Cooling Fluid Contacts Shaft, Seal Or Bearing Patents (Class 415/180)
  • Patent number: 11511867
    Abstract: An air cycle machine is provided. The air cycle machine can be included an environmental control system of an aircraft. The air cycle machine can include a turbine comprising a plurality of inlet gas flow paths, a compressor driven by the turbine from a shaft, and a fan driven by the turbine from the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Louis J. Bruno, Harold W. Hipsky
  • Patent number: 11401814
    Abstract: A rotor assembly is provided for a gas turbine engine. This rotor assembly includes a first rotor disk, a second rotor disk, a plurality of rotor blades and a plurality of vanes. The first rotor disk is configured to rotate about a rotational axis. The second rotor disk is configured to rotate about the rotational axis. The rotor blades are arranged circumferentially around the rotational axis. Each of the rotor blades is axially between and mounted to the first rotor disk and the second rotor disk. The vanes are arranged circumferentially around the rotational axis. The vanes include a first vane that is integral with the first rotor disk and projects axially to the second rotor disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Inventor: Gary D. Roberge
  • Patent number: 11377979
    Abstract: A turbine includes a rotary shaft; a turbine impeller attached to the rotary shaft; a housing including a turbine housing that accommodates the turbine impeller; and a bearing that rotatably supports the rotary shaft. The turbine housing includes a first discharge path configured to discharge gas in a space, in which the bearing is provided, to an exhaust gas outlet port in the turbine housing. A bottom surface of the first discharge path is constituted of an inclined portion descending from a first inlet opening toward a first outlet opening, or is constituted of the inclined portion and a horizontal portion that continuously extends horizontally from the inclined portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Ikeya
  • Patent number: 11300139
    Abstract: An air cycle machine is provided including a plurality of components operably coupled via a shaft, the shaft being rotatable about an axis. A cooling airflow path receives cooling air from a cooling air source, directs the cooling air to at least one air-cooled bearing associated with one of the plurality of components, and discharges the cooling air. A cooling conduit is arranged in fluid communication with the cooling airflow path, wherein cooling air provided to the cooling conduit from the cooling airflow path has a first temperature and cooling air returned to the cooling airflow path has a second temperature, the second temperature being less than the first temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Craig M. Beers, Darryl A. Colson
  • Patent number: 11078902
    Abstract: A pump assembly includes a pump having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and an electric motor having a drive mechanism that is connected to the pump mechanism. The assembly includes an adapter plate having an inlet port, an outlet port, and at least one fluid passage between the inlet port and the outlet port. The at least one fluid passage is at least partially defined by the adapter plate. The motor is thermally coupled to the adapter plate and the fluid outlet of the pump is fluidly connected to the inlet port of the adapter plate. The pump is configured to pump fluid through the at least one fluid passage of the adapter plate, and the adapter plate is configured to discharge the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Parker-Hannifin Corporation
    Inventor: Steven Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 11028710
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine component (50, 100, 150, 160, 174, 206, 236), including: a surface (54) subject to loss caused by a wear instrument during operation of the component in a gas turbine engine and a performance feature (80, 82, 102, 152, 162, 172, 200, 230) associated with the surface. The surface and the performance feature interact in a manner that changes with the loss such that a change in performance of the gas turbine engine resulting from the loss is mitigated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: David G. Maire, Daniel J. Ryan, Dhafer Jouini, Ahmed Kamel, Gerald J. Bruck
  • Patent number: 11015526
    Abstract: A bearing assembly may comprise a housing, a slinger disk, and a bearing. The housing may be configured to receive a shaft and having at least one scavenge passage between an outer housing portion and an inner housing portion. The slinger disk may have a plurality of flow guides configured to direct the lubricant flow toward the at least one scavenge channel. The scavenge passage may be configured to provide a lubricant flow through the bearing. Lubricant flow may be provided in a forward direction, through the bearing and opposite a windage direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Phillip H. Burnside, Angela Turk
  • Patent number: 10662819
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to easily remove last-stage turbine blades. Provided is an exhaust chamber inlet-side member that has an annular shape around a rotor so as to form a part of an inner diffuser at a position facing, from the axially downstream side, base ends of last-stage turbine blades disposed on the most downstream side in the axial direction, and that is divided in the circumferential direction and provided so as to be detachable from the inner diffuser. When the exhaust chamber inlet-side member is dismounted from the inner diffuser, a space on the axially downstream side from the last-stage turbine blades is cleared.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Takuro Hashimoto, Kunihiko Waki, Shinya Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 10644568
