Multiple Fluid-operated Motors Patents (Class 60/39.15)
  • Patent number: 11891950
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods useful for power production. In particular, a power production cycle utilizing CO2 as a working fluid may be configured for simultaneous hydrogen production. Beneficially, substantially all carbon arising from combustion in power production and hydrogen production is captured in the form of carbon dioxide. Further, produced hydrogen (optionally mixed with nitrogen received from an air separation unit) can be input as fuel in a gas turbine combined cycle unit for additional power production therein without any atmospheric CO2 discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: 8 Rivers Capital, LLC
    Inventors: Rodney John Allam, Navid Rafati
  • Patent number: 11891899
    Abstract: A dual-engine system of an aircraft that includes at least one main engine is provided. The dual-engine system includes a sustainer engine, a booster engine configured to augment a power output of the sustainer engine, and a gearbox coupled to the sustainer engine and the booster engine. An output of the gearbox is configured to selectively combine the power output of the sustainer engine with the booster engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Robert Bruce Fowler
  • Patent number: 11878809
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsion assembly includes a first engine and a second engine that are adjacent and a nacelle in which the engines are installed. The nacelle includes a common air inlet lip for the first engine and the second engine, the air flow being divided between the first engine and the second engine by a median lip which extends, at least partly, set back from said common air inlet lip. The common are inlet lip includes, directly in line with the median lip, a bottom lobe and a top lobe extending forward of the nacelle. Such a configuration makes it possible to be able to provide a high aerodynamic form between the fairings of the engines, without the risk of generating overspeeds in the air flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Inventors: Camil Negulescu, Jean-Michel Rogero
  • Patent number: 11879415
    Abstract: A jet engine for propelling aircraft, capable of providing thrust from rest to high speeds is provided. The engine has an axial compressor (16) or several axial compressors located on the same plane and is driven by a gas generator. At the outlet of the turbine there is a gasification chamber (23) into which more fuel is injected. Combustion of the gases from the gasification chamber is performed in two combustion chambers (18) with a rectangular cross-section, separated by a central body (10). The exhaust of the gases is performed in nozzles, each with a square convergent/divergent cross-section (19) and (21). The cross-section of the throats (26) can be adjusted by means of two mobile elements (20). The final section of the central body (10) forms a wedge-shape (27), enabling the continued expansion of the exhaust gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Inventor: Rafael Martinez-Vilanova Pinon
  • Patent number: 11846198
    Abstract: A turbomachine, particularly for a rotary-wing aircraft, including a gas generator provided with a rotary shaft, a first reversible electric machine, a power turbine rotationally driven by a stream of gas generated by the gas generator, at least one accessory from among an oil pump and a fuel pump, an accessory gearbox comprising a gear train configured to drive said at least one accessory, and a second electric machine. The second electric machine is reversible, said first electric machine is mechanically coupled to the gas generator, the accessory gearbox and the second electric machine are mechanically coupled to the power turbine, and the turbomachine is devoid of any kinematic coupling between the gear train of the accessory gearbox and the shaft of the gas generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN HELICOPTER ENGINES
    Inventors: Loïs Pierre Denis Vive, Olivier Bedrine, Thomas Drouin
  • Patent number: 11828227
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a powerplant for an aircraft comprising: at least two gas turbine engines, and at least one closed-cycle arrangement for recuperating heat from the at least two gas turbine engines and supplying power to at least one power-demanding system, wherein the closed-cycle arrangement comprises: a closed circuit channeling a working fluid subjected to a thermodynamic cycle; at least one pre-cooler configured to transfer heat from the working fluid to a heat sink; the heat sink in thermal communication with the pre-cooler, the heat sink being a fuel tank and/or an airframe surface; at least one pumping element configured to move the working fluid through the closed circuit; at least two primary heat exchangers, each one configured to transfer heat from a respective gas turbine engine to the working fluid; at least one expanding element configured to drive a gearbox and an output shaft by the expansion of the working fluid; wherein the output shaft driven by the expanding element is connected to
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignees: ITP ENGINES UK LTD, AVL POWERTRAIN UK LTD
    Inventors: Quentin Luc Balandier, Florin Gabriel Aftanasa, Xiang Wang
  • Patent number: 11781478
