For Nominal Other Than Power Plant Output Feature Patents (Class 60/784)
  • Patent number: 7028486
    Abstract: An object is to improve the operational reliability of a gas turbine by suppressing thermal stress and thermal deformation acting on the rotor of the gas turbine. The gas turbine has a rotor shaft constructed by arranging, in an axial direction in turn, a plurality of discs each having a plurality of combustion gas-driven moving blades annularly arranged on the peripheral portion and spacers arranged between the discs, and is characterized in that gap portions are formed between a region, on the rotor shaft center portion side, of the above-mentioned discs facing the spacers and spacers adjacent thereto, contact surfaces are formed both of which contact on both a region, on the rotor peripheral side, of the above-mentioned discs facing the spacers and adjacent spacers thereto, and a third flow path leading fluid to the above-mentioned gap portions is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Marushima, Manabu Matsumoto, Kazuhiko Kawaike, Takashi Ikeguchi, Takashi Machida, Masaru Sekihara
  • Patent number: 6948319
    Abstract: A cogeneration system is provided which includes a prime mover for obtaining power for driving a generator by combustion of a fuel, a waste heat boiler for recovering thermal energy from exhaust gas discharged from the prime mover, and a heat exchanger for heating air that is to be fed into an air conditioner by heat exchange with the exhaust gas discharged from the waste heat boiler. Drain water that is generated from the exhaust gas cooled by heat exchange in the air-heating heat exchanger (5) with the air that is to be fed into the air conditioner (30) is recovered by drain water recovery/supply means (36). The drain water recovery/supply means (36) supplies the drain water thus recovered to appliances (37, 38) that require comparatively high temperature water. Thermal energy can thus be recovered effectively from the drain water discharged from the heat exchanger on the downstream side of the waste heat boiler, thereby improving the efficiency of recovery of waste heat energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsutomu Hayakawa, Keiichi Samekawa, Yasuhiro Kume, Yuuji Mukano
  • Patent number: 6945052
    Abstract: In a power generation plant having at least one gas turbine cycle with heat-recovery boiler (4) and at least one steam turbine cycle operated via the heat-recovery boiler (4), the gas turbine cycle being designed to be semi-closed and essentially free of emissions and essentially comprising a compressor (1), a combustion chamber (2) arranged downstream of the compressor (1), a gas turbine (3) arranged downstream of the combustion chamber (2), a heat-recovery boiler (4) arranged downstream of the gas turbine (3), and at least one generator (8) coupled to the gas turbine (3), modes of operation with the gas turbine cycle stopped and start-up using fresh air are made possible by first means (12) being arranged which alternatively or additionally allow hot gas to be fed into the hot-gas path (23) between gas turbine (3) and heat-recovery boiler (4), and by second means (15) being arranged which alternatively or additionally allow exhaust gas to be expelled from the exhaust-gas path (40) downstream of the heat-rec
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventors: Hans Ulrich Frutschi, Timothy Griffin, Daniel Holmberg, Roland Span
  • Patent number: 6931860
    Abstract: A system and method for creating power and pasteurizing water is provided. The system includes a power generation subsystem and a water pasteurization subsystem, which are linked together as follows. The power generation subsystem comprises a turbine power generator. Air (or other suitable working fluid) flows through the turbine power generator to generate power by known methods. The air is heated prior to flowing into the turbine to increase its speed for greater power generation. The water pasteurization subsystem includes one or more heat exchangers, at least one of which is connected to receive the hot airflow exiting the turbine. The heat from the turbine-exiting airflow is utilized for pasteurizing colder wastewater inside the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Inventor: Gregory B. Ryan
  • Patent number: 6877323
    Abstract: The microturbine engine that is typically utilized to power an electrical generating system and/or boiler, chiller and the like includes a second boiler and a by-pass system for providing heated water at two different levels or where one of the boilers provides steam. The turbine exhaust is utilized as the heat transport medium and is directly connected to one of the boilers while the other is connected to the recuperator. The system can optionally provide cooling to the electrical and electronic components of the system by providing a water circuit for leading water into the electric and electronic components prior to feeding the boilers. The system is designed to assure that the delta heat difference between the medium being heated and the waste heat of the turbine is sufficient so that the heat exchange will be done efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Elliott Energy Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: David W. Dewis