    Abstract: The stator frame includes: a spiral groove which is provided as a flow path of a coolant from one end side to the other end side in an axis direction spirally along the circumferential direction of an outer circumferential surface; and annular grooves which individually communicate with the end portions of the spiral groove on the one end side and the other end side in the axis direction and which are provided annularly along the circumferential direction of the outer circumferential surface. The spiral groove is formed such that a groove depth is shallow in regions on the one end side and the other end side in the axis direction and the groove depth is deep in a region around a center in the axis direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasuo Yamada
  • Patent number: 10513940
    Abstract: A turbomachine having a stator with at least one stator component and a rotor with at least one rotatable rotor component. The stator component defines at least one wall of a cooling cavity with a high pressure area of the turbomachine and the stator and the rotor defining a working media fluid path, the working media fluid path being in a low pressure area of the turbomachine, whereby a pressure of the low pressure area is lower than a pressure of the high pressure area and the low pressure area and the high pressure area are separated by a sealing ring, the sealing ring being an annular ring with a diaphragm at an inner end of the annular ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Per Granberg, Janos Szijarto
  • Patent number: 10385729
    Abstract: An air/oil separator for a gas turbine engine includes a drive shaft having a central axis extending in an axial direction, a free vortex chamber mounted radially around the drive shaft, a separation chamber coupled with the free vortex chamber in the axial direction opposite to the drive shaft, and a rotatable outlet shaft radially rotatable and having an inlet end coupled with the separation chamber opposite to the free vortex chamber, an outlet end, and a hollow interior chamber therebetween. The hollow interior chamber has an inner circumference extending in the axial direction a cylindrical air guide extending coaxially therein. The cylindrical air guide has a nonporous cylindrical main body, an upstream end fixedly coupled with the inlet end of the rotatable outlet shaft, and a downstream end coaxially disposed within the outlet end of the rotatable outlet shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Christopher Mark Bordne, Jeremy Stephen Wigon
  • Patent number: 10365043
    Abstract: A shaft of a stirring fan for a heat treatment apparatus includes a blade fixing portion for fixing a plurality of blades. The blade fixing portion has a cylindrical portion extending in a shaft direction of the shaft. A hole inside the cylindrical portion is open to one end face of the shaft. The stirring fan has a discharge portion for discharging gas inside the cylindrical portion to the outside of the blade fixing portion. The discharge portion is open to the outside of the blade fixing portion, at a position away from the one end face of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: Koyo Thermo Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromi Kakazu, Norihide Fujiyama, Masanori Okumura, Takeshi Ueda
  • Patent number: 10035225
    Abstract: A thrust plate includes an annular-shaped body having a scalloped outer edge that forms a first circumference defined by a first diameter. The thrust plate further includes a plurality of cooling slots formed in a first surface of the body. The cooling slots are formed between each pair of adjacent scallops. A center of each cooling slot extends towards the center of the thrust plate at a common predetermined angle with respect to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Darryl A. Colson, Craig M. Beers, John H. Paliulis
  • Patent number: 9885249
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a front center body case structure. A geared architecture is at least partially supported by the front center body case structure. A bearing structure is mounted to the front center body case structure to rotationally support a shaft driven by the geared architecture, the shaft drive a fan. A bearing compartment passage structure is in communication with the bearing structure through the front center body case structure. A method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Peter M. Munsell, Philip S. Stripinis
  • Patent number: 9617910
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes a turbine impeller, a rotating shaft, a bearing housing, a turbine housing. The turbine housing includes a scroll passage and a second flange. The turbine housing has an outer surface provided with a recessed portion, the recessed portion is provided between the scroll passage and the second flange. The recessed portion is a depressed portion toward an inner surface of the turbine housing from the outer surface of the turbine housing. The bearing housing has a main passage. The second flange has an extending passage. The main passage is connected to the extending passage so as to constitute a first coolant passage. The turbine housing has a second coolant passage around the scroll passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Osamu Maeda
  • Patent number: 9482143
    Abstract: A water pump is disposed so as to be mounted on a cylinder head cover of an engine. An electric motor is disposed continuously from the water pump. The water pump sends cooling water to a water jacket of a cylinder block via a cooling water pipe disposed so as pass in front of the cylinder head cover and a cylinder head. In an upper end portion of a radiator, an inlet through which the cooling water is led from the engine is disposed on the left and an outlet through which the cooling water is supplied to the water pump is disposed on the right. The inlet is connected to the cylinder block via a cooling water pipe, and the outlet is connected to the water pump via a cooling water pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshisato Inayama
  • Publication number: 20150147197
    Abstract: An apparatus circulates a coolant in a turbocharger, which includes a first coolant line for supplying the coolant to the turbocharger from a water pump and configured to form a first flow resistance member to increase flow resistance to the coolant flowing through the first coolant line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corp.
