Patents Examined by Alain Chau
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Patent number: 11401868Abstract: A system may comprise a sensor configured to measure a characteristic of an engine component. A valve assembly may have an airflow outlet in fluid communication with the engine component. The valve assembly may include a first valve. A first valve control device may be coupled to the first valve and configured to control the first valve based on a measurement by the sensor. A second valve may be in fluidic series with the first valve. A second valve control device may be coupled to the second valve and configured to control the second valve based on the measurement by the sensor.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2020Date of Patent: August 2, 2022Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Michael D Greenberg, Robert Goodman, John M Dehais
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Patent number: 11396848Abstract: A fuel supply system for a turbine engine that provides a modulated thrust control malfunction accommodation (TCMA). The fuel supply system can include a fuel line that fluidly connects a fuel tank and the turbine engine. A fuel pump and a fuel metering valve can be fluidly connected to the fuel line. A bypass line can fluidly connect to the fuel line. Flow through the bypass line can be controlled using a bypass valve and a balancing pressure valve. The TCMA can then modulate the fuel flow using the valves.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2019Date of Patent: July 26, 2022Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventor: David Justin Brady
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Patent number: 11390386Abstract: Systems and methods for conditioning a fluid using bleed air from a bypass duct of a turbofan engine are disclosed. In one embodiment, such system comprises a heat exchanger configured to facilitate heat transfer between a flow of bleed air from the bypass duct of the turbofan engine and the fluid, and a fluid-driven fluid propeller configured to drive the bleed air through the heat exchanger.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2019Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.Inventors: Daniel Van Den Ende, Timothy Redford, David Menheere, Santo Chiappetta
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Patent number: 11384696Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft, comprises a high-pressure (HP) spool comprising an HP compressor and a first electric machine driven by an HP turbine, the first electric machine having a first maximum output power; a low-pressure (LP) spool comprising an LP compressor and a second electric machine driven by an LP turbine, the second electric machine having a second maximum output power; and an engine controller configured to identify a condition to the effect that the LP turbine is operating in an unchoked regime, and, in response to an electrical power demand being between zero and the first maximum output power, only extracting electrical power from the first electric machine to meet the electrical power demand.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2020Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventor: Caroline L Turner
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Patent number: 11378018Abstract: A fuel metering system includes a metering valve having a first inlet fluidly coupled to a source of fluid at a first pressure, a second inlet, a first outlet and a second outlet. The metering valve includes a slot, and a valve body movable to control an amount of fluid supplied to the first and second outlet. The fuel metering system includes a servo valve fluidly coupled to the second inlet and to a second source of fluid at a second pressure. The servo valve is in fluid communication with the second inlet and a body of the servo valve is movable to supply a fluid to move the valve body. The slot is configured to variably restrict the flow of the fluid through the second outlet to balance a force applied by a biasing member. The fuel metering system includes a fixed flow restriction downstream of the second outlet.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2020Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.Inventors: Edward Zielinski, Martin Dutka
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Patent number: 11365683Abstract: A fuel supply control device is provided in which a parallel flow path of an orifice and a pressurizing valve is used as a complex pressurizing valve for a fuel supply amount, and which controls a fuel supply pump on the basis of a pressure difference before and after the complex pressurizing valve that has been detected by a pressure difference meter. When the rotational speed of the fuel supply pump is below a predetermined threshold value, the fuel supply pump is controlled on the basis of a first fuel measurement amount, and the fuel supply pump is controlled on the basis of a second fuel measurement amount.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2020Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: IHI CORPORATIONInventors: Naoki Seki, Yasuhiko Yamamoto, Akihiro Shimamura
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Patent number: 11359521Abstract: A dispatchable storage combined cycle power plant comprises a topping cycle that combusts fuel to generate electricity and produce hot exhaust gases, a steam power system, a heat source other than the topping cycle, and a thermal energy storage system. Heat from the heat source, from the thermal energy storage system, or from the heat source and the thermal energy storage system is used to generate steam in the steam power system. Heat from the topping cycle may be used in series with or in parallel with the thermal energy storage system and/or the heat source to generate the steam, and additionally to super heat the steam.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2021Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Inventor: William M. Conlon
