Three Or More Fluids Patents (Class 239/400)
  • Patent number: 11466858
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes a combustor shell, a burner seal, and a burner seal retainer. The combustor shell includes metallic materials and is formed to define an interior combustion space. The burner seal includes ceramic matrix composite materials and is configured to extend through apertures formed in the combustor shell and the heat shield. The burner seal retainer is configured to retain the burner seal to the combustor shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, Aaron D. Sippel, Jack D. Petty, Gregory W. Zeaton
  • Patent number: 11460056
    Abstract: A helix amplifier pipe fitting may include an elbow or straight pipe fitting including an expanded helix portion, a plurality of helix vanes at an angle of incidence to the incoming fluid flow to impart rotational velocity on the fluid. A helix amplifier may include a helix discharge amplifier having a tapered canister, a tapered helix portion including a plurality of helix vanes, and a tapered mixing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Somarakis Helix Elbow, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Schmidt, John Somarakis
  • Patent number: 11371708
    Abstract: A premixer for a gas turbine combustor includes a centerbody, a swirler assembly, and a mixing duct. The swirler assembly includes an inner swirler with vanes that rotate air in a first direction and an outer swirler with vanes that rotate air in an opposite direction. The inner swirler vanes and the outer swirler vanes are separated by an annular splitter. The outer swirler vanes define an outlet plane, and the inner swirler vanes each have a trailing edge that is disposed at an acute angle relative to the outlet plane. In one aspect, the inner swirler is axially offset from the outer swirler. The mixing duct may also define fuel passages that deliver fuel to fuel outlets on the downstream end of the mixing duct. The premixer is designed for operation on gaseous fuel or liquid fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mathew Paul Thariyan, Manampathy Gangadharan Giridharan, Kapil Kumar Singh, Sravan Kumar Dheeraj Kapilavai, Keith Robert McManus, Gregory Allen Boardman, Mark David Durbin
  • Patent number: 11286858
    Abstract: A combustor of an embodiment includes: a cylindrical combustor liner; and a fuel nozzle which is provided at one end of the combustor liner and jets a fuel and an oxidant into the combustor liner. The fuel nozzle includes: a plurality of fuel supply passages which each supply the fuel; and a plurality of oxidant supply passages which each supply the oxidant. Flow rates of the fuel supplied to the respective fuel supply passages and flow rates of the oxidant supplied to the respective oxidant supply passages are each individually regulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: TOSHIBA ENERGY SYSTEMS & SOLUTIONS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuaki Nakamura, Yasunori Iwai, Masao Itoh, Yuichi Morisawa
  • Patent number: 11253823
    Abstract: A nozzle includes an outer gas flow path, an inner gas flow path radially inward from the outer gas flow path, a liquid flow path defined radially between the inner gas flow path and the outer air flow path, and a core conduit defined radially inward from the inner gas flow path. An injector assembly includes an outer housing, a nozzle within the outer housing, and an outer housing gas flow path defined radially outward from the nozzle between an inner surface of the outer housing and an outer surface of the nozzle. The nozzle includes an outer gas flow path, an inner gas flow path radially inward from the outer gas flow path, a liquid flow path defined radially between the inner gas flow path and the outer gas flow path and a core conduit defined radially inward from the inner gas flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Ryon, Philip E. O. Buelow, Lev Alexander Prociw, Brandon Phillip Williams
  • Patent number: 11187414
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle for a turbomachine includes a centerbody that extends axially with respect to a centerline of the fuel nozzle. A confining tube is positioned radially outward of the centerbody. A plurality of swirler vanes is disposed between the centerbody and the confining tube. Each of the plurality of swirler vanes includes a radially inner base and a radially outer tip. Each of the swirler vanes further includes an upstream portion that extends generally axially from a leading edge. A downstream portion extends from the upstream portion to a trailing edge. The downstream portion defines a bend length between the upstream portion and the trailing edge. The bend length at the radially outer tip is greater than the bend length at the radially inner base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Fernando Biagioli, Sebastiano Sorato, Teresa Marchione
  • Patent number: 11168887