    Inventors: Dong Ho CHU, Seon Yeong KIM, Yong Hoon KIM, Kwang Sik YANG, Hyung Ick KIM, Yung Hee HAN
  • Patent number: 9004849
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a bearing structure mounted to the front center body case structure to rotationally support a shaft driven by a geared architecture. A bearing compartment passage structure is in communication with the bearing structure through a front center body case structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Peter M. Munsell, Philip S. Stripinis
  • Patent number: 9003793
    Abstract: A turbocharger assembly includes a compressor assembly, a turbine wheel, a shaft, a bearing assembly, and a cooling gas conduit. The compressor assembly includes a compressor impeller. The compressor impeller includes an outermost impeller edge and has a maximum cross-sectional dimension at the outermost impeller edge. The shaft interconnects the compressor impeller and the turbine wheel. The bearing assembly surrounds at least a portion of the shaft. The cooling gas conduit is disposed in fluid communication with the compressor assembly and the bearing assembly. At least a portion of the cooling gas conduit is disposed adjacent the outermost impeller edge such that the cooling gas conduit is configured to receive a portion of intake gases flowing along the outermost impeller edge and guide the portion of the intake gases toward the bearing assembly to cool the bearing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Louis Begin, Brian J. Edwards, Carnell E. Williams
  • Publication number: 20150093238
    Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a turbocharger bearing housing which can prevent a collapsible core from being damaged when molten metal is cast in the mold. The method for manufacturing a bearing housing of a turbocharger is that the bearing housing of the turbocharger is formed with a cooling passage for circulating cooling liquid by casting using a collapsible core. The collapsible core includes the end part forming portions (a one end forming portion and an other end forming portion) corresponding to the end portions of the cooling passage and having a substantially elliptical cross-section, and a fixing portion holding the end part forming portions and being embedded in a mold and fixed to the mold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: TAIHO KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoru Kanbara, Keijiro Maki, Kenji Muraoka, Yasuhiro Otake, Takuya Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8967944
    Abstract: A buffer air pump provides pressurized cooling air for cooling components of the gas turbine engine. The buffer air pump is supported on and/or within an accessory gearbox and draws bypass air in through an inlet manifold. An impeller supported within a scroll housing pressurizes the incoming bypass air and directs the pressurized air through passages to a component requiring cooling. The buffer air pump draws in relatively cool air from the bypass flow, pressurizes the air with the impeller and sends the air through conduits and passages within the gas turbine engine to the component that requires cooling such as a bearing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Jorn A. Glahn, Brian D. Merry, Christopher M. Dye
  • Patent number: 8961118
    Abstract: A shaft cover support for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The shaft cover support not only provides enhanced support to a shaft cover of the gas turbine engine, but also includes a cooling fluid chamber for passing fluids from a rotor air cooling supply conduit to an inner ring cooling manifold. As such, the shaft cover support accomplishes in a single component what was only partially accomplished in two components in conventional configurations. The shaft cover support may also provide additional stiffness and reduce interference of the flow from the compressor. In addition, the shaft cover support accommodates a transition section extending between compressor and turbine sections of the engine. The shaft cover support has a radially extending region that is offset from the inlet and outlet that enables the shaft cover support to surround the transition, thereby reducing the overall length of this section of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard Charron, Daniel Pierce
  • Patent number: 8893499
    Abstract: An expander-generator is disclosed having an expansion device and a generator disposed within a hermetically-sealed housing. The expansion device may be overhung and supported on or otherwise rotate a hollow expansion rotor having a thrust balance seal being arranged at least partially within a chamber defined in the expansion rotor. Partially-expanded working fluid is extracted from an intermediate expansion stage and a first portion of the extracted working fluid is used cool the generator and accompanying radial bearings. A second portion of the extracted working fluid may be introduced into the chamber defined within the expander rotor via a conduit defined in the thrust balance seal chamber. The second portion of extracted working fluid minimizes unequal axial thrust loads on the expander rotor due to the overhung arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Dresser-Rand Company
