Patents by Inventor Sanji Ekanayake

Sanji Ekanayake 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: 9644542
    Abstract: The present application provides a gas turbine engine for low turndown operations. The gas turbine engine may include a compressor with a compressor bleed air flow, a turbine, and a compressor bleed air flow manifold. The compressor bleed air manifold directs a variable portion of the compressor bleed air flow to the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alston Ilford Scipio, Julio Enrique Mestroni, Dale J. Davis, Sanji Ekanayake
  • Publication number: 20170114307
    Abstract: A cleaning method and a cleaning fluid are provided. The cleaning method includes accessing a plurality of turbine components attached to a turbine assembly, the turbine assembly being a portion of a turbomachine, positioning at least one cleaning vessel over at least one of the turbine components, forming a liquid seal with a sealing bladder, providing a cleaning fluid to the cleaning vessel, and draining the cleaning fluid from the cleaning vessel. The cleaning fluid includes a carrier fluid and a solvent additive for removing fouling material from the turbine component. An alternative cleaning method is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2017
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Inventors: Sanji EKANAYAKE, Surinder Singh PABLA, Murali Krishna KALAGA, Alston Ilford SCIPIO, Ishmael DEAN EL
  • Publication number: 20170107845
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine system includes a gas turbine engine with a rotating element, at least one primary rotor shaft coupled to the rotating element, and a primary generator coupled to the at least one primary rotor shaft. The system further includes at least one auxiliary rotor shaft coupled to the at least one primary rotor shaft, such that rotation of the at least one primary rotor shaft causes rotation of the at least one auxiliary rotor shaft. The at least one auxiliary rotor shaft is oriented substantially perpendicularly to the at least one primary rotor shaft. An auxiliary generator is coupled to the at least one auxiliary rotor shaft, such that the auxiliary generator is in parallel configuration to the primary generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Joseph Philip Klosinski, Alston Ilford Scipio, James Oldham Lambert, Karl C. Tornroos, Sanji Ekanayake
  • Publication number: 20170082034
    Abstract: A method and system for transitioning a gas turbine from burning gaseous fuel to liquid fuel and purging the liquid fuel therefrom after transfer back to the gaseous fuel are disclosed herein. The method includes pressurizing a volume of liquid fuel in an accumulator with a first volume of motive gas. A valve is opened in response to low gaseous fuel pressure in the gas turbine to permit the volume of liquid fuel to flow through a conduit to the gas turbine. A volume of flushing medium is pressurized in the accumulator with a second volume of motive gas. The valve is opened to permit at least a portion of the volume of flushing medium to flow through the conduit to flush any of the volume of liquid fuel remaining in the conduit after the gas turbine consumes the volume of liquid fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2015
    Publication date: March 23, 2017
    Inventors: Alston I. Scipio, David Terry Trayhan, JR., Sanji Ekanayake, Paul Robert Fernandez
  • Patent number: 9593862
    Abstract: An air disruption system for an enclosure includes an air delivery system, at least one plenum including an inlet fluidically connected to the air delivery system and at least one outlet, and a controller operatively connected to the air delivery system. The controller is configured and disposed to selectively cause one or more discrete amounts of air to pass into the at least one plenum and flow through the outlet creating a localized air disruption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alston Ilford Scipio, Dale Joel Davis, Sanji Ekanayake, Massoud Parisay
  • Patent number: 9567554
    Abstract: A cleaning method and a cleaning fluid are provided. The cleaning method includes accessing a plurality of turbine components attached to a turbine assembly, the turbine assembly being a portion of a turbomachine, positioning at least one cleaning vessel over at least one of the turbine components, forming a liquid seal with a sealing bladder, providing a cleaning fluid to the cleaning vessel, and draining the cleaning fluid from the cleaning vessel. The cleaning fluid includes a carrier fluid and a solvent additive for removing fouling material from the turbine component. An alternative cleaning method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, Surinder Singh Pabla, Murali Krishna Kalaga, Alston Ilford Scipio, Ishmael Dean El
  • Patent number: 9567913
    Abstract: A system and method for supercharging a combined cycle system includes a forced draft fan providing a variable air flow. At least a first portion of the air flow is directed to a compressor and a second portion of the airflow is diverted to a heat recovery steam generator. A control system controls the airflows provided to the compressor and the heat recovery steam generator. The system allows a combined cycle system to be operated at a desired operating state, balancing cycle efficiency and component life, by controlling the flow of air from the forced draft fan to the compressor and the heat recovery steam generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, Alston Ilford Scipio, Steven Hartman, Dale J. Davis
  • Publication number: 20170037780
    Abstract: A system for augmenting gas turbine power output is disclosed. The system may include a gas turbine engine having a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine. The system also may include a pressurized air tank in communication with the gas turbine engine. Moreover, the system may include an external compressor in communication with the pressurized air tank. The external compressor may be configured to supply compressed air to the pressurized air tank, and the pressurized air tank may be configured to supply compressed air to the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Joseph Phillip Klosinski, Alston Ilford Scipio, Sanji Ekanayake
