Patents Assigned to Delavan Inc.
  • Compensating for thermal expansion via controlled tube buckling
    Patent number: 10001280
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a fuel injector for a gas turbine engine. The fuel injector has an inlet fitting for receiving fuel. The fuel injector also has an outlet fitting for delivering fuel through a nozzle to a combustor of the gas turbine engine. An injector support extends between the inlet fitting and the outlet fitting and has an internal bore therethrough. A fuel tube extends from the inlet fitting through the internal bore of the injector support to the outlet fitting. The injector support has a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than the fuel tube. At room temperature the fuel tube is under compressive stress such that the fuel tube is buckled. As a result of differential thermal expansion of the fuel tube and the injector support during engine operation the fuel tube is relieved of compressive stress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Caples
  • Cooling in staged fuel systems
    Patent number: 9989257
    Abstract: A fuel system includes a fuel supply system. A plurality of fuel nozzles are connected in fluid communication with the fuel supply system to supply fuel from a fuel source to be issued for combustion from the fuel nozzles. A cooling system is included, wherein at least one of the fuel nozzles includes a cooling circuit in addition to a fuel circuit for issuing fuel from the fuel supply system for combustion. The cooling circuit includes an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is in fluid communication with the cooling system for circulation of coolant through the cooling circuit and back to the cooling system out the outlet of the cooling circuit for cooling the fuel circuit with the fuel circuit staged off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Delavan Inc
    Inventors: Lev A. Prociw, Timothy Griffith
  • Additive manufacturing processing with oxidation
    Patent number: 9988721
    Abstract: A method includes additively manufacturing an article in an inert environment, removing the article from the inert environment and placing the article in a non-inert environment, allowing at least a portion the article to oxidize in the non-inert environment to form an oxidized layer on a surface of the article, and removing the oxidized layer (e.g., to smooth the surface of the article). The method can further include relieving stress in the article (e.g., via heating the article after additive manufacturing).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Delavan, Inc.
    Inventors: Sergey Mironets, William L. Wentland, Matthew Donovan, Thomas J. Ocken, Robert Bianco
  • Tube strain relievers
    Patent number: 9989187
    Abstract: A strain reliever for a hollow tube is disclosed. The strain reliever has a fitting dimensioned to fit at a tube segment and a tapered sleeve extending from the fitting. The tapered sleeve is configured to surround the tube segment and to provide relief of strain imposed by forces exerted on the tube. Strain relievers having helical conic and slotted tapered sleeves are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventors: Randy Siders, Brandon Phillip Williams, David H. Bretz
  • Image conduit for fuel nozzle assemblies
    Patent number: 9976745
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle for a gas turbine engine includes a feed arm including a fuel passage for issuing a spray of fuel. A nozzle assembly is fixed at an upstream end of the feed arm having a fuel inlet in fluid communication with the fuel passage. A fiber optic cable is configured to collect burner radiation for a pyrometer input and has a first end centered within an optical connector of the nozzle assembly and a second end exposed from the spray outlet. The fiber optic cable fitted within the feed arm and nozzle assembly has a permanent bend radius preformed in the fiber optic cable. The bend radius can be equal to or greater than the minimum bend radii for the fiber optic cable to serve as a wave guide in wavelengths for monitoring combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce D. Paradise
  • Flow devices and methods of making the same
    Patent number: 9976486
    Abstract: A method for producing a device having at least one internal feature includes manufacturing an internal volume of the internal features out of a first material, disposing the internal volume in a parent material that has a higher melting point than the first material, causing the internal volume to melt within the parent material, and allowing at least a portion of the first material to diffuse into the parent material, thereby leaving behind the at least one internal feature within the parent material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventors: Sergey Mironets, Matthew Donovan
  • FUEL STABILIZATION SYSTEMS
    Publication number: 20180111063