    Inventor: William C. Maier
  • Patent number: 8882454
    Abstract: A ram air fan bearing housing for a ram air fan assembly includes a bearing section, a disk section, and radial support ribs. The disk section is at one end of the bearing section for connecting the bearing section to the ram air fan assembly. The disk section includes an outer ring with a circumferential support rib; and a disk wall connecting the outer ring to the bearing section. The disk wall includes arcuate cooling slots defined by edges, including an arcuate edge having an arc center at an axis of the bearing housing and positioned adjacent to and radially inward from the circumferential support rib. The radial support ribs extend axially along most of the length of the bearing section and extend radially along the disk wall to the circumferential support rib. The radial support ribs and the cooling slots alternate about the axis of the bearing housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Chrabascz, Brent J. Merritt
  • Patent number: 8858158
    Abstract: A steam turbine 10 is comprised of a double-structured casing configured of an outer casing 21 and an inner casing 20, a turbine rotor 23 disposed through the inner casing and having a plurality of stages of moving blades 22 implanted, and a plurality of stages of stationary blades 25 disposed alternately with the moving blades 22 in the axial direction of the turbine rotor 23 in the inner casing 20. The steam turbine 10 is further provided with a discharge passage 30 which externally guides steam, which has flown in the inner casing and passed the final stage moving blades while performing expansion work, directly from the inner casing interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazutaka Ikeda, Katsuya Yamashita, Takao Inukai, Kazuhiro Saito, Kouichi Kitaguchi, Shogo Iwai, Shigekazu Miyashita
  • Patent number: 8827639
    Abstract: A compressor rotor compresses and delivers compressed air across a turbine rotor. The turbine rotor is connected to the compressor rotor such that rotation of the turbine rotor drives the compressor rotor. A shaft is connected to rotate with the turbine rotor and the compressor rotor. A thrust bearing is provided by a member extending perpendicular and radially outwardly of the shaft. The member rotates with the shaft and faces a first housing wall. A hollow chamber is formed on an opposed side of the first housing wall. A cooling air path supplies air across a thrust bearing surface, and between the member and the first housing wall. The first housing wall has a communication hole for communicating cooling air from the cooling air path into the hollow cavity to drive air within the hollow chamber. Also, a housing incorporating the communication hole is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Craig M. Beers, Brent J. Merritt, Victoria S. Richardson
  • Publication number: 20140241865
    Abstract: A cooling jacket capable of improving production efficiency. The cooling jacket includes a tubular main body having a first end face and a second end face, and a groove unit defining a flow channel of a cooling medium successively disposed axially on an outer periphery of the main body. The cooling jacket includes no portion located radially outward from a bottom of the groove unit between a first end portion of the groove unit located on the axial rear side of the main body and the first end face of the main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yohei Arimatsu
  • Patent number: 8807921
    Abstract: A bearing foil assembly includes a top foil, an intermediate foil, and a bump foil. The bump foil is provided with corrugations at circumferentially spaced locations. The bump foil has an end that is bent radially outwardly from a center of the foil assembly. The top foil has a bent portion extending radially outwardly and adjacent to the bent end of the bump foil. A first radius of curvature is defined to a curved portion leading into the bent portion at a first end adjacent to the bent end. A second radius of curvature is defined at an end of the bent portion on an end opposed to the bent end. A ratio of the first radius of curvature to the second radius of curvature is between 0.6 and 10. A bearing assembly, a shaft sub-assembly, an air machine, and a method of assembling a bearing into an air machine are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Ronald M. Struziak
  • Patent number: 8807920
    Abstract: A pump assembly with a rotatable rotor shaft (10), wherein the rotor shaft (10) includes at least one axial bearing (36, 40) and a radial bearing (30, 32), which are integrated into a common bearing assembly (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Grundfos Management a/s
    Inventors: Helge Grann, Alfred Lisbjerg Pedersen