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system includes a fan section that includes a fan shaft that is rotatable about a fan axis. The fan shaft includes a fan gear. The aircraft propulsion system also includes a boost turbine engine that includes a first output shaft that includes a first gear that is coupled to the fan gear. The boost turbine engine has a first maximum power capacity. The aircraft propulsion system further includes a cruise gas turbine engine that includes a second output shaft that includes a second gear that is coupled to the fan gear. The cruise turbine engine has a second maximum power capacity that is less than the first maximum power capacity of the boost turbine engine. The fan section produces a thrust that corresponds to power input through the fan gear from the boost turbine engine and the cruise turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Marc J. Muldoon, Joseph B. Staubach, Jesse M. Chandler, Neil Terwilliger, Gabriel L. Suciu
  • Patent number: 11698023
    Abstract: An aircraft cabin blower system comprises a cabin blower including a compressor configured to provide air to a cabin of the aircraft; a variable drive system configured to drive the compressor and including an electric variator and a summing gearbox; and a main transmission configured, when operating in a blower mode, to receive mechanical power from a gas turbine engine and input mechanical power to the summing gearbox in a forward direction; and configured, when operating in a starter mode, to receive mechanical power from the summing gearbox and input mechanical power to the gas turbine engine. The aircraft cabin blower system further includes a first one-way rotation device adapted to permit free rotation of the main transmission in the forward direction and to prevent rotation of the main transmission in a reverse direction opposite to the forward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Matthew J. Willshee
  • Patent number: 11685537
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling flight via a parallel hybrid aircraft having an electric propulsion system and a combustion propulsion system are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may include: a combustion propulsion system including a combustion engine; an electric propulsion system including a motor and an electric power source, wherein the motor comprises a stator, a rotor coupled to the engine shaft, and support bearings between the rotor and the stator; a mechanical link coupled to the stator and the combustion engine, wherein the mechanical link substantially prevents movement of the stator in a rotational degree of freedom; and a propeller coupled to the engine shaft, wherein the rotor is coupled to the engine shaft between the propeller and the combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Ampaire, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey Spitzer
  • Patent number: 11639690
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a first spool of a primary flow path and a second spool of a secondary flow path. The second spool is nonconcentric with the first spool. The second spool includes a boost compressor and a load compressor in fluid communication with an inlet plenum. An inlet duct assembly and an outlet duct assembly place the secondary flow path in communication with the primary flow path. The gas turbine includes a controller operable to vary open areas of variable inlet guide vanes to control a flow division between the boost compressor and the load compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel B. Kupratis, Paul R. Hanrahan
  • Patent number: 11634108
    Abstract: The present invention is a chain cleaning device with a track that guides a chain through a cleaning chamber. The cleaning chamber forms air flow pathways along the sides of the chain. Discharge ports in the chamber ceiling direct a high velocity working air flow spanning the width of the chamber at the upper surfaces of the chain to generate high velocity swirling air flows that progress through the interior openings of the chain and through the pathways along the outer sides of the chain. The compact nature of the cleaning chamber and the close proximity of its walls to the chain maintain the high velocity working and swirling air flows against the various differently oriented surfaces of the chain to remove dirt, grease, grit and grime from the multi-surface chain, including the nooks and crannies where chain plates, pins and rollers come together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Inventor: Chadwick Irvin Romzek
  • Patent number: 11635034
    Abstract: A regulating method for a charged internal combustion engine, wherein an operating point of the compressor is adjusted in a compressor map by a compressor position regulator based on a throttle valve regulation deviation in that both a first manipulated variable for actuating the compressor bypass valve as well as a second manipulated variable for actuating the turbine bypass valve are calculated by the compressor position regulator. The operating point of the compressor is corrected by a correction regulator on the basis of an air mass regulation deviation in that both a first correction variable for correcting the first manipulated variable as well as a second correction variable for correcting the second manipulated variable are calculated by the correction regulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: MTU FRIEDRICHSHAFEN GMBH
    Inventors: Andreas Flohr, Christof Kibele
  • Patent number: 11591099
