Patents Examined by Alain Chau
  • Patent number: 11149941
    Abstract: An injection system includes a radial swirler defining an axis and including a plurality of radial swirl vanes configured to direct a radially inward flow of compressor discharge air entering swirler inlets between the radial swirl vanes in a swirling direction around the axis. The radial swirler includes an outlet oriented in an axial direction to direct swirling compressor discharge air in an axial direction. An injector ring is included radially outward from of the swirler inlets. The fuel injector ring is aligned with the axis and includes a plurality of injection orifices directed towards the swirler inlets for injecting fuel into the radial swirler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventors: Lev Alexander Prociw, Jason A. Ryon
  • Patent number: 11149702
    Abstract: A fuel injector for injecting an over-enriched fuel and air mixture to the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine includes a spray nozzle, a gaseous carrier, a fuel mixing and evaporation chamber and an injector nozzle. During operation, both a liquid fuel and the gaseous carrier are supplied to the fuel mixing and evaporation chamber of the injector through the spray nozzle, where they are mixed and evaporated as a result of elevated temperature, and the mixture reaches the combustion chamber. The gaseous carrier is air or, flue gas, at elevated pressure and temperature and having a composition that prevents the initiation of flame combustion, and the gaseous carrier has an oxygen content low enough to prevent the initiation of combustion, even under conditions of elevated pressure and temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: INSTYTUT LOTNICTWA
    Inventors: Piotr Wolanski, Wlodzimierz Balicki, Piotr Kalina, Witold Perkowski
  • Patent number: 11137144
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor includes: a head end comprising a primary fuel nozzle; a liner defining a primary combustion zone proximate the head end and a downstream secondary combustion zone; a forward casing radially outward of and surrounding at least a portion of the liner; and an axial fuel staging system. The axial fuel staging system includes a plurality of fuel injection assemblies. Each fuel injection assembly includes a thimble assembly mounted to the liner, and an injector unit attached to the forward casing. A thimble of the thimble assembly extends through a thimble aperture in the liner. The injector unit extends through the forward casing, such that a portion of the injector unit is disposed within the thimble, and a fuel line fitting is disposed outward of the forward casing. The injector unit introduces fuel into air flowing through the thimble for injection into the secondary combustion zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Matthew Bernard Wilson, James Harper, Yon Han Chong, Charlie Edmond Jones
  • Patent number: 11136942
    Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a sound-absorbing exhaust center plug for an aircraft gas turbine engine comprising a center plug adapted for attachment within an exhaust nozzle of the engine. The center plug comprises an outer skin, and at least one cavity within the center plug and the at least one cavity extending between a forward bulkhead and an aft bulkhead, where the aft bulkhead is canted inwardly. The outer skin includes a plurality of outer skin openings providing an acoustic pathway through the outer skin and into the at least one cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Rohr, Inc.
    Inventors: Carlos A. Lopez, Lisa K. Martini-Saliers, David Gaul, Jose S. Alonso-Miralles, Keith E. Ritchie
  • Patent number: 11131456
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a resonator ring that is formed by two circumferentially extending rings. The first and second circumferentially extending rings have located within them baffles. Both the first ring and the second ring are able to mitigate acoustic frequencies generated by the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Wojciech Dyszkiewicz, Daniel Cassar, John M. Crane, Sachin Terdalkar, Rajesh Rajaram
  • Patent number: 11125168
    Abstract: An aspect includes a dirt mitigation system for a gas turbine engine. The dirt mitigation system includes a plurality of bleeds of the gas turbine engine and a control system configured to determine a particulate ingestion estimate indicative of dirt ingested in the gas turbine engine. The control system is further configured to determine one or more operating parameters of the gas turbine engine and alter a bleed control schedule of the gas turbine engine to purge at least a portion of the dirt ingested in the gas turbine engine through one or more of the bleeds of the gas turbine engine based on the particulate ingestion estimate and the one or more operating parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Christopher J. Hanlon, James F. Krenzer, Becky E. Rose, Mark F. Zelesky
  • Patent number: 11125066
    Abstract: Systems and methods to pump fracturing fluid into a wellhead may include a gas turbine engine including a compressor turbine shaft connected to a compressor, and a power turbine output shaft connected to a power turbine. The compressor turbine shaft and the power turbine output shaft may be rotatable at different rotational speeds. The systems may also include a transmission including a transmission input shaft connected to the power turbine output shaft and a transmission output shaft connected to a hydraulic fracturing pump. The systems may also include a fracturing unit controller configured to control one or more of the rotational speeds of the compressor turbine shaft, the power turbine output shaft, or the transmission output shaft based at least in part on target signals and fluid flow signals indicative of one or more of pressure or flow rate associated with fracturing fluid pumped into the wellhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: BJ Energy Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Tony Yeung, Ricardo Rodriguez-Ramon, Diankui Fu, Warren Zemlak, Caleb Barclay