  • Patent number: 8784048
    Abstract: An air cycle machine includes a housing, and a shaft rotationally supported within the housing includes a thrust runner. Air bearings are provided on either side of the thrust runner. An inlet plate is arranged radially outward of the air bearings. The inlet plate has inner and outer peripheries provided between lateral sides. One side includes four circumferentially arranged slots extending from the outer periphery to the inner periphery and having a width and a depth providing a first ratio of 4:1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Craig M. Beers, Brent J. Merritt
  • Patent number: 8747061
    Abstract: A steam turbine with at least one magnetic bearing for the shaft is provided, a metal paneling being attached in the area of a magnetic bearing. The metal paneling consists of metal rings insulated from one another. Further, cooling air ducts are provided in the area of the magnetic bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Helmut Kühn
  • Publication number: 20140150449
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine including a compressor rotor and a turbine rotor connected by a compressor shaft portion connected to the compressor rotor and a turbine shaft portion connected to the turbine rotor. The compressor shaft portion and the turbine shaft portion are connected axially together by a shaft coupling, between the compressor rotor and the turbine rotor, and at least a bearing rotatably coupled to the compressor shaft portion adjacent the shaft coupling. The compressor shaft and/or the turbine shaft are provided with openings permitting cooling air to enter air passages in the area of the shaft coupling and surrounding the end of the turbine shaft portion, in order to dissipate heat originating at the turbine rotor and thus reducing the thermal stresses at the bearing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
  • Patent number: 8727705
    Abstract: A steam turbine 10 is provided with a double-structure comprising an inner casing 20 and an outer casing 21. A turbine rotor 22, in which plural stages of moving blades 24 are circumferentially implanted, is operatively disposed in inner casing 20. A diaphragm outer ring 25 and a diaphragm inner ring are disposed along the circumferential direction in inner casing 20. Stationary blades 27 are circumferentially provided between diaphragm outer ring 25 and the diaphragm inner ring, so that diaphragm outer ring 25, the diaphragm inner ring and stationary blades 27 form a stage of stationary blades. The stages of the stationary blades are arranged alternately with the stages of moving blades 24 in the axial direction of turbine rotor 22. A cooling medium passage 40 for passing a cooling medium CM which is supplied through a supply pipe 45 is formed between inner casing 20 and diaphragm outer ring 25.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Asako Inomata, Katsuya Yamashita, Kazuhiro Saito, Takao Inukai, Kunihiko Wada, Kazutaka Ikeda, Takeo Suga
  • Patent number: 8727715
    Abstract: A turbomachine comprising a housing defining a bearing cavity and a turbine chamber separated by a first wall, a heat shield disposed between the first wall and the turbine wheel, a heat shield cavity defined between the first wall and the heat shield. The shaft extends through a passage defined in part by a first aperture in the wall and a second aperture in the heat shield. A first seal is provided between the shaft and the first aperture. The housing defines a first gas channel communicating with the heat shield cavity for connection to a pressure source for raising pressure within the heat shield cavity. A second channel is provided between the heat shield cavity and the passage, the second channel opening to the passage on the opposite side of the first seal to the bearing assembly. A second seal is provided between the shaft and the second aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Cummins Turbo Technologies Limited
    Inventors: David Gee, Chris Enright, Robert Holroyd
  • Patent number: 8727699
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a damping system for rotating machinery such as gas turbine engines. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for damping systems. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application shall become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Kent Vetters, Timothy Hoffmann, Steven Arlen Klusman
  • Patent number: 8714906
    Abstract: A turbine engine includes a turbine, a compressor for compressing air and a combustor for receiving the compressed air through an inlet passage and operable to burn fuel therewith to deliver hot exhaust gas to the turbine. Also included is a wheel space defined proximate to the combustor. Further included is a cooling air passage extending between the compressor and the wheel space. Yet further included is a valve assembly having a valve member disposed in the cooling air passage and operable to admit a cooling air to the wheel space in response to a condition therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rex Allen Morgan, Michael Alan Davi, Clement Gazzillo, Harold Lamar Jordan