    Abstract: Fuel spray nozzle for generating a spray of atomised liquid fuel in a combustor of a gas turbine engine. The nozzle includes a flow circuit that has in flow series: a gallery that receives fuel flow, plural circumferentially-spaced restrictor passages arranged in a row around the nozzle, plural conditioning passages configured to impart a circumferential component to their respective portions of the fuel flow, and an annular spin chamber which forms a swirling fuel flow which is discharged at an exit port. The restrictor passages form flow restrictions which in use produce a pressure differential between the gallery and the spin chamber to evenly circumferentially distribute the fuel flow between the restrictor passages. The conditioning passages have increased flow cross-sectional areas relative to the flow cross-sectional areas of the restrictor passages, such that the restrictor passages produce substantially all of the pressure differential between the gallery and the spin chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Tomasz Stankowski
  • Patent number: 11149953
    Abstract: A method for reducing NOx emissions in a gas turbine in which a flow of primary air and a flow of fuel are fed into a dual annular counter rotating swirler, the primary air flow being fed into the inner and outer annular chambers, wherein the method comprises the step of injecting the flow of fuel into the inner annular chamber; another embodiment is a gas turbine air fuel mixer comprising a dual annular counter rotating swirler comprising a fuel supplying element adapted to supplying fuel inside the inner chamber of the swirler; another embodiment is a gas turbine provided by such air fuel mixer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: NUOVO PIGNONE SRL
    Inventor: Matteo Cerutti
  • Patent number: 11112111
    Abstract: A cement kiln burner device includes a powdered-solid-fuel flow channel having means for swirling a powdered-solid-fuel flow; a first air flow channel placed outside the powdered-solid-fuel flow channel having means for swirling an air flow; a second air flow channel placed outside the first air flow channel having means for straightly forwarding an air flow; a third air flow channel placed inside the powdered-solid-fuel flow channel having means for swirling an air flow; and a combustible-solid-waste flow channel placed inside the third air flow channel. The second air flow channel includes an opening portion forming a port for injecting an air flow, and a closed portion covered for preventing an air flow from passing therethrough. The opening portion and the closed portion are alternately arranged in a circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Taiheiyo Cement Corporation
    Inventors: Yuya Sano, Kana Horiba, Kouichi Naitou
  • Patent number: 11085632
    Abstract: A nozzle for a combustion chamber of an engine for providing a fuel-air mixture at a nozzle exit opening of the nozzle includes a nozzle main body including the nozzle exit opening and extends along a nozzle longitudinal axis. The nozzle main body has a first air guiding channel, a fuel guiding channel and a further, radially outwardly second air guiding channel. One end of the fuel guiding channel is positioned in front of the end of the second air guiding channel. A tapering channel portion with a shell surface inclined with respect to a nozzle longitudinal axis in the axial direction and connects to a radially outer shell surface of the fuel guiding channel is formed between the end of the fuel guiding channel and the end of the second air guiding channel at the nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG
    Inventors: Thomas Doerr, Sebastian Bake, Thilo Dauch, Rainer Koch, Hans-Joerg Bauer
  • Patent number: 11060728
    Abstract: A combustor includes a plurality of fuel nozzles arranged in a nozzle casing. Each fuel nozzle includes a first fuel injection passage disposed at the axial center of the fuel nozzle and configured to inject liquid fuel into a combustion chamber. A second fuel injection passage encloses the first fuel injection passage and injects liquid fuel into the combustion chamber at a predetermined spray angle with respect to a center line of the fuel nozzle. A first air injection passage encloses the second fuel injection passage and injects air to be mixed with the injected liquid fuel from the second fuel injection passage. At the combustion chamber end, opposing surfaces of the first and second fuel injection passages are each inclined with respect to the center line and are separated by a space through which the liquid fuel of the second fuel injection passage is injected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Inventor: Jungmin Seok
  • Patent number: 11029025
