Patents by Inventor Willy Steve Ziminsky

Willy Steve Ziminsky 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: 8457861
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided and includes a combustor having a first interior in which a first fuel is combustible, a turbine into which products of at least the combustion of the first fuel are receivable, a transition zone, including a second interior in which a second fuel and the products of the combustion of the first fuel are combustible, a plurality of fuel injectors 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, a compressor, by which air is supplied to the first and second interiors for the combustion therein, and a control system configured to control relative amounts of the air to the first and second interiors and relative amounts of the first and second fuels supplied to the first and second interiors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr., Krishna Kumar Venkataraman, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Geoffrey David Myers
  • Patent number: 8429917
    Abstract: Fuel is delivered in a gas turbine engine including a can annular combustor array that includes at least one combustor level subset within the array supplied by an independent fuel delivery system. Fuel is supplied only to one or more subsets during a first mode of operation. Fuel is supplied to the entire array of combustors during a second mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David August Snider, Willy Steve Ziminsky
  • Patent number: 8424311
    Abstract: A fuel/air mixing disk for use in a fuel/air mixing combustor assembly is provided. The disk includes a first face, a second face, and at least one fuel plenum disposed therebetween. A plurality of fuel/air mixing tubes extend through the pre-mixing disk, each mixing tube including an outer tube wall extending axially along a tube axis and in fluid communication with the at least one fuel plenum. At least a portion of the plurality of fuel/air mixing tubes further includes at least one fuel injection hole have a fuel injection hole diameter extending through said outer tube wall, the fuel injection hole having an injection angle relative to the tube axis. The invention provides good fuel air mixing with low combustion generated NOx and low flow pressure loss translating to a high gas turbine efficiency, that is durable, and resistant to flame holding and flash back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William David York, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Thomas Edward Johnson, Benjamin Lacy, Baifang Zuo, Jong Ho Uhm
  • Publication number: 20130084534
    Abstract: A combustor includes an end cap having upstream and downstream surfaces and a cap shield surrounding the upstream and downstream surfaces. First and second sets of premixer tubes extend from the upstream surface through the downstream surface. A first fuel conduit supplies fuel to the first set of premixer tubes. A casing circumferentially surrounds the cap shield to define an annular passage, and a second fuel conduit supplies fuel through the annular passage to the second set of premixer tubes. A method for supplying fuel to a combustor includes flowing a working fluid through first and second sets of premixer tubes, flowing a first fuel into the first set of premixer tubes, and flowing a second fuel through an annular passage surrounding the end cap and into the second set of premixer tubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Patrick Benedict Melton, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Gregory Allen Boardman
  • Publication number: 20130067926
    Abstract: The present application provides a premixer for a combustor. The premixer may include a fuel plenum with a number of fuel tubes and a burner tube with a number of air tubes. The fuel tubes extend about the air tubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Balachandar Varatharajan, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Gilbert Otto Kraemer, Ertan Yilmaz, Benjamin Lacy, Christian Stevenson, David Felling
  • Publication number: 20130061593
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a combustor assembly are disclosed. The system includes a combustor assembly. The combustor assembly includes a combustor and a fuel nozzle assembly. The combustor includes a casing. The fuel nozzle assembly is positioned at least partially within the casing and includes a fuel nozzle. The fuel nozzle assembly further defines a head end. The system further includes a viewing device configured for capturing an image of at least a portion of the head end, and a processor communicatively coupled to the viewing device, the processor configured to compare the image to a standard image for the head end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: William David York, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Thomas Edward Johnson, Christian Xavier Stevenson
  • Patent number: 8387399
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling a combustor assembly are disclosed. The system includes a combustor assembly. The combustor assembly includes a combustor and a fuel nozzle assembly. The combustor includes a casing. The fuel nozzle assembly is positioned at least partially within the casing and includes a fuel nozzle. The fuel nozzle assembly further defines a head end. The system further includes a viewing device configured for capturing an image of at least a portion of the head end, and a processor communicatively coupled to the viewing device, the processor configured to compare the image to a standard image for the head end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William David York, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Thomas Edward Johnson, Christian Xavier Stevenson