    Abstract: A fuel stabilization system for removing oxygen from fuel includes an accumulator disposed along a fuel line, the accumulator includes a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet and a heat source disposed in thermal communication with the fuel in or upstream of the fuel inlet of the accumulator to increase the temperature of the fuel within the accumulator. The accumulator is configured to allow oxygen deposits to form therein as a result of the temperature increase of the fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Applicant: Delavan Inc
    Inventors: Stephen E. Tongue, Jonathan Rheaume, Haralambos Cordatos
  • Flexible swirlers
    Patent number: 9939155
    Abstract: A swirler includes a swirler body and a plurality of axial swirl vanes extending radially outward from the swirler body. At least one of the swirler body or vanes includes a spring channel defined therethrough. A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine can include an inner air swirler and/or outer air swirler as described above.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventors: Brett A. Pfeffer, Jason A. Ryon
  • Additive manufacturing systems and methods
    Patent number: 9925723
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes a build platform and an illuminator disposed on opposite sides of a powder carrier relative to gravity. The powder carrier has a movement envelop that intersects the beam path and includes a material that is translucent to radiation emitted by the illuminator such that the emitted radiation traverses the powder carrier and fuses powder from a powder bed carried by the powder carrier with a substrate overlying the powder carrier and suspended from the build platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventor: Sergey Mironets
  • Systems and methods for radiographic inspection
    Patent number: 9909999
    Abstract: An inspection method include introducing a mixture of expanding foam and a particulate material into a region of interest of an object, fixing the powder within the region of the interest relative to the object, and acquiring image data of the object and particulate mixture using an x-ray source and an x-ray detector. The particulate has a density that is greater than the density of a material forming the object to provide contrast between the region of interest and the object in an image generated using the image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Karlen, William L. Wentland
  • Atomizers
    Patent number: 9901944
    Abstract: An atomizer includes an atomizer body with a plurality of air passages defined therethrough from an upstream end of the atomizer body to a downstream end thereof. The air passages together define an air circuit through the atomizer body. A fuel circuit is defined in the atomizer body extending from a fuel inlet to a respective fuel outlet opening into each air passage. The air passages can be arranged circumferentially about a central axis defined by the atomizer body. The fuel circuit can include a manifold extending circumferentially about the atomizer body in fluid communication with a fuel opening in each respective air passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: DELAVAN INC
    Inventors: Jason A. Ryon, Philip E. Buelow, Steven L. Smith, Lev A. Prociw
  • Fuel nozzles
    Patent number: 9897321
    Abstract: A nozzle includes a nozzle body defining a longitudinal axis. The nozzle body includes an air passage having a radial swirler and a converging conical cross-section. A fuel circuit is radially outboard from the air passage with respect to the longitudinal axis. The fuel circuit extends from a fuel circuit inlet to a fuel circuit annular outlet. The fuel circuit includes a plurality of helical passages to mitigate gravitational effects at low fuel flow rates. Each helical passage of the fuel circuit opens tangentially with respect to the fuel circuit annular outlet into an outlet of the air passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventor: Lev Alexander Prociw
  • Air shrouds with improved air wiping
    Patent number: 9863638
    Abstract: An air shroud for a nozzle includes an air shroud body defining an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with one another to allow an outer airflow to issue therefrom, the air shroud body defining a downstream surface. A plurality of air wipe channels are defined within the air shroud body, wherein each of the plurality of air wipe channels is in fluid communication with at least one of a plurality of air wipe outlets and air wipe inlets. Each air wipe outlet is defined in the downstream surface of the air shroud body such that air can flow through each air wipe outlet and wipe the downstream surface of the air shroud body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew R. Donovan
  • Feedstock and methods of making feedstock for cold spray techniques
    Patent number: 9850579
    Abstract: A feedstock for a cold spray process includes a plurality of globule bodies. The globule bodies include a plurality of discrete particles bonded to one another to define porous globule bodies. The bonds between the particles are of sufficient strength such that the globule bodies can retain both the body integrity as well as the body shape when the body experiences acceleration from a conveying gas in a cold spray technique. Methods of making the feedstock and globule bodies are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Delavan, Inc.