  • Patent number: 8678741
    Abstract: An oil cooled runner, for a rotary seal between an engine case and a shaft rotationally mounted to the case, includes an annular runner ring having a platform with a radially outer seal engagement surface and a radially inner surface, and an oil distributor having a radially inner portion in communication with a source of liquid lubricant and an outer lubricant casting cone with a rim disposed radially inwardly from the inner surface of the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventor: Alexander Yurievich Olennikov
  • Publication number: 20140072417
    Abstract: A turbo-molecular pump includes a case member, a rotor accommodated in the case member, the rotor having rotor blades arranged in multiple steps, a rotor shaft provided coaxially with the rotor, a plurality of stator blades provided on an inner surface of the case member and arranged between the rotor blades, and a plurality of spacers for supporting the stator blades. One of the plurality of spacers has a cooling thick portion for covering an outer peripheral side surface of at least one adjacent upper or lower spacer, and a cooling pipe through which a cooling medium is circulated is provided in the cooling thick portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventor: Shingo TSUTSUI
  • Patent number: 8641362
    Abstract: A turbine exhaust cylinder for an industrial gas turbine engine with an external blower that delivers cooling air to an inner space of the exhaust cylinder that provides cooling for the struts that support the exhaust cylinder. The cooling air passes over the bearing housing and then up through a space formed between a fairing and the strut. The cooling air is then discharged through a cover plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: George Liang
  • Patent number: 8631639
    Abstract: A turbine power generation system with enhanced cooling provided by a stream of carbon dioxide from a carbon dioxide source and a method of using a stream of carbon dioxide to cool hot gas path components. The turbine power generating system includes a compressor, a combustor, a turbine, a generator, and at least one shaft linking the compressor and turbine and generator together such that mechanical energy produced from the turbine is used to drive the compressor and the generator. Carbon dioxide that is sequestered from the exhaust of the turbine may be stored and injected back into the turbine to cool hot gas path components of the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andres Garcia-Crespo, Lewis Berkley Davis, Jr., George Martin Gilchrist, III, Amit Toprani
  • Patent number: 8585374
    Abstract: An example fan assembly impeller moves air along a secondary flow path when driven by a motor. The motor also drives a fan rotor to move air along a primary flow path of the fan assembly. Air moving along the primary flow path moves in a first direction. Air moving along the secondary flow path moves in a second direction opposite the first direction. An example fan shroud communicates air used to cool a motor into a primary flow path of a fan assembly. The shroud communicates the air into the primary flow path so that the flow of air is at least partially aligned with air moving through the primary flow path of the fan assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Craig M. Beers, Harold W. Hipsky, Brent J. Merritt, Darryl A. Colson, Roberto J. Perez
  • Publication number: 20130280028
    Abstract: A thermal management system for a gas turbine engine includes a high pressure compressor rotor having a plurality of disks and a shaft; at least one forward cavity formed between a rim of at least one of the disks and the shaft and at least one aft cavity formed between a rim of at least one other of the disks and the shaft; a first flow of cooling air in the at least one forward cavity; and a second flow of cooling air in the at least one aft cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel Benjamin, Daniel Carminati, David S. Jang
  • Publication number: 20130266417
    Abstract: A turbomachine having gas cooled bearings may include an axially-oriented, cooling-gas passageway interconnecting first and second bearing chambers. The passageway may include grooves formed at an interface between an aerodynamic component of the turbomachine (e.g., a wheel or impeller) and a portion of a shaft assembly of the turbomachine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: MARK GEE, MARSHALL SAVILLE, KEITH ALAN HURLEY
  • Patent number: 8550773
