Patents Assigned to Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
  • Patent number: 12203686
    Abstract: A cooling apparatus includes a first fluid flowpath and a second fluid flowpath. The first fluid flowpath includes a subcooler having a first side in fluid communication with the first fluid flowpath; a flow control valve; a primary evaporator assembly including at least one evaporator configured to be disposed in thermal communication with a heat load; and a pressure regulator operable to control a saturation pressure within the at least one evaporator. The second fluid flowpath is in fluid communication with a second side of the subcooler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Eugene Charles Jansen
  • Publication number: 20250012202
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes: an inlet guide vane; an inlet channel extending from a location downstream of the inlet guide vane to a stem manifold; and an outlet channel extending to an outlet port, the outlet port configured to dump anti-ice air overboard, wherein the inlet guide vane includes an anti-ice cavity in fluid communication with the inlet channel and the outlet channel such that anti-ice air, flowing from a downstream location within a core flow of the gas turbine, flows from the inlet channel, through the inlet guide vane, and to the outlet channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2023
    Publication date: January 9, 2025
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Engebretsen, Aaron Weishaar, Jonathan Acker, Brett Hartnagel
  • Patent number: 12191537
    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: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Patrick Gore
  • Patent number: 12188408
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a bypass duct, a heat exchanger, and an inlet shroud. The bypass duct is configured to direct air through a flow path. The heat exchanger is configured to receive a portion of the air flowing through the flow path of the bypass duct. The inlet shroud is coupled with the heat exchanger and configured to adjust a direction of the portion of the air entering the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Schwenker
  • Publication number: 20250008702
    Abstract: A cooling system for an electronics cabinet includes a controller configured to operate at least one of a pump or a condenser of a two-phase cooling loop. The cooling system includes a high temperature mode where the setpoint is set to a high setpoint setting, and a low temperature mode where the setpoint is set to a low setpoint setting. The controller is configured to select between the high temperature mode and the low temperature mode based on an evaluation of a power outage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2023
    Publication date: January 2, 2025
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Unton, Eric Donovan
  • Publication number: 20250003688
    Abstract: A heat exchanger may include a first coolant path for circulating a first coolant and a second coolant path for circulating a second coolant, where the first coolant path including a plurality of first cooling tubes, where the second coolant path including a plurality of second cooling tubes, where the first coolant path is fluidly isolated from the second coolant path in the heat exchanger, and where the first cooling tubes and the second cooling tubes are arranged in series and such that the first cooling tubes alternate with the second cooling tubes in an airflow direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2023
    Publication date: January 2, 2025
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Unton, Eric Donovan
  • Patent number: 12180910
    Abstract: An infrared suppressor adapted for use with a gas turbine engine includes a first ring arranged circumferentially around a central axis, a second ring arranged circumferentially around the central axis, and a strut that extends radially between and interconnects the first ring and the second ring. A portion of the second ring extends radially toward the first ring such that the portion of the second ring cooperates with the first ring to block line-of-sight into the infrared suppressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Curtlan C. Betchley, Kenneth M. Pesyna, Bryan H. Lerg, Steven T. Berenyi, Andrew M. Simonich, Victor L. Oechsle
  • Patent number: 12180894
    Abstract: An example system includes a first gas-turbine engine configured to propel an aircraft, the first gas-turbine engine comprising a first electric starter, the first electric starter configured to rotate a spool of the first gas-turbine engine; and one or more controllers collectively configured to: cause, following operation of the first gas-turbine engine, the first electric starter to perform barring of the first gas-turbine engine; measure, during the barring of the first gas-turbine engine, values of one or more parameters of the first gas-turbine engine; and determine, based on the values of the one or more parameters, whether the first electric starter is available for use in performing mid-air restart of the first gas-turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Lawrence, Brian Joseph Huber, Erik A. Munevar, Douglas Keith Schetzel, II
  • Publication number: 20240425422
    Abstract: A method of forming a ceramic matrix composite having a smooth surface includes laying up a plurality of plies, where some or all of the plies include an arrangement of spread tows comprising carbon fibers, thereby forming a fiber preform. Each spread tow has a height-to-width aspect ratio of less than about 0.1. The fiber preform is infiltrated with a ceramic matrix material and/or ceramic matrix precursor to embed the carbon fibers in a ceramic matrix. Thus, a ceramic matrix composite comprising a smooth and/or flat surface devoid of undulations from rounded tows is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2023
    Publication date: December 26, 2024
    Applicants: Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites Inc., Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Sujit Nanda, Jeremy Roehm
  • Patent number: 12168983
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan and a fan case assembly. The fan includes a fan rotor configured to rotate about an axis of the gas turbine engine and a plurality of fan blades coupled to the fan rotor for rotation therewith. The fan case assembly extends circumferentially around the plurality of fan blades radially outward of the plurality of the fan blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2024
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Robert W. Heeter, Daniel E. Molnar, Jr., Jonathan M. Rivers
  • Patent number: 12168939
    Abstract: A multi-piece radial turbine rotor includes a hub, turbine blades, and an intermediate ring that couples the turbine blades to the hub. Joints between the components of the rotor are adapted for inspection during manufacture to identify potential defects in the joints.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Michael D. Wood, Matthew T. Kush, Timothy P. Fuesting, Douglas D. Dierksmeier
