Gas Turbine, Compressor Patents (Class 701/100)
  • Patent number: 11959386
    Abstract: A method is provided for a gas turbine engine. During this method, a first lubricant parameter is determined during a first period of an engine operating cycle. The first lubricant parameter is indicative of a first quantity of lubricant within a reservoir of the gas turbine engine. A second lubricant parameter is determined during a second period of the engine operating cycle. The second lubricant parameter is indicative of a second quantity of the lubricant within the reservoir. The first lubricant parameter and the second lubricant parameter are compared to determine a lubricant consumption parameter. The lubricant consumption parameter is indicative of a quantity of the lubricant consumed by the gas turbine engine during the engine operating cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Edward T. Rocco, Grant A. Carey, Bradley C. Schafer
  • Patent number: 11959424
    Abstract: An output corrector is provided with an adjustment coefficient creating unit which creates an adjustment coefficient, an output adjusting unit which adjusts a control output using the adjustment coefficient, and an output accepting unit which accepts an output from an output meter for detecting the output of a gas turbine. The adjustment coefficient creating unit includes a first coefficient element calculating unit which calculates a first coefficient element, a second coefficient element calculating unit which calculates a second coefficient element, and an adjustment coefficient calculating unit which calculates the adjustment coefficient using the first and second coefficient elements. The first coefficient element is the ratio of an immediately preceding output in an immediately preceding time period, to a reference output at a reference time point in the past. The second coefficient element is the ratio of the current output in the current time period, to the immediately preceding output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Nakata, Hidehiko Nishimura, Jotaro Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 11913643
    Abstract: A wireless sensor system of a gas turbine engine of an aircraft can include a plurality of wireless sensors distributed within an engine core of the gas turbine engine and an energy harvesting system including one or more energy harvesting devices configured to convert mechanical or thermal energy within the gas turbine engine into electric power and provide the electric power to the wireless sensors. The wireless sensor system can also include a data concentrator coupled to the gas turbine engine. The data concentrator can be configured to receive a plurality of wireless sensor data from the wireless sensors and transmit the wireless sensor data to a communication adapter of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Paul Raymond Scheid, Paul A. Adamski, Eli Cole Warren
  • Patent number: 11907793
    Abstract: A computer-implemented system and process of producing a metric quality grade profile for use during inspection of DPM symbol marked on parts may include storing average metrics measured in a controlled environment for a “golden” sample. Measurements of the DPM symbol of the “golden” sample may be performed. Measurements of the metrics of the “golden” sample in an uncontrolled environment may be performed. Average metrics from the uncontrolled environment may be calculated. The averaged metrics from the controlled and uncontrolled environment may be compared. The user may be enabled to set an acceptable grade for the individual metrics. The acceptable grades for the individual metrics as a profile of the DPM symbol in memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Datalogic IP Tech S.R.L.
    Inventors: Rinaldo Zocca, Lorenzo Bassi, Clemente Iannone
  • Patent number: 11859561
    Abstract: A method of determining an inlet total air pressure includes determining a first parameter indicative of a first inlet total air pressure. The method includes executing a sequence that includes: determining a mass air flow passing through the air inlet based on the first parameter, determining a Mach number of air passing through the air inlet based on the mass air flow, determining a static air pressure at the air inlet, determining an air pressure ratio based on the Mach number, generating a subsequent parameter indicative of the revised inlet total air pressure based on the air pressure ratio and the static air pressure, and substituting the subsequent parameter for the first parameter. The method includes executing at least one additional instance of the sequence with the subsequent parameter, and outputting the subsequent parameter as the inlet total air pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Yves Cloutier
  • Patent number: 11852083
    Abstract: An electronic controller for an engine and a propeller, a control system and related methods are described herein. The control system comprises the controller having a first channel and a second channel independent from and redundant to the first channel. Each channel comprises a control processor configured to receive first engine and propeller parameters and to output, based on the first engine and propeller parameters, at least one engine control command and at least one propeller control command. Each channel also comprises a protection processor configured to receive second engine and propeller parameters and to output, based on the second engine and propeller parameters, at least one engine protection command and at least one propeller protection command. The control system comprises sensors for measuring the parameters of the engine and/or the propeller and effectors configured to control the engine and the propeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Jasraj Chahal, Brant Duke, Carmine Lisio, Jim R. Jarvo, Giancarlo Zingaro