    Abstract: There is provided a combustible waste injection device and a method for operating the same which can suppress a landing combustion of a combustible waste and suppress excessive change of a flame state from a cement kiln burner even if a rate of using the combustible waste fluctuates. A combustible waste injection device according to the present invention has a combustible waste flow channel which is arranged in an inner side of the air flow channel in an innermost shell, is installed in parallel to an axial direction of the cement kiln burner device and is provided for flow feeding a combustible waste flow, and the combustible waste flow channel has an inclined surface having a rising slope toward the injection port near the injection port in such a manner that a flow channel width in a vertical direction is narrowed toward the injection port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Taiheiyo Cement Corporation
    Inventors: Yuya Sano, Kouichi Naitou, Hidenori Tsukidate, Hideyuki Sugaya
  • Patent number: 11015529
    Abstract: A combustion liner or component produced through the use of additive manufacturing techniques. The combustion liner or other component may be formed having a feature based optimized cooling circuit at least partially embedded in the thickness of the material. The internal cooling circuit, may be used, along with other benefits, to control the temperature of the component and prevent hot-spots and uneven heat distribution across the surface of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Aaron Wertz
  • Patent number: 10982857
    Abstract: A nozzle, a combustor, and a gas turbine are capable of uniformly pre-mixing fuel and air. The nozzle includes an integrated swirler comprising an inner tube configured to provide a first pre-mixing passage through which pre-mixed air flows, an outer tube configured to partially enclose the inner tube and form an outer fuel passage through which fuel flows, and a plurality of vanes coupled with the outer tube, each vane having an exhaust hole through which fuel exits; a fuel injector including an inner fuel passage through which fuel flows and being configured to be inserted into the inner tube of the integrated swirler; and a peg having an outer surface in which are formed a plurality of injection holes communicating with the inner fuel passage, the injection holes configured to inject the fuel of the inner fuel passage into the first pre-mixing passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Doosan Heavy Industries Construction Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Yunyoung Doh, Muhwan Chon, Borys Shershnyov
  • Patent number: 10967394
    Abstract: A fluid atomizer and methods of atomizing fluids are disclosed. The fluid atomizer may comprise an inner member and one or more outer members. The inner member defines an interior conduit for providing a first-fluid flowpath from a supply end of the atomizer to a discharge end of the atomizer along a central axis. The one or more outer members are positioned radially outward of the inner member from the central axis. The inner and outer members define a second-fluid flowpath extending from a second-fluid supply conduit to a second-fluid discharge plenum. The second-fluid flowpath comprises a tangential conduit spiraling along the axis from the second-fluid supply conduit to a terminal end; an annulus downstream from and in fluid communication with the tangential conduit; and a second-fluid discharge plenum downstream from and in fluid communication with the annulus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Neal Thomson, Christopher Walters
  • Patent number: 10865989
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine having a central axis about which is arranged in flow sequence a radial swirler, a pre-chamber partly defined by a wall and a combustion chamber. The radial swirler has a base plate having an annular array of vanes and fuel injectors arranged to direct an air/fuel mixture radially inwardly and tangentially to create a vortex that flows through the pre-chamber and into the combustion chamber. The pre-chamber has a portion which is convergent in a downstream direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Suresh Sadasivuni
  • Patent number: 10741855
    Abstract: The present invention is concerned with improved swirl burners, particularly, but not limited to, swirl burners used in fuel cell systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Ceres Intellectual Property Company Limited
    Inventors: Martin Schmidt, Paul Barnard, Tony Toher
  • Patent number: 10508812
    Abstract: A pre-film liquid fuel cartridge (20) includes a primary liquid fuel passage (106), a plurality of inner fuel ports (116) and a plurality of outer fuel ports (124) that are in fluid communication with the primary liquid fuel passage. An inner pre-filming surface (142) is defined downstream from the plurality of inner fuel ports. The inner pre-filming surface (142) terminates at a first shear edge (140). An outer pre-filming surface (152) is defined downstream from the plurality of outer fuel ports. The outer pre-filming surface (152) terminates at a second shear edge (154). The first and second shear edges are relatively oriented so that a first pre-filmed liquid fuel sheet exiting the first shear edge intersects with a second pre-filmed liquid fuel sheet exiting the second shear edge, thereby atomizing the first and second pre-filmed liquid fuel sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Geoffrey David Myers, Borys Borysovych Shershnyov, Alexey Yurievich Gerasimov
