Patents Assigned to General Electric Company
  • Patent number: 11952906
    Abstract: A machine is cleaned by directing a foam detergent into the machine to remove contaminants from inside the machine. An effluent portion of the foam detergent exits from the machine with some of the contaminants. One or more of a turbidity, a salinity, an amount of total dissolved solids, or a concentration the contaminants in the effluent is measured. A cleaning time period during which the foam detergent is to be directed into the machine is determined based on the turbidity, the salinity, the amount of total dissolved solids, and/or the contaminant concentration that is measured from the effluent. The foam detergent continues to be directed into the machine during the cleaning time period, and the flow of the foam detergent into the machine is terminated on expiration of the time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicole Jessica Tibbetts, Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Michael Eriksen, Keith Anthony Lauria, Richard Schliem, Erica Sampson, Eric Telfeyan
  • Publication number: 20240111872
    Abstract: A method for initializing an engine control system of an aircraft may include authenticating a boot loader, authenticating a manifest in response to authentication of the boot loader wherein the manifest contains hashes of one or more software components, and in response to authentication of the manifest, loading a first set of software components from among the one or more software components onto a non-transitory computer-readable medium, calculating a hash of each software component of the first set of software components, authenticating the first set of software components by comparing the calculated hash of each software component of the first set of software components to the hash of a corresponding software component in the manifest, and executing the first set of software components in response to authentication of the one or more software components. Devices and systems are also provided for initializing an engine control system of an aircraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Applicants: General Electric Company, BAE Systems Controls Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Gilton, Matthew B. Pfenninger, Douglas R. Nichols, Russell Seidel
  • Publication number: 20240110504
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan located at a forward portion of the gas turbine engine, and a compressor section and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order. The compressor section and the turbine section together define a core airflow path. A rotary member is rotatable with the fan and with a low pressure turbine of the turbine section. The low pressure turbine includes a rotating drum to which a first airfoil structure is connected and extends radially inward toward the rotary member. A torque frame connects the rotating drum to the rotary member and transfers torque from the first airfoil structure mounted to the rotating drum to the rotary member. The torque frame includes an inner disk mounted to the rotary member, an outer ring and a second airfoil structure formed separately from the outer ring and connected thereto by a releasable connecting structure. The second airfoil structure extends radially inward from the outer ring toward the inner disk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Applicants: General Electric Company, GE Avio S.r.l.
    Inventors: Ranganayakulu Alapati, Peeyush Pankaj, Sanjeev Sai Kumar Manepalli, Bhaskar Nanda Mondal, Thomas Moniz, N V Sai Krishna Emani, Shishir Paresh Shah, Anil Soni, Praveen Sharma, Randy T. Antelo, Antonio Giuseppe D'Ettole
  • Publication number: 20240113867
    Abstract: A distributed control system includes an electronic control unit to establish secure communication with a distributed control module. Upon determination that a previously negotiated session key is stored on the electronic control unit, the electronic control unit transmits encrypted communications with the distributed control module using the previously negotiated session key, negotiates a new session key with the distributed control module, and stores the new session key. Upon determination that the previously negotiated session key is not stored on the electronic control unit, the electronic control unit negotiates the new session key with the distributed control module. After negotiating the new session key with the distributed control module, the electronic control unit ceases transmission of unencrypted communications with the distributed control module, transmits encrypted communications with the distributed control module using the new session key, and stores the new session key.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2022
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Applicants: General Electric Company, BAE Systems Controls Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Gilton, Matthew B. Pfenninger, Douglas R. Nichols, Russell Seidel
  • Patent number: 11945573
    Abstract: A hybrid electric aircraft equipped with gyroscopic stabilization control is provided. In one aspect, a hybrid electric aircraft includes a turbo-generator having a gas turbine engine and an electric generator operatively coupled thereto for generating electrical power. The turbo-generator defines a rotation axis. The aircraft also includes one or more electrically-driven propulsors for producing thrust for the aircraft. In addition, the aircraft includes a pivot mount operatively coupled with the turbo-generator. To provide gyroscopic stabilization control of the aircraft, the pivot mount is controlled to adjust the rotation axis of the turbo-generator relative to a prime stability axis of the aircraft. Additionally or alternatively, a rotational speed of the turbo-generator can be changed to provide gyroscopic stabilization control of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignees: General Electric Company, GE Avio S.r.l.