  • Patent number: 11815031
    Abstract: A method of operating an aircraft including a gas turbine engine and a plurality of fuel tanks arranged to provide fuel to the gas turbine engine, where at least two of the fuel tanks contain fuels with different fuel characteristics. The method includes obtaining a flight profile for a flight of the aircraft; and determining a fuelling schedule for the flight based on the flight profile and the fuel characteristics. The fuelling schedule governs the variation with time of how much fuel is drawn from each tank. Fuel input to the gas turbine engine may then be controlled in operation in accordance with the fuelling schedule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Peter Swann, Craig W Bemment, Alastair G Hobday, Benjamin J Keeler, Christopher P Madden
  • Patent number: 11794912
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fuel cell assembly including a fuel cell stack and defining a fuel cell assembly operating parameter, a fuel source, and a turbomachine. The turbomachine includes a compressor section, a combustor, and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order. The combustor is configured to receive a flow of fuel from the fuel source and further configured to receive output products from the fuel cell stack. A controller is configured to perform operations including receiving data indicative of system operation conditions, determining a set of fuel cell operating conditions to move the system emission output into or maintain the system emission output within an emissions range, and controlling the fuel cell assembly operating parameter according to the determined set of fuel cell operating conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Honggang Wang, Michael Anthony Benjamin
  • Patent number: 11780597
    Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft comprises a gas turbine engine; a plurality of fuel tanks arranged to contain different fuels to be used to power the gas turbine engine, wherein the fuels have different calorific values; and a fuel manager. The fuel manager is arranged to store information on the fuel contained in each fuel tank and to control fuel input to the gas turbine engine in operation by selection of a specific fuel or fuel combination from one or more of the plurality of fuel tanks based on thrust demand of the gas turbine engine such that a fuel with a lower calorific value is supplied to the gas turbine engine at lower thrust demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Peter Swann, Craig W Bemment, Alastair G Hobday, Benjamin J Keeler, Christopher P Madden
  • Patent number: 11761386
    Abstract: A method and system for cleaning a fuel nozzle during engine operation is provided. Operations include operating the compressor section to provide the flow of oxidizer at a first oxidizer flow condition to the combustion chamber, wherein the first oxidizer flow condition comprises an environmental parameter; operating the fuel system at a first fuel flow condition to produce a fuel-oxidizer ratio at the combustion chamber; comparing the environmental parameter to a first environmental parameter threshold; and transitioning the fuel system to a second fuel flow condition corresponding to a cleaning condition at the fuel nozzle if the environmental parameter is equal to or greater than the first environmental threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael Scott McCambridge, Nayan Vinodbhai Patel, Eric John Kress, Kevin Richard Graziano, Brendon Matthew Leeker
  • Patent number: 11746713
    Abstract: A control system of a gas turbine engine is provided. The engine has a fuel flow metering valve which regulates a fuel flow to the engine, and one or more variable geometry components which are movable between different set points to vary an operating configuration of the engine. The control system has an engine fuel control sub-system which provides a fuel flow demand signal for controlling the fuel flow metering valve. The control system further has a variable geometry control sub-system which determines current set points to be adopted by the variable geometry components given the current engine operating condition in order to comply with one or more engine constraints. The control system further has an optimiser that receives the current set points and determines adjusted values of the set points which optimise, while complying with the engine constraints, an objective function modelling a performance characteristic of the engine, the objective function adapting to change in engine performance with time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Ibrahim Sanusi, Andrew R Mills, Derek S Wall
  • Patent number: 11726859
    Abstract: A redundant control system includes a plurality of channels each including a processing system configured to execute a control application for a controlled system. The redundant control system also includes a switchover artificial intelligence control operable to evaluate a state of the channels of the redundant control system, monitor a plurality of input/output data and communication data of the channels, and apply a fault model to determine one or more component faults and system faults of the channels based on the state, the input/output data, and the communication data. The switchover artificial intelligence control is further operable to command a switchover of a control function from one of the channels having a lower health status to one of the channels having a higher health status based on the component faults and system faults of the channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Paul A. Adamski
  • Patent number: 11719170