  • Publication number: 20130045450
    Abstract: A system for reducing combustion dynamics in a combustor includes an end cap that extends radially across the combustor and includes an upstream surface axially separated from a downstream surface. A combustion chamber is downstream of the end cap, and tubes extend from the upstream surface through the downstream surface. Each tube provides fluid communication through the end cap to the combustion chamber. The system further includes means for reducing combustion dynamics in the combustor. A method for reducing combustion dynamics in a combustor includes flowing a working fluid through tubes that extend axially through an end cap that extends radially across the combustor and obstructing at least a portion of the working fluid flowing through a first set of the tubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Thomas Edward Johnson, Shiva Srinivasan, William David York
  • Patent number: 8365532
    Abstract: A nozzle includes an inlet, an outlet, and an axial centerline. A shroud surrounding the axial centerline extends from the inlet to the outlet and defines a circumference. The circumference proximate the inlet is greater than the circumference at a first point downstream of the inlet, and the circumference at the first point downstream of the inlet is less than the circumference at a second point downstream of the first point. A method for supplying a fuel through a nozzle directs a first airflow along a first path and a second airflow along a second path separate from the first path. The method further includes injecting the fuel into at least one of the first path or the second path and accelerating at least one of the first airflow or the second airflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Baifang Zuo, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Thomas Edward Johnson, John Charles Intile, Benjamin Paul Lacy
  • Publication number: 20130014514
    Abstract: A gas turbine includes a plurality of combustion chambers; at least one fuel nozzle for each of the combustion chambers; at least one fuel line for each fuel nozzle in each of the combustion chambers; at least one heat exchanger for each fuel line configured to adjust a temperature of a fuel flow to each fuel nozzle; and a controller configured to control each of the heat exchangers to reduce temperature variations amongst the combustion chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Inventors: Bryan Wesley Romig, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Derrick Walter Simons
  • Publication number: 20120312024
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided and includes a combustor having a first interior in which a first fuel is combustible, a turbine into which products of at least the combustion of the first fuel are receivable, a transition zone, including a second interior in which a second fuel and the products of the combustion of the first fuel are combustible, a plurality of fuel injectors 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, a compressor, by which air is supplied to the first and second interiors for the combustion therein, and a control system configured to control relative amounts of the air to the first and second interiors and relative amounts of the first and second fuels supplied to the first and second interiors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2012
    Publication date: December 13, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Lewis Berkley Davis, JR., Krishna Kumar Venkataraman, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Geoffrey David Myers
  • Patent number: 8327642
    Abstract: The present application provides a premixer for a combustor. The premixer may include a fuel plenum with a number of fuel tubes and a burner tube with a number of air tubes. The fuel tubes extend about the air tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Balachandar Varatharajan, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Gilbert Otto Kraemer, Ertan Yilmaz, Benjamin Lacy, Christian Stevenson, David Felling
  • Patent number: 8312722
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle with active cooling is provided. It includes an outer peripheral wall, a nozzle center body concentrically disposed within the outer wall in a fuel and air pre-mixture. The fuel and air pre-mixture includes an air inlet, a fuel inlet and a premixing passage defined between the outer wall in the center body. A gas fuel flow passage is provided. A first cooling passage is included within the center body in a second cooling passage is defined between the center body and the outer wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William David York, Thomas Edward Johnson, Willy Steve Ziminsky
  • Patent number: 8276385
