Patents Assigned to Solar Turbines
  • Online estimation of specific gravity of gas fuel
    Patent number: 9732961
    Abstract: A method for determining an estimate of the specific gravity of a fuel for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The gas turbine engine includes a fuel control valve and one or more fuel injectors. The method includes determining a first estimate of the specific gravity based on an orifice flow model of the fuel control valve. The method also includes determining a second estimate of the specific gravity based on a combined orifice flow model of the one or more fuel injectors. The method further includes recursively filtering the first estimate and the second estimate to determine a third estimate of the specific gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Chad M. Holcomb, Richard C. Whalen, Robert Hiroshi Moroto
  • FUEL INJECTOR FOR COMBUSTION ENGINE SYSTEM, AND ENGINE OPERATING METHOD
    Publication number: 20170227224
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a combustion engine includes an injector body having formed therein a first passage structured to feed a fuel to an outlet of the injector body, and a second passage structured to feed air to the outlet of the injector body. Flow-directing surfaces are exposed to a flow of fuel through the first passage to induce swirl, and a flow segregator is positioned between the flows of fuel and air such that the air shrouds the swirling flow of fuel and inhibits migration of fuel radially outwardly from the fuel injector outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Applicant: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Gareth Oskam, Ricardo Aleman
  • Universal housing for a centrifugal gas compressor
    Patent number: 9726194
    Abstract: A universal housing for a centrifugal gas compressor is disclosed. The universal housing includes a body, a suction port extending from the body, a discharge port extending from the body, and a first compartment within the body. The first compartment includes a suction inlet in flow communication with the suction port and a discharge outlet in flow communication with the discharge port. The first compartment is configured to receive more than one staging length for the staging. The staging inlet is in flow communication with the suction inlet and the staging outlet is in flow communication with the discharge outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Jess Lee Freeman, Gordon E. Brailean, Benjamin Dee Freeman
  • Radiographic markers for partial penetration welded joints
    Patent number: 9724785
    Abstract: A weldment member for a gas turbine engine including a forward welding member and an aft welding member. The forward welding member has an annular shape with a forward welding face formed at one end. The forward welding face has a forward radiographic marking hole formed therein. The aft welding member has an annular shape with an aft welding face formed at one end. The aft welding face has an aft radiographic marking hole formed therein. The forward welding face is aligned with the aft welding face and the forward radiographic marking hole is angularly offset from the aft radiographic marking hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Benjamin Richard Abraham, Jeffrey C. Brill, Daniel Patrick Weller
  • Synthetic jets in compressors
    Patent number: 9719361
    Abstract: A synthetic jet for a stationary vane for a turbo-machine is disclosed. The synthetic jet includes a backside cavity and a jet cavity. The jet cavity includes a frontside cavity adjoining the backside cavity and a jet passage extending from a fluid stream interfacing surface of the airfoil towards the frontside cavity. The jet passage is in flow communication with the frontside cavity. The synthetic jet also includes a disk located between the backside cavity and the frontside cavity. The disk includes a cylindrical disk and a coating on each side of the cylindrical disk. The coating is a piezo electric ceramic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael James Cave, Ricardo Benjamin Torres, Gustaaf Bernardus Jacobs
  • Turbine blade platform seal assembly validation
    Patent number: 9719427
    Abstract: A platform seal assembly for a gas turbine engine with a turbine disk and a plurality of turbine blades is disclosed. The platform seal assembly includes a platform seal and a validation tab. The platform seal includes a first end, a second end, opposite and distal to the first end, and a body extending between the first end and the second end. The validation tab includes an attachment portion affixed to the platform seal and an observable indicator portion extending from the attachment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Angelo Vincent Marasco, Olivier Jacques Louis Lamicq
  • Thermocouple with a vortex reducing probe
    Patent number: 9714582
    Abstract: A sensor assembly for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The sensor assembly includes a bushing and a probe. The probe includes a body, an anti-vortex tip, and a tip end. The body extends from the bushing and includes a body surface. The body surface is a right circular cylinder with a first diameter. The anti-vortex tip extends from the body and includes an anti-vortex tip surface. The anti-vortex tip surface is a conical surface extending from the body surface to a second diameter at a taper angle from fourteen degrees to sixteen degrees. The tip end extends with a spherical shape from the anti-vortex tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Rodolfo G. Alonte, Bruno Enriquez Struck