    Abstract: Methods for monitoring engine health of an aircraft having a first engine and a second engine are provided. In one example, the method includes obtaining a first turbine gas temperature of the first engine and a second engine turbine gas temperature of the second engine from a first flight. The first turbine gas temperature and the second turbine gas temperature are related to each other to define a first value. The first value is compared to a data set for monitoring the engine health.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation
    Inventor: Bryan Morris
  • Patent number: 11691748
    Abstract: Herein provided are methods and systems for producing reverse thrust in a multi-engine propeller aircraft, comprising: obtaining, at a first engine controller of a first engine of the aircraft, a first power request for the first engine for producing reverse thrust; determining, at the first engine controller, a first blade angle for a first propeller coupled to the first engine; obtaining, at the first engine controller and from a second engine controller of a second engine of the aircraft, a second power request for the second engine and a second blade angle for a second propeller coupled to the second engine; and when the second power request is indicative of a request for producing reverse thrust and when the first and second blade angles are beyond a predetermined threshold, commanding, via the first engine controller, the first engine to produce reverse thrust based on the first power request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Jasraj Chahal, Carmine Lisio, Darragh McGrath, Giancarlo Zingaro
  • Patent number: 11686257
    Abstract: Systems and methods for configuring operation of an engine are described herein. A computer-readable label associate with the engine is read by a mobile device to obtain label information having at least one trim value for the engine encoded therein. The at least one trim value is extracted from the label information on the mobile device. The at least one trim value is wirelessly transmitted from the mobile device to a data transmission unit of the engine. The data transmission unit is configured for instructing an electronic engine controller to trim the engine with the at least one trim value during operation of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Bjorn Stickling, Jonathan Miller, James Jarvo
  • Patent number: 11668206
    Abstract: This application provides a temperature gradient control system for a double wall casing of a compressor. The double wall casing may include an inner casing and an outer casing such that a flow of air is pulled through the double wall casing. The temperature gradient control system may include upper discharge piping with an upper modulation valve and a lower discharge piping with a lower modulation valve. The upper modulation valve and/or the lower modulation valve modulate the flow air pulled through the double wall casing to reduce a temperature gradient across the outer casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Kyle Safford, Kyle Benson, Mithun Raj K K, Radu I. Danescu, Richard W. Johnson, Joseph M. Harvey, Brian P. Hansen
  • Patent number: 11668252
    Abstract: A method for controlling a clearance control valve of a turbomachine wherein, during a maneuver to increase engine speed in cruise phase, a command to reduce the opening of the clearance control valve is actuated by a Full Authority Digital Engine Control based on a change in the state of a step-climb signal provided by a flight management system in order to increase clearances at the tips of the turbomachine blades and an increase in the opening of the clearance control valve follows its reduction, at the expiry of either of the following two time limits: a first time limit starting at the change in the state of the step-climb signal and determined not to penalize the performance of the engine for too long and a second time limit starting at the end of the maneuver and determined as a function of a thermal time constant of the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventor: Jacques Auriol
  • Patent number: 11661895
    Abstract: A distributed control system for a turbomachine and method of operating the distributed control system are provided. In one aspect, a distributed control system includes a central controller and a distributed controller communicatively coupled thereto. The distributed controller has one or more associated local actuators and one or more associated local sensors. The actuators and the sensors are communicatively coupled with the distributed controller. If a communication link between the central controller and the distributed controller becomes faulty, the distributed controller enters an autonomous safety mode. In this mode, the distributed controller uses a combination of its own associated local sensors and past commands received from the central controller to autonomously govern its associated local actuators to maintain safe operation of the turbomachine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Comapny
    Inventor: Jessie Thorup
  • Patent number: 11650143
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for compiling an equivalent acceleration spectrum of creep under variable temperatures and loads. The method includes following steps: respectively carrying out a material high-temperature tensile test, material high-temperature creep tests and creep tests under two-stage variable temperatures and loads, and calculating values of a parameter p in a creep damage accumulation model under two-stage variable temperatures and loads; based on a nonlinear damage accumulation model under multi-stage variable temperatures and loads, calculating a damage D caused by a multi-stage variable temperatures and loads creep load spectrum by utilizing values of parameter p; based on the principle of consistency of damage D, transforming the multi-stage variable temperatures and loads creep load spectrum into an equivalent acceleration spectrum of a first-order maximum creep load, and finally compiling the equivalent acceleration spectrum of creep under variable temperatures and loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: NANJING UNIVERSITY OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS
    Inventors: Yingdong Song, Xu Zhao, Zhigang Sun, Xuming Niu, Yaning Chang, Qiuhong Peng
  • Patent number: 11604232
    Abstract: A control device controls a magnetic field generated by a magnetic field generator, and includes a magnetic field controller that controls the magnetic field generator based on a detected value by a magnetic field sensor. The magnetic field controller receives a command value generated by the magnetic field generator, and the detected value. The magnetic field controller generates an error signal based on an error between the command value and the detected value and outputs to the magnetic field generator a control signal amplified by a control gain against the error. The control gain includes: a first gain that becomes smaller as a frequency of the error signal gets higher; and a second gain that gets larger as an amplitude of the error signal gets larger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: ADVANTEST Corporation
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Omuro, Takashi Kimura
  • Patent number: 11585234
    Abstract: Systems, program products, and methods for detecting thermal stability within gas turbine systems are disclosed. The systems may include a computing device(s) in communication with a gas turbine system, and a plurality of sensors positioned within or adjacent the gas turbine system. The sensor(s) may measure operational characteristics of the gas turbine system. The computing device(s) may be configured to detect thermal stability within the gas turbine system by performing processes including calculating a lag output for each of the plurality of measured operational characteristics. The calculated lag output may be based on a difference between a calculated lag for the measured operational characteristics and the measured operational characteristic itself. The calculated lag output may be also be based on a time constant for the measured operational characteristics. The computing device(s) may also determine when each of the calculated lag outputs are below a predetermined threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Veerappan Muthaiah, Timothy Andrew Healy, Randy Scott Rosson, Harold Lamar Jordan, Jr., Kowshik Narayanaswamy
  • Patent number: 11585282
    Abstract: A method of identifying a fuel contained in a fuel tank of an aircraft and arranged to power a gas turbine engine of the aircraft is performed by processing circuitry of the aircraft and includes: obtaining at least one fuel characteristic of any fuel already present in the fuel tank prior to refuelling; determining at least one fuel characteristic of a fuel added to the fuel tank on refuelling; and calculating at least one fuel characteristic of the resultant fuel in the fuel tank after refuelling. The method may further controlling the propulsion system of the aircraft based on the calculated at least one fuel characteristic of the resultant fuel in the fuel tank after refuelling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Peter Swann, Craig W Bemment, Alastair G Hobday, Benjamin J Keeler, Christopher P Madden
  • Patent number: 11560237
    Abstract: An assistance method for assisting a pilot of a single-engined rotary-wing aircraft during a flight phase in autorotation, the aircraft including a hybrid power plant provided with a main engine, with an electric machine, with a main gearbox, and with an electrical energy storage device. The aircraft also includes a main rotor driven by the hybrid power plant. In the method, during a flight, operation of the main engine is monitored in order to detect a failure, in particular by means of a drop in power on the main rotor, then, when a failure of the main engine is detected, the electric machine is controlled to deliver auxiliary power We to the main rotor, making it possible to assist a pilot of the aircraft in performing the flight phase in autorotation following the failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
    Inventors: Elio Zoppitelli, Michel Jamot, Jeremy Camus, Olivier Maegey
  • Patent number: 11480119
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for controlling an engine system can provide fuel reactivity compensation control for an engine of the engine system. Pilot fuel quantity supplied to the engine can be controlled using a nitrous oxide (NOx) error. Likewise, air-to-fuel ratio (AFR) for the engine can be controlled using the NOx error. Each of a pilot fuel offset and an AFR control trim can be generated using the NOx error. The pilot fuel offset and the AFR control trim can be used to control the pilot fuel quantity and the AFR, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Geetika Dilawari, Shawn M. Damm, Shivangi Wagle, Hannes Marscheider
  • Patent number: 11459960
    Abstract: A method for checking the maximum available power of a turbine engine of an aircraft equipped with two turbine engines configured to operate in parallel and together to supply a necessary power to the aircraft during a flight phase includes: placing one of the turbine engines in a maximum take-off power regime, and adjusting a power supplied by the other turbine engine, such that the turbine engines continue to supply the necessary power to the aircraft during the flight phase; determining a power supplied by the turbine engine placed in the maximum take-off power regime, and processing the supplied power determined in this way, in order to deduce a piece of information relating to the maximum available power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN HELICOPTER ENGINES