  • Patent number: 12158086
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a turbine, a combustor fluidly coupled to the turbine, and a cooling air system. The turbine includes including a turbine rotor having a shaft mounted for rotation about an axis of the gas turbine engine and a set of turbine blades coupled to the turbine rotor for rotation therewith. The combustor includes an outer combustor case and an inner combustor case that cooperate to define a combustion chamber. The cooling air system is configured to cool the turbine using air form the combustion chamber of the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Ryan C. Humes
  • Publication number: 20240390919
    Abstract: A centrifugal air-oil separator system for a gas turbine engine system is described. The air-oil separator system has a rotatable shaft and the shaft includes an axially extending bore formed at least partially through the shaft. A gear is integral to or mounted on an outer surface of the shaft. The air-oil separator system also includes a bolt-on breather mounted on the shaft and independent from and in contiguous contact with the gear to assist in separating the oil from the air. Various types of materials may be utilized in the construction of the air-oil separator system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2023
    Publication date: November 28, 2024
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Kabbes, Jacob Harral, Michael Dornfeld, Kenneth Miller
  • Patent number: 12146415
    Abstract: A vane adjustment assembly includes a plurality of vanes, an annular ring coupled to the vanes, and a ring adjustment plate. The adjustment plate includes a main plate portion arranged on the ring and including a first adjustment region defined between two walls and a first elongated opening formed through the first adjustment region, and an adjustment fastener removably arranged in the first adjustment region between the first and second walls and including an adjustment head and a fastening pin eccentrically coupled to the adjustment head and removably coupled to the annular ring. The adjustment fastener can be selectively arranged at rotational positions within the first adjustment region so as to selectively arrange the fastening pin at distinct circumferential positions relative to the first and second walls such that the main plate portion can be positioned at distinct circumferential positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Humes, Andrew Eifert, Paulo Bazan
  • Patent number: 12146413
    Abstract: A fan duct assembly includes a bypass duct, an outlet guide vane assembly, and a flow control system. The bypass duct has an outer wall and an inner wall that define a gas path for bypass air therebetween. The outlet guide vane assembly is coupled with the bypass duct and includes a plurality of vanes. The flow control system is configured to direct selectively a portion of the bypass air flowing through the gas path radially into each of the plurality of vanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Robert W. Heeter, William B. Bryan, Daniel E. Molnar, Jr., Gregory J. Hebert
  • Patent number: 12146414
    Abstract: A vane assembly includes vanes, an actuator assembly, and a controller. The vanes are configured to rotate about their pitch axes. The actuator assembly includes an annular ring arranged radially outward of the vanes and coupled to the vanes, a magnet arranged on the annular ring, and a stator arranged adjacent the magnet. The ring is configured to rotate the vanes about the pitch axes in response to rotation of the ring about the central axis and the stator is configured to selectively rotate the magnet and annular ring about the central axis. The controller controls movement of the ring via the stator and magnets in response to at least one of (i) at least one operating condition of the gas turbine engine, or (ii) at least one operating parameter of the at least one first vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Unton, Andrew Eifert, Michael Moser
  • Publication number: 20240376836
    Abstract: Scavenge systems for a gas turbine engine including a valve positioned at a first drainage outlet of an enclosure to selectively open and evacuate liquid from the cavity through the first drainage outlet in response to the valve being submerged in liquid are provided. Methods of reducing suction of air from an enclosure of a cavity of a gas turbine engine are further provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2023
    Publication date: November 14, 2024
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jacob Harral, Michael Kabbes, Michael Dornfeld
  • Patent number: 12140089
    Abstract: In some examples, a system including a gas turbine engine, the engine including a high-pressure (HP) shaft; HP compressor; HP turbine, second shaft; second compressor; second turbine, the second turbine being coupled to the second compressor via the second shaft (e.g., LP shaft); and a generator coupled to the LP shaft. The generator is configured to generate electrical power from rotation of the LP shaft, and increase electrical power generated by the generator to increase a torque applied to the LP shaft by the generator, e.g., in combination with reduction in engine thrust, or in response to the detection of a stall and/or surge of the engine. The increase in torque applied to the second shaft is configured to increase a rate at which a rotational speed of the second shaft decreases, e.g., in combination with the reduction in engine thrust or during the stall/surge of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Sean Andrew Morgan, Timothy Unton, Alan W. Smith, Adam Lagrange, James Christopher Muskat
  • Patent number: 12121966
    Abstract: An additive manufacturing technique may include depositing, via a filament delivery device, a filament onto a surface of a substrate. The filament includes a binder and a powder including at least one metal or alloy and at least one braze alloy. The technique also includes sacrificing the binder to form a preform. The technique also includes sintering the preform to form a component including the at least one metal or alloy and the at least one braze alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    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: 12110820
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine. The compressor compresses gases entering the gas turbine engine. The combustor receives the compressed gases from the compressor and mixes fuel with the compressed gases. The turbine receives the hot, high pressure combustion products created by the combustor by igniting the fuel mixed with the compressed gases. The turbine extracts mechanical work from the hot, high pressure combustion products to drive the compressor and a fan, shaft, or propeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Mazur, Rex M. Little