  • FUEL INJECTOR WITH A CENTER BODY ASSEMBLY FOR LIQUID PREFILM INJECTION
    Publication number: 20170191457
    Abstract: A center body assembly for a fuel injector is disclosed. The center body assembly defines a primary liquid passage, a liquid gallery, swirl slots, and a prefilm passage. The primary liquid passage supplies liquid fuel to the liquid gallery. The liquid gallery includes a gallery discharge end and a gallery inlet end that aligns with the primary liquid passage. The liquid gallery tapers down from the gallery inlet end to the gallery discharge end. The swirl slots extend from the liquid gallery to the prefilm passage in a helical pattern. The prefilm passage includes an annular shape that turns inward towards an assembly axis of the center body assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Applicant: SOLAR TURBINES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: SEAN KELLY SPIVEY, DONALD JAMES CRAMB, JAMES SCOTT PIPER, MICHAEL JOHN RAMOTOWSKI
  • TWO STREAM LIQUID FUEL LEAN DIRECT INJECTION
    Publication number: 20170191428
    Abstract: A method for lean direct injection of a liquid fuel from a fuel injector into a combustion chamber of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The method includes injecting all of the liquid fuel into the combustion chamber through a pilot liquid fuel circuit during light off and during acceleration towards idle. The method also includes injecting the liquid fuel in two streams including injecting a majority of the liquid fuel as an annular film through a main liquid fuel circuit and injecting a remainder of the liquid fuel through the pilot liquid fuel circuit when the gas turbine engine is at idle and for operating ranges of the gas turbine engine above idle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Applicant: SOLAR TURBINES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Sean Kelly Spivey, Donald James Cramb, James Scott Piper, Michael John Ramotowski
  • FUEL INJECTOR WITH DUAL MAIN FUEL INJECTION
    Publication number: 20170191667
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The fuel injector includes two primary tubes, a secondary tube, a primary gas gallery, and a secondary gas gallery. The two primary tubes are connected in a parallel configuration to provide a main gas fuel to the primary gas gallery. The secondary tube provides the main gas fuel to the secondary gas gallery independent from the two primary tubes and the primary gas gallery. The primary gas gallery and the secondary gas gallery provide the main gas fuel to a premix passage independently allowing for robust control of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Applicant: SOLAR TURBINES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Sean Kelly Spivey, Donald James Cramb, James Scott Piper, Michael John Ramotowski
  • Fuel Injector With Multi Tube Gas Distribution
    Publication number: 20170191421
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The fuel injector includes a flange assembly with a distribution block, three main gas tubes, and an injector head. The distribution block evenly distributes a main gas fuel to the three main gas tubes. The injector head includes an injector body with a primary gas gallery including an annular shape. The three main gas tubes are connected in a parallel configuration between the distribution block and the primary gas gallery. The three main gas tubes are all in flow communication with the primary gas gallery and provide the main gas fuel from the same main gas fuel source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Applicant: SOLAR TURBINES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: SEAN KELLY SPIVEY, DONALD JAMES CRAMB, JAMES SCOTT PIPER, MICHAEL JOHN RAMOTOWSKI
  • Compressor aft hub sealing system
    Patent number: 9677423
    Abstract: An aft hub sealing assembly for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The aft hub sealing assembly includes an aft hub, a bearing cap, an aft baffle, a first seal, and a second seal. The aft hub includes a body portion and a disk portion aft surface. The bearing cap includes a bearing cap inner portion spaced apart from the body portion. The aft baffle is located adjacent the disk portion. The aft baffle includes a baffle forward surface following a contour of the disk portion aft surface. The first seal is between the bearing cap inner portion and the body portion. The second seal is between the bearing cap inner portion and the body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventor: Leslie John Faulder
  • Turbine damper
    Patent number: 9650901
    Abstract: A damper for a turbine rotor assembly of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The damper includes a width dimension, a height dimension, and a length dimension and a forward plate. The damper further includes an aft plate that is larger than the forward plate along the width and height dimension and having a lower portion including two legs extending in the height dimension. The damper also includes a longitudinal structure extending in the length dimension and connecting the forward plate and the aft plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Qingxuan Michael Zhang, Theresa A. Brown, Leslie John Faulder
  • Variable guide vane extended variable fillet
    Patent number: 9631504