  • Patent number: 9556798
    Abstract: A method and system for measuring a flow profile in a portion of a flow path in a turbine engine is provided. The system includes a mass flow sensor assembly having a plurality of hot wire mass flow sensors, the mass flow sensor assembly disposed in the portion of the flow path at a location where the flow profile is to be measured. The system also includes a controller that converts signals from the temperature sensor, the pressure sensor and the plurality of hot wire mass flow sensors to flow profile measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, Thomas C. Billheimer, Douglas Corbin Warwick, Alston Ilford Scipio, Dale J. Davis, Jason Nathaniel Cook, Vahid Vaezi
  • Patent number: 9557246
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems to determine a power plant machine reliability forecast. In an embodiment, a method may comprise obtaining an environmental factor of a power plant machine based on geospatial data of a first area and location data of a second area, obtaining an operating factor of the power plant machine, and determining a reliability forecast based on the obtained environmental factor and the obtained operating factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, Benjamin Arnette LaGrange, Alston Ilford Scipio, Dale J. Davis, Timothy Tah-teh Yang
  • Publication number: 20160290231
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a compressor including an intake portion and an outlet portion. The compressor compresses air received at the intake portion to form a compressed airflow that exits into the outlet portion. A combustor is operably connected with the compressor, and the combustor receives the compressed airflow. A turbine is operably connected with the combustor. The turbine receives combustion gas flow from the combustor. An intercooler is operatively connected to the compressor, and at least a portion of the intercooler is placed in an inter-stage gap between rotor blades and stator vanes of the compressor. The intercooler has a plurality of heat pipes that extend into the inter-stage gap. The plurality of heat pipes is operatively connected to one or more manifolds. The plurality of heat pipes and the one or more manifolds are configured to transfer heat from the compressed airflow to a plurality of heat exchangers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, Alston Ilfrod Scipio, Joseph Paul Rizzo
  • Publication number: 20160290234
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a compressor configured to compress air received at an intake portion to form a compressed airflow that exits into an outlet portion. A combustor is operably connected with the compressor, and receives the compressed airflow. A turbine is operably connected with the combustor, and receives combustion gas flow from the combustor. The turbine has a plurality of wheels and a plurality of buckets, and the turbine receives compressor bleed off air to cool at least one of the wheels. A cooling system is operatively connected to the turbine, and includes a plurality of heat pipes attached to or embedded within at least one of the wheels. The compressor bleed off air is configured to impinge onto at least one of the wheels or the heat pipes. The heat pipes and the compressor bleed off air are configured to cool the wheels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, Thomas Edward Wickert, Julio Enrique Mestroni, Alston Ilford Scipio
  • Publication number: 20160290230
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a compressor configured to compress air received at an intake portion to form a compressed airflow that exits into an outlet portion. A combustor is operably connected with the compressor, and the combustor receives the compressed airflow. A turbine is operably connected with the combustor. The turbine receives combustion gas flow from the combustor. The compressor has a compressor casing. A cooling system is operatively connected to the compressor casing. The cooling system includes a plurality of heat pipes attached to and in thermal communication with the compressor casing. The plurality of heat pipes are operatively connected to one or more manifolds. The plurality of heat pipes and the one or more manifolds are configured to transfer heat from the compressor casing to a plurality of heat exchangers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, Alston Ilfrod Scipio, Dale Joel Davis, Timothy Tahteh Yang
  • Publication number: 20160290214
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a compressor configured to compress air received at an intake portion to form a compressed airflow that exits into an outlet portion. A combustor is operably connected with the compressor, and the combustor receives the compressed airflow. A turbine is operably connected with the combustor, and the turbine receives combustion gas flow from the combustor. The turbine has a turbine casing. A cooling system is operatively connected to the turbine casing. The cooling system includes a plurality of heat pipes attached to and in thermal communication with the turbine casing. The plurality of heat pipes are operatively connected to one or more manifolds. The plurality of heat pipes and the one or more manifolds are configured to transfer heat from the turbine casing to a plurality of heat exchangers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, Alston Ilfrod Scipio, Timothy Tahteh Yang
  • Publication number: 20160290233