  • Patent number: 6871513
    Abstract: In a process for separation of air by cryogenic distillation integrated with an associated process, air is separated in a separation unit (1), fluid is sent from the separation unit to an associated process, steam (3) is derived from the associated process, at least part of the steam is used in the separation unit and at least one fluid stream (11) is sent from the air separation unit to the atmosphere, at least when the steam is used in the air separation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2005
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme à Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude
    Inventor: Alain Guillard
  • Patent number: 6868677
    Abstract: A power generation system is provided which converts chemical energy in one or more fuels into electrical and/or mechanical power. The system includes both fuel cells to directly convert electrical energy in a fuel into electrical power and at lest one combustor and expander to generate mechanical power, optionally than converted to electrical power in a generator. Fuel cell products disclosed from the fuel cell are entered into the combustor to be heated along with products of combustion created in the combustor and expanded in the expander along with the products of combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: Clean Energy Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Fermin Viteri, Roger E. Anderson
  • Patent number: 6832470
    Abstract: The flow path of the exhaust of a recuperator of a microturbine engine system is routed to insulate the turbine exhaust in the recuperator. The recuperator is encapsulated for defining a passage for flowing the exhaust over the outer diameter of the recuperator so as to insulate the heat within the recuperator. A by-pass system that is operable mechanically or automatically directs turbine exhaust to by-pass the recuperator is disclosed in another embodiment. The by-pass serves to trim the efficiencies of the original manufactured microturbine engines so that all the engines attain a given preselected matching efficiency level. The by-pass can also be utilized to control the temperature of a boiler, chiller or other elements incorporated in the microturbine system by controlling the turbine exhaust to by-pass the recuperator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Elliott Energy Systems, Inc
    Inventor: David W. Dewis
  • Publication number: 20040237539
    Abstract: A method of generating electrical power while simultaneously converting salt water to fresh water includes the steps of: a) supplying exhaust gases from a gas turbine used to generate electrical power to a boiler located downstream of the gas turbine and upstream of a gas turbine exhaust gas stack; b) employing a closed thermal transfer fluid circuit between the boiler and a desalinization plant for recirculating the thermal transfer fluid between a first heat exchange in the boiler and a second heat exchanger in the desalinization plant where the thermal transfer fluid passes in heat exchange relationship with the seawater to thereby heat the seawater as a first step in a distillation process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventor: Etienne Marie Luc Mangin
  • Publication number: 20040237540
    Abstract: A co-generation system and a dehumidification air-conditioner, which generates electricity and provides highly efficient air-conditioning by reducing the latent heat load of the air-conditioner. Exhaust gas from either a turbine or an internal combustion engine heats air for desorption of adsorbed moisture from a humidity rotor. The humidity rotor has a sound adsorption material to attenuate high frequency noise coming from the exhaust outlet of the co-generation system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2003
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Applicant: SEIBU GIKEN CO, LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Okano, Yukito Kawakami, Mototsugu Nagamatsu
  • Patent number: 6820432
    Abstract: The heat recovery boiler (1) is operated, at least temporarily, by feeding its combustion system with air (13) and with a stream (15) of flue gases (4) recycled to a level of at least 45%, typically between 50 and 65%, so as to allow the efficiency of the boiler to be increased and to decouple it, at least temporarily, from the combustion engine (8) driving a generator (9), the exhaust gases from which are burnt in post-combustion mode in the boiler in cogeneration mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2004
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, S.A.
