Patents Assigned to Roll-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
  • Patent number: 11585235
    Abstract: A shaft assembly for use with a turbine engine includes a shaft and a magnetic mode control unit. The shaft extends along an axis and is configured to rotate about the axis. The magnetic mode control unit is configured to control deflection of the shaft as the shaft rotates about the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy Unton
  • Patent number: 11578654
    Abstract: A compressor adapted for use in a gas turbine engine includes an impeller, a diffuser, and a deswirler. The impeller is arranged circumferentially about an axis and configured to rotate about the axis. The diffuser is arranged circumferentially around the impeller to receive the air from the impeller. The deswirler is configured to receive the air from the diffuser and to conduct the air into a combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan C. Humes, Andrew J. Eifert
  • Patent number: 11571762
    Abstract: A printing method for selectively depositing braze powders on a surface comprises extruding a filament from a nozzle moving relative to a surface, where the filament comprises a flowable carrier mixed with a braze powder. As the nozzle moves, the filament is deposited on the surface in a predetermined pattern defined by the motion of the nozzle relative to the surface; thus, the braze powders are deposited at one or more predetermined locations on the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matthew Gold, Greg Lopshire, Raymond Xu, Carl Russo
  • Patent number: 11565336
    Abstract: A method for selectively adhering braze powders to a surface comprises applying a braze powder to a surface, and then directing a laser beam onto the braze powder while the laser beam moves along a predetermined path relative to the surface. The laser beam selectively heats the braze powder along the predetermined path such that the braze powder is sintered and bonded to the surface. Thus, a braze deposit is formed at one or more predetermined locations on the surface. After forming the braze deposit, excess braze powder, that is, the braze powder not selectively heated by the laser, is removed from the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC., ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Greg Lopshire, Quinlan Y. Shuck, Matthew Gold, Carl Russo
  • Patent number: 11560801
    Abstract: An airfoil for use in a gas turbine engine is formed to define a cavity formed in the airfoil. The airfoil further includes at least one obstructing member arranged within the cavity and a magnetorheological fluid disposed in the cavity. A viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid increases in response to a magnetic field being generated proximate to the fluid in response to the airfoil experiencing an aeromechanic response or vibrations. As such, the obstruction of the movement of the thicker fluid by the obstructing member dampens the vibrations of the airfoil and reduces negative effects of a dynamic response of the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. Heeter, Daniel E. Molnar, Jr., Christopher D. Hall
  • Patent number: 11560810
    Abstract: A method of maintaining at least one gas turbine engine includes monitoring a compressor of the gas turbine engine. The compressor includes a compressor case at least partially defining a flow path, a plurality of stages and a vane actuator system configured to move at least one of the stages. The vane actuator system includes a vane mover having one or more slots formed therein and configured to actuate the at least one stage. The vane mover may be replaced after the gas turbine engine has experienced engine degradation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Argote, Aaron King
  • Patent number: 11561153
    Abstract: An instrumentation assembly configured to measure properties of an engine exhaust stream is disclosed in this paper. The instrumentation assembly may include an outer support ring that extends around a central axis, an inner support ring arranged radially inward of the outer support ring around the central axis, and a plurality of instrumentation rake assemblies. The plurality of instrumentation rake assemblies extends from the outer support ring to the inner support ring across an annular passageway defined between the outer support ring and the inner support ring configured to carry the engine exhaust stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Mark O'Leary, Nathan Ottow
  • Patent number: 11554536
    Abstract: A method may include fused filament fabricating a fused filament fabricated component by delivering a softened filament to selected locations at or adjacent to a build surface. The softened filament may include a sacrificial binder and a powder including a shape memory alloy (SMA). The method also may include removing substantially all the sacrificial binder from the fused filament fabricated component to leave an unsintered component; and sintering the unsintered component to join particles of the SMA and form an SMA component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Quinlan Yee Shuck, Scott Nelson, Raymond Ruiwen Xu, Brandon David Ribic, Matthew R. Gold
  • Patent number: 11542032
    Abstract: A hybrid interchangeable battery evaluation tool (HIBET) is provided. HIBET determines an amount of electrical energy and an amount of jet fuel necessary for a hybrid electric aircraft to complete a flight based on a range of the flight, a payload of the hybrid electric aircraft, an indication of a battery mass limitation of the hybrid electric aircraft, and an optimization of an energy split between the electrical energy and the jet fuel. HIBET causes an indication of the amount of electrical energy to be displayed in a graphical user interface and/or to be otherwise outputted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Stephen Long, Dwayne Bevis, Sean Guitar, Michael J. Armstrong
  • Patent number: 11542864
    Abstract: A turbofan engine has a fan portion in fluid communication with a core stream and a bypass stream of air separated by splitters disposed both upstream and downstream of the fan portion. A blade splitter (shroud) on the fan partially spans the fan blade thus separating the core and bypass streams downstream while leaving a gap upstream for communication between the flows. The communication gap expands the operational range of the fan over fans without the communication gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventor: William Barry Bryan