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a compressor having an inter-stage gap between adjacent rows of rotor blades and stator vanes. A combustor is connected to the compressor, and a turbine is connected to the combustor. An intercooler is operatively connected to the compressor, and includes a first plurality of heat pipes that extend into the inter-stage gap. The first plurality of heat pipes are operatively connected to a first manifold, and the heat pipes and the first manifold are configured to transfer heat from the compressed airflow from the compressor to heat exchangers. A cooling system is operatively connected to the turbine, and includes a second plurality of heat pipes located in the turbine nozzles. The second plurality of heat pipes are operatively connected to a second manifold, and the heat pipes and the second manifold are configured to transfer heat from the turbine nozzles to the heat exchangers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, Joseph Paul Rizzo, Alston Ilford Scipio, Timothy Tahteh Yang, Thomas Edward Wickert
  • Publication number: 20160290235
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a compressor, combustor and a turbine. An intercooler is operatively connected to the compressor. The intercooler includes a first plurality of heat pipes that extend into the inter-stage gap of the compressor, and the heat pipes are operatively connected to a first manifold. The heat pipes and the manifold are configured to transfer heat from the compressed airflow to one or more heat exchangers. A first cooling system is operatively connected to the turbine. The first cooling system includes a second plurality of heat pipes attached to or embedded within at least one of the plurality of wheels. The compressor bleed off air is configured to impinge onto at least one of the plurality of wheels or the second plurality of heat pipes. The second plurality of heat pipes and the compressor bleed off air are configured to cool at least one of the plurality of wheels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, Julio Enrique Mestroni, Joseph Paul Rizzo, Alston Ilford Scipio, Timothy Tahteh Yang, Thomas Edward Wickert
  • Publication number: 20160290232
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a compressor configured to compress air received at an intake portion to form a compressed airflow that exits into an outlet portion. The compressor has a plurality of rotor blades and a plurality of stator vanes, and a compressor casing forming an outer shell of the compressor. A combustor is operably connected with the compressor, and the combustor receives the compressed airflow. A turbine is operably connected with the combustor, and the turbine receives combustion gas flow from the combustor. The turbine has a turbine casing. A cooling system is operatively connected to the compressor casing. The cooling system includes a plurality of heat pipes located in at least a portion of the plurality of stator vanes. The heat pipes are configured to be in thermal communication with the compressor casing. The heat absorbed by the plurality of heat pipes is transferred to the compressor casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, Alston Ilfrod Scipio
  • Publication number: 20160290174
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a compressor having an intake portion and an outlet portion. The compressor compresses air received at the intake portion to form a compressed airflow that exits into the outlet portion. A combustor is operably connected with the compressor, and the combustor receives the compressed airflow. A turbine is operably connected with the combustor, and the turbine receives combustion gas flow from the combustor. An aftercooler is operatively connected to the outlet portion of the compressor. The aftercooler includes a plurality of heat pipes that extend into the outlet portion. The plurality of heat pipes are operatively connected to one or more manifolds. The plurality of heat pipes and the one or more manifolds are configured to transfer heat from the compressed airflow in the outlet portion to a plurality of heat exchangers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, Alston Ilfrod Scipio, Joseph Paul Rizzo
  • Publication number: 20160273396
    Abstract: A power generation system includes: a first gas turbine system including a first turbine component, a first integral compressor and a first combustor to which air from the first integral compressor and fuel are supplied, the first combustor arranged to supply hot combustion gases to the first turbine component, and the first integral compressor having a flow capacity greater than an intake capacity of the first combustor and/or the first gas turbine component, creating an excess air flow. A second gas turbine system may include similar components to the first except but without excess capacity in its compressor. A control valve system controls flow of the excess air flow from the first gas turbine system to the second gas turbine system. A heat exchanger may be coupled to the excess air flow path for exchanging heat with the excess air flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, William Theadore Fisher, Joseph Philip Klosinski, Mark Stefan Maier, George Vargese Mathai, Ryan Eric Obenhoff, Robert Michael Orenstein, Alston Ilford Scipio, Gordon Raymond Smith
  • Publication number: 20160273395
    Abstract: A power generation system includes: a first gas turbine system including a first turbine component, a first integral compressor and a first combustor to which air from the first integral compressor and fuel are supplied, the first combustor arranged to supply hot combustion gases to the first turbine component, and the first integral compressor having a flow capacity greater than an intake capacity of the first combustor and/or the first turbine component, creating an excess air flow. A second gas turbine system may include similar components to the first except but without excess capacity in its compressor. A control valve system controls flow of the excess air flow from the first gas turbine system to the second gas turbine system. A cooling fluid injector may be coupled to the excess air flow path for injecting a cooling fluid such as water or steam into the excess air flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Sanji Ekanayake, Dale Joel Davis, George Vargese Mathai, Julio Enrique Mestroni, Alston Ilford Scipio