  • Patent number: 10502425
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a fuel injector assembly of a gas turbine engine, including a centerbody, an outer sleeve surrounding the centerbody, an inner sleeve disposed between the centerbody and at least a section of the outer sleeve, and at least one axially oriented vane defined between the centerbody and a section of the inner sleeve. A section of the outer sleeve includes at least one radially oriented vane. A portion of the inner sleeve includes a contoured shroud and defines at least one fuel injection port disposed upstream of the contoured shroud. The axially oriented vane is disposed upstream of the fuel injection port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gregory Allen Boardman, Pradeep Naik, Joseph Zelina
  • Patent number: 10464029
    Abstract: The hydration apparatus includes an air augmentation feature that intersects the ingredients. The air augmentation inlet is positioned to cause turbulence in the ingredients prior to the ingredients passing a liquid discharge nozzle that hydrates them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Bakery Concepts International, LLC
    Inventors: Kenneth W. Schwenger, Bernhard Noll
  • Patent number: 10429071
    Abstract: A staged fuel injector comprises a pilot inner air swirler arranged along a centre axis of the injector, a pilot fuel swirler arranged radially outboard of the pilot inner air swirler, a main inner air swirler arranged radially outboard of the pilot fuel swirler and a main fuel swirler arranged radially outboard of the pilot fuel swirler. A fuel feed arm is arranged in fluid communication with the pilot fuel swirler and the main fuel swirler for delivering fuel to the pilot fuel swirler and the main fuel swirler and a heat protective casing enclosing the fuel feed arm, the pilot fuel swirler and the main fuel swirler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Brandon P. Williams
  • Patent number: 10386074
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a combustor of a gas turbine engine is disclosed herein. In embodiments, the fuel injector includes an injector head adjoining a stem. The injector head includes a main premix passage, a main air inlet, vanes, and a main premix resonator. The main premix passage extends through the injector head and the main air inlet directs compressed air into the main premix passage. The vanes are located within the main premix passage for swirling the compressed air. The main premix resonator is located adjacent to and downstream of the vanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Leonel Arellano, James Wilfrid Blust, II, Ariel Schuger, Ashley Vega
  • Patent number: 10302104
    Abstract: A helix amplifier pipe fitting may include an elbow or straight pipe fitting including an expanded helix portion, a plurality of helix vanes at an angle of incidence to the incoming fluid flow to impart rotational velocity on the fluid. A helix amplifier may include a helix discharge amplifier having a tapered canister, a tapered helix portion including a plurality of helix vanes, and a tapered mixing chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: SOMARAKIS HELIX ELBOW PIPING LLC
    Inventors: Paul Schmidt, John Somarakis
  • Patent number: 10228140
    Abstract: A gas-only cartridge for a fuel nozzle includes a flange that defines a plurality of apertures for receiving a gaseous fuel, an outer tube that is coupled to the flange and an inner tube that extends axially within the outer tube. The inner tube and the outer tube define a fuel passage therebetween and the fuel passage is in fluid communication with the plurality of apertures of the flange. A fuel distribution tip is disposed at a downstream end of the gas-only cartridge and defines a plurality of fuel ports circumferentially spaced along and annularly arranged about an outer surface of the fuel distribution tip. The fuel ports are in fluid communication with the fuel passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David William Cihlar, Patrick Benedict Melton, William David York
  • Patent number: 10132500
    Abstract: An injector includes a fuel distributor with a first fluid inlet and a first fluid outlet, with a first fluid circuit for fluid communication between the first fluid inlet and the first fluid outlet. The fuel distributor includes a second fluid inlet and a second fluid outlet, with a second fluid circuit for fluid communication between the second fluid inlet and outlet. The fuel distributor defines a spray axis. The first and second fluid outlets can be radially adjacent and/or can be substantially aligned axially relative to the spray axis, e.g., for issuing multiple different fuels from substantially the same outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: DELAVAN INC.