    Inventors: Jacques Labasque, Jacques Segret
  • Publication number: 20040200225
    Abstract: A cogeneration system having a gas turbine generator (10) that provides combustion air via an exhaust to a heat recovery steam generator (13) has a gas-seal stack (19) coupled there between. The gas-seal stack (19) prevents substantial portions of the exhaust gas from exiting there through due to formation of a column of higher density ambient air. This blockage is achieved without resort to mechanical. pneumatic pathway control devices. Conversely, if and when the gas turbine generator (10) shuts down, ambient air is drawn through the gas-seal stack (19) and serves to support continued combustion in the heat recovery steam generator (13). In one embodiment, an induction fan (or fans) (16) is located at the exhaust of the heat recovery steam generator (13) such that combustion air is pulled through the heat recovery steam generator (13) rather than pushed there through. This aids in minimizing backpressure at the exhaust of the gas turbine generator (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2003
    Publication date: October 14, 2004
    Inventor: Frank F. Mittricker
  • Publication number: 20040139751
    Abstract: A system and method for an engine bleed flow-sharing control system is disclosed. For a multi-engine bleed system, one (10) of the engines is selected as the master channel (15) such that the bleed air supply pressure of the control system receiving the bleed air is controlled (11, 12, 13) to achieve a desirable supply pressure range. To slave the other engine airflow control channels (25, 35, 45), the airflow rate (14) is also measured in the master channel (15) and the measured airflow rate is used as the airflow setpoint for other channels (25, 35, 45). The difference between the airflow setpoint and the airflow rate in the other channel is applied to control (21, 31, 41) the pressure or the valve/actuator opening area at the inlet of that channel (25, 35, 45).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2003
    Publication date: July 22, 2004
    Inventors: Guang Jun Liu, Chun Ho Lam
  • Patent number: 6745574
    Abstract: A direct fired absorption chiller is combined with a microturbine engine that operates to power another medium includes a by-pass valve interconnecting the discharge end of the recuperator and the discharge end of the turbine so as to maintain a constant heat delivered to the chiller. A temperature monitoring sensor actuates the by-pass valve to assure that the proper heat is maintained in the chiller. In the preferred embodiment the microturbine powers an electrical generating system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Elliott Energy Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory Brian Dettmer
  • Publication number: 20040098966
    Abstract: The microturbine engine that is typically utilized to power an electrical generating system and/or boiler, chiller and the like includes a second boiler and a by-pass system for providing heated water at two different levels or where one of the boilers provides steam. The turbine exhaust is utilized as the heat transport medium and is directly connected to one of the boilers while the other is connected to the recuperator. The system can optionally provide cooling to the electrical and electronic components of the system by providing a water circuit for leading water into the electric and electronic components prior to feeding the boilers. The system is designed to assure that the delta heat difference between the medium being heated and the waste heat of the turbine is sufficient so that the heat exchange will be done efficiently.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Inventor: David W. Dewis
  • Publication number: 20040098965
    Abstract: A direct fired absorption chiller is combined with a microturbine engine that operates to power another medium includes a by-pass valve interconnecting the discharge end of the recuperator and the discharge end of the turbine so as to maintain a constant heat delivered to the chiller. A temperature monitoring sensor actuates the by-pass valve to assure that the proper heat is maintained in the chiller. In the preferred embodiment the microturbine powers an electrical generating system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Publication date: May 27, 2004
    Inventor: Gregory Brian Dettmer
  • Patent number: 6735957
    Abstract: An object is to improve the operational reliability of a gas turbine by suppressing thermal stress and thermal deformation acting on the rotor of the gas turbine. The gas turbine has a rotor shaft constructed by arranging, in an axial direction in turn, a plurality of discs each having a plurality of combustion gas-driven moving blades annularly arranged on the peripheral portion and spacers arranged between the discs, and is characterized in that gap portions are formed between a region, on the rotor shaft center portion side, of the above-mentioned discs facing the spacers and spacers adjacent thereto, contact surfaces are formed both of which contact on both a region, on the rotor peripheral side, of the above-mentioned discs facing the spacers and adjacent spacers thereto, and a third flow path leading fluid to the above-mentioned gap portions is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Marushima, Manabu Matsumoto, Kazuhiko Kawaike, Takashi Ikeguchi, Takashi Machida, Masaru Sekihara