    Abstract: Technology for operating an engine smoothly is provided. In an aircraft propulsion system, a controller causes at least a first engine among the plurality of engines to be stopped and causes a second engine, which has not been stopped, to be operated when an aircraft is flying in a prescribed flight mode and causes the first engine to be operated and causes the second engine to be stopped when a detector detects that the temperature related to the first engine is less than or equal to a first prescribed temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akinori Kita, Takeshi Matsumoto, Daiko Tsutsumi
  • Patent number: 11572831
    Abstract: Disclosed are a hybrid power generation facility and a control method thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: DOOSAN ENERBILITY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Song-Hun Cha, Sung Gju Kang, Hyo Jun Kim, Dong Hun Kim, Ki Hyun Lee, Sang Wook Kim
  • Patent number: 11513033
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine propulsion system includes a gas turbine engine, a fuel storage tank and a pump unit. The gas turbine engine provides propulsive forces to move a vehicle. The fuel storage tank stores a fuel that can be used to power the gas turbine engine. The pump unit displaces a fuel flow from the fuel storage tank and delivers the fuel flow to the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: Andrew C. S. Lee
  • Patent number: 11459948
    Abstract: A gas turbine plant includes a connection line configured to connect an outlet of a compressor high-pressure stage and an inlet of a turbine via a combustor, a bypass line configured to cause some or all of air compressed at a compressor low-pressure stage to bypass the compressor high-pressure stage and to be supplied to the connection line, and an adjustment device configured to adjust a flow rate of the air flowing through the bypass line. A plurality of types of fluid are supplied to the connection line in addition to the air compressed by the compressor, and during operation of the gas turbine plant, supply of at least one type of fluid of the plurality of types of fluid to the connection line is stopped according to an operating state of the gas turbine plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Uechi, Hanjoon Song
  • Patent number: 11434823
    Abstract: A fuel power transfer system for an engine may include a cryogenic fuel supply, a fuel pump in fluid communication with the cryogenic fuel supply, a multi-position valve in fluid communication with the fuel pump and a combustion chamber of the engine, a fuel turbine operatively coupled to the fuel pump and having a primary discharge port in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, a primary heat exchanger in fluid communication between the multi-position valve and the fuel turbine, and a gearbox operatively coupled to the fuel turbine and the fuel pump and configured to transfer power from the fuel turbine to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Gary D. Roberge
  • Patent number: 11408263
    Abstract: Systems and methods to pump fracturing fluid into a wellhead may include a gas turbine engine including a compressor turbine shaft connected to a compressor, and a power turbine output shaft connected to a power turbine. The compressor turbine shaft and the power turbine output shaft may be rotatable at different rotational speeds. The systems may also include a transmission including a transmission input shaft connected to the power turbine output shaft and a transmission output shaft connected to a hydraulic fracturing pump. The systems may also include a fracturing unit controller configured to control one or more of the rotational speeds of the compressor turbine shaft, the power turbine output shaft, or the transmission output shaft based at least in part on target signals and fluid flow signals indicative of one or more of pressure or flow rate associated with fracturing fluid pumped into the wellhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: BJ Energy Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Tony Yeung, Ricardo Rodriguez-Ramon, Diankui Fu, Warren Zemlak, Caleb Barclay
  • Patent number: 11255263
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system includes a fan section that includes a fan shaft that is rotatable about a fan axis. The fan shaft includes a fan gear. The aircraft propulsion system also includes a boost turbine engine that includes a first output shaft that includes a first gear that is coupled to the fan gear. The boost turbine engine has a first maximum power capacity. The aircraft propulsion system further includes a cruise gas turbine engine that includes a second output shaft that includes a second gear that is coupled to the fan gear. The cruise turbine engine has a second maximum power capacity that is less than the first maximum power capacity of the boost turbine engine. The fan section produces a thrust that corresponds to power input through the fan gear from the boost turbine engine and the cruise turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Marc J. Muldoon, Joseph B. Staubach, Jesse M. Chandler, Neil Terwilliger, Gabriel L. Suciu
  • Patent number: 11225911
    Abstract: An inter-spool energy transfer system is provided and includes a first spool, a second spool, which includes components that are rotatable at a different speed as compared to components of the first spool and an inter-spool interface system coupled to at least one of the components of the first spool and at least one of the components of the second spool. The inter-spool interface system includes a controller, which is configured to supply power to one of the first and second spools and to draw power from the other of the first and second spools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: SIKORSKY AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Peter James Waltner, Tad Arthur Mondell, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11203949