  • Patent number: 11125160
    Abstract: The heat exchanger system includes a first heat exchanger assembly including a plurality of airfoil members circumferentially spaced in a flow stream of an annular duct. Each airfoil member including a radially inner end and a radially outer end and a first internal flowpath configured to channel a flow of cooled fluid therethrough. The heat exchanger assembly includes a second heat exchanger assembly including a plurality of fin members extending proximate the flow stream and a second internal flowpath configured to channel a flow of cooled fluid therethrough. The heat exchanger assembly includes a header system including a conduit path configured to couple the first heat exchanger assembly and the second heat exchanger assembly in flow communication. The header system includes an inlet connection configured to receive a flow of hot fluid from thermal loads and an outlet connection configured to direct cooled fluid to thermal loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Mohammed El Hacin Sennoun
  • Patent number: 11111881
    Abstract: An aircraft has a fuselage, left and right wings, and left and right engine assemblies connected to the wings. Each engine assembly has a nacelle, an engine housed in the nacelle, the engine having a plurality of rotors defining an uncontained rotor impact area, a pylon connecting the nacelle to its wing, at least one hydraulic actuator connected to at least one of the engine and the nacelle, at least one directional control valve hydraulically connected to the at least one hydraulic actuator, and at least one isolation valve hydraulically connected to the at least one directional control valve for selectively cutting off a supply of hydraulic fluid to the at least one directional control valve, the at least one isolation valve being disposed rearward of the uncontained rotor impact area and forward of a trailing edge of its corresponding wing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: AIRBUS CANADA LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
    Inventors: Olivier Goudard, Angelo Coluni
  • Patent number: 11105263
    Abstract: A compressed air energy storage system is described, including a compressor fluidly coupled to a compressed air reservoir and an expansion train including at least a first turbine. The system further includes an electric machine aggregate configured: for converting electric power into mechanical power and driving the compressor therewith during the energy storing mode; and for converting mechanical power produced by the expansion train into electric power during the power production mode. A combustor is configured for receiving fuel and compressed air and producing combustion gas, and for supplying the combustion gas to the first turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: Nuovo Pignone SRL
    Inventors: Stefano Francini, Sebastian Walter Freund, Vittorio Michelassi
  • Patent number: 11098650
    Abstract: There is disclosed a diffuser pipe assembly having: a plurality of diffuser pipes circumferentially distributed around the central axis and configured for diffusing a flow of compressed air received from an impeller, the diffuser pipes having a diffuser conduit for directing the flow of compressed air, the diffuser conduit curving between an inlet end and an outlet end along a conduit axis, the diffuser conduit having a baseline surface, a first subset of the diffuser pipes having aero-dampers protruding from the baseline surfaces of their diffuser conduits such that the diffuser pipes of the first subset have a natural vibration frequency different than a natural vibration frequency of at least a second subset of the diffuser pipes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Krishna Prasad Balike, Ignatius Theratil
  • Patent number: 11085335
    Abstract: A remodeling method of a combined cycle plant including gas turbines; heat recovery steam generators provided corresponding to number of the gas turbines and configured to recover heat of flue gas discharged from the gas turbines and produce steam by the recovered heat; ducts configured to guide the flue gas from the gas turbines toward the respective heat recovery steam generators; and a steam turbine configured to be rotationally driven by the steam produced by the heat recovery steam generators. The remodeling method of a combined cycle plant includes: removing gas turbines and ducts; installing, in place of the two gas turbines, a new gas turbine that is higher in efficiency and smaller in number than the two gas turbines; and installing, in place of the ducts, a distribution duct configured to distribute and guide flue gas from the new gas turbine to two heat recovery steam generators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI POWER, LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihiko Toyota, Kuniaki Aoyama, Jiro Asakuno, Masaru Takamatsu
  • Patent number: 11085642
    Abstract: A combustor includes: a fuel nozzle extending along an axis; a tubular combustor basket configured to cover the fuel nozzle; and a tubular transition piece configured to define a cooling air passage through which air from outside is introduced between the tubular transition piece and an outer circumferential surface of a leading end portion of the tubular combustor basket. The tubular transition piece extends toward a leading end side of the tubular combustor basket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI POWER, LTD.