    Inventors: Jason A. Ryon, Lev A. Prociw
  • Patent number: 10125991
    Abstract: A multi-functional fuel nozzle (10) for a combustion turbine engine is provided. A nozzle cap (50) may be disposed at a downstream end of the nozzle. A heat shield (60) is mounted onto the nozzle cap. A plurality of cooling channels (62) is arranged between a forward face of the nozzle cap and a corresponding back side of the heat shield. The plurality of cooling channels may be arranged to discharge cooling air over a forward face of an atomizer assembly in the multi-functional fuel nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Stephen A. Ramier, Vinayak V. Barve, Richard L. Thackway, Charalambos Polyzopoulos
  • Patent number: 10088166
    Abstract: A swirler is provided for a gas turbine engine. The swirler includes a swirler body with a threaded section and a multiple of circumferentially arranged tabs operable to flex radially outward. The multiple of circumferentially arranged tabs are radially displaced from the threaded section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Drake, Seth A. Max, Meggan Harris
  • Patent number: 10082294
    Abstract: A fuel injector for injecting fuels having a different energy density in a gas turbine is provided. A first fuel supply channel (18) and a second fuel supply channel (20) may be coaxially arranged in a fuel delivery structure (12). A first set of vanes 22 includes a radial passage (24) in fluid communication with the first channel (18) to receive a first fuel. Passage (24) branches into passages (26) each having an aperture (28) to inject the first fuel without jet in cross-flow injection. A second set of vanes (32) includes a radial passage (34) in fluid communication with the second channel (20) to receive a second fuel. Passage (34) branches into passages (36) each having an aperture (38) arranged to inject the second fuel also without jet in cross-flow injection. This arrangement may be effective to reduce flashback that otherwise may be encountered in fuels having a relatively high flame speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Walter Ray Laster, Jacob William Hardes, Robert H. Bartley, Mario Gaviria
  • Patent number: 10054093
    Abstract: A center body assembly for a fuel injector is disclosed. The center body assembly defines a primary liquid passage, a liquid gallery, swirl slots, and a prefilm passage. The primary liquid passage supplies liquid fuel to the liquid gallery. The liquid gallery includes a gallery discharge end and a gallery inlet end that aligns with the primary liquid passage. The liquid gallery tapers down from the gallery inlet end to the gallery discharge end. The swirl slots extend from the liquid gallery to the prefilm passage in a helical pattern. The prefilm passage includes an annular shape that turns inward towards an assembly axis of the center body assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Sean Kelly Spivey, Donald James Cramb, James Scott Piper, Michael John Ramotowski
  • Patent number: 10012387
    Abstract: In one aspect, a fuel supply system may include a fuel injector having a primary and a secondary pilot fuel nozzle in fluid communication with a primary and a secondary fuel circuit, respectively, and a main fuel nozzle in fluid communication with a main fuel circuit. The fuel injector may also define a by-pass fuel circuit connected between the primary circuit and the secondary circuit and/or the main circuit. The system may also include a primary fuel manifold configured to be fluidly connected to the primary pilot fuel nozzle via the primary fuel circuit. Moreover, the system may include a by-pass valve provided in operative association with the by-pass fuel circuit. The by-pass valve may be configured to be opened such that a portion of the fuel flowing through the primary circuit from the primary fuel manifold is directed to the secondary circuit and/or the main circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nayan Vinodbhai Patel, Alfred Albert Mancini, Duane Douglas Thomsen
  • Patent number: 9927124
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a fuel nozzle assembly and method for axially staging fuel injection. The fuel nozzle assembly comprises a plurality of vanes connected to a core, with an annular ring connectedly surrounding the plurality of vanes. Fuel is directed through the core and then through the vanes and is injected at different axial planes generally perpendicular to an oncoming air stream to obtain a broad spectrum of gas residence time between the point of fuel injection and the flame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Peter Stuttaford, Chiluwata Lungu, Sumit Soni, Nicolas Demougeot, Justin Bosnoian, Kevin B. Powell, Paul Economo
  • Patent number: 9822980