    Inventors: Pierre Darfeuil, Patrick Marconi, Caroline Seve
  • Patent number: 11415139
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a novel method to detect an imminent compressor stall by using nonlinear feature extraction algorithms. The present disclosure focuses on the small nonlinear disturbances prior to deep surge and introduces a novel approach to identify these disturbances using nonlinear feature extraction algorithms including phase-reconstruction of time-serial signals and evaluation of a parameter called approximate entropy. The technique is applied to stall data sets from a high-speed centrifugal compressor that unexpectedly entered rotating stall during a speed transient and a multi-stage axial compressor with both modal- and spike-type stall inception. In both cases, nonlinear disturbances appear, in terms of spikes in approximate entropy, prior to surge. The presence of these pre-surge spikes indicates imminent compressor stall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Nicole Leanne Key, Fangyuan Lou
  • Patent number: 11408356
    Abstract: A system and method for operating a combustion system comprising a fuel nozzle defining at least one main fuel circuit and at least one pilot fuel circuit is generally provided. The method includes determining an overall flow of fuel, the overall flow of fuel defining a sum total fuel through the main fuel circuit and the pilot fuel circuit; determining a plurality of ranges of ratios of main fuel flow through the main fuel circuit versus pilot fuel flow through the pilot circuit from the overall flow of fuel, wherein each range of ratios is based on a combustion criterion different from one another; determining a resultant range of ratios of main fuel flow versus pilot fuel flow based on a hierarchy of combustion criteria, wherein the hierarchy of combustion criteria provides a priority ranking of the combustion criterion; and flowing the overall flow of fuel to the main fuel circuit and the pilot fuel circuit based on the resultant range of ratios of main fuel flow versus pilot fuel flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Steven Clayton Vise, Duane Douglas Thomsen, Richard Wade Stickles, Clayton Stuart Cooper, Donald Lee Gardner, George ChiaChun Hsiao, Michael Anthony Benjamin, Shai Birmaher
  • Patent number: 11401889
    Abstract: A method of managing a gas turbine engine includes the steps of detecting an airspeed and detecting a fan speed. A parameter relationship is referenced related to a desired variable area fan nozzle position based upon at least airspeed and fan speed. The detected airspeed and detected fan speed is compared to the parameter relationship to determine a target variable area fan nozzle position. An actual variable area fan nozzle position is adjusted in response to the determination of the target area fan nozzle position and at least one threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Geoffrey T. Blackwell, William J. McVey, William G. Tempelman
  • Patent number: 11391219
    Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine engine having a bleed air system with a switching valve, operable to switch between multiple air sources depending on an operating mode of the gas turbine engine (e.g. a motive powered mode or a standby mode), is described. The method includes operating the switching valve to provide pressurized air from a selected one or more of the multiple air sources to a cavity of the gas turbine engine having seals, and testing the switching valve to determine if the switching valve is functioning normally or abnormally. The switching valve is functioning normally when operable to switch between the multiple air sources and is functioning abnormally when switching between the multiple air sources is not possible. If the switching valve is determined to be functioning abnormally, the gas turbine engine is controlled to prevent a change of the operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Michael Paul Smith, Hytham Mokhtar, Daniel Arnone, Patrick Manoukian
  • Patent number: 11359554
    Abstract: A method and system for cleaning a fuel nozzle during engine operation is provided. Operations include operating the compressor section to provide the flow of oxidizer at a first oxidizer flow condition to the combustion chamber, wherein the first oxidizer flow condition comprises an environmental parameter; operating the fuel system at a first fuel flow condition to produce a fuel-oxidizer ratio at the combustion chamber; comparing the environmental parameter to a first environmental parameter threshold; and transitioning the fuel system to a second fuel flow condition corresponding to a cleaning condition at the fuel nozzle if the environmental parameter is equal to or greater than the first environmental threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nayan Vinodbhai Patel, Michael Scott McCambridge, Eric John Kress, Kevin Richard Graziano, Brendon Matthew Leeker
  • Patent number: 11333081
    Abstract: A rotating machine control device is provided with: an operating terminal for changing a parameter of the rotating machine; a clearance measuring device which measures the amount of clearance between a rotor and a casing; and a control device body. The control device body, in accordance with the amount of clearance measured by means of the clearance measuring device, determines an operating amount for the operating terminal so as to vary the rate of change in the parameter, and outputs the operating amount to the operating terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI POWER, LTD.
