Patents by Inventor Roy Marshall Washam
Roy Marshall Washam 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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Publication number: 20160186663Abstract: A fuel nozzle for a gas turbine engine that includes: an elongated centerbody; an elongated peripheral wall formed about the centerbody so to define a primary flow annulus therebetween; a primary fuel supply and a primary air supply in the primary flow annulus; and a pilot nozzle. The pilot nozzle may be formed in the centerbody and include: axially elongated mixing tubes defined within a centerbody wall; a fuel port positioned on the mixing tubes for connecting each to a secondary fuel supply; and a secondary air supply configured so to fluidly communicate with an inlet of each of the mixing tubes. A plurality of the mixing tubes may be formed as canted mixing tubes that are configured for inducing a swirling downstream flow, while a plurality of the mixing tubes may be axial mixing tubes.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 30, 2014Publication date: June 30, 2016Inventors: Jason Thurman Stewart, Charlotte Cole Wilson, Roy Marshall Washam
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Patent number: 9360214Abstract: A system for pre-heating a working fluid within a combustor includes a compressor for providing the working fluid to the combustor. An outer casing is disposed downstream from the compressor. The outer casing at least partially defines a high pressure plenum that at least partially surrounds the combustor. A combustion chamber is defined within the combustor downstream from the high pressure plenum. A catalytic combustor is disposed within the high pressure plenum upstream from the combustion chamber so as to provide thermal energy to the working fluid upstream from the combustion chamber.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2013Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: John Anthony Conchieri, Roy Marshall Washam, Gilbert Otto Kraemer
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Patent number: 9328923Abstract: A system includes a turbomachine including a first chamber configured to contain a first fluid and a second chamber configured to contain a second fluid. The turbomachine also includes a barrier disposed between the first and second chambers. The barrier is configured to separate the first fluid and the second fluid. Additionally, the barrier includes a first surface facing the first chamber and a second surface facing the second chamber. The turbomachine also includes an orifice extending from the first chamber to the second chamber. The orifice defines a fluid passageway. Additionally, the turbomachine includes a tube including a first end and a second end. The first end is coupled to the first surface and is disposed about a perimeter of the orifice. The tube is configured to at least partially contain the second fluid.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2012Date of Patent: May 3, 2016Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Mohan Krishna Bobba, Roy Marshall Washam
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Publication number: 20140298814Abstract: A system for pre-heating a working fluid within a combustor includes a compressor for providing the working fluid to the combustor. An outer casing is disposed downstream from the compressor. The outer casing at least partially defines a high pressure plenum that at least partially surrounds the combustor. A combustion chamber is defined within the combustor downstream from the high pressure plenum. A catalytic combustor is disposed within the high pressure plenum upstream from the combustion chamber so as to provide thermal energy to the working fluid upstream from the combustion chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2013Publication date: October 9, 2014Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: John Anthony Conchieri, Roy Marshall Washam, Gilbert Otto Kraemer
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Publication number: 20140157786Abstract: A gas turbine system includes a gas turbine including a combustor for combusting a fuel and a control assembly configured to control at least one of a fuel system and the combusting of the combustor based on providing values corresponding to at least one of fuel characteristics and combustor characteristics to a fuel induction time transfer function.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2012Publication date: June 12, 2014Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventor: Roy Marshall Washam
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Publication number: 20140130504Abstract: A system for cooling a hot gas path component for a combustor generally includes an impingement sleeve that circumferentially surrounds an outer surface of the hot gas path component. A first cooling chamber is defined between the impingement sleeve and a first portion of the outer surface of the hot gas path component. A second cooling chamber is disposed downstream from the first cooling chamber. The second cooling chamber is defined between the impingement sleeve and a second portion of the outer surface of hot gas path component. An inlet extends through the impingement sleeve so as to define a first flow path into the first cooling chamber. An outlet defines a second flow path between the first cooling chamber and the second cooling chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2012Publication date: May 15, 2014Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Wei Chen, Roy Marshall Washam
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Patent number: 8707672Abstract: A combustor includes an end cap having a perforated downstream plate and a combustion chamber downstream of the downstream plate. A plenum is in fluid communication with the downstream plate and supplies a cooling medium to the combustion chamber through the perforations in the downstream plate. A method for cooling a combustor includes flowing a cooling medium into a combustor end cap and impinging the cooling medium on a downstream plate in the combustor end cap. The method further includes flowing the cooling medium into a combustion chamber through perforations in the downstream plate.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2010Date of Patent: April 29, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Baifang Zuo, Roy Marshall Washam, Chunyang Wu
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Patent number: 8701383Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided and includes a late lean injection (LLI) compatible combustor having a first interior in which a first fuel supplied thereto by a fuel circuit is combustible, a turbine, a transition zone, including a second interior in which a second fuel supplied thereto by the fuel circuit and the products of the combustion of the first fuel are combustible, the transition zone being disposed to fluidly couple the combustor and the turbine to one another, and a plurality of fuel injectors, which are structurally supported by the transition zone and coupled to the fuel circuit, and which are configured to supply the second fuel to the second interior in any one of a single axial stage, multiple axial stages, a single axial circumferential stage and multiple axial circumferential stages.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2009Date of Patent: April 22, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Krishna Kumar Venkataraman, Roy Marshall Washam, Hasan Karim, Jason Charles Terry, Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr.