    Abstract: A guide vane is disclosed. The guide vane includes a button, a trunnion connected to the button, and an airfoil connected to the button. The airfoil includes an overhang portion wherein the overhang portion extends from one end of the button to a distal end of the airfoil. The guide vane includes a button corner located near the beginning of the overhang portion. The guide vane includes a variable fillet extending into the overhang portion. The variable fillet includes sections of different radiuses along the length of the fillet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventor: Sean Joseph Bentley
  • Gas turbine offline compressor wash with buffer air from combustor
    Patent number: 9631512
    Abstract: A system and method for washing a gas turbine engine. The method for washing the gas turbine engine includes coupling a pressurized air supply assembly to an air supply and to a secondary air system, cranking a compressor rotor assembly of the gas turbine engine, supplying pressurized offline buffer air from the air supply to the pressurized air supply assembly, and spraying a cleaner into the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventor: John Frederick Lockyer
  • System for monitoring health of a seal
    Patent number: 9624785
    Abstract: A system for monitoring a health of one or more seals includes a flow control valve, and a controller. The flow control valve is located upstream of the seal and disposed in fluid communication therewith. The flow control valve is configured to maintain a pre-determined fluid pressure between the flow control valve and the seal. The controller is communicably coupled to the flow control valve. The controller is configured to receive a position of the flow control valve, and determine the health of the seal based on the received position of the flow control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Julien Doumecq-Lacoste, Ricardo Montes, Roy T. Collins
  • Monitoring system for a gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 9625901
    Abstract: A method of monitoring a plurality of turbomachines is disclosed herein. In embodiments, the method includes a fleet data system receiving first event data from a first monitoring connection system and second event data from a second monitoring connection system. The method also includes the fleet data system determining from the first event data and the second event data whether an event has occurred. The method further includes the fleet data system issuing an alert when the fleet data system has determined that the event has occurred, the alert including an event name, an event status, and a timestamp related to when the event occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Garrett Linn Schiff, Thompson Hoang An Pham, Fabrice Mario Murgia, Neal Watkins, Vijaya Shankar Sadasivan, Ramanath Vasamsetty, Pankaj Yogendra Tiwari, Frances Julia Kemp, Anbarasu Sanjeevi, Andrea Monti, Alessio De Stefano, James Anthony Gilbert, Marco Ezra Leon, Venkatesh Canchi, Paul F Cameron, Joseph Stinson McElhinney, IV, Miguel J Estupinan
  • Gas turbine engine fuel injector with an inner heat shield
    Patent number: 9618209
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a combustor of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The fuel injector includes a gas outer tube, a gas inner tube, a liquid tube, and a heat shield. The gas outer tube and the gas inner tube form a gas fuel annulus. The gas inner tube and the liquid tube form a liquid fuel annulus. The liquid tube forms an air cavity. The heat shield extends within the liquid tube forming an insulating gap between the heat shield and the liquid tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Ramarao Venkat Bandaru, James Scott Piper, Scott Michael Lindner, Anthony Paul Batakis, Peter Joseph Giella
  • Combustor assembly for a gas turbine engine having a braze layer having a centerline eutectic free region
    Patent number: 9610643
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a combustor assembly for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The fuel injector includes a first component, a second component, and a braze layer. The first component has a sidewall. The second component also has a sidewall. The braze layer is formed between the sidewall of the first component and the sidewall of the second component. The braze layer is being formed from a Nickel (Ni) alloy brazing material containing non-metallic constituents. The braze layer also has a eutectic-free region with substantially all of the non-metallic constituents diffused away from a centerline area between the first component and the second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventor: William Corey Bogane
  • Cutback aft clamp ring
    Patent number: 9611760
    Abstract: An aft clamp ring for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The aft clamp ring includes a body, a forward sealing face, and an aft sealing face. The body includes an annular shape extending between an outer end and an inner end. The forward sealing face faces in a second axial direction. The aft sealing face is adjacent the outer end facing in a first axial direction and is at least partially radially aligned with the forward sealing face. The forward sealing face and the aft sealing face are each an annular surface with a surface area from 105.50 cm2 to 165.19 cm2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher Anthony Marino, Nathan James Bohney