Patents Assigned to Pratt & Whitney
  • Patent number: 11891902
    Abstract: A measurement system for an aircraft gas turbine engine includes an instrumentation hub disposed about a rotational axis. The instrumentation hub includes at least one probe. The measurement system further includes a shield hub disposed about the rotational axis and positioned axially adjacent the instrumentation hub. The shield hub includes at least one shield configured to be radially aligned with the at least one probe of the instrumentation hub. The shield hub is rotatable about the rotational axis independent of the instrumentation hub. The at least one shield is axially translatable between a first axial position and a second axial position. The at least one shield in the first axial position is axially aligned with the at least one probe. The at least one shield in the second axial position is axially separated from the at least one probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventor: Patrice Remy
  • Patent number: 11885261
    Abstract: Ice accumulation and shedding mitigation devices associated with sensor probes extending into a stream of air entering an aircraft engine are provided. An exemplary device comprises a wedge-shaped blade configured to be exposed to the stream of air and disposed upstream of the sensor probe. The wedge-shaped blade has two faces meeting at a leading edge oriented to face the stream of air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Milos Ivankovic
  • Patent number: 11885710
    Abstract: A flow measuring system for one or more oil nozzles of a lubrication system of an aircraft engine comprises an external supply of a testing liquid and a pump fluidly connecting the external supply of the testing liquid to an inlet of the lubrication system via a first conduit. The inlet to the lubrication system is disposed upstream of the one or more oil nozzles. A second conduit fluidly connects an outlet of the lubrication system to the external supply of the testing liquid. The outlet of the lubrication system is disposed downstream of the one or more oil nozzles. A flow measuring device is operable to measure a flow resistance through the one or more oil nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Steven Farber, Patrick E Paradis, Lukasz Jost, Piotr Grabski, Marcin Siedlarz, Piotr Mazur, Rafał Panek
  • Patent number: 11883882
    Abstract: A method of forming a component from a part in the green state, including selecting at least one first portion of the part to undergo a different local volume reduction from at least one second portion to obtain the component. The green part is provided with the first portion(s) having a first solid loading and the second portion(s) having a second solid loading different from the first solid loading, then debound and sintered to obtain the component. The different first and second solid loadings produce the different local volume reduction in the first portion(s). The first portion(s) can be selected by determining a resulting final shape obtained from debinding and sintering a green part having a uniform first volumetric proportion of binder, and selecting the first portion(s) requiring a different local deformation than that producing the resulting final shape to obtain a desired final shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Orlando Scalzo, Marc Campomanes, Guillaume Poitras
  • Patent number: 11883934
    Abstract: A tool assembly is provided for removing a component from a carrier. The component circumscribes and is mounted on the carrier. The tool assembly includes a tool head, an adaptor and an actuator. The tool head is configured to couple to the component. The adaptor extends longitudinally along a centerline between an adaptor first end and an adaptor second end. The adaptor is attachable to the tool head at the adaptor first end by a first quick coupler. The actuator includes a housing and a ram. The housing is attachable to the adaptor at the adaptor second end by a second quick coupler. The ram extends longitudinally along the centerline within the adaptor and the tool head to a ram distal end. The ram distal end is configured to engage the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Francois Massicotte, Alexandre Marsan
  • Patent number: 11885349
    Abstract: A compressor for an aircraft engine, has: a dual-impeller having: a first impeller having a first inlet and a first outlet located radially outwardly of the first inlet, and a second impeller rotatable with the first impeller, the second impeller having a second inlet and a second outlet located radially outwardly of the second inlet, the first inlet and the second inlet facing opposite axial directions; and first conduits having first conduit inlets and first conduit outlets, the first conduit inlets fluidly connected to the first outlet of the first impeller, the first conduit outlets fluidly connected to the second inlet of the second impeller; and second conduits having second conduits inlets fluidly connected to the second outlet of the second impeller, a second conduit of the second conduits disposed circumferentially between two adjacent first conduits of the first conduits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Milos Ivankovic
  • Patent number: 11885262
    Abstract: A method of repair for a metallic part of an aircraft engine includes detecting a defect inside a bore of the metallic part wherein the defect represents a departure from an intended geometry of the bore, the bore having a diameter and defining a longitudinal axis, and wherein the defect is located within the bore at a depth of at least greater than one diameter along the longitudinal axis. The method also includes measuring a geometry of the defect, preparing a patch with a complementary geometry to fill the geometry of the defect, placing the patch in the bore with the complementary geometry of the patch seated against the geometry of the defect, directing a welding beam from outside the bore, through the bore and onto the patch to weld the patch to the bore, and removing a portion of the patch to provide the intended geometry for the bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Samuel Panero, Guy Lefebvre