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Publication number: 20140099584Abstract: A system includes a turbomachine including a first chamber configured to contain a first fluid and a second chamber configured to contain a second fluid. The turbomachine also includes a barrier disposed between the first and second chambers. The barrier is configured to separate the first fluid and the second fluid. Additionally, the barrier includes a first surface facing the first chamber and a second surface facing the second chamber. The turbomachine also includes an orifice extending from the first chamber to the second chamber. The orifice defines a fluid passageway. Additionally, the turbomachine includes a tube including a first end and a second end. The first end is coupled to the first surface and is disposed about a perimeter of the orifice. The tube is configured to at least partially contain the second fluid.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 10, 2012Publication date: April 10, 2014Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Mohan Krishna Bobba, Roy Marshall Washam
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Publication number: 20130180253Abstract: A system for supplying a working fluid to a combustor includes a fuel nozzle, a combustion chamber, and fuel injectors circumferentially arranged around the combustion chamber. A combustor casing surrounds the combustion chamber. A distribution manifold encloses the fuel injectors, and a plenum passes through the combustor casing. A method for supplying a working fluid to a combustor includes flowing a working fluid from a compressor through a combustion chamber, diverting a portion of the working fluid into a plenum, and flowing the diverted portion of the working fluid outside of the compressor and the combustor. The method further includes flowing the diverted portion of the working fluid through a combustor casing and through a distribution manifold that encloses fuel injectors circumferentially arranged around the combustion chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2012Publication date: July 18, 2013Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Lucas John Stoia, Patrick Benedict Melton, Roy Marshall Washam
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Publication number: 20130067927Abstract: A gas turbine system and a method for controlling combustion instability in a combustion section of a gas turbine system are disclosed. The gas turbine system includes a compressor section, a turbine section connected to the compressor section, and a combustor section connected to the compressor section and the turbine section. The combustor section includes a plurality of combustors. The combustor section further includes at least one igniter for igniting a fuel-air mixture within each of the plurality of combustors into a hot gas. The gas turbine system further includes a control system for controlling a velocity of the hot gas in at least one of the plurality of combustors by controlling an operating parameter of the fuel-air mixture.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2011Publication date: March 21, 2013Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Joseph Kirzhner, Roy Marshall Washam
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Publication number: 20120308947Abstract: A combustor having a pressure feed is provided and includes an outer vessel, an intermediate vessel disposed within the outer vessel to form an outer annulus, an inner vessel disposed within the intermediate vessel to form an inner annulus between the intermediate and inner vessels, by which upstream portions of fuel nozzles disposed within the inner vessel are fed, and an internal volume within the inner vessel about downstream portions of the fuel nozzles and a tubular assembly by which the outer annulus and the internal volume are communicative.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2011Publication date: December 6, 2012Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Patrick Benedict Melton, David Leach, Robert Joseph Rohrssen, Roy Marshall Washam
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Patent number: 8215116Abstract: A system includes a fuel nozzle for a turbine engine that includes a tapered central body located at an interior base of the fuel nozzle, an air swirler, and a fuel port in the tapered central body, separate from the air swirler.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2008Date of Patent: July 10, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Luiz C. V. Fernandes, Elias Marquez, Roy Marshall Washam
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Publication number: 20120060511Abstract: A combustor includes an end cap having a perforated downstream plate and a combustion chamber downstream of the downstream plate. A plenum is in fluid communication with the downstream plate and supplies a cooling medium to the combustion chamber through the perforations in the downstream plate. A method for cooling a combustor includes flowing a cooling medium into a combustor end cap and impinging the cooling medium on a downstream plate in the combustor end cap. The method further includes flowing the cooling medium into a combustion chamber through perforations in the downstream plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 10, 2010Publication date: March 15, 2012Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Baifang Zuo, Roy Marshall Washam, Chunyang Wu
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Publication number: 20120036863Abstract: In operating a gas turbine, there can be a difference between the desired heating value of the fuel and the actual needs of the fuel for sustainable combustion during various stages of the turbine operation. In one aspect, combustible lean limit operation of the gas turbine free of lean blow out is enabled by adjusting fuel-air-ratio of the fuel and fuel-air mixture properties, based on the operation requirements of the turbine and flammability of the fuel components.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2010Publication date: February 16, 2012Inventors: Joseph Kirzhner, Predrag Popovic, Roy Marshall Washam
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Publication number: 20110225947Abstract: A combustor assembly of a turbine engine is provided with a mechanical air regulation unit which selectively varies the amount of air being delivered into a combustion zone of the combustor based upon a pressure of a fuel being supplied to the combustor. A first type of air regulation unit would act to increase the amount of air entering the combustion zone when greater amounts of a high heat value fuel are being delivered to the fuel nozzles of the combustor. A second type of air regulation unit could act to decrease the amount of air entering the combustion zone when greater amounts of a low heat value fuel are being delivered into the combustor through fuel nozzles.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2010Publication date: September 22, 2011Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Roy Marshall Washam, Thomas Edward Johnson
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Publication number: 20100170216Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided and includes a late lean injection (LLI) compatible combustor having a first interior in which a first fuel supplied thereto by a fuel circuit is combustible, a turbine, a transition zone, including a second interior in which a second fuel supplied thereto by the fuel circuit and the products of the combustion of the first fuel are combustible, the transition zone being disposed to fluidly couple the combustor and the turbine to one another, and a plurality of fuel injectors, which are structurally supported by the transition zone and coupled to the fuel circuit, and which are configured to supply the second fuel to the second interior in any one of a single axial stage, multiple axial stages, a single axial circumferential stage and multiple axial circumferential stages.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2009Publication date: July 8, 2010Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Krishna Kumar Venkataraman, Roy Marshall Washam, Hasan Karim, Jason Charles Terry, Lewis Berkley Davis, JR.
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Publication number: 20100083663Abstract: A system, in certain embodiments, includes includes a fuel nozzle for a turbine engine that includes a tapered central body located at an interior base of the fuel nozzle, an air swirler, and a fuel port in the tapered central body, separate from the air swirler.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 2, 2008Publication date: April 8, 2010Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Luiz C.V. Fernandes, Elias Marquez, Roy Marshall Washam