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an aircraft power generation system including a reverse Brayton cycle system, a gas turbine engine, and a gearbox. The gas turbine engine includes a compressor section, a turbine section, and an engine shaft. The compressor section is arranged in serial flow arrangement with the turbine section. The engine shaft is rotatable with at least a portion of the compressor section and with at least a portion of the turbine section. The reverse Brayton cycle system includes a compressor, a driveshaft, a turbine, and a first exchanger. The driveshaft is rotatable with the compressor or the turbine, and the compressor, the first heat exchanger, and the turbine are in serial flow arrangement. The gearbox is configured to receive mechanical energy from the engine shaft and transmit mechanical energy to the reverse Brayton cycle system through the driveshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Edward Brinson, Paul Robert Gemin
  • Patent number: 11168578
    Abstract: A system for adjusting a variable position vane in an aircraft engine is disclosed. The system comprises a servo valve operatively connected to the variable position vane and configured to cause adjustment of the variable position vane based on a pressure of air pressurized by a compressor of the aircraft engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Ian Farrell
  • Patent number: 10954857
    Abstract: A multi-engine system includes a first gas turbine engine that includes a first compressor and a first turbine. The multi-engine system may further include a second gas turbine engine that has a second compressor and a second turbine. Still further, the multi-engine system may include a first crossover cooling network configured to route a first crossover airflow from the first compressor of the first gas turbine engine to the second turbine of the second gas turbine engine and a second crossover cooling network configured to route a second crossover airflow from the second compressor of the second gas turbine engine to the first turbine of the first gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Daniel Bernard Kupratis
  • Patent number: 10871105
    Abstract: An engine design of a rotating pistonless, non-reciprocating internal combustion engine having an engine block having a drive chamber formed in an interior combustion surface having a drive surface and a sloped transitionary portion, and a rotor rotatably supported within the engine block. The rotor having a radially extending disc portion having a plurality of rotor combustion chambers. Each of the rotor combustion chambers has a pyramidal-shaped volume having a driven surface and a sloped transitionary portion, wherein combustion pressure in the rotor combustion chamber and drive chamber is exerted upon the drive surface of the drive chamber and the driven surface of the rotor combustion chamber resulting in driven rotation of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Inventor: Maynard Moore
  • Patent number: 10800537
    Abstract: An aircraft controller includes a memory for storing instructions. The instructions are operable to cause the controller to perform a thrust balancing method and ensure a balanced thrust output from the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Philip A. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 10760489
    Abstract: An aircraft including a turbofan engine provided with an engine body and a fan located anterior to the engine body, further includes: an engine oil cooler that is a heat exchanger for cooling engine oil used in the engine body by using, as a heat source, a fan stream flowing from the fan into a gap between a core cowl surrounding the engine body and a nacelle surrounding the fan and the core cowl; and a pre-cooler that is a heat exchanger for cooling bleed air from the engine body by using the fan stream as a heat source, wherein the engine oil cooler and the pre-cooler are longitudinally arranged in one position in a circumferential direction of the nacelle, and the engine oil cooler is located anterior to the pre-cooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI AIRCRAFT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jingo Tateiwa
  • Patent number: 10760484
    Abstract: Multi-engine aircraft power plants and associated operating methods are disclosed. An exemplary multi-engine power plant comprises a first turboshaft engine and a second turboshaft engine configured to drive a common load such as a rotary wing of an aircraft; and a heat exchanger in thermal communication with an exhaust gas of the first turboshaft engine and in thermal communication with pre-combustion air of the second turboshaft engine. The heat exchanger is configured to permit heat transfer from the exhaust gas of the first turboshaft engine to the pre-combustion air of the second turboshaft engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Daniel Alecu
  • Patent number: 10717539
    Abstract: A hybrid gas-electric turbine engine for turboprop or turboshaft applications is disclosed together with associated methods. In various embodiments disclosed herein, the turbine engine comprises a turbine configured to be driven by a flow of combustion gas; a turbine shaft configured to be driven by the turbine and transfer power to a load coupled to the turbine engine and an electric motor configured to transfer power to the load coupled to the turbine engine. The rotor may have a rotor axis of rotation that is radially offset from a shaft axis of rotation of the turbine shaft. In some embodiments, the electric motor may be a multi-rotor electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: David H. Menheere