  • Publication number: 20220416266
    Abstract: A system includes a flow battery and a temperature control system. The flow battery is configured to thermally manage a thermal load. In some embodiments, the flow battery is also configured to electrically power the thermal load. The temperature control system is configured to cool electrolyte in the flow battery in response to the thermal load being inactive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick Gore
  • Patent number: 11536143
    Abstract: An endwall assembly disposed at one end of a vane assembly may comprise an endwall spar that includes an cold side, an hot side, a leading edge, a trailing edge, and an axis extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge perpendicular to the leading edge. The endwall assembly may include a coversheet on the hot side of the endwall spar and a cooling channel that includes a cooling fluid inlet disposed in the endwall spar, and a cooling fluid outlet. The endwall assembly may include a structure protruding from the cold side of the endwall spar, wherein the structure is located between the cooling fluid inlet and the cooling fluid outlet along the axis; and a cooling fluid source cavity on the cold side of the wall, the cooling fluid source cavity in fluid communication with the cooling fluid channel via the cooling fluid inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC., ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jack Moody, Jerry Layne, Jeffrey F. Rhodes, Brett Barker, Eric Koenig
  • Patent number: 11530844
    Abstract: A heat transfer system for controlling two or more heat loads, including a high transient heat load, is provided. The heat transfer system may include sensible-heat thermal energy storage. A method of transferring heat from two or more heat loads to an ambient environment is further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Timothy Unton, Eric Sean Donovan
  • Patent number: 11519279
    Abstract: A turbine vane comprising ceramic matrix composite materials includes a vane support core, an airfoil, and an end wall that at least partially defines a gas path. The turbine vane is formed from a plurality of ceramic plies or preforms that are infiltrated with ceramic matrix material to form a one-piece ceramic matrix composite turbine vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites Inc., Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Shinavski, Thomas Tran, Kevin Lukhard, Ted J. Freeman, Steffan Brown
  • Patent number: 11519339
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for controlling surge margin in the compressor section of a gas turbine engine. A first compressor section and a second compressor section are in fluid communication with a bypass conduit. An auxiliary turbine and discharge conduit are positioned in the bypass conduit. Fluid flow from the compressor sections into the bypass conduit is controlled by bypass control valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Benjamin Michael Iwrey, Graham Adam Burkholder
  • Patent number: 11519332
    Abstract: Fuel injectors having a fuel-air heat exchange system and methods thereof for use in a gas turbine engine. The fuel-air heat exchanger allows heat transfer between a flow of cooling air used to cool components of the engine and a flow of fuel used to drive the engine to transfer heat to the flow of fuel and cool the cooling air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: David S. Underwood, Geoffrey O. Campbell
  • Patent number: 11519271
    Abstract: A rotor assembly includes a plurality of wheels and a tie bolt that extends through the plurality of wheels and applies a compressive force to the plurality of wheels. The tie bolt includes a first segment with a first stiffness and a second segment with a second stiffness to allow for thermal growth of the plurality of wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Brett Hartnagel, Brandon Snyder, Michael Whitten
  • Patent number: 11512667
    Abstract: Vehicles, such as aircraft, may include turbine-based combined cycle power plants (TBCC) for power to achieve high-mach speeds. An anti-unstart configuration provides control for transitioning between the amount of air directed to either engine during operation of gas turbine engine and scramjet engines, to avoid unstart during operation above sonic speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Kaare P. Erickson, Michael A. Karam
  • Patent number: 11506073
    Abstract: An example high-performance system includes an example high-performance component including a substrate and a multilayer abradable track adjacent to the substrate. The abradable track includes a plurality of alternating layers along a thickness of the abradable track. The plurality of alternating layers includes at least one relatively porous abradable layer and at least one relatively dense layer. A porosity of the relatively dense layer is lower than that of the at least one relatively porous abradable layer. The example high-performance system may include a rotating component configured to contact and abrade the multilayer abradable track. An example technique for forming the multilayer abradable track includes thermal spraying a first precursor composition toward the substrate to form a relatively porous abradable layer of a layer pair of a plurality of layer pairs of the multilayer abradable track, and a second precursor composition to form a relatively dense layer of the pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Jun Shi, Li Li, Ted J. Freeman
  • Patent number: 11499474
    Abstract: A power generation system for a nuclear reactor includes an externally-heated turbine engine, a reactor heat exchanger, and a heat recuperating system. The externally-heated turbine engine produces compressed air that is heated by the reactor heat exchanger. The heat recuperating system includes a heat exchanger thermally connected to the externally-heated turbine engine to transfer heat to the compressed air to supplement the reactor heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Michalik, Daniel G. Edwards, Andrew J. Eifert, Brian T. Spangler