    Inventors: Issei Tamura, Keijiro Saito, Kenji Miyamoto, Yaohua Xue
  • Patent number: 11078837
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustor, and a turbine section. A bleed tap taps air from the compressor section through a bleed valve. The bleed valve is selectively opened by a control to dump air from the compressor section to a dump outlet. A heat exchanger duct includes a duct air inlet to cool a fluid in a heat exchanger and a duct air outlet. The dump outlet is within the heat exchanger duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Steven H. Zysman, Karl D. Blume, James H. Anderson, Holly Teufel, Jesse W. Clauson, Xiaojun Campbell, William O. Taylor, Graham A. Kaiser, Karl Milenkovic, Michael C. Rhodes, Tsering Dolma
  • Patent number: 11067007
    Abstract: A gas turbine is equipped with: a low-pressure bleed passage, a medium-pressure bleed passage, and a high-pressure bleed-passage for supplying compressed air bled from respective bleed chambers to a turbine; a low-pressure exhaust passage, a medium-pressure exhaust passage, and a high-pressure exhaust passage for exhausting the compressed air in the respective bleed passages to an exhaust chamber; a low-pressure exhaust valve, a medium-pressure exhaust valve, and a high-pressure exhaust valve provided respectively in the exhaust passages; a low-pressure ejector and a medium-pressure ejector provided in the respective exhaust passages; a driving air supply passage for supplying the compressed air to the ejectors; and a control device configured to open the exhaust valves and supply compressed air from the driving air supply passage to the ejectors when an operating state of a gas turbine is in a region in which rotation stall is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI POWER, LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshinori Kitaguchi
  • Patent number: 11060727
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are a fuel nozzle assembly and a gas turbine including the same. The fuel nozzle assembly includes a fuel nozzle, a head end plate to which the fuel nozzle is fixedly fastened, and a nozzle casing to which the head end plate is fixed. The fuel nozzle includes an injection cylinder having a nozzle flange fixed to the head end plate, and a nozzle shroud surrounding the injection cylinder and forming a passage between its inner wall and the injection cylinder. The injection cylinder is fastened to the head end plate by a plurality of fixing bolts arranged in a circumferential direction of the nozzle flange. Each of the fixing bolts is fitted to a pressure plate, which extends in the circumferential direction of the nozzle flange and is pressed against a flat surface thereof, to fasten the injection cylinder to the head end plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Inventor: Jonghwa Lee
  • Patent number: 11060461
    Abstract: A fuel system for an engine can include a fuel circuit and a primary fuel pump in fluid communication with the fuel circuit and configured to pump fuel to the engine as a function of engine speed. The primary fuel pump is configured to pump insufficient fuel flow to the engine during at least one engine speed or speed range. The system also includes a supplemental fuel pump in fluid communication with the fuel circuit configured to selectively pump fuel to the engine at least during the at least one engine speed or speed range to supplement fuel flow from the primary fuel pump to provide sufficient total fuel flow to the engine during all engine speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph Turney, Peter At Cocks
  • Patent number: 11060728
    Abstract: A combustor includes a plurality of fuel nozzles arranged in a nozzle casing. Each fuel nozzle includes a first fuel injection passage disposed at the axial center of the fuel nozzle and configured to inject liquid fuel into a combustion chamber. A second fuel injection passage encloses the first fuel injection passage and injects liquid fuel into the combustion chamber at a predetermined spray angle with respect to a center line of the fuel nozzle. A first air injection passage encloses the second fuel injection passage and injects air to be mixed with the injected liquid fuel from the second fuel injection passage. At the combustion chamber end, opposing surfaces of the first and second fuel injection passages are each inclined with respect to the center line and are separated by a space through which the liquid fuel of the second fuel injection passage is injected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Inventor: Jungmin Seok
  • Patent number: 11060457
    Abstract: A cooling system for a gas turbine engine comprising a closed circuit containing a change-phase fluid, the closed circuit having at least one cooling exchanger configured to be exposed to a flow of cooling air for the change-phase fluid to release heat to the cooling air. A plurality of heat exchangers in are heat exchange relation with the change-phase fluid in the closed circuit, the plurality including at least a first heat exchanger configured to receive a first coolant from a first engine system for the change-phase fluid to absorb heat from the first coolant, and a second heat exchanger configured to receive a second coolant from a second engine system for the change-phase fluid to absorb heat from the second coolant. The system is configured so that the fluid at least partially vaporizes when absorbing heat from at least one of the first coolant and the second coolant and at least partially condenses when releasing heat to the cooling air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: David Menheere, Daniel Alecu
  • Patent number: 11053847
    Abstract: Solid-state thermoclines with internal baffle structures are used in place of heat exchangers in a closed thermodynamic cycle power generation or energy storage system, such as a closed Brayton cycle system. The baffles limit the conductive and/or radiative transfer of heat between a solid thermal medium within different zones defined by the baffle structures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: MALTA INC.
    Inventors: Raj Apte, Philippe Larochelle