  • Patent number: 10641177
    Abstract: A process for retrofitting an electric power plant that uses two 60 Hertz large frame heavy duty industrial gas turbine engines to drive electric generators and produce electricity, where each of the two industrial engines can produce up to 350 MW of output power. The process replaces the two 350 MW industrial engines with one twin spool industrial gas turbine engine that is capable of producing at least 700 MW of output power. Thus, two prior art industrial engines can be replaced with one industrial engine that can produce power equal to the two prior art industrial engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph D. Brostmeyer, Russell B. Jones, Justin T. Cejka, John A. Orosa, John E. Ryznic
  • Patent number: 10618399
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a front-engine extended range electric passenger vehicle, including a turbo shaft engine (2), a battery pack (3), an electric generator (4), drive motors (6), a storage tank (9) and an independent regenerator (12), wherein the turbo shaft engine (2) is arranged on frames above a front axle, an axis of an output shaft of the turbo shaft engine (2) is located on a symmetry plane of the vehicle body, and the independent regenerator (12) is located below the turbo shaft engine (2) and is used to preheat inlet air of the turbo shaft engine (2) using exhaust gas discharged therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: TECHNOLOGIES' XANADU OF RESONATORY-SOLAR-SYSTEMED CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Pu Jin
  • Patent number: 10612783
    Abstract: A combustor replacement method and a gas turbine plant capable of efficiently replacing a combustor using an existing facility. The combustor replacement method includes a step of separating, from a plurality of fuel supply systems, a first combustor that includes a plurality of nozzle systems connected to any of the plurality of fuel supply systems and supplied with fuel from the connected fuel supply systems, and removing the first combustor from a gas turbine plant. The method includes a step of attaching a second combustor that includes fewer nozzle systems than the first combustor to the gas turbine plant, and a step of providing communication between the fuel supply systems connected to the same nozzle system of the second combustor by a coupling pipe, and coupling the fuel supply systems and the second combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Keita Fujii, Shin Akazawa, Nobukazu Ishii, Masahiro Matsubara, Masayuki Murakami, Fuminori Fujii, Hiroshi Tanabe, Masaru Takamatsu
  • Patent number: 10578025
    Abstract: A system and method for starting an aircraft turbine engine includes a primary starting subsystem and a secondary starting subsystem. The primary starting subsystem is coupled to a shaft of the aircraft turbine engine and has a dedicated power source. The secondary starting subsystem is also coupled to the shaft of the aircraft turbine engine and has a shared power source. A controller controls the operation of the primary starting subsystem and the secondary starting subsystem while starting the aircraft turbine engine. The primary starting subsystem may be an Auxiliary Power Unit coupled to an Air Turbine Starter. The secondary starting subsystem may be a Starter Generator coupled to a battery also used to power the Emergency Hydraulic System. The primary starting subsystem is always operated at full power during starting while the secondary starting subsystem is preferably operated in a sequence of different power levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Chris L. Jensen, Thomas W. Omohundro
  • Patent number: 10526915
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises an engine having a compressor section, and a turbine section. A firewall and accessory pumps are mounted on a downstream side of the firewall. The accessory pumps are driven by electric motors mounted on the firewall on an upstream side of the firewall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Jesse M. Chandler, Brian D. Merry
  • Patent number: 10393007
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a spark-ignited charged internal combustion engine coupled to an exhaust gas turbocharger with a compressor mounted on a rotatable shaft, the rotatable shaft coupled to a turbine and to an electric auxiliary drive. The electric auxiliary drive of the exhaust gas turbocharger may be activated to increase rotational speed of the rotatable shaft to drive the compressor to supply boost to the engine. The electric auxiliary drive may be engaged or disengaged from the rotatable shaft, responsive to engine operating conditions, such as engine speed, rotation speed of the rotatable shaft, exhaust volume, and engine boost demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Frank Kraemer, Vanco Smiljanovski, Joerg Kemmerling, Helmut Matthias Kindl, Franz J. Brinkmann
  • Patent number: 10385832