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Patent number: 11352960Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of operating a fuel system for an aeronautical gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes: providing a flow of fuel to a fuel nozzle of the aeronautical gas turbine engine during a wind down condition; operating a fuel oxygen reduction unit to reduce an oxygen content of the flow of fuel provided to the fuel nozzle of the aeronautical gas turbine engine during the wind down condition; and ceasing providing the flow of fuel to the fuel nozzle of the aeronautical gas turbine engine, the fuel nozzle comprising a volume of fuel after ceasing providing the flow of fuel to the fuel nozzle; wherein operating the fuel oxygen reduction unit comprises operating the fuel oxygen reduction unit to reduce an oxygen content of the volume of fuel in the fuel nozzle to less than 20 parts per million.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2020Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Alfred Albert Mancini, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Brandon Wayne Miller
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Patent number: 11353215Abstract: A lean burn combustor includes a plurality of lean burn fuel injectors, each including a fuel feed arm and a lean burn fuel injector head with a lean burn fuel injector head tip, wherein the tip has a lean burn fuel injector head tip diameter, the lean burn fuel injector head including a pilot fuel injector and a main fuel injector, the main fuel injector being arranged coaxially and radially outwards of the pilot fuel injector; and a combustor chamber extending along an axial direction and including a radially inner annular wall, a radially outer annular wall, and a meter panel defining the size and shape of the combustor chamber, which includes a primary combustion zone with a primary combustion zone depth and a secondary combustion zone. A ratio of the primary combustion zone depth to the lean burn fuel injector head tip diameter is less than 2.4.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2021Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE plc, ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KGInventors: Luca Tentorio, Imon-Kalyan Bagchi
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Patent number: 11352959Abstract: A fuel supply control device controls a fuel supply pump based on a front-rear differential pressure across a metering valve for a fuel supply amount, which is detected by a differential pressure gauge, using parallel flow passages of an orifice and a pressurizing valve as the metering valve, in which the fuel supply control device includes a first control amount generation unit generating a first control amount based on the front-rear differential pressure, a second control amount generation unit generating a second control amount based on the rotation speed of the fuel supply pump, a control amount selection unit, a subtractor, and a control calculation unit, in which the control amount selection unit selects the first control amount in a case where the rotation speed is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold and select the second control amount in a case where the rotation speed exceeds the threshold.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2020Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: IHI CorporationInventors: Yasuhiko Yamamoto, Naoki Seki
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Patent number: 11346239Abstract: A method of measuring a gas turbine engine component of a gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, providing at least one gas turbine engine component including a coating on a substrate, detecting infrared radiation emitted from at least one localized region of the coating at a first wavelength in a first electromagnetic radiation frequency range, detecting infrared radiation emitted from the substrate corresponding to the at least one localized region at a second, different wavelength in a second electromagnetic radiation frequency range that differs from the first electromagnetic radiation frequency range, and determining a heat flux relating to the at least one localized region based upon a comparison of the first wavelength and the second wavelength.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2020Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Shayan Ahmadian, Charles W. Haldeman, Mark F. Zelesky, Christopher T. Bergman, Sebastian Martinez
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Patent number: 11339744Abstract: A dual flow path exhaust assembly for use with a combined turbofan and ramjet engine includes a turbofan engine exhaust duct, a ramjet engine exhaust duct, a combined outlet, and door configured to move between an open position and a closed position to selectively isolate the turbofan engine exhaust duct from the combined outlet.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2020Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventors: Kenneth M. Pesyna, Todd S. Taylor, Nicholas Metzger, Timothy Roesler
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Patent number: 11333079Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to detect air flow separation of an engine. An example apparatus includes hardware, and memory including instructions that, when executed, cause the hardware to at least determine an inlet flow separation parameter based on a first pressure value from a first pressure sensor included in a nacelle of a turbofan and a second pressure value from a second pressure sensor included in the nacelle, determine a severity level parameter based on the inlet flow separation parameter, the severity level parameter based on a difference between the first pressure value and the second pressure value, and adjust a contribution of airflow from aft of a fan of the turbofan based on the severity level parameter.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2020Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Sai Venkata Kathik Saripella, Vishnu Vardhan Venkata Tatiparthi, Keith Blodgett
