Patents Assigned to Solar Turbines
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Patent number: 10753638Abstract: A ventilation panel for an enclosure of an industrial machine is disclosed herein. In embodiments, the ventilation panel includes a panel silencer and a fire damper assembly. The panel silencer includes a number of panels joined together to form an internal cavity and a front panel opening that provides access into the internal cavity. The fire damper assembly partially inserts into the panel silencer. The fire damper assembly includes a plurality of isolation louvers and an actuation assembly. The plurality of isolation louvers are rotatably affixed within the fire damper assembly. The actuation assembly rotates the plurality of isolation louvers into a closed position when activated.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2016Date of Patent: August 25, 2020Assignee: Solar Turbines IncorporatedInventors: Paul A. LeBlanc, Richard Lee Boister, John D. Connolly, II
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Patent number: 10738659Abstract: This disclosure provides a devices and systems for securing a gas turbine nozzle segment and sealing one or more cooling cavities of the gas turbine nozzle segment during manufacturing. The device can have a support assembly for receiving a nozzle segment having at least one cooling cavity. The device can have at least one clamp assembly configured to secure a first portion of the nozzle segment to the support assembly. The at least one clamp assembly having a first clamp arm, and a first tightening assembly coupling the first clamp arm to the support assembly. The device can have a first port seal assembly having at least one sealing member coupled to the first seal body and configured to interact with and seal the corresponding one or more cooling cavities.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2018Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignee: Solar Turbines IncorporatedInventors: James Houck, Jonathan Charbonnet, Jose Molina
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Publication number: 20200249093Abstract: A temperature measuring system is disclosed herein. The temperature measuring system includes an optical assembly and a spectral data receiver. The temperature measuring system views passing gas and measures the radiant response of a selected gas. The measurement includes radiant intensities with respect to wavelengths in the infrared region.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2019Publication date: August 6, 2020Applicants: Solar Turbines Incorporated, Brigham Young UniversityInventors: Darrel Zeltner, Dale R. Tree, Mohsen Rezasoltani, Scott Egbert
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Patent number: 10731478Abstract: A turbine blade having a base and an airfoil, the base including a root end. The airfoil including a skin extending from the base and defining a first edge, a second edge, having a tip end opposite from the root end. The turbine blade further including a base rib extending from the base and into the airfoil, a center divider extending from adjacent the first edge towards the second edge, a center rib disposed between the center divider and the second edge, extending from adjacent the center divider towards the tip end and extending from adjacent the center divider towards the root end, a tip center rib extending from adjacent the second edge towards the first edge, a tip rib extending from adjacent the tip center rib towards the base, a dividing rib and a first channel.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2018Date of Patent: August 4, 2020Assignee: Solar Turbines IncorporatedInventors: Hongzhou Xu, Kevin Liu, Michael D. Fox
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Patent number: 10727671Abstract: A control system for preventing electrical power supply disruptions in an electrical power system includes an electronic control unit structured to receive a power signal indicative of reactive power in an electrical generator that is produced in response to a change in an electrical load of an electrical power bus. The electronic control unit is further structured to determine voltage commands based on the power signal and vary output voltage of the electrical generator non-linearly such that occurrence of a reactive power shutdown condition is inhibited.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2017Date of Patent: July 28, 2020Assignee: Solar Turbines IncorporatedInventor: David Lee
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Patent number: 10718219Abstract: A turbine blade having a base and an airfoil, the base including cooling air inlets and an internal cooling air passageway, and the airfoil including an internal multi-bend heat exchange path beginning at the base and ending at a cooling air outlet at the trailing edge of the airfoil. The airfoil also includes a “skin” that encompasses a tip wall, an inner spar, and a tip flag cooling system.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2018Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: Solar Turbines IncorporatedInventors: Andrew T. Meier, Nnawuihe Okpara, Stephen Edward Pointon, Kevin Hirako
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Publication number: 20200190984Abstract: A turbine blade includes a base and an airfoil. The airfoil includes a skin extending from the base and defining a leading edge and a trailing edge opposite the leading edge. The trailing edge includes an inner edge disposed proximate to the base, an outer edge disposed distal the inner edge, and a tuning region edge disposed between the inner edge and the outer edge. The tuning region edge includes an upper transition edge, a middle transition edge, a lower transition edge, an upper tuning edge, and a middle tuning edge. The upper transition edge extends from the outer edge towards the inner edge. The middle transition edge is disposed between the upper transition edge and the inner edge. The lower transition edge is disposed between the middle transition edge and the inner edge. The upper tuning edge is disposed between the upper transition edge and the middle transition edge, being at least partially closer to the leading edge than the middle transition edge.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2018Publication date: June 18, 2020Applicant: Solar Turbines IncorporatedInventors: Joshua Tarquinio, Loc Duong