  • Publication number: 20040079088
    Abstract: A cogeneration system is provided which includes a prime mover for obtaining power for driving a generator by combustion of a fuel, a waste heat boiler for recovering thermal energy from exhaust gas discharged from the prime mover, and a heat exchanger for heating air that is to be fed into an air conditioner by heat exchange with the exhaust gas discharged from the waste heat boiler. Drain water that is generated from the exhaust gas cooled by heat exchange in the air-heating heat exchanger (5) with the air that is to be fed into the air conditioner (30) is recovered by drain water recovery/supply means (36). The drain water recovery/supply means (36) supplies the drain water thus recovered to appliances (37, 38) that require comparatively high temperature water. Thermal energy can thus be recovered effectively from the drain water discharged from the heat exchanger on the downstream side of the waste heat boiler, thereby improving the efficiency of recovery of waste heat energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2003
    Publication date: April 29, 2004
    Inventors: Tsutomu Hayakawa, Keiichi Samekawa, Yasuhiro Kume, Yuuji Mukano
  • Publication number: 20040074238
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an exhaust heat recovery system that recovers exhaust that is generated by an electrical power generator for use in supplying hot water and air conditioning, and has an object providing an exhaust heat recovery system that realizes reduced costs and has a high energy efficiency. The exhaust heat recovery system provides a heat exchanger HEX1 for exhaust heat recovery that uses the heat of the exhaust gas generated by an electrical power generator to heat a heating medium that is circulated and used in a predetermined facility, and heats the heating medium by carrying out heat exchange between the exhaust gas and the heating medium, a temperature detecting device TC2 that detects the temperature of the heating medium heated by the heat exchanger HEX1 for exhaust heat recovery, and a control valve V1 that controls the amount of exhaust gas fed to the heat exchanger HEX1 for exhaust heat recovery based on the detected results of the temperature detecting device TC2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: Kenji Wantanabe, Tomonari Ito
  • Publication number: 20040040312
    Abstract: Water is generated onboard of a craft such as an aircraft or in a self-contained stationary system by partially or completely integrating a water generating unit into a power plant of the craft or system. The water generating unit includes one or more high temperature fuel cells which partially or completely replace the combustion chamber or chambers of the power plant. A reformer process is integrated into the high temperature fuel cell which is arranged between, on the one hand, a fan (30) and power plant compressor stages (31, 32) and, on the other hand, power plant turbine stages (33, 34). These power plant stages may be provided in such redundant numbers that safety and redundancy requirements are satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2003
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Inventors: Claus Hoffjann, Hans-Juergen Heinrich
  • Publication number: 20040016237
    Abstract: An integrated air separation and oxygen fired power generation system includes an air separation unit and a gas turbine including an air compressor to provide compressed air for the air separation unit. The system further includes a gas turbine expander and at least one additional turbine to drive the air compressor, as well as at least one combustion unit to provide drive gas for expander and additional turbine(s). A portion of oxygen produced by the air separation unit is delivered to the combustor(s) to facilitate production of drive gas for use by the expander and additional turbine(s). Turbine inlet temperatures are controlled by recycling water or steam to the combustor(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2003
    Publication date: January 29, 2004
    Inventors: Ovidiu Marin, Scott Macadam, Frederic Fillet, Pietro Di Zanno
  • Patent number: 6651441
    Abstract: A fluid flow system for a gas turbine engine provides combustion fuel to a main pump and an actuator pump significantly reducing heat generation at low flow demand, while regulating actuator flow temperature at high flow demand. Fuel flow from the actuator pump in excess of the actuators needs is directed through an actuator minimum pressure valve and into a thermal bypass valve (TBV.) Depending upon the temperature of the fuel, the TBV determines the path of the excess actuator pump fluid flow. The TBV divides the fuel flow between being recirculated to the actuator pump inlet and the main pump output flow path to the engine fuel input conduit. The engine actuators are thereby assured of receiving flow which preclude freezing of water entrained in the fuel. When there is minimal concern with the possibility of freezing water entrained in the fuel, the TBV passes a greater percentage of fuel through to join together in the engine fuel input conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand