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Patent number: 11333075Abstract: A method for safe gas turbine startup is disclosed. The method comprises a first step wherein a fuel metering valve (33) arranged along a fuel delivery line is tested for possible leakages. If the leakage test is successfully passed, a subsequent turbine startup step can be performed. Further disclosed is a gas turbine engine (3) comprising a fuel supply system (20) comprised of a fuel delivery line (21) and a valve arrangement (23) positioned along said fuel delivery line (21). The valve arrangement (23) further comprises sequentially arranged shut off valves (25, 29, 31) and a fuel metering valve (33), positioned downstream of the shut off valves (25, 29, 31). A pressure measuring arrangement (43, 45, 47) is further provided, adapted to measure fuel pressure in at least one portion of the fuel delivery line (21) upstream of the fuel metering valve (33).Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2018Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignee: NUOVO PIGNONE TECNOLOGIE SRLInventors: Eugenio Quartieri, Claudio Botarelli, Nicola Vanni, Daniele Bruni, Andrea Carnieri, Bruno Giunta
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Patent number: 11333082Abstract: A method of controlling an operating temperature of a first combustion zone of a combustor of a rotary machine includes determining a current operating temperature and a target operating temperature of a first combustion zone using a digital simulation. The method further includes determining a derivative of the current operating temperature with respect to a current fuel split using the digital simulation. The fuel split apportions a total flow of fuel to the combustor between the first combustion zone and a second combustion zone. The method also includes calculating a calculated fuel split that results in a calculated operating temperature approaching the target operating temperature. The method further includes channeling a first flow of fuel to the first combustion zone and a second flow of fuel to the second combustion zone.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2020Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Jonathan Carl Thatcher, Robert Joseph Loeven, II, John Rogers Huey
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Patent number: 11326521Abstract: A method of igniting liquid fuel in a turbomachine combustor is provided. The method includes a step of initiating a flow of gaseous fuel from a gaseous fuel supply to a gaseous fuel nozzle. The method further includes a step of initiating a flow of liquid fuel from a liquid fuel supply to a primary liquid fuel cartridge. After initiating both the flow of gaseous fuel and the flow of liquid fuel, the method includes a step of igniting the flow of gaseous fuel and the flow of liquid fuel with an igniter. The method further includes a step of terminating the flow of gaseous fuel from the gaseous fuel supply to the gaseous fuel nozzle.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2020Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Steven C. Castellaw, David August Snider, Mark William Pinson, Mark Mitchell, Robert Walter Arnold, Christopher Grant Cooper
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Patent number: 11326526Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft comprises a high-pressure (HP) spool comprising an HP compressor and a first electric machine driven by an HP turbine; a low-pressure (LP) spool comprising an LP compressor and a second electric machine driven by an LP turbine; a combustion system comprising a fuel metering unit; and an engine controller configured to, in response to a change of a power lever angle setting indicative of a deceleration event, reduce fuel flow to the combustion system by the fuel metering unit, and to operate the first electric machine in a generator mode to reduce the HP spool rotational speed and engine core mass flow.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2020Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventor: Caroline L Turner
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Patent number: 11319874Abstract: Disclosed are an air supply device and an air supply method for a hybrid power generation facility in which a gas turbine compresses air introduced from an outside, mixes the compressed air with fuel, and burns a mixture of the compressed air and the fuel to produce combustion gas. The air supply device includes a mixing chamber configured to selectively receive the combustion gas from the gas turbine, an air preheater configured to supply air to the mixing chamber, a burner configured to burn a fluid supplied from the mixing chamber, a first over-firing air supplier configured to receive a fluid from the gas turbine or the air preheater, a first pipeline connecting the gas turbine and the mixing chamber, and a second pipeline connecting the gas turbine and the first over-firing air supplier.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2020Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Inventors: Byoung-Hwa Lee, SangPil Jo, Kyoung Taek Oh, Gab Jun Choi
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Patent number: 11320146Abstract: An assembly is provided for a turbine engine. This turbine engine assembly includes a combustor wall including a shell and a heat shield. The combustor wall defines first and second cavities between the shell and the heat shield. The heat shield defines a first outlet and an elongated second outlet. The first outlet is fluidly coupled with the first cavity. The second outlet is fluidly coupled with the second cavity. The combustor wall defines one of the cavities with a tapered geometry.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2019Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Frank J. Cunha, Stanislav Kostka, Jr.
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Patent number: 11313274Abstract: A power generation system using a combined solar-assisted fuel reformer and oxy-combustion membrane reactor is proposed. The system uses solar heating to activate the endothermic fuel steam reforming reaction. The produced gas is separated into streams of H2 and CO for separate oxy-combustion reactions. The O2 used in the oxy-combustion reactions is produced by permeating O2 through ion transport membranes in contact with solar-heated air.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2019Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALSInventors: Esmail M. A. Mokheimer, Mohamed A. Habib