    Inventors: David Ferns, Keita Fujii, Osamu Ueda
  • Patent number: 11334854
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture to generate an asset workscope are disclosed. An example system includes an asset health calculator to identify an asset on which to perform maintenance based on generating a first asset health quantifier corresponding to a first asset health status, a task generator to determine a first workscope including first asset maintenance tasks, and a task optimizer to determine a second workscope including second asset maintenance tasks based on the first asset health quantifier and/or first workscope. The example system includes a workscope effect calculator to generate a second asset health quantifier corresponding to a second asset health status when the second workscope is completed on the asset, and to update the asset health calculator, task generator, and/or task optimizer to improve determination of first and/or second workscopes to improve the second asset health quantifier relative to the first asset health quantifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gregory Jon Chiaramonte, Donald Horn, Vijay John, Steven Richard Levin, Victor Manuel Perez Zarate, Charles Larry Abernathy
  • Patent number: 11326468
    Abstract: Methods and systems for operating a gas turbine engine are provided. A health parameter for the gas turbine engine is monitored at a health evaluation device via a first instrument, the health evaluation device being communicatively coupled to a communication link established between a controller, associated with the gas turbine engine, and a second instrument which provides the controller with an operation parameter indicative of an operating condition of the gas turbine engine. The health parameter is compared to a predetermined threshold. When the health parameter is beyond the predetermined threshold, a signal is injected into the communication link to produce a predetermined value for the operation parameter to elicit a health response from the controller associated with the predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Gaetan Girard, Stephane Wirth, Justin Bauslaugh, Francesco Finzi-Contini, Mehmet Celal Tanju
  • Patent number: 11306669
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for controlling an engine system can provide fuel reactivity compensation control for an engine of the engine system. The control can include controlling pilot fuel quantity supplied to an engine based on a pilot fuel offset value; and controlling air-to-fuel ratio (AFR) for the engine based on an AFR control trim value. A NOx error value can be used to generate one of the pilot fuel offset value or the AFR control trim value, and an exhaust temperature error value can be used to generate the other of the pilot fuel offset value or the AFR control trim value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher F. Gallmeyer, Geetika Dilawari, Shawn M. Damm, Shivangi Wagle, Hannes Marscheider
  • Patent number: 11261802
    Abstract: A controller for a gas turbine is arranged to supply a load L. The gas turbine includes a fuel supply arranged to supply fuel at a fuel flow rate FF to a combustor, wherein the fuel supply includes a first fuel supply and a second fuel supply. The controller is arranged to determine one or more ratios R of one or more combustor operating parameters COP respectively at the load L to respective reference combustor operating parameters COPR at a reference load LR. The controller is further arranged to control a proportion P of the fuel flow rate FF supplied via the first fuel supply based, at least in part, on the determined one or more ratios R. A gas turbine with the controller and a method controls the gas turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY GLOBAL GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventors: Jadeed Beita, Ghenadie Bulat
  • Patent number: 11261803
    Abstract: A method and system for fuel nozzle cleaning during engine operation is provided. The steps or operations include operating the compressor section to provide the flow of oxidizer to the combustion chamber, operating the fuel system at a first fuel flow condition, in which the first fuel flow condition provides a fuel-oxidizer ratio at the combustion chamber, operating the fuel system at a second fuel flow condition, in which the second fuel flow condition provides the fuel-oxidizer ratio at the combustion chamber equal at the first fuel flow condition and the second fuel flow condition, and operating the fuel system at a third fuel flow condition after operating the fuel system at the second fuel flow condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael Scott McCambridge, Nayan Vinodbhai Patel, Eric John Kress, Kevin Richard Graziano, Brendon Matthew Leeker
  • Patent number: 11230385
    Abstract: A hybrid-electric propulsion system for an aircraft includes a turbomachine, the turbomachine including a first spool and a second spool. A method for operating the hybrid electric propulsion system includes operating, by one or more computing devices, the turbomachine such that the first spool mechanically drives a prime propulsor of the hybrid-electric propulsion system; and modifying, by the one or more computing devices, a speed relationship parameter defined between the first spool and second spool by providing electrical power to, or drawing electrical power from, an electric machine mechanically coupled to the first spool, the second spool, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sridhar Adibhatla, Robert Charles Hon, Michael Thomas Gansler
  • Patent number: 11203950