    Inventors: Charles Reuter, Gerald P. Dyer, Todd Haugsjaahabink, Satish Shah
  • Patent number: 6615585
    Abstract: In an intake-air refrigeration system of intake-air cooling type gas turbine power equipment, heat discharged to the atmosphere heretofore is recovered for further utilization. A refrigerant vapor discharged from and evaporator (05) of the refrigeration system is compressed by a refrigerant compressor (02) to be transformed to pressurized refrigerant vapor. Heat carried by the pressurized refrigerant vapor is supplied to a heat utilization system (80) to be recovered therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Tadashi Tsuji
  • Patent number: 6598400
    Abstract: A cogenerating recuperated microturbine includes a recuperator, an air compressor and a combustor. The combustor burns a fuel along with the compressed air received from the recuperator to create products of combustion. A turbine generator operates in response to expansion of the products of combustion to generate electricity. The products of combustion then flow through the recuperator to preheat the compressed air. The products of combustion then flow out of the recuperator as an exhaust flow. A heat exchanger is movable into and out of the exhaust flow to selectively heat a fluid in the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is actuated by a piston-cylinder type actuator that operates under the influence of compressed air selectively bled from the air compressor. The actuator may be a single-acting cylinder used in conjunction with a biasing spring, or may be a double-acting cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Ingersoll-Rand Energy Systems Corporation
    Inventors: James S. Nash, James B. Kesseli, Andrew J. Olsen
  • Publication number: 20030061818
    Abstract: A cogenerating recuperated microturbine includes a recuperator, an air compressor and a combustor. The combustor burns a fuel along with the compressed air received from the recuperator to create products of combustion. A turbine generator operates in response to expansion of the products of combustion to generate electricity. The products of combustion then flow through the recuperator to preheat the compressed air. The products of combustion then flow out of the recuperator as an exhaust flow. A heat exchanger is movable into and out of the exhaust flow to selectively heat a fluid in the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is actuated by a piston-cylinder type actuator that operates under the influence of compressed air selectively bled from the air compressor. The actuator may be a single-acting cylinder used in conjunction with a biasing spring, or may be a double-acting cylinder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Applicant: Ingersoll-Rand Energy Systems Corporation
    Inventors: James S. Nash, James B. Kesseli, Andrew J. Olsen
  • Patent number: 6532745
    Abstract: A partially-open turbine cycle for use with a modified gas turbine wherein the cycle's working motive fluid replaces the predominant air-derived nitrogen working motive fluid contained in a conventional gas turbine cycle. The working motive fluid comprises a mixture of predominantly carbon dioxide and water vapor in a Mol percent ratio identical to that of the same molecular components Mol percentage as generated from the combustion of the fuel used. The cycle's is susceptible to a 98 percent reduction of fugitive nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide mass flow emissions as emitted by present art gas turbines on a rated shaft-horsepower basis, and is further susceptible to high simple cycle and cogeneration plant thermal efficiencies at greatly reduced operating pressures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Inventor: David L. Neary
  • Patent number: 6530226
    Abstract: The aim of the invention is to further improve the closed cycle for generating electric power in such a way that efficiency is enhanced and general pressure and temperature requirements regarding the working fluid used are substantially reduced. The invention also seeks to provide an improved technical solution that meets the requirements of continuos operation at rated output despite fluctuations in load requirements. This is achieved through a multistep steam power operating method for generating electric power in a cycle by using an additional gaseous energy carrier to increase the pressure, the temperature and the volume of the working fluid in the cycle and by recirculating the working fluid in the cycle in such a way that continuously overheated steam is used as a working fluid. The invention can be used in the generation of electric power in a cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignees: Rerum Cognitio
