Patents Assigned to Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
  • Patent number: 11655757
    Abstract: A method of assembling a gas turbine engine is disclosed herein. The method comprises providing a set of standard axial compressor stages. Each axial compressor stage included in the set of standard axial compressor stages includes a rotor having a plurality of blades configured to rotate about an axis and a stator having a plurality of stator vanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Benjamin M. Iwrey
  • Patent number: 11655543
    Abstract: A method includes predicting a composition of calcium-magnesium-aluminum-silicate (CMAS) to be encountered by a high temperature mechanical system during use of the high temperature mechanical system. The method further includes selecting a composition of a CMAS-resistant barrier coating layer based at least in part on the predicted composition of CMAS. The CMAS-resistant barrier coating layer includes a base composition and at least one secondary oxide selected based on the predicted composition of CMAS. The at least one secondary oxide includes at least one of an oxide of a divalent element, an oxide of a trivalent element, or an oxide of a tetravalent element. The CMAS-resistant barrier coating layer comprises greater than 0 mol. % and less than about 7 mol. % of the at least one secondary oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION, ROLLS-ROYCE PLC, ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Ngunjoh Lawrence Ndamka, Li Li, Ann Bolcavage, Bruce Edward Varney, Sean E. Landwehr
  • Patent number: 11657496
    Abstract: An inspection support apparatus comprises a support bed and a platform base wherein the support bed includes spaced first and second index surfaces adapted to support first and second portions, respectively, of an airfoil in fixed positions relative to the support bed. An adjustment apparatus is coupled to the support bed and the platform base and is adapted to establish a desired fixed positional relationship between the support bed and the platform base in three dimensions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Ronald Knerr
  • Publication number: 20230141484
    Abstract: Airfoils and methods of cooling an airfoil are provided. The airfoil may comprise a spar; a coversheet on the spar; and a dual feed circuit between the spar and the coversheet. The dual feed circuit may include a first dam, a second dam spaced apart from the first dam along the chord axis of the spar, a first inlet disposed adjacent to the first dam, a second inlet disposed adjacent to the second dam, a circuit outlet disposed between the first inlet and the second inlet, and a plurality of diamond and/or hexagonal pedestals disposed on an outer surface of the spar. The diamond and/or hexagonal pedestals may form a plurality of cooling channels between the first inlet, the second inlet, and the circuit outlet. There may be no other circuit inlets are located between the first inlet and the second inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicants: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Brett Barker, Eric Koenig, Jerry Layne, Jeffrey F. Rhodes
  • Publication number: 20230141827
    Abstract: A dual-wall airfoil comprises a spar including pressure and suction side walls with raised features on outer surfaces thereof. A pressure side coversheet has an inner surface in contact with the raised features on the outer surface of the pressure side wall so as to define pressure side flow pathways between the pressure side wall and the pressure side coversheet, and a suction side coversheet has an inner surface in contact with the raised features on the outer surface of the suction side wall so as to define suction side flow pathways between the suction side wall and the suction side coversheet. The raised features on the outer surface of the pressure and/or suction side wall include an arrangement of pedestals, where each pedestal comprises an aspect ratio in a range from about 1:1 to about 5:1. The aspect ratio of the pedestals is varied within the arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Applicants: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Brett J. Barker, Eric Koenig, Jerry Layne, Jeffrey F. Rhodes
  • Publication number: 20230133478
    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: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventor: William Barry Bryan
  • Patent number: 11635000
    Abstract: An endwall may be disposed at one end of a vane assembly. The endwall may comprise an endwall spar and a coversheet on the hot surface of the endwall spar. The endwall may further comprise a cooling fluid channel between the hot surface of the endwall spar and the cold surface of the coversheet. The cooling fluid channel may include a cooling fluid inlet disposed in the endwall spar, and a cooling fluid outlet. The cooling fluid outlet may be formed at an angle with the axis of the endwall spar. A plurality of pedestals may be disposed on the hot surface of the endwall spar extending into the cooling channel. The pedestals may be formed at an angle with the axis of the endwall spar to direct a cooling fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION, ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Jack Moody, Jerry Layne, Jeffrey F. Rhodes, Brett Barker, Eric Koenig
  • Patent number: 11628949
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing flexible, scalable, and controllable electrical power to an aircraft. In some embodiments, a modular power unit comprises a container containing a power generation unit, a control system, a conditioning system, and an environmental control system. The power generation unit produces a generated power. The control system provides control signals to the power generation unit and controls at least one parameter of the generated power. The conditioning system receives and conditions the generated power and provides an output power to the power bus of the aircraft. The environmental control system provides a temperature regulating fluid to the power generation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Long, Dwayne Bevis, Sean Guitar
  • Patent number: 11630031
    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: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Mark O'Leary
  • Patent number: 11629640
    Abstract: An oil pumping system for use with a gas turbine engine includes an electric machine, an oil pump assembly, and a variable frequency drive controller. The variable frequency drive is connected with the electric machine and the oil pump assembly. The variable frequency drive controller is programmed to control a torque and speed of the pump motor independent of the gas turbine engine speed so that a flow of oil moved by the oil pump assembly is controlled to cool or lubricate components of the gas turbine engine independent of the gas turbine engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Alan W. Smith