    Abstract: A steam turbine having an exhaust-steam casing for directing an exhaust-steam mass flow, a shaft bearing for mounting a turbine shaft, and at least two bearing struts, by means of which the shaft bearing is fastened to the exhaust-steam casing, is characterized according to the invention in that each of the at least two bearing struts has a cooling cavity arranged in the respective bearing strut for directing a coolant, and the cooling cavities of the at least two bearing struts are connected in a fluidically conductive manner via a closed-off connecting cavity in the region of the shaft bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Henning Almstedt, Stefan Essink, Norbert Pieper, Mark-Andre Schwarz, Kais Sfar
  • Patent number: 8529195
    Abstract: An inducer for a casing of a gas turbine system is disclosed. The inducer includes a plurality of orifices defined in the casing, the plurality of orifices disposed in an annular array about the casing, and a plurality of cartridges, each of the plurality of cartridges configured to mate with one of the plurality of orifices. Each of the plurality of cartridges includes an inlet and an outlet for flowing a cooling medium therethrough. The inducer further includes at least one flow modifier disposed in each of the plurality of cartridges for modifying the flow of the cooling medium through each of the plurality of cartridges. Each of the plurality of cartridges is independently removable from each of the plurality of orifices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Stanley Kevin Widener
  • Patent number: 8517663
    Abstract: A cooling system for a turbine engine, as well as a methodology for controlling the cooling system, is described. A valve member is disposed between a cooling fluid passage and a wheel space of the turbine engine and operates to admit cooling fluid to the wheel space for cooling thereof. The valve assembly is responsive to a condition in the wheel space and varies the flow of additional cooling fluid to the wheel space based on that condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rex Allen Morgan, Michael Alan Davi, Clement Gazzillo, Harold Lamar Jordan, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8496432
    Abstract: A compressor rotor compresses and delivers compressed air across a turbine rotor. The turbine rotor is connected to the compressor rotor such that rotation of the turbine rotor drives the compressor rotor. A shaft is connected to rotate with the turbine rotor and the compressor rotor. A thrust bearing is provided by a member extending perpendicular and radially outwardly of the shaft. The member rotates with the shaft and faces a first housing wall. A hollow chamber is formed on an opposed side of the first housing wall. A cooling air path supplies air across a thrust bearing surface, and between the member and the first housing wall. The first housing wall has a communication hole for communicating cooling air from the cooling air path into the hollow cavity to drive air within the hollow chamber. Also, a housing incorporating the communication hole is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Craig M. Beers, Brent J. Merritt, Victoria S. Richardson
  • Publication number: 20130170966
    Abstract: A turbine cooling system is provided, having a compressor for supplying cooling air, a forward turbine rotor wheel space, a high-pressure packing seal (HPPS) bypass cavity, and a metering device. The forward turbine rotor wheel space is cooled by the cooling air supplied by the compressor. The HPPS bypass cavity is in fluid communication with and receives a portion of the cooling air from the compressor, and is in fluid communication with and supplies the cooling air to the forward turbine rotor wheel space. The metering device is in operable communication with the forward turbine rotor wheel space and the HPPS bypass cavity to modulate the cooling air supplied to the forward turbine rotor wheel space from the HPPS bypass cavity. The metering device modulates the cooling air based on at least one operating condition of the turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Jason Nathaniel Cook
  • Patent number: 8475114
    Abstract: An air cycle machine includes a shaft formed from end sections attached to a center section. The center section includes a first diameter that is supported on bearings within the air cycle machine and a second diameter that forms a part of an interface with a corresponding end section. The second diameter is less than the first diameter and extends an axial distance from an end of the center section and provides for the weld beam to be directed normal to the interface location such that weld quality and manufacturing efficiencies are improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Seth E. Rosen, Craig M. Beers, Robert M. Pragluski, Michael P. Rowley
  • Publication number: 20130101402
    Abstract: A fan housing for a ram air fan includes an outer portion to connect the fan housing to ram air fan components; a tubular portion; a plurality of struts connecting the outer portion and the tubular portion; and a central disc portion inside of the tubular portion. The central disc portion comprises six cooling slots around an outer circumference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seth E. Rosen, Brent J. Merritt