    Inventors: Sergey Mironets, Thomas J. Martin, Aaron T. Nardi, Alexander Staroselsky
  • Air entrance effect
    Patent number: 9835334
    Abstract: A nozzle includes a nozzle body defining longitudinal axis with a liquid circuit extending axially in a downstream direction from a liquid inlet to a spray orifice, and an air circuit, e.g. an inner air circuit, extending axially downstream from an upstream air inlet to an air outlet proximate the spray orifice. An air swirler, e.g., an inner air swirler is mounted in the air circuit, wherein at least a portion of the air swirler is flush with or protrudes axially upstream relative to the air inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventors: Jason A. Ryon, Philip E. Buelow
  • Dynamic valve seal having retaining features
    Patent number: 9765894
    Abstract: A dynamic seal assembly is disclosed for use in a valve having an upstream pressure side and a downstream pressure side, the dynamic seal assembly including an annular seal member having a generally C-shaped cross-section and including opposed upstream and downstream legs defining an internal cavity with an opening facing toward the upstream pressure side of the valve, wherein the upstream leg has a radial length that is greater than a radial length of the downstream leg and includes a retaining foot that extends angularly away from the upstream leg in an upstream direction at an angle of between about 0° and 90°, and a metallic spring is disposed within the internal cavity of the seal member for providing a constant sealing force to the seal member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: DELAVAN INC
    Inventors: Neal A. Thomson, Andy W. Tibbs
  • Fuel injectors for gas turbine engines
    Patent number: 9765972
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine includes a monolithic nozzle body that defines within its interior one or more fuel circuits. Each fuel circuit includes an inlet, an outlet orifice, a main passage fluidly coupling the inlet with the outlet orifice, and a branch passage connected to the main passage. The branch passage connects to the main passage downstream of the inlet and upstream of the outlet orifice to form an effective metering flow area that is smaller than the flow area of the outlet orifice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventor: Gregory Zink
  • Variable angle multi-point injection
    Patent number: 9745936
    Abstract: A nozzle for injecting liquid includes a nozzle body defining a flow channel and a swirl ante-chamber in fluid communication with the flow channel. An injection point orifice is defined in the swirl ante-chamber. The flow channel feeds into the swirl ante-chamber to impart a tangential flow component on fluids entering the swirl ante-chamber to generate swirl on a spray issuing from the injection point orifice. A second flow channel can be included in fluid communication with the swirl ante-chamber. The second flow channel feeds into the swirl ante-chamber in cooperation with or in opposition to the first flow channel. The first flow channel, second flow channel, and swirl ante-chamber are configured and adapted to adjust spray angle of a spray issuing from the injection point orifice by varying flow apportionment among the first and second flow channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Delavan Inc
    Inventors: Jason Allen Ryon, Philip E. O. Buelow, John Earl Short
  • Swirler elements for nozzles
    Patent number: 9724709
    Abstract: A swirl element for swirling fluid in a nozzle has a swirler body. The swirler body defines a feed channel including an axially oriented channel surface and a swirl chamber in fluid communication with the feed channel. The swirl chamber defines a radially oriented swirler surface substantially normal to the channel surface. The swirl chamber and the axially oriented channel are in fluid communication through a tangential slot for imparting swirl on fluids passing from the feed channel into the swirl chamber. The tangential slot includes a smoothly rounded surface transitioning from the channel surface to the swirler surface for providing a smooth, substantially separation free transition in fluid flow from the channel into the swirl chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignees: Delavan Inc, Delavan Limited
    Inventors: Lev A. Prociw, Neil Smith, Frank Whittaker
  • Offset stem fuel distributor
    Patent number: 9689571
    Abstract: A nozzle is provided including a fuel swirler having an outer wall, an interior wall, and a fuel flow path configured to receive a fuel flow. The fuel flow path extends from adjacent and inlet end of the nozzle to a discharge end of the nozzle and is arranged between the outer wall and the interior wall. The fuel flow path includes a first inlet portion and a volute. The first inlet portion is generally offset from a center of the fuel swirler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: DELAVAN INC.
    Inventors: Jason Ryon, Philip Buelow