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).
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Publication number: 20110072824Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2009Publication date: March 31, 2011Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: BAIFANG ZUO, WILLY STEVE ZIMINSKY, THOMAS EDWARD JOHNSON, JOHN CHARLES INTILE, BENJAMIN PAUL LACY
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Publication number: 20110057056Abstract: A monolithic fuel injection head for a fuel nozzle includes a substantially hollow vesicle body formed with an upstream end face, a downstream end face and a peripheral wall extending therebetween, an internal baffle plate extending radially outwardly from a downstream end of the bore, terminating short of the peripheral wall, thereby defining upstream and downstream fuel plenums in the vesicle body, in fluid communication by way of a radial gap between the baffle plate and the peripheral wall. A plurality of integral pre-mix tubes extend axially through the upstream and downstream fuel plenums in the vesicle body and through the baffle plate, with at least one fuel injection hole extending between each of the pre-mix tubes and the upstream fuel plenum, thereby enabling fuel in the upstream plenum to be injected into the plurality of pre-mix tubes. The fuel injection head is formed by direct metal laser sintering.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2009Publication date: March 10, 2011Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Willy Steve ZIMINSKY, Thomas Edward JOHNSON, Benjamin LACY, William David YORK, Christian Xavier STEVENSON
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Patent number: 7886545Abstract: A method for assembling a gas turbine combustor system is provided. The method includes providing a combustion liner including a center axis, an outer wall, a first end, and a second end. The outer wall is orientated substantially parallel to the center axis. The method also includes coupling a transition piece to the liner second end. The transition piece includes an outer wall. The method further includes coupling a plurality of lean-direct injectors along at least one of the liner outer wall and the transition piece outer wall such that the injectors are spaced axially apart along the wall.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2007Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Gilbert Otto Kraemer, Balachandar Varatharajan, Ertan Yilmaz, John Joseph Lipinski, Willy Steve Ziminsky
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Patent number: 7886991Abstract: An injection nozzle having a main body portion with an outer peripheral wall is disclosed. The nozzle includes a plurality of fuel/air mixing tubes disposed within the main body portion and a fuel flow passage fluidly connected to the plurality of fuel/air mixing tubes. Fuel and air are partially premixed inside the plurality of the tubes. A second body portion, having an outer peripheral wall extending between a first end and an opposite second end, is connected to the main body portion. The partially premixed fuel and air mixture from the first body portion gets further mixed inside the second body portion. The second body portion converges from the first end toward said second end. The second body portion also includes cooling passages that extend along all the walls around the second body to provide thermal damage resistance for occasional flame flash back into the second body.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2008Date of Patent: February 15, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Baifang Zuo, Thomas Edward Johnson, Benjamin Paul Lacy, Willy Steve Ziminsky
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Publication number: 20110005189Abstract: A system includes a turbine combustor fuel nozzle. The turbine combustor fuel nozzle includes a swirl vane. The turbine combustor fuel nozzle also includes an injection hole configured to inject fluid in a downstream region of the swirl vane. The injection of fluid in a downstream region of the swirl vane may be in response to detection of a condition indicative of a flame inside the turbine combustor fuel nozzle.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2009Publication date: January 13, 2011Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Christian Xavier Stevenson
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Publication number: 20100326079Abstract: A fuel nozzle assembly includes a swirler assembly having an inlet end, an outlet end, a shroud inner surface and a hub outer surface. The inner surface has a first diameter adjacent to the inlet end and a second diameter adjacent to the outlet end defining a differential diameter ratio. A plurality of vanes are coupled to the swirler assembly and extend between the shroud inner surface and the hub outer surface. The vanes have a pair of opposing sidewalls joined at a leading edge and at an axially-spaced trailing edge, and a first height adjacent to the leading edge and a second height adjacent to the trailing edge. The first height and the second height define a differential height ratio, wherein the differential diameter ratio, the differential height ratio, or both are configured to provide convergent flow through the fuel nozzle.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2009Publication date: December 30, 2010Inventors: Baifang Zuo, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Benjamin Paul Lacy, David Kenton Felling
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Publication number: 20100326082Abstract: A method for controlling a gas turbine combustion system includes supplying an ultra low calorific fuel to a combustor of the combustion system through a first fuel circuit, controlling a supply of the ultra low calorific fuel through a second fuel circuit as required to control the volumetric flow of the ultra low calorific fuel through the combustor, and combusting the ultra low calorific fuel in the combustor.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 30, 2009Publication date: December 30, 2010Inventors: Willy Steve Ziminsky, Lewis Berkley Davis, JR.
