respective fuel injector; and an outer annular wall configured to direct an air flow from an annulus between a liner and a flow sleeve of the turbine combustor at least partially radially inward into the interior volume through an air inlet and toward the plurality of mixing tubes, wherein the outer annular wall at least partially defines an air flow passage extending from the annulus to the interior volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ronald James Chila, Gregory Allen Boardman, James Harold Westmoreland
  • Patent number: 9650959
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods for premixing fuel and air prior to combustion within a combustion chamber. The system includes a plurality of fuel injectors and a plurality of mixing tubes, wherein each mixing tube has a first portion for receiving one of the plurality of fuel injectors and a second portion having a mixing chamber that is configured to mix fuel and air. The length of the mixing chamber varies among the plurality of mixing tubes to allow for different mixing times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gregory Allen Boardman, Patrick Benedict Melton, James Harold Westmoreland, Ronald James Chila, Sarah Lori Crothers
  • Patent number: 9249679
    Abstract: An impingement sleeve and methods for designing and forming an impingement sleeve are disclosed. In one embodiment, the impingement sleeve includes a body configured to at least partially surround a transition piece of the combustor. The impingement sleeve further includes a plurality of cooling holes defined in the body, the plurality of cooling holes having a cooling hole pattern configured to provide a desired operational value for the transition piece. At least one of the plurality of cooling holes has a chamfer extending at least partially between an inlet and an outlet of the at least one of the plurality of cooling holes. At least a portion of the plurality of cooling holes are generally longitudinally asymmetric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Matthew Paul Berkebile, Jerome David Brown, Ronald James Chila, Patrick Benedict Melton, Russell DeForest, David William Cihlar, Wei Chen, John Drake Vanselow
  • Patent number: 9243506
    Abstract: A transition nozzle for use with a turbine assembly is provided. The transition nozzle includes a liner defining a combustion chamber therein, a wrapper circumscribing the liner such that a cooling duct is defined between the wrapper and the liner, a cooling fluid inlet configured to supply a cooling fluid to the cooling duct, and a plurality of ribs coupled between the liner and the wrapper such that a plurality of cooling channels are defined in the cooling duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kevin Weston McMahan, Ronald James Chila, David Richard Johns
  • Patent number: 9217373
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle includes a center body that extends axially along an axial centerline for a length. A shroud circumferentially surrounds the center body for at least a portion of the length of the center body. A plurality of helical passages circumferentially surround the center body along at least a portion of the length of the center body, and a fuel port in each helical passage has a different convective time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Gregory Allen Boardman, James Harold Westmoreland, III, Sarah Lori Crothers, Ronald James Chila
  • Patent number: 9212823
    Abstract: A combustor having a combustion chamber is provided with an external flow sleeve and a combustor liner surrounding the combustion chamber. A plurality of flow channels are provided on the combustor liner and a plurality of nozzles are disposed at predetermined locations on the flow channels. The locations of the nozzles are selected to provide different mixing times for fuel injected through the nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gregory Allen Boardman, Ronald James Chila, Mark Allan Hadley, Johnie Franklin McConnaughhay, Sarah Lori Crothers
  • Patent number: 9182123
    Abstract: A combustor fuel nozzle includes a center body and an inner shroud that circumferentially surrounds at least a portion of the center body. The inner shroud has a downstream surface. The fuel nozzle includes an inner passage between the center body and the inner shroud, an outer passage that circumferentially surrounds at least a portion of the inner shroud and a first plurality of fuel ports extending substantially radially outward through the center body. The first plurality of fuel ports is upstream from the downstream surface of the inner shroud. A method for supplying fuel to a combustor fuel nozzle includes flowing a working fluid through an inner passage between a center body and an inner shroud, injecting a fuel from the center body against the inner shroud, and flowing a portion of the working fluid through an outer passage that surrounds at least a portion of the inner shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Gregory Allen Boardman, Ronald James Chila, Johnie F. McConnaughhay
  • Patent number: 9182122
    Abstract: A device for supplying flow across a combustor includes an axial fluid injector configured to circumferentially surround at least a portion of the combustor. An inner annular passage extends through the axial fluid injector and provides fluid communication through the axial fluid injector and into a first annular passage that surrounds the combustor. An outer annular passage extends through the axial fluid injector radially outward from the inner annular passage and provides axial flow into the first annular passage. A method for supplying flow to a combustor includes flowing a first portion of a working fluid through a first axial flow path and flowing a second portion of the working fluid through a second axial flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: John M. Matthews, Keith C. Belsom, Ronald James Chila
  • Patent number: 9115808
    Abstract: A transition piece seal assembly includes a first seal, and a second seal joined to the first seal. The second seal being spaced from the first seal to define a coolant passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Robert Simmons, Ronald James Chila