Patents by Inventor William Eric Maki

William Eric Maki 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: 9194248
    Abstract: Various embodiments include systems for controlling the flow of main steam from a high-pressure (HP) turbine to a turbine packing. In some cases, a system is disclosed including: a high pressure (HP) turbine including a plurality of stages, the plurality of stages including an early stage, a middle stage and a later stage; an intermediate pressure (IP) turbine operably connected with the HP turbine; a packing separating the HP turbine and the IP turbine; a main conduit fluidly connecting the middle stage of the HP turbine and the packing, the main conduit including a main valve; and a bypass conduit fluidly connected to the main conduit and bypassing the main valve, the bypass conduit including: a blocking valve; and an opening between the blocking valve and a downstream connection with the main conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kaushal Vishnubhai Patel, James Stewart Farrar, William Eric Maki
  • Patent number: 8689557
    Abstract: A steam seal dump re-entry system delivers steam dump flow to an LP steam turbine. The system includes a steam seal header receiving steam leaking from turbine end seal packings, and a desuperheater receiving and cooling the steam from the steam seal header. The desuperheater outputs cooled steam. A temperature sensor is disposed downstream of the desuperheater and detects a temperature of the cooled steam. A flow control circuit communicating with the temperature sensor selectively delivers the cooled steam to at least one of the condenser and to the LP steam turbine depending on the temperature of the cooled steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Eric Maki, Kevin J. Odell, Michael James Molitor, Timothy Andrew Melsert, Steven Paul Scarlata, James Daniel Antalek
  • Publication number: 20130330175
    Abstract: Various embodiments include systems for controlling the flow of main steam from a high-pressure (HP) turbine to a turbine packing. In some cases, a system is disclosed including: a high pressure (HP) turbine including a plurality of stages, the plurality of stages including an early stage, a middle stage and a later stage; an intermediate pressure (IP) turbine operably connected with the HP turbine; a packing separating the HP turbine and the IP turbine; a main conduit fluidly connecting the middle stage of the HP turbine and the packing, the main conduit including a main valve; and a bypass conduit fluidly connected to the main conduit and bypassing the main valve, the bypass conduit including: a blocking valve; and an opening between the blocking valve and a downstream connection with the main conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Kaushal Vishnubhai Patel, James Stewart Farrar, William Eric Maki
  • Publication number: 20120198845
    Abstract: A steam seal dump re-entry system delivers steam dump flow to an LP steam turbine. The system includes a steam seal header receiving steam leaking from turbine end seal packings, and a desuperheater receiving and cooling the steam from the steam seal header. The desuperheater outputs cooled steam. A temperature sensor is disposed downstream of the desuperheater and detects a temperature of the cooled steam. A flow control circuit communicating with the temperature sensor selectively delivers the cooled steam to at least one of the condenser and to the LP steam turbine depending on the temperature of the cooled steam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Inventors: William Eric Maki, Kevin J. Odell, Michael James Molitor, Timothy Andrew Melsert, Steven Paul Scarlata, James Daniel Antalek