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Publication number: 20100252652Abstract: A fuel injection nozzle comprises a body member having an upstream wall opposing a downstream wall, a baffle member having an upstream surface and a downstream surface, a first chamber, a second chamber, a fuel inlet communicative with the first chamber operative to emit a first gas into the first 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 second gas, a second inlet communicative with the tube outer surface and the tube inner surface operative to translate the first gas into the mixing tube, a mixing portion operative to mix the first gas and the second gas, and an outlet communicative with an aperture in the downstream wall operative to emit the mixed first and second gasses.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2009Publication date: October 7, 2010Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Thomas Edward Johnson, Christian Xavier Stevenson, William David York, Willy Steve Ziminsky
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Publication number: 20100218501Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2009Publication date: September 2, 2010Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: William David York, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Thomas Edward Johnson, Benjamin Lacy, Baifang Zuo, Jong Ho Uhm
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Publication number: 20100192581Abstract: A fuel/air mixing tube for use in a fuel/air mixing tube bundle is provided. The fuel/air mixing tube includes an outer tube wall extending axially along a tube axis between an inlet end and an exit end, the outer tube wall having a thickness extending between an inner tube surface having a inner diameter and an outer tube surface having an outer tube diameter. The tube further includes at least one fuel injection hole having a fuel injection hole diameter extending through the 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: ApplicationFiled: February 4, 2009Publication date: August 5, 2010Applicant: General Electricity CompanyInventors: Willy Steve Ziminsky, Thomas Edward Johnson, Benjamin Paul Lacy, William David York, Jong Ho Uhm, Baifang Zuo
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Publication number: 20100186413Abstract: A turbomachine includes a compressor, a combustor operatively connected to the compressor, an end cover mounted to the combustor, and an injection nozzle assembly operatively connected to the combustor. The injection nozzle assembly includes a cap member having a first surface that extends to a second surface. The cap member further includes a plurality of openings. A plurality of bundled mini-tube assemblies are detachably mounted in the plurality of openings in the cap member. Each of the plurality of bundled mini-tube assemblies includes a main body section having a first end section and a second end section. A fluid plenum is arranged within the main body section. A plurality of tubes extend between the first and second end sections. Each of the plurality of tubes is fluidly connected to the fluid plenum.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2009Publication date: July 29, 2010Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Thomas Edward Johnson, Baifang Zuo, William David York, Jong Ho Uhm
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Publication number: 20100180674Abstract: A method may detect a flashback condition in a fuel nozzle of a combustor. The method may include obtaining a current acoustic pressure signal from the combustor, analyzing the current acoustic pressure signal to determine current operating frequency information for the combustor, and indicating that the flashback condition exists based at least in part on the current operating frequency information.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2009Publication date: July 22, 2010Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Willy Steve Ziminsky, Anthony Wayne Krull, Timothy Andrew Healy, Ertan Yilmaz
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Publication number: 20100180564Abstract: A method may mitigate a flashback condition in a gas turbine. The gas turbine may include a fuel nozzle. The method may include detecting the flashback condition in the fuel nozzle, and interrupting a flow of fuel to the fuel nozzle.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2009Publication date: July 22, 2010Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Willy Steve Ziminsky, Jong Ho Uhm, William David York
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Publication number: 20100175380Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2009Publication date: July 15, 2010Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Lewis Berkley Davis, JR., Joseph Vincent Citeno, Thomas Edward Johnson, Willy Steve Ziminsky
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Publication number: 20100170251Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided and includes a fuel circuit, including multiple fuel circuit branches, a combustor having a first interior in which a first fuel supplied thereto by any one of the multiple fuel circuit branches is combustible, a turbine, a transition zone, including a second interior in which a second fuel supplied thereto by any one of the multiple fuel circuit branches, the second fuel including gas receivable by the fuel circuit from an external source, 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 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: Lewis Berkley Davis, JR., Krishna Kumar Venkataraman, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Jason Charles Terry
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Publication number: 20100174466Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2009Publication date: July 8, 2010Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Lewis Berkley Davis, JR., Krishna Kumar Venkataraman, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Geoffrey David Myers
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Patent number: 7743599Abstract: A method of monitoring and controlling the combustion dynamics of a gas turbine engine system is provided. The system includes at least one gas turbine that includes at least one combustor can. The method includes receiving a signal from a gas turbine engine sensor that is indicative of combustion dynamics in at least one of the combustor cans, processing the received signal to determine a probability of lean blowout for at least one combustor can, and controlling the gas turbine engine system to facilitate reducing a probability of a lean blowout (LBO) event using the determined probability of lean blowout.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2007Date of Patent: June 29, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Avinash Vipayak Taware, Minesh Ashok Shah, Ajai Singh, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Pingchuan Wu
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Publication number: 20100115953Abstract: An integrated combustor and stage one nozzle in a gas turbine includes a combustion chamber that receives premixed fuel and air from at least one fuel nozzle group at separate axial locations. The combustion chamber includes a liner and a transition piece that deliver hot combustion gas to the turbine. The stage one nozzle, the liner and the transition piece are integrated into a single part. At least one of the axial locations of the one or more fuel nozzle groups includes a plurality of small scale mixing devices that concentrate heat release and reduce flame length.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 12, 2008Publication date: May 13, 2010Inventors: Lewis Berkley Davis, JR., Willy Steve Ziminsky, Kevin Weston McMahan, Ronald James Chila, Sergey Anatolievich Meshkov
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Publication number: 20100101229Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2008Publication date: April 29, 2010Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: William David York, Thomas Edward Johnson, Willy Steve Ziminsky
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Publication number: 20100095676Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2008Publication date: April 22, 2010Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Balachandar Varatharajan, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Gilbert Otto Kraemer, Ertan Yilmaz, Benjamin Lacy, Christian Stevenson, David Felling