Patents by Inventor Timothy A. Fox

Timothy A. Fox 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: 20130327045
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustion chamber includes a fuel nozzle with a cylindrical nozzle tube, in which a fluid flows, and a convexly formed nozzle cover, which is arranged downstream of the nozzle tube. The nozzle cover has a central point and a plurality of through-openings through which the fluid leaves the nozzle tube. The through-openings are arranged at different radial distances from the central point at two circular lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventors: Timothy A. Fox, Uwe Gruschka, Steven Williams, Ulrich Wörz, Jaap Van Kampen
  • Patent number: 8549859
    Abstract: A combustion apparatus in a gas turbine engine comprises a combustor shell for receiving air, a fuel injection system associated with the combustor shell, a first fuel supply structure, and a shield structure. The fuel supply structure is in fluid communication with a source of fuel for delivering fuel from the source of fuel to the fuel injection system and comprises a first fuel supply elements including a first section extending along a first path having a component in an axial direction and a second section extending from the first section along a second path having a component in a circumferential direction. The shield structure is associated with at least a portion of the second section of the first fuel supply element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy A. Fox, David J. Wiebe, David M. Ritland, John Carl Glessner
  • Patent number: 8511087
    Abstract: Disclosed is a gas turbine fuel injector and swirler assembly, including: a delivery tube structure arranged on a central axis of the fuel injector and swirler assembly, a first fuel supply channel arranged in the delivery tube structure, a shroud surrounding the delivery tube structure, swirl vanes arranged between the delivery tube structure and the shroud, a radial passage in each swirl vane, communicating with the first fuel supply channel, a set of apertures open between the radial passage and the exterior surface of said each swirl vane, wherein a second fuel supply channel is arranged in the delivery tube structure extending to a downstream end of the delivery tube structure and a mixer with lobes for fuel injection is arranged at the downstream end. Further disclosed is an assembly method for assembling a fuel injector and swirler assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Atkiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Timothy A. Fox, Steven Williams, Ulrich Wörz, Jaap Van Kampen
  • Publication number: 20130174560
    Abstract: A combustor assembly in a gas turbine engine includes a combustor device, a fuel injection system, a transition duct, and an intermediate duct. The combustor device includes a flow sleeve for receiving pressurized air and a liner surrounded by the flow sleeve. The fuel injection system provides fuel to be mixed with the pressurized air and ignited in the liner to create combustion products. The intermediate duct is disposed between the liner and the transition duct so as to define a path for the combustion products to flow from the liner to the transition duct. The intermediate duct is associated with the liner such that movement may occur therebetween, and the intermediate duct is associated with the transition duct such that movement may occur therebetween. The flow sleeve includes structure that defines an axial stop for limiting axial movement of the intermediate duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Publication date: July 11, 2013
    Inventors: DAVID J. WIEBE, TIMOTHY A. FOX
  • Publication number: 20130104554
    Abstract: A burner assembly for a gas turbine is provided. The burner assembly has a combustor, a centrally arranged pilot burner and plurality of main burners surrounding the pilot burner. Each main burner has a cylindrical housing having a lance which is centrally arranged therein and has a fuel channel for liquid fuel. The lance is supported on the housing by swirl blades and an attachment is arranged on the lance in the direction of the combustor. The liquid fuel nozzle is arranged in the attachment downstream of the swirl blades and connected to the fuel channel. For the improved mixing of the fuel with the air, the liquid fuel nozzle is designed as a full jet nozzle and the full jet nozzle has a length and a diameter, the ratio of the length to the diameter is at least 1.5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Inventors: Siegfried Bode, Timothy A. Fox, Thomas Grieb, Matthias Hase, Jürgen Meisl, Sebastian Pfadler
  • Publication number: 20130067920
    Abstract: Disclosed is a gas turbine fuel injector and swirler assembly, including: a delivery tube structure arranged on a central axis of the fuel injector and swirler assembly, a first fuel supply channel arranged in the delivery tube structure, a shroud surrounding the delivery tube structure, swirl vanes arranged between the delivery tube structure and the shroud, a radial passage in each swirl vane, communicating with the first fuel supply channel, a set of apertures open between the radial passage and the exterior surface of said each swirl vane, wherein a second fuel supply channel is arranged in the delivery tube structure extending to a downstream end of the delivery tube structure and a mixer with lobes for fuel injection is arranged at the downstream end. Further disclosed is an assembly method for assembling a fuel injector and swirler assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventors: Timothy A. Fox, Steven Williams, Ulrich Wörz, Jaap Van Kampen
  • Publication number: 20130055720