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present techniques provides a system for decreasing a temperature of a fluid. The system includes an axial flow expander for expanding gas flowed in a direction along an axis thereof. The axial flow expander includes: an outer casing made as a unified structure having an inlet port and an outlet port. An inner casing is fixed inside the outer casing. A rotor shaft is accommodated inside the inner casing, and is aligned with the axis. A number of bearings allow the rotor shaft to rotate around the axis. Moving blades protrude from the rotor shaft and are arranged inside the gas passage in an alternating fashion with a number of stator vanes. The inner casing, the rotor shaft, the bearings, the stator vanes, and the moving blades are integrally assembled, and inserted into the outer casing in the direction along the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignees: EXXONMOBIL UPSTREAM RESEARCH COMPANY, MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES COMPRESSOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stan O. Uptigrove, Dag O. Calafell, II, Peter C. Rasmussen, Kazushi Mori, Hideki Nagao
  • Patent number: 10174639
    Abstract: The present application provides a power generation system. The power generation system may include a gas turbine engine for creating a flow of combustion gases, a steam turbine, and a steam turbine preheating system. The steam turbine preheating system may receive an extraction of the flow of combustion gases and delivers the extraction to the steam turbine to preheat the steam turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Joseph Philip Klosinski, George Vargese Mathai, Sanji Ekanayake, Alston Ilford Scipio, Paul Robert Fernandez
  • Patent number: 10144528
    Abstract: A power plant comprising two engine groups and a main power transmission gearbox. Each engine group drives the main gearbox mechanically in order to rotate a main rotor of an aircraft at a frequency of rotation NR. A first engine group comprising two main engines is regulated on a first setpoint NR* for the frequency of rotation NR, while a second engine group comprising a secondary engine is regulated on a second setpoint W2* for power of the second engine group. In addition, each engine operates with margins relative to operating limits. The second setpoint W2* for power is determined so that each secondary engine operates with a lowest second margin that is equal to the lowest first margin of the first engine group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
    Inventor: Regis Rossotto
  • Patent number: 10119414
    Abstract: A method of heating a gas by directing X-rays at a mass of hafnium 178 to induce gamma rays. The gamma rays are directed at a heat exchanging apparatus, resulting in a stream of heated gas. This process powers a Hafnium gas turbine engine capable of providing shaft power or thrust to mechanical devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Inventor: David J. Podrog
  • Patent number: 10041407
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a system and method that allows air to be extracted from a plurality of gas turbine engines and fed to a downstream process, even in situations in which one or more of the gas turbine engines are operating in a part load condition. For example, in an embodiment, a method includes monitoring signals representative of a header pressure of a header, or a pressure of extraction air flow from one or more gas turbine engines to the header, or both, and maintaining substantially continuous flows of extraction air from the gas turbine engines to the header. The substantially continuous flows are maintained when the gas turbine engines are under symmetric and asymmetric load conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Vijay Anand Raghavendran Nenmeni, Michael Joseph Alexander, Paul William Plummer, Timothy Lee Janssen
  • Patent number: 9951658
    Abstract: A system includes an oxidant compressor and a gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine includes a combustor section having a turbine combustor, a turbine driven by combustion products from the turbine combustor, and an exhaust gas compressor driven by the turbine. The exhaust gas compressor is configured to compress and route an exhaust flow to the turbine combustor and the oxidant compressor is configured to compress and route an oxidant flow to the turbine combustor. The gas turbine engine also includes an inlet oxidant heating system configured to route at least one of a first portion of the combustion products, or a second portion of the exhaust flow, or any combination thereof, to an inlet of the oxidant compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignees: General Electric Company, ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Vahid Vaezi, Franklin F. Mittricker, Richard A. Huntington
  • Patent number: 9889944
    Abstract: An aircraft controller includes a memory for storing instructions. The instructions are operable to cause the controller to perform a thrust balancing method and ensure a balanced thrust output from the aircraft. The thrust balancing method includes comparing an aircraft control surface setting in a cruise flight mode with the aircraft control surface setting in a flight idle mode of operations, thereby isolating an asymmetric thrust component of the aircraft control surface settings and determining an asymmetric thrust bias based on the isolated asymmetric thrust component of the aircraft control surface settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Philip A. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9841192