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle for a combustor of a gas turbine engine includes a body defining an axial direction and a radial direction, a primary air passageway centrally defined axially in the body, and a plurality of concentrically-arranged nozzle tip projections disposed at a downstream portion of the body. Each of the plurality of nozzle tip projections has a radially inwardly facing fuel filming surface communicating with respective fuel passages. The fuel filming surfaces are disposed radially outwardly of an outlet of the primary air passageway. A method for delivering fuel from a fuel nozzle of a combustor of a gas turbine engine is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Eduardo Hawie, Nigel Davenport, Yen-Wen Wang
  • Patent number: 9791153
    Abstract: In various embodiments, a fuel injector may comprise a fuel nozzle and a pilot stage. The fuel nozzle may define a main fuel channel, a secondary fuel channel, a simplex fuel channel and a heat shield area. The main fuel channel may be disposed about at least a portion of the simplex fuel channel. The secondary fuel channel may be disposed about at least a portion of the simplex fuel channel. The heat shield area may be configured to separate and protect the fuel channels from a heat load to prevent fuel coking. The pilot stage may be operatively coupled to the fuel nozzle and may be configured to receive fuel from the secondary fuel channel or the simplex fuel channel. The main stage may be operatively coupled to the fuel nozzle. The main stage may be configured to receive fuel from the main fuel channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Zhongtao Dai, Kristin Kopp-Vaughan, Dave Hyland, Russell B. Hanson, Lexia Kironn
  • Patent number: 9677505
    Abstract: An air/fuel mixer system of a combustion chamber of a gas turbine includes at least one compressed air intake swirler, the swirler having a central axis of symmetry, and a fuel injector including an injection head having an axis of symmetry. Each injector is mounted in the corresponding swirler with aid of a guide mechanism, so that the axis of symmetry of the injection head is off-center with respect to the central axis of symmetry of the swirler. The system can reduce, or even eliminate, combustion instabilities, by injecting the fuel along a particular axis which is off-center relative to the axis of the air/fuel mixer system, inducing a flow of fuel which is no longer perfectly axially symmetrical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: TURBOMECA
    Inventors: Nicolas Savary, Claude Berat, Hubert Hippolyte Vignau, Christophe Nicolas Henri Viguier
  • Patent number: 9677758
    Abstract: A gaseous fuel-oxygen burner is described herein. One device includes a flame zone in which combustion of gaseous fuel and oxygen occurs to form a flame, a coaxial gaseous fuel jet configured to provide the flame zone with gaseous fuel, and a coaxial oxygen jet configured to provide the flame zone with oxygen, wherein the coaxial gaseous fuel jet and the coaxial oxygen jet are separate such that the gaseous fuel from the coaxial gaseous fuel jet and the oxygen from the coaxial oxygen jet do not mix before entering the flame zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Curtis Taylor, Christopher S. Eldridge, Brad Patterson, Jayson Perdue, William R. Berkenbush
  • Patent number: 9664390
    Abstract: The invention refers to burner arrangement for producing hot gases to be expanded in a gas turbine, including a burner inside a plenum, where the burner has means for fuel injection, means for air supply and means for generating an ignitable fuel/air mixture inside the burner, and a combustion chamber following downstream said burner having an outlet being fluidly connected to the gas turbine. The invention is characterized in that the means for air supply includes at least two separate flow passages, and that the one of the two flow passages is fed by a first supply pressure and the other flow passage is fed by a second supply pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Stefano Bernero, Ennio Pasqualotto, Ewald Freitag
  • Patent number: 9618209
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a combustor of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The fuel injector includes a gas outer tube, a gas inner tube, a liquid tube, and a heat shield. The gas outer tube and the gas inner tube form a gas fuel annulus. The gas inner tube and the liquid tube form a liquid fuel annulus. The liquid tube forms an air cavity. The heat shield extends within the liquid tube forming an insulating gap between the heat shield and the liquid tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Ramarao Venkat Bandaru, James Scott Piper, Scott Michael Lindner, Anthony Paul Batakis, Peter Joseph Giella
  • Patent number: 9573148