    Inventors: Mehdi Milani Baladi, Randy M Vondrell
  • Patent number: 11946415
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine having a waste heat recovery system is provided. The gas turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustion section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section in serial flow order and together defining a core air flowpath, the exhaust section including a primary exhaust flowpath and a waste heat recovery flowpath parallel to the primary exhaust flowpath; and the waste heat recovery system includes a heat source exchanger positioned in thermal communication with a first portion of the waste heat recovery flowpath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Brandon Wayne Miller, William Joseph Bowden, Matthew Thomas Beyer, Michael John Simonetti
  • Patent number: 11945047
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an additive manufacturing system and its methods. The system includes a material conveyor, an energy source, and a micro-forging device. The material conveyor is configured to convey material. The energy source is configured to direct an energy beam toward the material, the energy beam fuses at least a portion of the material to form a solidified portion. The micro-forging device is movable along with the material conveyor for forging the solidified portion, wherein the micro-forging device comprises a first forging hammer and a second forging hammer, the first forging hammer is configured to impact the solidified portion to generate a first deformation, and the second forging hammer is configured to impact the solidified portion to generate a second deformation greater than the first deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Zirong Zhai, Dalong Zhong, Yingna Wu, Bin Wei, Yong Yang, Xiaobin Chen
  • Patent number: 11946419
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus to produce hydrogen gas turbine propulsion are disclosed. An example apparatus to produce propulsion in a gas turbine engine includes a fluid line to transport hydrogen from a hydrogen supply and an inert gas from an inert gas supply to a gas turbine combustor. The apparatus also includes at least one heat exchanger coupled to the fluid line to heat the inert gas and the hydrogen in the fluid line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignees: General Electric Company, GE AVIO S.R.L.
    Inventors: David Justin Brady, Mirko Gernone, Nathan E Gibson
  • Patent number: 11946378
    Abstract: A method of transient control of a thermal transport bus of a turbomachine includes measuring a measured temperature and a measured pressure of a working fluid; determining a selected run state of a turbomachine, wherein the selected run state is one of a plurality of run states; selecting a desired operating condition comprising a desired temperature range and a desired pressure range as a function of a desired state of the working fluid; comparing the measured temperature with the desired temperature range, and comparing the measured pressure with the desired pressure range; and modulating control of the thermal transport bus as a function of the comparing of the measured temperature with the desired temperature range and the comparing of the measured pressure with the desired pressure range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Eric R. Westervelt, Stefan Joseph Cafaro, James R. Reepmeyer, Terry Hei Tsun Ma
  • Patent number: 11945158
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and program for additive manufacturing. In one aspect, the method comprises: forming an at least partially solidified portion within a first scan region (801), wherein the solidified portion within the first scan region (801) is formed by irradiating a build material along a first irradiation path (811). A second portion of a build material may be irradiated along a second irradiation path (813), wherein the second scan region (803) is offset with respect to the first scan region (801) thereby defining an offset region (802). The offset region (802) is at least partially solidified by the first irradiation path (811) and the second irradiation path (813) and a reference line (819) intersects the first irradiation path (811) and the second irradiation path (813) within the offset region (802), wherein the reference line (819) is substantially parallel to a side (810) of the first scan region (801).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Justin Mamrak, Michael Thomas Gansler
  • Patent number: 11948215
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, a system may include an additive manufacturing platform that provides additive manufacturing capability data. A customer platform, associated with a customer, may transmit an industrial asset item request for an industrial asset item. A digital transaction engine may receive the additive manufacturing capability data and the industrial asset item request. The digital transaction engine may then associate the industrial asset item request with an industrial asset definition file, and, based on the additive manufacturing capability data and the industrial asset definition file, assign the industrial asset item request to the additive manufacturing platform. The assignment of the industrial asset item request may be recorded via a secure, distributed transaction ledger. Responsive to the assignment, the additive manufacturing platform may create the industrial asset item (e.g., via an additive manufacturing printer) and provide the item to the customer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Joseph Salvo, Benjamin Edward Beckmann, John William Carbone
  • Patent number: 11946437
    Abstract: A turbomachinery engine can include a fan assembly with a plurality of variable pitch fan blades. The fan blades are configured such that they define a first VPF parameter and a second VPF parameter. The first VPF parameter is within a range of 0.10 to 0.40 and is defined as the hub-to-tip radius ratio divided by the fan pressure ratio. The second VPF parameter is within a range of 1-30 lbf/in2 and is defined as the bearing spanwise force divided by the fan area. In certain examples, the turbomachinery engine further includes a pitch change mechanism, a vane assembly, a core engine, and a gearbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel A. Niergarth, Martin Manning, Nicholas M. Daggett, Christopher J. Kroger, Ian F. Prentice
  • Patent number: 11945600