  • Patent number: 11885263
    Abstract: A secondary air system (SAS) of an aircraft engine that produces secondary airflow from a source of secondary air includes a hollow strut and one or more SAS feed pipes upstream thereof. The hollow strut extends radially through the main gas path of the engine and defines therein a strut conduit extending between a strut inlet and a strut outlet at opposite ends of the hollow strut. The strut outlet is in fluid flow communication with a buffer cavity for feeding the secondary airflow to the engine core. The SAS feed pipe includes an inlet receiving the secondary airflow from the source of secondary air, and an outlet in fluid flow communication with the strut inlet to feed the secondary airflow into the strut conduit. The SAS feed pipe has a sonic orifice therein, between the inlet and the outlet thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Gabriel St-Laurent, Alain Conrad Martel
  • Patent number: 11885338
    Abstract: A centrifugal compressor, has: an impeller; and a housing including: a shroud extending between a first end and a second end; a structural member having an outer end securable to a casing of the gas turbine engine, an inner end of the structural member intersecting the rear side of the shroud; and a reinforced region at the location where the structural member and the rear side of the shroud intersect, a thickness of the reinforced region in a direction normal to the gaspath side greater than a nominal thickness of the shroud, the reinforced region defining a curved surface extending from a first location on the structural member to a second location on the rear side of the shroud, a portion of the curved surface having a radius that increases from a first radius to a second radius at the second location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Tibor Urac, Bernard Chow
  • Patent number: 11885497
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle assembly comprising an annular slot surrounding a fuel nozzle, the annular slot having gas passages for feeding a gas into the slot and against an opposing wall of the slot. A method of operating a gas turbine engine including directing a gas flow into and across the slot against an opposing wall of the slot to generate a circulating gas flow filling the slot, the gas flow passing into the slot through one or more gas outlets within the slot and thereafter said gas flow exiting the slot into the combustion chamber, the gas outlets spaced away from the closed end of the slot. A gas turbine engine comprising a slot formed in a fuel nozzle assembly, the slot having one or more gas passages extending through a wall of the slot and feeding a gas into the slot against a another wall of the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Si-Man Amy Lao
  • Patent number: 11884412
    Abstract: A hybrid electric propulsion (HEP) system can include a heat engine torque sensor connected between a heat engine and a combining gear box to sense a heat motor input torque input to the combining gear box, an electric motor torque sensor connected between an electric motor and the combining gear box to sense an electric motor input torque input to the combining gear box, and a combining gear box torque sensor connected to an output of the combining gearbox. The system can include a HEP controller operatively connected to each of the heat engine torque sensor, the electric motor torque sensor, and the combining gear box torque sensor to receive one or more torque signals therefrom. The controller can be configured to output one or more output signals as a function of the signals from each of the heat engine torque sensor, the electric motor torque sensor, and the combining gear box torque sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Michael Mark, Paul C. Imel, Leonid Guerchkovitch
  • Patent number: 11885242
    Abstract: An aircraft engine has: a compressor section having a compressor rotor rotatable about a central axis; a diffuser downstream of the compressor rotor, the diffuser including a diffuser ring extending circumferentially around the central axis; a bearing housing secured to the diffuser ring, the bearing housing contained within a volume located radially inwardly of the diffuser ring; and an air manifold secured to the diffuser ring, the air manifold defining inlets in fluid flow communication with the compressor section and an outlet in fluid flow communication with the volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Hervé Turcotte, Kenneth Parkman, Oleg Morenko, Nicholas Guglielmin, Gavin Kisun, Ryan Miskie
  • Patent number: 11879384
    Abstract: Methods and systems of starting a gas turbine engine are provided. During startup, a fuel pressure associated with a primary fuel supply of the gas turbine engine is monitored. A low-pressure event for the primary fuel supply is detected when the fuel pressure falls below a predetermined threshold. Responsive to detecting the low pressure event, an electric backup boost pump is activated by an engine controller to provide fuel to the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Sean Durand
  • Patent number: 11873737
    Abstract: A system is provided for a gas turbine engine. This gas turbine engine system includes a flowpath wall and a deflector. The flowpath wall includes a surface and an opening to a blind aperture. The surface forms a peripheral boundary of an internal engine flowpath. The opening is disposed in the surface. The blind aperture extends vertically into the flowpath wall from the opening. The deflector projects vertically out from the flowpath wall into the internal engine flowpath. The deflector is configured to deflect gas flowing within the internal engine flowpath over the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Tahereh Mirmohammadi Ghoojdi