    Abstract: A fuel injection nozzle includes a body member having an upstream wall opposing a downstream wall, and an internal wall disposed between the upstream wall and the downstream wall, a first chamber partially defined by the an inner surface of the upstream wall and a surface of the internal wall, a second chamber partially defined by an inner surface of the downstream wall and a surface of the internal wall a first gas inlet communicative with the first chamber operative to emit a first gas into the first chamber, a second gas inlet communicative with the second chamber operative to emit a second gas into the second chamber, and a plurality of mixing tubes, each of the mixing tubes having a tube inner surface, a tube outer surface, a first inlet communicative with an aperture in the upstream wall operative to receive a third gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Baifang Zuo, Abdul Rafey Khan, William David York, Willy Steve Ziminsky
  • Patent number: 8276386
    Abstract: A combustor includes an end cover and a combustion chamber downstream of the end cover. The combustor further includes nozzles disposed radially in the end cover and a shroud surrounding at least one of the nozzles and extending downstream into the combustion chamber. The shroud includes an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface. A method for operating a combustor includes flowing compressed working fluid through nozzles into a combustion chamber, flowing fuel through each nozzle in a first subset of the nozzles into the combustion chamber, and igniting the fuel from each nozzle in the first subset of nozzles in the combustion chamber. In addition, the method includes extending into the combustion chamber a separate shroud around each nozzle in a second subset of the nozzles and isolating fuel to each nozzle in the second subset of nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Willy Steve Ziminsky, Christopher Edward Wolfe, Sergey Anatolievich Meshkov, Sergey Adolfovich Oskin
  • Patent number: 8275533
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided and includes a combustor having a first interior in which a first fuel is combustible, a turbine into which products of at least the combustion of the first fuel are receivable, a transition zone, including a second interior in which a second fuel and the products of the combustion of the first fuel are combustible, a plurality of fuel injectors 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, a compressor, by which air is supplied to the first and second interiors for the combustion therein, and a control system configured to control relative amounts of the air to the first and second interiors and relative amounts of the first and second fuels supplied to the first and second interiors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr., Krishna Kumar Venkataraman, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Geoffrey David Myers
  • Publication number: 20120198851
    Abstract: A combustor includes a central fuel nozzle assembly and a plurality of outer fuel nozzle assemblies, each of the plurality of outer fuel nozzle assemblies having a center body and an outer shroud, the plurality of outer fuel nozzle assemblies being configured to abut one another in a surrounding relationship to the central cylinder such that no gaps are present between any two abutting ones of the plurality of outer fuel nozzle assemblies. One or more of the plurality of fuel nozzle assemblies may traverse axially back and forth according to embodiments of the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Lewis Berkley Davis, JR., Joseph Vincent Citeno, Thomas Edward Johnson, Willy Steve Ziminsky
  • Patent number: 8230687
    Abstract: A fuel injector tube includes a one piece, unitary, polygonal tube having an inlet end and an outlet end. The fuel injector tube further includes a fuel passage extending from the inlet end to the outlet end along a longitudinal axis of the polygonal tube, a plurality of air passages extending from the inlet end to the outlet end and surrounding the fuel passage, and a plurality of fuel holes. Each fuel hole connects an air passage with the fuel passage. The inlet end of the polygonal tube is formed into a fuel tube. A fuel injector includes a plurality of fuel injector tubes and a plate. The plurality of fuel tubes are connected to the plate adjacent the inlet ends of the plurality of fuel injector tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Willy Steve Ziminsky
  • Publication number: 20120175430
    Abstract: A nozzle includes a center body that defines an axial centerline and a shroud circumferentially surrounding at least a portion of the center body to define an annular passage between the center body and the shroud. A plurality of vanes between the center body and the shroud comprise a radially outward portion separated from the shroud. A method for enhancing flow through a nozzle includes flowing a fuel through a center body and flowing a fluid stream across a vane located between the center body and a shroud surrounding at least a portion of the center body. The method further includes flowing the fluid stream between a radially outward portion of the vane and the shroud, wherein the radially outward portion of the vane is separated from the shroud.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Mahesh Bathina, Willy Steve Ziminsky
  • Patent number: 8186166
    Abstract: A hybrid fuel combustion nozzle for use with natural gas, syngas, or other types of fuels. The hybrid fuel combustion nozzle may include a natural gas system with a number of swozzle vanes and a syngas system with a number of co-annular fuel tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Balachandar Varatharajan, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Ertan Yilmaz, Benjamin Lacy, Baifang Zuo, William David York