    Abstract: An engine control system includes an electronic hardware engine controller in signal communication with an actuator and an engine sensor. The actuator operates at a plurality of different positions to control operation of an engine. The engine sensor measures an engine operating parameter. The engine controller generates a synthesized engine operating parameter, and adjusts the position of the actuator based on the synthesized engine operating parameter in response to detecting a faulty engine sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Boris Karpman, Richard P. Meisner, Subhradeep Chowdhury
  • Patent number: 11190421
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a method for processing alerts. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a set of alerts matching a metric template are identified from received alerts during a period of time. A plurality of variable values are acquired from the set of alerts based on the metric template. The plurality of variable values are normalized according to a normalization rule of the metric template. A severity level for the set of alerts is determined based on the normalized variable values. In response to the severity level exceeding a certain threshold, an abstract alert including information related to the set of alerts is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Pei Ni Liu, Zi Xiao Zhu, Tian Wu, Jia Qi Li, Fan Jing Meng, Ruo Yi Liu
  • Patent number: 11158140
    Abstract: A turbomachine control system that includes signal monitoring features is provided. Particularly, the control system proactively isolates or discards unresponsive sensed signals to prevent them from being used to control the turbomachine. The control system can detect and discard unresponsive signals and can utilize a healthier signal or a model of the expected sensor response instead to avert undesirable events, such as e.g., a loss of thrust control event. In one example aspect, the control system includes one or more computing devices that receive a sensed signal. The variance of the sensed signal is determined and then compared to an expected variance of the signal. The expected variance can be output by a sensor model of the one or more computing devices. A variance ratio is determined and the output is compared to a predefined threshold. If the output of the variance threshold exceeds the predefined threshold, then the signal is classified as unresponsive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mustapha Ismail, John Lewis Moulton, Jeremy David Seager, Jose Ruben Ramirez, Gerardo Perez, Rogelio Guzman-Sauceda, Bernardo Ivan Pozos Badillo
  • Patent number: 11067592
    Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to perform prognostic health monitoring of a turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Edwin Hurst, Mei Gao, Vivek Gandhi, Donald Horn, Gregory Jon Chiaramonte, Katherine Tharp Nowicki, Steven Richard Levin, Michael William Bailey, Ronald Plybon, Mustafa Tekin Dokucu, Aditya Kumar
  • Patent number: 11047257
    Abstract: A system is provided for multi-engine coordination of gas turbine engine motoring in an aircraft. The system includes a controller operable to determine a motoring mode as a selection between a single engine dry motoring mode and a multi-engine dry motoring mode based on at least one temperature of a plurality of gas turbine engines and initiate dry motoring based on the motoring mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Subhradeep Chowdhury, David M. Bostwick, David Gelwan, Frederick M. Schwarz
  • Patent number: 11029194
    Abstract: The arrangement for monitoring rubbing between a rotary part and a stationary part in a rotating turbomachine comprises at least one mechanical oscillations detector for measuring mechanical oscillations at least one point of the turbomachine, at least one particles detector for measuring debris passing in at least one section of a flow path of the turbomachine, and an electronic monitoring unit electrically or electromagnetically connected to the oscillations detector and the particles detector, and arranged to acquire and process signals generated by the oscillations detector and the particles detector. The electronic monitoring unit uses the oscillations measurement primarily for estimating presence of rubbing and the debris measurement primarily for estimating severity of rubbing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: NUOVO PIGNONE SRL
    Inventors: Antonello Pepe, Marzia Sepe, Dario Nurzad, Riccardo Garbin
  • Patent number: 11022524
    Abstract: A stochastic configuration network based turbofan engine health parameter estimation method is disclosed. The stochastic configuration network based turbofan engine health parameter estimation method designed by the present invention combines the model based Kalman filter algorithm and the data-driven based stochastic configuration network, i.e. using the output of the stochastic configuration network as the compensation of the Kalman filter algorithm, so as to take into account the estimated result of the Kalman filter and the estimated result of the stochastic configuration network and improve the estimation accuracy of the original Kalman filter algorithm when the measurable parameters of the turbofan engine are less than the health parameters to be estimated. In addition, the present invention effectively reduces the accuracy loss caused by the poor structure of the neural network through the stochastic configuration network, and improves the generalization ability of the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: DALIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Yanhua Ma, Xian Du, Ximing Sun, Yuhu Wu, Yanlei Gao
