Patents Examined by Alain Chau
  • Patent number: 12291344
    Abstract: A system and method for optimizing performance of an aircraft or boat through detection and trending of engine deterioration based on the performance of the vehicle's gas turbine. The system and method detects declines in engine power due to either of in-transit events or over the extended lifetime of the engine, the declines being due to routine engine part aging or an event. As engine power gradually or suddenly deteriorates, the system and method lowers a maximum operating line which defines the safe limits for peak engine power consumption during flight. For in-transit events, the system and method detects when actual power consumption is approaching the current maximum operating line. The controller may then automate changes to operations of entirely separate aircraft systems, such as rebalancing electrical energy consumption by various non-engine elements of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: GE Avio S.r.l.
    Inventors: Mehdi M. Baladi, Aniello Esposito, Sridhar Adibhatla, Kathleen K. Collins
  • Patent number: 12291349
    Abstract: A supply system for an aircraft, wherein the supply system has a supply module with outlet pipes, feed pipes connected to dihydrogen tanks, and means for channeling the dihydrogen in the feed pipes towards the outlet pipes, a distribution module having introduction pipes connected to the outlet pipes via heaters, distribution pipes connected to an engine, and means for channeling the dihydrogen in the introduction pipes towards the distribution pipes, and a control unit which commands the means of the supply module and of the distribution module depending on the information provided by the detection means. Also an aircraft with such a supply system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Pierre-Olivier Martin, Lionel Czapla, Mathieu Belleville
  • Patent number: 12292000
    Abstract: A thermal management system for a gas turbine engine includes an oil tank, a pump in fluid communication with the oil tank configured to generate a flow of oil from the oil tank, at least one heat exchanger downstream of the oil tank, and one or more thermal loads downstream of the at least one heat exchanger. The oil tank is formed from a solid-solid phase change material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Douglas Johnson, Chirag Kataria, Sanjay Vijayaraghavan, Paul Joseph Kreitzer
  • Patent number: 12286931
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a turbine engine includes a fuel scheduling valve configured for regulation of fuel flow from a fuel inlet in response to fuel pressure received at the fuel inlet. Primary and secondary fuel circuits receive fuel from the scheduling valve, and an electrically-controlled valve is provided in fluid communication with the primary circuit, adapted and configured to actively control fuel through the primary circuit in response to a control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon P. Williams, Murtuza Lokhandwalla, Michael Ferrarotti, Todd Haugsjaahabink, Russell P. Rourke, Jr., Jay W. Kokas, Richard E. Versailles, Jason A. Ryon, Charles E. Reuter
  • Patent number: 12286935
    Abstract: Disclosed is a computer-implemented method for controlling an engine system of a vehicle comprising: determining an operating condition of the vehicle; determining one or more contextual conditions relevant to the vehicle; selecting, based upon both the determined operating condition and the determined one or more contextual conditions, a control profile for the engine system from a directory comprising a plurality of control profiles having different control characteristics; applying the selected control profile to a controller of the engine system; and controlling the engine system with the controller in accordance with the selected control profile. Also disclosed are an engine control system, a gas turbine engine, and an aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Derek S. Wall, Asad Mustafa, Robert Johnson, Jonathan Wieland
  • Patent number: 12270548
    Abstract: In this method for mounting a combustor component, a component hanging step for attaching a string material to a hanging jig mounted on a combustor component and hanging the combustor component with the string material together with the hanging jig, and a component mounting step for mounting a mounting flange of the combustor component at a combustor mounting position of a gas turbine casing are executed. The hanging jig has a hanging tool having a portion which becomes a suspension point contacted by the string material when the string material is attached and hanging the combustor component. The suspension point is positioned on the distal end side of the center of gravity of the combustor component in the combustor axial line direction when the hanging jig has been mounted to the mounting flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoru Higuchi, Shigeharu Yasuda, Seiji Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 12264821
    Abstract: An aircraft engine incudes: a catalyst, e.g. platinum, applied to turbine blades (580c, 590c) and/or to a catalytic grid downstream of the engine's combustion chamber. An exhaust fluid additive injection system is incorporated upstream of the catalyst via a line 560, in a stator blade within the engine. The catalyst is used to reduce NOx emissions from the engine by a Selective Catalytic Reduction reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS LIMITED
    Inventors: Henry Edwards, Martin Lee
  • Patent number: 12264620