  • Patent number: 11873993
    Abstract: A combustor includes a liner defining a combustion chamber. An air and fuel mixing body is received within the liner and upstream of the combustion chamber. The mixing body has a center axis and includes a bluff-body. A plurality of fuel injection ports on the bluff-body communicate with a central fuel supply such that fuel passes from the fuel supply passage and into a mixing chamber with a component in an axially downstream direction and a radially outward direction relative to said central axis. A plurality of inner air swirlers provide air into the mixing chamber with a component in an axially downstream direction, a radially outward direction, and with a circumferential component due to swirler structure. The fuel injection ports are downstream of an outlet of the inner air swirlers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Alain Athanase Fossi
  • Patent number: 11873758
    Abstract: An apparatus is provided for a gas turbine engine. This apparatus includes a vane array and a heat exchanger integrated with the vane array. The vane array includes an inner platform, an outer platform and a plurality of vanes. The inner platform extends circumferentially about a centerline and forms an inner peripheral boundary of a flowpath through the vane array. The outer platform extends circumferentially about the centerline and forms an outer peripheral boundary of the flowpath through the vane array. The vanes extend across the flowpath between the inner platform and the outer platform. The heat exchanger includes a passage following a tortuous trajectory along a first wall of the vane array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Eric S. Durocher, Gabriel Naccache
  • Patent number: 11874196
    Abstract: A portable attitude test stand (PATS) for an aircraft engine, has: a support frame mountable on a trailer of a road vehicle; a test cell supported by the support frame and sized to receive the aircraft engine, the test cell operable to rotate the aircraft engine about a pitch axis and a roll axis of the aircraft engine; and an actuator operatively connected to the test cell and to the support frame, the actuator operable to lower and raise the test cell relative to the support frame between a transport configuration in which the test cell has a transport height and a test configuration in which the test cell has a test height, the test height being greater than the transport height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Douglas Monahan, Gabor Kafka
  • Patent number: 11867125
    Abstract: A fuel manifold adapter for a fuel system of an aircraft engine, the fuel manifold adapter comprising: a body having a body-output interface defining a downstream end of a body passage including a body bore about a bore axis, the body-output interface movably and fluidly connectable to a first component of the fuel system mounted to a first mounting point of the engine, and a body-input interface defining an upstream end of the body passage, the body-input interface rigidly and fluidly connectable to a second component of the fuel system mounted to a second mounting point of the engine, and a transfer tube having an upstream-tube end slidably engaged with the body along the bore axis via the body bore, the transfer tube having a downstream-tube end opposite the upstream-tube end slidably engageable along the bore axis with the first component, the downstream-tube end defining a downstream end of the fuel manifold adapter relative to fuel flow through the fuel manifold adapter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Gavin Rohiteshwar Kisun, Guy Lefebvre
  • Patent number: 11867101
    Abstract: An assembly includes a rotor housing, a first rotor, a lubrication system, a first vibration sensor, and an engine control system. The rotor housing forms a first rotor cavity. The first rotor is configured for rotation within the first rotor cavity. The first rotor includes the plurality of apex seals. The lubrication system is configured to supply a lubrication flow for lubrication of the plurality of apex seals. The first vibration sensor is on the rotor housing. The first vibration sensor is configured to generate a vibration measurement signal. The engine control system includes a processor in communication with a non-transitory memory storing instructions, which instructions when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: identify that the vibration measurement signal exceeds a first vibration threshold, and increase a flow rate of the lubrication flow based on an identification of the vibration measurement signal exceeding the first vibration threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Jean-Philippe Simoneau, Vincent Savaria, David Gagnon-Martin
  • Patent number: 11867392
    Abstract: A combustor includes a liner defining a combustion chamber, and receiving an air and fuel mixing body. The mixing body includes a forward face facing into the combustion chamber. A plurality of circumferentially spaced columns about a central axis of the combustor each have at least two fuel supply passages and two air supply passages extending to the forward face. At least one of the two air supply passages and one of the fuel supply passages extending along a direction with a circumferentially extending component in a first circumferential direction. The other of the two air supply passages and the fuel supply passages extend with a circumferential component in a second opposed circumferential direction. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Owen Wong