  • Patent number: 10942508
    Abstract: A risk assessment device for performing risk assessment includes a diagnosis result storage unit that accumulatively stores diagnosis results of a plurality of diagnoses regarding each process device that is provided in a steam plant to be assessed, in association with installation sites of the process devices, a risk information calculation unit that calculates risk information regarding a likelihood of malfunction of a process device that is provided at a target installation site, based on diagnosis results regarding process devices that are provided at the target installation site, and a device group risk information calculation unit that calculates device group risk information regarding a likelihood of malfunction of a target device group, based on the risk information regarding installation sites of respective process devices that constitute the target device group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: TLV Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiyasu Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 10895872
    Abstract: A method of detecting a temperature sensor failure in a turbine system, includes obtaining individual measurement values from each temperature sensor in a group of temperature sensors, calculating a characteristic value for each temperature sensor in the group based on the measurement values for the corresponding temperature sensor, selecting a first characteristic value among the calculated characteristic values, determining a first maximum value as the maximum of the characteristic values except for the first characteristic value, and determining that the temperature sensor corresponding to the first characteristic value is defective if the first characteristic value is larger than the first maximum value multiplied by a predetermined factor. A corresponding device, system, computer program and computer program product utilize the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Alexey Fishkin, Anthony Latimer, Adam Marsden, Mikhail Roshchin
  • Patent number: 10884432
    Abstract: An aerial system includes an energy source arranged to power a propulsion unit to operate the system at a flight level, wherein the propulsion unit is in communications with a control device arranged to detect an aerodynamic interaction between the system and a surface proximate to the flight level and control the propulsion unit by use of the detected aerodynamic interaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: City University of Hong Kong
    Inventors: Yi-Hsuan Hsiao, Pakpong Chirarattananon
  • Patent number: 10823016
    Abstract: In a first embodiment, a system includes a turbine system including turbomachinery, one or more processors, and a memory storing instructions. When executed by the one or more processors, the instructions are configured to cause the one or more processors to receive an operating parameter of the turbomachinery, and calculate a risk of failure for the turbomachinery based at least in part on an asset failure mode model. The instructions are also configured to cause the one or more processors to categorize the risk of failure as a selected failure indicator category of a plurality of failure indicator categories, and output the selected failure indicator category.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy Robert Collins, Paul Steven Dimascio
  • Patent number: 10809683
    Abstract: A power system model parameter conditioning tool including a server control processor in communication with phasor measurement unit monitored data records of multiple disturbance events, a model calibration unit providing event screening, power system model simulation, and simultaneous tuning of model parameters. The model calibration performing a simulation using default model parameters, the processor comparing the simulation results to the monitored data. If the prediction is within threshold, then terminating conditioning; else performing parameter identifiability analysis to determine differing effects of various model parameters on power system model accuracy, selecting a parameter set causing a degradation in power system model prediction, and updating the default model parameters corresponding to members of the parameter set with values selected to reduce the degradation. A method and a non-transitory computer readable medium are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Chaitanya Ashok Baone, Nan Duan, Anup Menon, Mustafa Tekin Dokucu
  • Patent number: 10801359
    Abstract: Methods and systems for identifying rub events of a gas turbine engine are provided. In one exemplary aspect, one or more power level changes of the turbine engine are identified from engine operating data. For a particular identified power level change, a magnitude of the power level change and a rate of the power level change are calculated. The calculated magnitude and rate of the given power level change define a data point that is plotted on a chart of the magnitude versus the rate of power level change. The data points are filtered based on one or more operating parameters, such as flight phase, to obtain a severity threshold specific to the operating conditions of the engine/aircraft at the time the power level change was performed. One or more data points are then compared to the severity threshold to identify possible rub events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lance Kenneth Blakeman, Brian Francis Nestico, Peter Thomas Gibbs