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor assembly including a combustor liner and a plurality of fuel nozzle assemblies arranged in an annular array extending within the combustor liner. The fuel nozzle assemblies each include fuel nozzle body integral with a swirler assembly, and the swirler assemblies each a bellmouth structure to turn air radially inwardly for passage into the swirler assemblies. A radially outer removed portion of each of the bellmouth structures define a periphery diameter spaced from an inner surface of the combustor liner, and an interface ring is provided extending between the combustor liner and the removed portions of the bellmouth structures at the periphery diameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Publication date: March 7, 2013
    Inventors: TIMOTHY A. FOX, Reinhard Schilp
  • Patent number: 8375726
    Abstract: A combustor assembly in a gas turbine engine. The combustor assembly includes a combustor device coupled to a main engine casing, a first fuel injection system, a transition duct, and an intermediate duct. The combustor device includes a flow sleeve for receiving pressurized air and a liner disposed radially inwardly from the flow sleeve. The first fuel injection system provides fuel that is ignited with the pressurized air creating first working gases. The intermediate duct is disposed between the liner and the transition duct and defines a path for the first working gases to flow from the liner to the transition duct. An intermediate duct inlet portion is associated with a liner outlet and allows movement between the intermediate duct and the liner. An intermediate duct outlet portion is associated with a transition duct inlet section and allows movement between the intermediate duct and the transition duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Wiebe, Timothy A. Fox
  • Patent number: 8359585
    Abstract: Methods and systems for obsolescence mitigation of electronic systems including hardware and software components, in particular methods and systems for managing obsolete instrument hardware and application software used in legacy Automated Test Systems (ATS) or Automatic Test Equipment (ATE). When one or more components of a test program set (TPS) has been rendered obsolete, migration to one or more replacement instruments without any impact to the TPS or other remaining legacy instruments in the ATE or ATS is obtained by a translator module interposed between the new instrument and the system bus for translating instructions for the obsolete instrument or set of instruments into instructions or procedures for the new instrument whereby the new instrument thus functions in the same manner as the obsolete instrument or set of instruments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Testing Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Spinner, William Harold Leippe, James McKenna, Timothy Fox
  • Publication number: 20120260666
    Abstract: A multi-fuel combustion system is provided. The system includes a combustor basket adapted to combust at least two type of fuels. The combustor basket includes a circumferential wall with a plurality of openings. The combustion system further includes a first conduit adapted to provide a first type of fuel directly to the combustor basket and a second conduit adapted to provide a second type of fuel directly to the combustor basket. The combustion system also may include a third conduit adapted to inject at least one of the first type of fuel and the second type of fuel through the openings into the combustor basket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2010
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Inventors: Vinayak V. Barve, Timothy A. Fox, Jianfan Wu, Ulrich Wörz, Jaap Van Kampen
  • Patent number: 8272218
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle for delivery of fuel to a gas turbine engine. The fuel nozzle includes an outer nozzle wall and a center body located centrally within the nozzle wall. A gap is defined between an inner wall surface of the nozzle wall and an outer body surface of the center body for providing fuel flow in a longitudinal direction from an inlet end to an outlet end of the fuel nozzle. A turbulating feature is defined on at least one of the central body and the inner wall for causing at least a portion of the fuel flow in the gap to flow transverse to the longitudinal direction. The gap is effective to provide a substantially uniform temperature distribution along the nozzle wall in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Fox, Reinhard Schilp
  • Publication number: 20120137691
    Abstract: An assembly for a gas turbine is presented. The assembly includes a gas supply pipe passing through a bore in a flange of the gas turbine for supplying gas to a combustion chamber of the gas turbine and a sleeve surrounding the gas supply pipe, having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is sealingly coupled to the gas supply pipe, and wherein the sleeve is adapted to be sealingly coupled to the flange at the second end such that the sleeve extends along a thickness of the flange.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2010
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: Andreas Bõttcher, Timothy A. Fox, Daniel W. Garan, Thomas Grieb, Jens Kleinfeld, Tobias Krieger, Stephen A. Ramier, David M. Ritland, Marcus Zurhorst
  • Publication number: 20120047910
    Abstract: A hot gas path system for a gas turbine including a stepped inlet ring at an intersection between a downstream end of a combustor basket and an upstream end of a transition is disclosed. The heat shield may be positioned downstream from a combustor basket and proximate to an intersection between the collar and the axially extending cylindrical wall. The stepped inlet ring may be coupled to the transition section and may extend upstream from the transition section. An upstream end of the stepped inlet ring may be positioned radially outward from the combustor basket such that at least a portion of the stepped inlet ring overlaps a portion of the combustor basket. A spring clip may be positioned between the combustor basket and the stepped inlet ring such that the spring clip seals at least a portion of a gap between the combustor basket and the stepped inlet ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventors: Muzaffer Sutcu, Timothy A. Fox, William R. Ryan
  • Publication number: 20110296839