    Abstract: A method of aerosolizing a liquid by generating an aerosol from a liquid fluid and a gas with a nozzle having a cone-shaped gas exit channel, the method including the method steps of: ejecting a nozzle gas jet through an orifice at the cone apex; generating a zone of low pressure by the ejected nozzle gas jet, the zone of low pressure augmenting a flow of liquid fluid in a direction from a nozzle cone base towards the orifice at the cone apex; and aerosolizing the liquid fluid at the aerosolizing perimeter where the liquid fluid that flows towards the orifice is sheared by the nozzle gas jet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Inventor: Donovan Yeates
  • Patent number: 9528479
    Abstract: An injector for mixing two propellants upstream of a combustion chamber. The injector includes: at least one injection element with a tricoaxial structure installed between two plates which between them delimit a space; and coaxial ducts including an internal coaxial duct and an external coaxial duct that are supplied in parallel with a same propellant, for example via the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Le Cras, Jean-Marie Lonchard, Arnaud Fournet, Cyril Verplancke, Olivier Delahaye, Nicolas Cucco
  • Patent number: 9500372
    Abstract: A multi-zone combustor is provided and includes a pre-mixer configured to output a first mixture to a primary zone of a combustor section and a stepped center body disposable in an annulus defined within the pre-mixer. The stepped center body includes an outer body configured to output at a first radial and axial step a second mixture to a secondary zone of the combustor section and an inner body disposable in an annulus defined within the outer body and configured to output at a second radial and axial step a third mixture to a tertiary zone of the combustor section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Leonid Yulevich Ginesin, Borys Borysovich Shershnyov, Andrey Pavlovich Subbota, Almaz Kamilevich Valeev
  • Patent number: 9500367
    Abstract: The present application provides a pilot manifold system for a combustor of a gas turbine engine. The pilot manifold system may include a casing with a casing manifold, an end cover connected to the casing and having an end cover passage in communication with the casing manifold, and a fuel nozzle mounted about the end cover. The fuel nozzle may include a pilot system in communication with the end cover passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bryan Wesley Romig, Brandon Taylor Overby
  • Patent number: 9488371
    Abstract: A system includes a gasification fuel injector, which includes a first fuel conduit configured to inject a first fuel flow from a first fuel tip, a second fuel conduit configured to inject a second fuel flow from a second fuel tip, a first gas conduit configured to inject a first gas flow from a first gas tip, a second gas conduit configured to inject a second gas flow from a second gas tip, and a third gas conduit configured to inject a third gas flow from a third gas tip. At least one of the first fuel tip, the second fuel tip, the first gas tip, the second gas tip, or the third gas tip is recessed a distance away from an outlet of the gasification fuel injector. The first and second fuel conduits and the first, second, and third gas conduits are coaxial with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Shaoping Shi, Constantin Dinu, Shashishekara Sitharamarao Talya
  • Patent number: 9441543
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor includes a combustion cylinder and a premixing tube. A protruding wall of the tube has an inner diameter enlarging portion with a chamfer at an open end thereof. A swirl flow in the tube is guided outward along the chamfer, so that the cross-section area of a straight flow in the tube is expanded to have a lower flow velocity, and the distance between a flame in the cylinder and the enlarging portion is shortened. When using the fuel with high heat radiation upon combustion, the enlarging portion is replaced with the one having a smaller chamfer. The cross-section area of the straight flow is reduced to increase the flow velocity, and the lift distance becomes longer. Therefore, the damage to the combustion cylinder owing to the intensified heat radiation is prevented. The flame lift position retained in the cylinder is easily set and changed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignees: NIIGATA POWER SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masamichi Koyama, Shigeru Tachibana
  • Patent number: 9441836
    Abstract: A fuel-air premixer for a combustor of a gas turbine engine includes a central passage disposed along an axis and operable to communicate a first airflow and an outer annular passage about the axis operable to communicate a second airflow. The fuel-air premixer further includes an inner annular passage about the axis and between the central passage and the outer annular passage for communicating fuel flow. The inner annular passage including an inner exit angled for directing fuel flow toward the axis into a mixer passage downstream of the outer and inner exits for mixing the fuel flow with the first and second airflows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey M. Cohen, Zhongtao Dai, Kevin E. Green