    Abstract: A detonation engine can detonate a mixture of fuel and oxidizer within a cylindrical detonation region to produce work. The detonation engine can have a first and a second inlet having ends fluidly connected from tanks to the detonation engine. The first and second inlets can be aligned along a common axis. The inlets can be connected to nozzles and a separator can be positioned between the nozzles and along the common axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventor: Aslan Kasimov
  • Patent number: 9689311
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for detecting performance of the lubricant cooler in aircraft auxiliary power unit APU, comprising: acquiring APU-related messages within a time period; obtaining the operation parameters of the APU lubricant cooler, the operation parameters comprise: lubricant temperature OT and load compressor inlet temperature LCIT; the revised lubricant temperature OT is obtained by the following formula: the revised lubricant temperature=lubricant temperature OTA?the load compressor inlet temperature LCIT; determining the performance of the APU lubricant cooler is in stable phase, decline phase or malfunction phase according to the change trend of the revised lubricant temperature OT with respect to time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: AIR CHINA LIMITED
    Inventors: Zhuping Gu, Huifeng Ding, Fengliang Zheng, Jiaju Wu, Lei Chen, Lei Huang, Hailong Zhang, Bingzheng Wang
  • Patent number: 9657649
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for detecting performance of an APU fuel assembly, comprising: obtaining APU messages at multiple time points within a time period; obtaining running parameters of the APU fuel assembly according to the APU messages, the running parameters at least comprising starting time STA; calculating average value AVG and deviation index ? of the starting time STA within said time period; determining whether performance of the APU fuel assembly is in the stable phase, decline phase, or failure phase according to the deviation index ?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: Air China Limited
    Inventors: Lei Huang, Zhuping Gu, Fengliang Zheng, Hongtao Ma, Jiaju Wu, Rong Wang, Lei Chen
  • Patent number: 9447732
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a system that includes a recirculation system. The recirculation system includes a compressor discharge air line extending from a compressor to an air intake. The compressor discharge air line is configured to flow a compressor discharge air flow, and the air intake is configured to supply an air flow to the compressor. An ejector is disposed along the compressor discharge air line between the compressor and the air intake. The ejector is configured to receive and mix the compressor discharge air flow and a turbine exhaust flow to form a first mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Indrajit Mazumder, Rajarshi Saha, Seyfettin Can Gulen, Sabarinath Devarajan, Prashant Kumar
  • Patent number: 9429077
    Abstract: Electric power from the low spool of a turboshaft engine is transferred to drive the compressor of an other turboshaft engine. This is used to assist in maintaining the other turboshaft idling while a single engine provides flight power or to increase acceleration for instance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Keith Morgan
  • Patent number: 9346553
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and to an associated fuel metering system for balancing the power delivered by two aircraft turboshaft engines by determining first and second limiting margins of the engines (M1, M2) which are transformed into first and second power margins. Thereafter, the values of the first and second power margins are compared in order to determine a primary difference between said first and second power margins. Finally, the engine having the greater power margin is accelerated in order to balance the first and second engines in power by minimizing the primary difference to as great as extent as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
    Inventors: François-Xavier Gaulmin, Lionel Iraudo, Daniel Chaniot
  • Patent number: 9175605
    Abstract: The present invention provides in one embodiment of the present invention a surge margin power recuperation system. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for recuperating power from surge margin bleed air. 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: November 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Ray F. Bowman, Stanford Clemens
  • Publication number: 20150121838
    Abstract: A system of conjoined gas turbine engines has a first engine with a first propulsor having a first axis and a first engine core having a second axis, and a second engine with a second propulsor having a third axis and a second engine core having a fourth axis. The first axis and third axis are parallel to one another; and the second axis and fourth axis are angled from one another.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Brian D. Merry
  • Patent number: 9003761
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a system is provided that includes a first gas turbine engine. The first gas turbine engine has a first compressor configured to intake air and to produce a first compressed air and a first combustor configured to combust a first mixture to produce a first combustion gas. The first mixture has a first fuel, at least a first portion of the first compressed air, and a second combustion gas from a second gas turbine engine. The first gas turbine engine also includes a first turbine configured to extract work from the first combustion gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Samuel David Draper