    Abstract: Systems and systems to generate clean energy and for providing hydrogen capture and carbon capture sequestration are provided. Hydrogen from partial combustion of hydrocarbon fuel in combination with full combustion of carbon from hydrocarbon fuel is used to generate clean power with hydrogen capture and carbon capture sequestration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: NUCOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Lindsay Leveen
  • Patent number: 12264628
    Abstract: A liquid fuel supply system for an aircraft engine includes a fuel tank, a suction duct connected to the fuel tank and located higher than the fuel tank, an electric pump, a supply pump that is mechanically driven by an accessory gear box and an outlet of the supply pump being connected to a fuel supply circuit of the engine, and an air expulsion drain. The electric pump is in communication with the suction duct independently of the supply pump, the electric pump is in communication with the air expulsion drain, and the supply pump is in communication with the suction duct independently of the electric pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: SAFRAN HELICOPTER ENGINES
    Inventors: Philippe Jean René Marie Benezech, Alexis Thomas Valentin Longin, Pierre Anthony Sicaire, Gabriel Darrieumerlou
  • Patent number: 12258912
    Abstract: A gas turbine includes a combustor that can combust fuel, which can be heated by a heater, by mixing the fuel with compressed air generated by a compressor. The compressor includes an inlet guide vane for adjusting an amount of intake air. When a deviation between the temperature of the fuel at an outlet section of the heater and a set temperature of the heater exceeds a threshold value, the gas turbine control device controls the opening degree of the inlet guide vane to become larger than the opening degree when the deviation is equal to or smaller than the threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Naoya Tatsumi, Takashi Nishiumi
  • Patent number: 12258883
    Abstract: A system for using excess energy of a power generation system and an sCO2 (supercritical carbon dioxide) stream to store and generate power. An air separation unit uses the excess energy to cool and liquify ambient air into liquid nitrogen (L-N2) and liquid oxygen (L-O2). The L-O2 and L-N2 are stored until energy is desired. An L-O2 energy discharge path has an oxygen heat exchanger that vaporizes and heats the oxygen, a combustor that combusts the oxygen and fuel to produce exhaust, and a first turbine is driven by the exhaust to produce energy. An L-N2 energy discharge path has a nitrogen heat exchanger that vaporizes and heats the L-N2, thereby providing expanded nitrogen, and a second turbine is driven by the expanded nitrogen to produce energy. Heat for the heat exchangers on both discharge paths is provided by the sCO2 stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignee: Southwest Research Institute
    Inventors: Owen M Pryor, Aaron M Rimpel
  • Patent number: 12258911
    Abstract: A method of monitoring a fuel system in a gas turbine engine. The method may comprise pumping fuel to a combustor from a fuel tank with a pump. The method may comprise controlling a flow of the fuel to the combustor with a metering valve disposed downstream of the pump and closing a spill valve disposed downstream of the pump, wherein the spill valve is closed in fixed increments and closing the spill valve increases a pressure in the fuel system. The method may comprise opening a pressure valve in response to the pressure in the fuel system being equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and capturing a degree of closing of the spill valve when the pressure valve opens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2025
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Lee, Mihir Desai, Govindaraj Kalyanasamy, Mark Collett
  • Patent number: 12253029
    Abstract: A system includes a main pump having a main pump shaft configured to connect to a gear box for driving the main pump with rotational power from the gear box in a run mode, and for driving the gear box with rotational power from the main pump in a start mode. The system includes a first fuel line with an inlet configured to connect to connected in fluid communication with a fuel source. The first fuel line includes a first branch in fluid communication with the main pump, and a second branch. A start pump is connected in fluid communication with the second branch of the first fuel line. A second fuel line connects the start pump in fluid communication with a pump management valve (PMV). A third fuel line connects the main pump in fluid communication with the pump management valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Eric Briggs, Naison E. Mastrocola
  • Patent number: 12253022
    Abstract: Hydrogen-fueled gas turbine power system comprising a compressor (22), a combustor (24) and a turbine (26) as well as a fuel supply device (10). The fuel supply device (10) has the form of a hydrogen gas producing reactor system with at least one reactor (12) based on sorption enhanced steam methane reforming (SE-SMR) and/or sorption enhanced water gas shift (SE-WGS) of syngas. The reactor (12) is connected in a closed loop with a regenerator (14) for circulating and regenerating a CO2 absorber between the reactor (12) and the regenerator (14). Additionally, there is a closed heat exchange loop (21) between the regenerator (14) of the hydrogen gas producing reactor system (10) and the downstream end of the combustor (24) or the upstream end of the turbine (26). A method of its use is also contemplated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignee: ZEG POWER AS
    Inventors: Arne Råheim, Nicola Di Giulio, Kathrine Ryengen, Fredrik Mowill
  • Patent number: 12247739