    Inventor: Wolfgang Harazim
  • Patent number: 6519946
    Abstract: A waste-heat gas driven cogeneration having a micro gas turbine, driving portions including high-temperature-side hydrogen storage alloy containers respectively and operated by heat exchange between waste-heat gas generated from the turbine and a cooling heat medium, and cold-heat generating portions including low-temperature-side hydrogen storage alloy containers respectively to absorb and release hydrogen into/from the containers to generate cold heat and supply the cold heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: The Japan Steel Works, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Iwamoto, Hiroyuki Togo, Masamitsu Murai, Ritsu Miura, Koji Hattori, Harunobu Takeda
  • Patent number: 6505467
    Abstract: A process producing electric energy, steam and carbon dioxide in concentrated form from a hydrocarbon feedstock. The process includes forming synthesis gas in an air driven autothermal reactor unit (ATR), heat exchanging the formed synthesis gas and thereby producing steam, treating at least part of the synthesis gas in a CO-shift reactor unit and carbon dioxide separation unit for formation of concentrated carbon dioxide and a lean hydrogen containing gas which is combusted in a combined cycle gas turbine for production of electric energy, and where air from the turbine is supplied to the ATR unit. The exhaust from the gas turbine is heat exchanged for the production of steam which together with steam generated upstream said unit is utilized in a power generator for production of substantially CO2-free electric energy. Steam may be fed to the gas turbine for diluting the hydrogen containing gas mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Norsk Hydro ASA
    Inventors: Henrik O. Fjellhaug, Henning Reier Nilsen, Werner Soyez, Michel Saigne
  • Patent number: 6502403
    Abstract: A steam-injection type gas turbine system provided with a waste-heat boiler uses surplus steam effectively for cooling the stationary blades of a turbine. The steam-injection type gas turbine system includes an air compressor (2) for compressing air, a combustor (3) for mixing a fuel with compressed air to burn the fuel, a turbine (4) driven by the energy of a combustion gas produced by the combustor (3), a waste-heat boiler (10) using an exhaust gas (G) discharged from the turbine (4) as a heat source, a steam supply system (23) for distributing steam generated by the waste-heat boiler (10) to the combustor (3), the stationary blades (68B) of the turbine (4) and external steam loads (22), and a steam distribution adjusting means (32) for preferentially supplying steam to the external steam loads (22), adjusting the rate of supply of steam to the combustor (3) and supplying the rest of the steam to the stationary blades (68B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masamoto Tazaki, Takao Sugimoto, Koji Sambonsugi
  • Patent number: 6481210
    Abstract: A method and a system is provided for reducing aircraft engine fuel consumption by selectively closing an aircraft surge bleed valve (SBV), when the surge bleed valve would normally be open. The method determines whether the engine bleed flow obtained with the closed SBV is sufficient to prevent engine surge for the present flight regime. If so, the SBV is kept closed, while the aircraft is drawing air from the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory J. Chapman
  • Publication number: 20020095939
    Abstract: The present invention provides a turbo heater which utilizes a gas turbine engine and a heat exchanger assembly. The gas turbine engine is adapted to efficiently operate over a prolonged period of time and at varying power outputs without adverse or detrimental effects to the components thereof. For example, the gas turbine engine includes bearing assemblies and a fuel delivery systems which are uniquely designed for the demands of repeated cycling (i.e. starting and stopping), as well as operation at various power outputs without damage to the gas turbine engine. In addition, the use of exhaust gas from the gas turbine engine eliminates direct impingement of combustion on the heat exchanger element, thereby significantly increasing the durability and life span of the turbo heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Applicant: Fairlane Tool Company
    Inventors: Richard W. Gordon, Richard Chute
  • Publication number: 20020069646
    Abstract: The airflow distribution of bleed air extracted from a plurality of turbine engines (11, 13, 15, 17) is equalized by an airflow sharing system having electronic airflow sensors (49, 51, 53, 55) and closed-loop control algorithm to equalize the pressure-drop characteristics of multiple bleed air branches to flow-share equally. The pressure-drop characteristic of each airflow branch is controlled to the same setpoint characteristic by negative feedback. The closed-loop control can be implemented with an electronic circuit or as a computational process in a digital controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2001
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventor: Robert W.M. Yeung