    Abstract: A port (60) for axially staging fuel and air into a combustion gas flow path 28 of a turbine combustor (10A). A port enclosure (63) forms an air path through a combustor wall (30). Fuel injectors (64) in the enclosure provide convergent fuel streams (72) that oppose each other, thus converting velocity pressure to static pressure. This forms a flow stagnation zone (74) that acts as a valve on airflow (40, 41) through the port, in which the air outflow (41) is inversely proportion to the fuel flow (25). The fuel flow rate is controlled (65) in proportion to engine load. At high loads, more fuel and less air flow through the port, making more air available to the premixing assemblies (36).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2010
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Inventors: William F. Van Nieuwenhuizen, Timothy A. Fox, Steven Williams
  • Publication number: 20110289928
    Abstract: A fuel injector for use in a gas turbine engine combustor assembly. The fuel injector includes a main body and a fuel supply structure. The main body has an inlet end and an outlet end and defines a longitudinal axis extending between the outlet and inlet ends. The main body comprises a plurality of air/fuel passages extending therethrough, each air/fuel passage including an inlet that receives air from a source of air and an outlet. The fuel supply structure communicates with and supplies fuel to the air/fuel passages for providing an air/fuel mixture within each air/fuel passage. The air/fuel mixtures exit the main body through respective air/fuel passage outlets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Inventors: Timothy A. Fox, Reinhard Schilp, Domenico Gambacorta
  • Publication number: 20110203284
    Abstract: An annular fluid distribution device (20) for distributing fluid into a gaseous flow (14), that includes: a first fluid distribution manifold (30) having a first fluid inlet and first fluid outlets (24), wherein the first fluid outlets inject a first fluid into the gaseous flow; and a second fluid distribution manifold (32), having a second fluid inlet and second fluid outlets (26), wherein the second fluid outlets inject a second fluid into the gaseous flow. The second fluid manifold is isolated from the first fluid distribution manifold, and the first fluid outlets and the second fluid outlets are disposed on a common fluid outlet plane (43).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Inventors: David M. Ritland, Timothy A. Fox
  • Publication number: 20110203285
    Abstract: A burner arrangement is provided. The burner arrangement includes a support and at least two fuel nozzles attached to the support in the direction of flow, with each fuel nozzle including a support-side section which includes a contact surface on the support side with which it rests on a supporting surface of the support, with at least two fuel nozzle tips embodied in one piece extending out from the support-side section in the direction of flow and the support-side contact surface including at least two extension parts projecting in the direction of the support, with the extension parts each embodying a channel through which fuel is fed in each case to the fuel nozzle tips through passages which are arranged in the support-side contact surface of the support-side section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Inventors: Andreas Böttcher, Timothy A. Fox, Thomas Grieb, Tobias Krieger, Stephen A. Ramier
  • Patent number: 7938884
    Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for controlling the amount of purging that occurs within a membrane separation device. The membrane separation device includes a membrane separation component and sweep controlling component. Within the membrane separation component, a major portion of the non-permeate gas is sent out of the membrane separation device to work, while a minor portion is diverted for use as a sweep gas. The sweep gas is controlled by a valve that cycles with a device, such as a compressor. Thus, the membrane separation device is on when the compressor is on and is off when the compressor is off. As such, the membrane separation device is not required to sweep at all times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: SPX Corporation
    Inventors: Darrin Barnette, Timothy Fox, Mark Honath, Craig Cuta, Carl Geisz, John Burban
  • Publication number: 20110091829
    Abstract: The present invention explains a multi-fuel combustion system. It consist of a combustor basket adapted to combust at least two type of fuels. The combustor basket has got a circumferential wall comprising a plurality of openings. The combustion system further has a first conduit adapted to provide a first type of fuel directly to the combustor basket, a second conduit adapted to provide a second type of fuel directly to the combustor basket and a third conduit adapted to inject at least one of the first type of fuel and the second type of fuel through the openings into the combustor basket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventors: Vinayak Barve, Timothy A. Fox, Jianfan Wu, Ulrich Wörz, Jaap van Kampen
  • Publication number: 20110067402
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle assembly for use in a combustor apparatus of a gas turbine engine. An outer housing of the fuel nozzle assembly includes an inner volume and provides a direct structural connection between a duct structure and a fuel manifold. The duct structure defines a flow passage for combustion gases flowing within the combustor apparatus. The fuel manifold defines a fuel supply channel therein in fluid communication with a source of fuel. A fuel injector of the fuel nozzle assembly is provided in the inner volume of the outer housing and defines a fuel passage therein. The fuel passage is in fluid communication with the fuel supply channel of the fuel manifold for distributing the fuel from the fuel supply channel into the flow passage of the duct structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Inventors: David J. Wiebe, Timothy A. Fox