  • Patent number: 11619170
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a centrifugal compressor, a combustor, a radial turbine, and a cooling air metering system. The centrifugal compressor is configured to rotate about an axis to produce compressed air. The combustor is fluidly connected downstream of the centrifugal compressor to receive the compressed air from the centrifugal compressor. The radial turbine is fluidly connected with the combustor and is axially spaced apart from the centrifugal compressor. The cooling air metering system is configured to selectively block or allow a portion of the compressed air flowing radially between the centrifugal compressor and the radial turbine, bypassing the combustor, and through a heat exchanger for cooling the radial turbine and other components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas D. Dierksmeier, Michael A. Karam
  • Patent number: 11619146
    Abstract: A fluid storage tank can be configured to store a cooling fluid in a liquid state and a gas state. A first heat exchanger can be configured to release heat into the fluid storage tank. A second heat exchanger can be disposed fluidly downstream of the fluid storage tank and configured to exchange heat between the cooling fluid and a heat load. A pressure control device can be disposed fluidly downstream of the second heat exchanger. The first heat exchanger can be fluidly downstream of the second heat exchanger such that cooling fluid, after being heated in the second heat exchanger, passes through the first heat exchanger and thereby heats upstream cooling fluid resident in the fluid storage tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Eugene Charles Jansen, Jeffrey Wen-Yu Chen
  • Patent number: 11619387
    Abstract: A liner for a combustor includes a support member, an intermediate member, and a liner member. The intermediate member is positioned intermediate the support member and the liner member and has a plurality of protrusions and a plurality of recesses. The support member is coupled to the intermediate member at a tangent of each protrusion. Additionally, the liner member is comprised of a ceramic matrix composite material. The liner member is coupled to the intermediate member at a tangent of each recess.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Ted Joseph Freeman, Bruce E. Varney, Adam L. Chamberlain
  • Patent number: 11607725
    Abstract: A method for delivering a flowable material into a mold or to infiltrate a preformed component, a fiber preform, or a green body includes: providing a crucible having a body configured as a reservoir to hold the flowable material; adding a metal, a metal alloy, or combination thereof into the body of the crucible, the metal or metal alloy having a predetermined melting point; heating the crucible with the metal or metal alloy contained therein to a temperature that is at or above the melting point of the metal or metal alloy; allowing the metal or metal alloy to melt to form the flowable material; and creating a siphon such that the molten metal or metal alloy flows from the body of the crucible to infiltrate the preformed component or to fill the mold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventor: Gregory David Scofield
  • Publication number: 20230074039
    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: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Publication date: March 9, 2023
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Unton, Eric Sean Donovan
  • Patent number: 11601304
    Abstract: A vehicle control method of starting and shutting down an engine, in which a processor receives a blockchain update comprising a first transaction with instructions to perform an engine startup or shutdown; the blockchain update is validated; an engine startup or shutdown is performed based on the validated blockchain update; where the engine startup or shutdown is delayed based on validating a predetermined number of subsequent blockchain updates, including a second transaction with instructions to perform the engine startup or shutdown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION, ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: John J. Costello, Richard J. Skertic
  • Patent number: 11591927
    Abstract: A fan case assembly is adapted to extend around blades of a fan rotor included in a gas turbine engine. The fan case assembly includes an annular case that extends around an axis, a fan track liner coupled to the annular case and extending circumferentially at least partway about the axis, and a bolting arrangement that couples the fan track liner to the annular case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher D. Hall, Robert W. Heeter, Daniel E. Molnar, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11591102
    Abstract: A thermal energy system for use with an aircraft includes a cooling loop and a cooler. The cooling loop includes a fluid conduit and a pump configured to move fluid through the fluid conduit to transfer heat from a heat source to the fluid in the fluid conduit to cool the heat source. The cooler includes an air-stream heat exchanger located in a duct and is in thermal communication with the fluid conduit to transfer heat between the fluid in the cooling loop and the air passing through the duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas J. Snyder
  • Patent number: 11588322
    Abstract: In some examples, this disclosure describes a method for detecting a fault in an electrical power system comprising a bus connected between a first solid state power converter and a second solid state power converter. The method includes receiving, at a controller of the electrical power system, a first signal indicating a current at a source side of the first solid state power converter, wherein the source side of the first solid state power converter is connected to a power source of the electrical power system. The method also includes receiving, at the controller, a second signal indicating a current at the bus and determining, by the controller, that a fault occurred in the electrical power system based on the first signal and further based on the second signal. The method further includes controlling the first solid state power converter in response to determining that the fault occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc., Rolls-Royce Singapore Pte. Ltd.
    Inventors: Chandana Jayampathi Gajanayake, Yu Yang, David Loder, Amit Kumar Gupta
  • Patent number: 11587798
    Abstract: A base plate for cooling a power electronics device is provided, the base plate comprising cooling fins, the base plate configured to receive the power electronics device directly above the cooling fins, the cooling fins integral to the base plate, the base plate configured to conduct a liquid coolant past the cooling fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventor: Douglas J. Snyder