    Abstract: A system includes a gas turbine having a turbine shaft disposed along a rotational axis, a turbine casing disposed circumferentially about the turbine shaft, a combustion gas path disposed between the turbine shaft and the turbine casing, and a turbine stage disposed in the combustion gas path. The turbine stage includes a plurality of turbine vanes disposed upstream from a plurality of turbine blades. The gas turbine includes an isothermal expansion system coupled to the turbine stage, wherein the isothermal expansion system includes a plurality of flame stabilizers configured to vary axial positions of combustion within a turbine stage expansion of the turbine stage to reduce temperature variations over the turbine stage expansion. The flame stabilizers are disposed in different axial positions over an axial length between leading and trailing edges of the turbine blades, wherein at least one flame stabilizer is coupled to each of the turbine blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2024
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2025
    Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology LLC
    Inventors: Joel Meador Hall, John Farrior Woodall
  • Patent number: 12241419
    Abstract: A fuel injector assembly can include a housing structure defining a circular shape, and one or more fuel injectors disposed in and/or formed integrally with the housing structure. The housing structure can be configured to angle the one or more fuel injectors in a direction such that the one or more fuel injectors effuse flow in a vector having a tangential flow component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason A. Ryon, Lev A. Prociw, Brandon P. Williams
  • Patent number: 12234769
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system is provided that includes a turbine engine and an exhaust gas heat exchanger. The exhaust gas heat exchanger includes a central conduit, an outer radial plenum, fluid conduits, and inter-conduit passages. The fluid conduits are disposed in a nested arrangement. Each fluid conduit has inner and outer radial walls that extend axially between the forward and aft ends. The inner and outer radial walls are radially separated to form an internal fluid passage. Each fluid conduit is radially spaced apart from adjacent fluid conduits to define an axially extending exhaust gas passages. The inter-conduit passages include at least one inter-conduit passage that provides fluid communication between the central conduit and a first fluid conduit, and at least one inter-conduit passage that provides fluid communication between first and second fluid conduits. A serpentine fluid flow path extends through the fluid conduits and the inter-conduit passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Eric S. Durocher, Scott Smith
  • Patent number: 12221894
    Abstract: A compressor comprises a rotor shaft including a forward end portion. The forward end portion defines an outer surface. A first row of compressor rotor blades is coupled to the rotor shaft downstream from the forward end portion. An outer casing at least partially surrounds the first row of compressor rotor blades and the outer surface of the forward end portion of the rotor shaft. The outer casing at least partially defines an inlet to the compressor. An inlet guide vane comprises a mounting portion, a tip portion, a leading-edge portion, and a trailing-edge portion. The mounting portion is coupled to the outer casing upstream from the first row of compressor rotor blades. The tip portion extends towards the outer surface of the forward end portion of the rotor shaft. A radial gap is defined between the tip portion and the outer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: General Electric Company Polska sp. z o.o.
    Inventor: Dariusz Olczak
  • Patent number: 12221222
    Abstract: An aircraft system includes a thermal load, a controller, a tank for storing a cooling liquid, and a supply system for moving the cooling liquid outwardly of the tank and through a control valve to the thermal load. A controller is programmed to control the supply system. A conduit downstream of the thermal load is configured to communicate the cooling liquid to a fuel metering unit. The fuel metering unit also receives fuel from a high pressure pump. The fuel metering unit is configured to deliver a mixture of the cooling liquid and the fuel into a combustor on an associated aircraft engine. The controller programmed to determine a percentage solubility of the cooling fluid into the fuel at a detected temperature and pressure of the fuel reaching the fuel metering unit. The cooling fluid is combustible and soluble in the fuel. An aircraft and a method are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Haralambos Cordatos, Sean C. Emerson
  • Patent number: 12222105
    Abstract: A combustor includes a plurality of fuel nozzles installed so as to be extended in a direction of a nozzle axis and configured to inject fuel toward one side in the direction of the nozzle axis, a pipe plate having a plurality of air holes formed therein so as to be extended in the direction of the nozzle axis, in which the air hole has an inner diameter larger than a tip end portion of the fuel nozzle and the tip end portions are respectively inserted into the air holes, and a step surface formed at a position of the tip end portion closer to the other side in the direction of the nozzle axis than a tip end surface of the tip end portion so as to be expanded in a radial direction with respect to the nozzle axis from a tip end outer peripheral surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2025
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Miura, Katsuyoshi Tada, Keijiro Saito, Tomomi Koganezawa, Mitsuhiro Karishuku