    Abstract: A fuel system is provided for an aircraft having a fuel source. The fuel system includes a fuel oxygen reduction unit defining a liquid fuel supply path, a stripping gas supply path, a liquid fuel outlet path, and a stripping gas return path, wherein the stripping gas return path is in airflow communication with the fuel source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • Patent number: 11946448
    Abstract: A system for measuring displacements of a blade root of a rotor blade of a wind turbine includes a hub, and a rotor blade coupled to the hub by a pitch bearing. The system further comprises a reference plane and at least one displacement sensor. The reference plane is configured to move with the rotor blade as the rotor blade moves relative to the hub while the displacement sensor is fixed to the hub and the displacement sensor is configured to detect a displacement of the reference plane relative to the hub without physical contact. Alternatively, the reference plane has a fixed position with respect to the hub while the displacement sensor is fixed to the rotor blade and the displacement sensor is configured to detect a displacement of the reference plane relative to the rotor blade without physical contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bart Jan Veldkamp, Till Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 11946146
    Abstract: A coating system configured to be applied to a thermal barrier coating of an article includes an infiltration coating configured to be applied to the thermal barrier coating. The infiltration coating infiltrates at least some pores of the thermal barrier coating. The infiltration coating decomposes within the at least some pores of the thermal barrier coating to coat a portion of the at least some pores of the thermal barrier coating. The infiltration coating reduces a porosity of the thermal barrier coating. The coating system also includes a reactive phase spray formulation coat configured to be applied to the thermal barrier coating. The reactive phase spray formulation coating reacts with dust deposits on the thermal barrier coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hrishikesh Keshavan, Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Jose Sanchez, Margeaux Wallace, Byron Pritchard, Ambarish Kulkarni
  • Patent number: 11949240
    Abstract: A wireless power transfer system is disclosed. The wireless power transfer system includes a first converting unit configured to convert a first DC voltage of an input power to a first AC voltage. Further, the wireless power transfer system includes a contactless power transfer unit configured to receive the input power having the first AC voltage from the first converting unit and transmit the input power. Also, the wireless power transfer system includes a second converting unit configured to receive the input power from the contactless power transfer unit and convert the first AC voltage of the input power to a second DC voltage. Furthermore, the wireless power transfer system includes a switching unit configured to regulate the second DC voltage across the electric load if the second DC voltage across the electric load is greater than a voltage reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: General electric company
    Inventors: Kapil Jha, Pradeep Vijayan, Yash Veer Singh
  • Patent number: 11945157
    Abstract: A method for producing a component layer-by-layer includes: providing two or more resin handling assemblies, each including a resin support which has at least a portion which is transparent, each resin support defining a build surface located in a build zone of the respective assembly; executing a build cycle, including: depositing on each build surface radiant-energy-curable resin, the resin on each build surface being a unique material combination; positioning a stage relative to one of the build surfaces to define a layer increment; selectively curing the resin using applied radiant energy so as to define a cross-sectional layer of the component; separating the component from the build surface; cleaning at least one of the component and the stage; and repeating the cycle, for a plurality of layers, wherein at least one of the layers is cured in each of the build zone. Apparatus is described for carrying out the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Meredith Elissa Dubelman, Christopher Barnhill, Xi Yang, Mary Kathryn Thompson
  • Patent number: 11945032
    Abstract: A forging head for additive manufacturing, comprising a base portion and a forging portion. The forging portion extends from the base portion for forging a cladding layer during formation of the cladding layer by additive manufacturing. The forging head further comprising a through hole which is formed through the base portion and the forging portion, for at least one of an energy bean and an additive material to pass through during formation of the cladding layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Hai Chang, Dalong Zhong, Yingna Wu, Yong Wu, Zirong Zhai, Yifeng Wang
  • Patent number: 11946421
    Abstract: A system includes one or more debris sensors or particulate sensors are used to sense engine inlet debris or particulate matter which are drawn into the engine during flight, in real-time. The system employs that information, in conjunction with other engine health and module health techniques, to identify which gas-path modules of the aircraft engine may require maintenance or repair. In one embodiment, existing engine health technique may be based on various engine operational parameters for a new engine or an average engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jacques Paul, Charles W. Dowdell, James R. Noel
  • Patent number: 11944490
    Abstract: Techniques for accurate positioning of an energy application device for neuromodulation treatment protocols are provided. A neuromodulation positioning patch is applied to a patient's skin. The energy application device is coupled to a frame of the neuromodulation positioning patch to position a transducer of the energy application device within an opening at a treatment position within the opening. The frame is also coupled to a removable dock for an imaging probe. When the frame is coupled to the removable dock the frame of the neuromodulation positioning patch, acquires image data through the opening to identify or verify the treatment position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Christopher Michael Puleo, Jeffrey Michael Ashe, David Andrew Shoudy, Victoria Eugenia Cotero, James Enrico Sabatini