  • Patent number: 9433986
    Abstract: Generation of cavitation jet in air on a surface of a work roll provides a higher cleaning force than squirting of only high pressure fluid, so that sticking substances on the surface of the work roll are reliably removable. When a distance between a cleaning nozzle and the surface of the work roll and pressure of the high pressure fluid are controlled within a predetermined range, sticking substances are efficiently removable while roughness of the surface of the work roll is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignees: NIPPON STEEL & SUMIKIN ENGINEERING CO., LTD., NS PLANT DESIGNING CORPORATION
    Inventors: Muneshige Ogawa, Hisamoto Wakabayashi, Makoto Katsube, Hiroshi Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 9429324
    Abstract: A fuel injector includes: a pilot injector configured to spray fuel so as to form a first combustion region in a combustion chamber; and a main injector provided coaxially with the pilot injector so as to surround the pilot injector and configured to supply a fuel-air mixture that is a mixture of the fuel and air to form a second combustion region in the combustion chamber, wherein the main injector includes: a first inflow channel through which the air having a major flow component in an axial direction is taken; a second inflow channel through which the air having a major flow component in a radial direction is taken and which causes the air therein to meet the air from the first inflow channel; and a main fuel injecting portion configured to inject the fuel only to the second inflow channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignees: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
    Inventors: Ryusuke Matsuyama, Masayoshi Kobayashi, Takeo Oda, Atsushi Horikawa, Shigeru Hayashi, Kazuo Shimodaira, Kazuaki Matsuura, Hideshi Yamada, Youji Kurosawa, Hitoshi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 9429074
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle for a gas turbine engine includes a nozzle body having a longitudinal axis. An elongated annular air passage is defined within the nozzle body. A plurality of circumferentially spaced apart axially extending swirl vanes is disposed within the annular air passage. Each swirl vane has an axially swept cross-sectional profile along the radial extent thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Brandon Phillip Williams, Kevin Eugene Thompson
  • Patent number: 9404658
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine device is disclosed for mixing fuel and air prior to a combustion. The device includes a pilot mixer and a main mixer each having a fuel opening for the delivery of fuel to one or more passages. In one form the main mixer includes an inner passage and an outer passage and in which a fuel opening delivers fuel to the inner passage. The main mixer can include swirlers in the inner and/or outer passages. The pilot mixer can also include a swirler. In one embodiment the main mixer includes a converging flow path and/or a diverging flow path. The pilot mixer can also include a converging and/or diverging flow path and in one form is sheltered from an exit of the device. The main mixer fuel opening can be disposed between an upstream end and a downstream end of the mixer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2016
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel Nickolaus
  • Patent number: 9322559
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle for use in a gas turbine includes a pre-mix flow passage for directing a flow segment of a flow of a working fluid through the fuel nozzle. A first swirler vane and a second swirler vane extend within the pre-mix flow passage. The first swirler vane provides a first wake region within the flow segment. The second swirler vane provides a second wake region within the flow segment. A fuel injection peg is disposed downstream from the first swirler vane and the second swirler vane. The fuel injection peg is positioned within the flow segment between the first wake region and the second wake region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Mark William Pinson, Gregory Earl Jensen, Jason Charles Terry
  • Patent number: 9316398
    Abstract: A combustion chamber for a gas turbine is proposed. The combustion chamber has a wall section and a brim element. The wall section has an inlet aperture for injecting a cooling medium into the combustion chamber. The brim element is mounted to an inner face of the wall section. The brim element is formed in such a way that a projected area of the brim element onto the inner face along a direction of a normal of the inner face at least partially covers the inlet channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Ulf Nilsson