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Publication number: 20200191395Abstract: A fuel injector for a combustor of a gas turbine engine is disclosed herein. The fuel injector includes a fuel delivery system for receiving and distributing fuel and an injector body. The injector body includes a primary fuel gallery, a pilot fuel gallery, a primary perforated plate, and a pilot distributor plate. The primary fuel gallery is formed as an annular cavity in the injector body and extends around an assembly axis. The primary fuel gallery and the pilot fuel gallery are in flow communication with the fuel delivery system. The primary perforated plate is disposed within the primary fuel gallery and divides the primary fuel gallery. The primary perforated plate having a first perforation to restrict flow. The pilot distributor plate is disposed within the center body assembly and radially inward of the first portion of the primary gallery, adjacent to portions of the tube stem. The pilot distributor plate having a pilot distributor passage to restrict flow.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2018Publication date: June 18, 2020Applicant: Solar Turbines IncorporatedInventors: Christian Di Norscia, Edouard Bahous, Michael J. Ramotowski, Ram Srinivasan
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Publication number: 20200190998Abstract: A turbine blade having a base and an airfoil, the base including a root end. The airfoil including a skin extending from the base and defining a first edge, a second edge, having a tip end opposite from the root end. The turbine blade further including a base rib extending from the base and into the airfoil, a center divider extending from adjacent the first edge towards the second edge, a center rib disposed between the center divider and the second edge, extending from adjacent the center divider towards the tip end and extending from adjacent the center divider towards the root end, a tip center rib extending from adjacent the second edge towards the first edge, a tip rib extending from adjacent the tip center rib towards the base, a dividing rib and a first channel.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2018Publication date: June 18, 2020Applicant: Solar Turbines IncorporatedInventors: Hongzhou Xu, Kevin Liu, Michael D. Fox
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Patent number: 10669875Abstract: This disclosure provides a cross key anti rotation spacer for use in a gas turbine engine. A compressor disk assembly can have a cross key ring having a plurality of keys, teeth, or castellations, alternating with a plurality of gaps to form a cross key surface. The keys or teeth of the cross key surface can mesh with corresponding teeth formed on a spacer of a compressor rotor assembly. The spacer teeth, in connection with the teeth or keys of the cross key ring can prevent rotation between the spacer and compressor disk. This is particularly beneficial during transient operations, such as startup and shutdown of the gas turbine engine.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2018Date of Patent: June 2, 2020Assignee: Solar Turbines IncorporatedInventors: Jorge Hernandez, David Jeorling, Makarand Sovani
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Patent number: 10590860Abstract: A gas turbine engine system includes a gas turbine engine and a control system including sensors for monitoring operating properties of the engine, a signaling device that outputs a discrete switching signal indicative of an engine load change, such as connecting or disconnecting an electrical load in an electrical power system powered by the gas turbine engine, and an electronic control unit. The control unit calculates an engine load estimate based upon the switching signal, the operating properties, and statistical information in a recursive statistical estimator.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2017Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: Solar Turbines IncorporatedInventors: Robert Moroto, Chad Holcomb
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Patent number: 10563663Abstract: Systems and method for operating a gas compressor are disclosed herein. A compressor can have one or more dry gas seals surrounding the central axle of the compressor. The dry gas seals can each be pressurized with a barrier gas or other fluid supply providing a barrier within the dry gas seal. The method can include controlling delivery of a first barrier gas to the one or more dry seals during a startup or initiation of the compressor. The method can include controlling delivery of a second barrier gas different from the first barrier gas to the one or more dry seals based on the information received from sensors disposed within the compressor that can measure, inter alia, dry seal temperature and pressure within the system. The method can further include terminating the delivery of the first barrier gas based on the sensor information.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2018Date of Patent: February 18, 2020Assignee: Solar Turbines IncorporatedInventors: Sean Garceau, Rainer Kurz, Donghui Zhang
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Patent number: 10544691Abstract: A staking tool assembly for staking a pin coupling a turbine blade with a turbine disk is disclosed. The staking tool assembly includes a guide block configured to be positioned between a space defined between two consecutive turbine blades mounted on the turbine disk. The guide block includes a bottom surface configured to abut a blade root of the turbine blade. The guide block further includes a groove extending from the bottom surface through the guide block. The groove is configured to receive a portion of the pin extending outwardly from the blade root to facilitate a staking of the pin.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2018Date of Patent: January 28, 2020Assignee: Solar Turbines IncorporatedInventors: James Neal Houck, Jewell Winifred Willmon
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Publication number: 20200024968Abstract: A turbine blade having a base and an airfoil, the base including cooling air inlets and an internal cooling air passageway, and the airfoil including an internal multi-bend heat exchange path beginning at the base and ending at a cooling air outlet at the trailing edge of the airfoil. The airfoil also includes a “skin” that encompasses a tip wall, an inner spar, and a tip flag cooling system.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2018Publication date: January 23, 2020Applicant: Solar Turbines IncorporatedInventors: Andrew T. Meier, Nnawuihe Okpara, Stephen Edward Pointon
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Publication number: 20200011533Abstract: A center body assembly for a lean direct injection fuel injector is disclosed. The center body assembly defines a primary liquid passage, a liquid gallery, a liquid main first passage, a liquid main second passage, and an atomizer assembly. The primary liquid passage supplies liquid fuel to the liquid gallery. The liquid gallery aligns with the primary liquid passage and distributes fuel to the liquid main first passage, and subsequently to the liquid main second passage. The atomizer assembly is in flow communication with the liquid main second passage and provides atomized fuel for combustion.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2018Publication date: January 9, 2020Applicant: Solar Turbines IncorporatedInventors: Michael Ramotowski, Matthew Mayer, Donald Cramb, Sean K. Spivey, James Piper
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Patent number: 10527049Abstract: A system and method for controlling bending modes of a rotor assembly is disclosed. The rotor assembly can be supported by one or more bearings in an integrated machine. The method can include accelerating the rotor assembly to a first rotational speed via a first torsional force applied to the drive shaft and then removing the first torsional force. The method can also include obtaining first measurements of the rotational speed and frequency of one or more bending modes of the rotor assembly during a first rotary machine coast down period from the first rotational speed. The process can be repeated to determine a relationship between rotational speed, bending mode frequency, and gain. The one or more bearings can then be controlled based on the measurements and the relationship. The system can have one or more processors or controllers to implement the method.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2016Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: Solar Turbines IncorporatedInventors: Lei Zhu, Jason Wing-bin Fong
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Patent number: 10502220Abstract: A method and device for retrofitting a gas turbine engine for improved hot day performance are disclosed. The method can include removing a first selected stator bladerow from the plurality of compressor stages, the first selected stator bladerow having a first inlet swirl angle and including a first plurality of fixed stator vanes. Each stator vane of the first plurality of fixed stator vanes can have a first stator vane angle. The method can also include providing a first improved stator bladerow to replace the first selected stator bladerow. The first improved stator bladerow can have a second plurality of fixed stator vanes, each having a second stator vane angle smaller than the first stator vane angle. The method can also include replacing the first selected stator bladerow with the first improved stator bladerow to produce an increased pressure ratio and flow rate compared to the first selected stator bladerow.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2016Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: Solar Turbines IncorporatedInventor: Bachar Adjan
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Publication number: 20190338855Abstract: A method for refurbishing an assembly having a first component and a second component is provided. The first component has a fore portion welded to the second component and a flared aft portion in proximity with the second component. The method includes processing the assembly such that the flared aft portion and a part of the fore portion proximal to the flared aft portion of the first component is subject to peening until the flared aft portion is plastically deformed from an initial position to a desired final position with respect to the second component.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 3, 2018Publication date: November 7, 2019Applicant: SOLAR TURBINES INCORPORATEDInventor: David Sones Billings
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Patent number: 10466677Abstract: The systems and methods disclosed herein include an assessment system and process for assessing an industrial machine and its various sections, sub-sections, and parts. In embodiments, the assessment system includes an assessment device that includes an assessment overviewer and a part assessor. The assessment overviewer provides an assessor with a selectable industrial machine schematic that illustrates the assessment status of each section of the industrial machine, such as by changing the appearance of each section based its assessment status. The part assessor provides a part assessment interface with engineering instructions and a part grading user interface that provides for a comparison of digital images to complete the part grading.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2016Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: Solar Turbines IncorporatedInventors: Jonathan Bendert, Pier Paolo Piattini, Francesc Diaz Trias, Chandrakanth Reddy Boppidi, Venkatesh Lingineni, Martin Rinak, Karol Sykora, Martin Velgos
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Patent number: 10428738Abstract: A fuel distribution manifold for a gas turbine engine is disclosed herein. The fuel distribution manifold includes a manifold body, a stage divider, and a plurality of manifold outlet ports. The stage divider subdivides an internal volume of the manifold body into a primary stage volume and a secondary stage volume. A majority of the plurality of manifold outlet ports extends from the manifold body between the primary inlet port and the stage divider, each being fluidly connected to the primary stage volume. A remainder of the plurality of manifold outlet ports extends from the manifold body between the secondary inlet port and the stage divider, each being fluidly connected to the secondary stage volume.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 2016Date of Patent: October 1, 2019Assignee: Solar Turbines IncorporatedInventors: Anthony P. Batakis, Dietmar Karl Sauer