Patents Examined by Arun Goyal
  • Patent number: 10669943
    Abstract: An aircraft fuel pumping arrangement comprises a first fuel pump, an electrically powered motor operable to drive the first fuel pump to deliver fuel to an outlet, a second fuel pump, a gas driven turbine operable to drive the second fuel pump to deliver fuel to the outlet, and a controller operable to control the operation of the gas driven turbine to determine the rate at which the second fuel pump is driven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Christopher John William Weir, Daniel James Bickley
  • Patent number: 10670270
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustion chamber with an inner combustion chamber wall and an outer combustion chamber wall, which form an annular combustor, is provided. Mixing air holes are formed in the inner combustion chamber wall and the outer combustion chamber wall in a circumferentially distributed manner. The respective combustion chamber wall is bulged in the area of the mixing air holes towards the interior space of the combustion chamber wall and the mixing air hole is arranged inside the bulge. The mixing air hole is formed at an inflow surface of the bulge with respect to the through-flow direction of the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG
    Inventor: Carsten Clemen
  • Patent number: 10654576
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a cooling air system, a coolant system, and a thermoelectric heat exchanger adapted for selective operation in response to operational states of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas D. Dierksmeier, Daniel K. Vetters, Michael A. Karam
  • Patent number: 10648671
    Abstract: A fuel injection device for a gas turbine combustor includes: a pilot fuel injector; a main fuel injector; a plurality of main fuel injection holes arranged in the main fuel injector to inject the fuel rearward; a main fuel injection nozzle to guide the fuel to a main air passage, protruding rearward from a circumference of the main fuel injection hole into the opening formed in a passage wall that forms the main air passage; a heat-shielding casing covering the main fuel injector; and a ring member interposed in an axial gap between the passage wall and the heat-shielding casing. The ring member covers a through-hole gap between the main fuel injection nozzle and a through-hole in the heat-shielding casing, and has a purge passage communicated with the opening to introduce air into the main air passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignees: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION AGENCY
    Inventors: Masayoshi Kobayashi, Ryusuke Matsuyama, Kenta Yamaguchi, Hitoshi Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 10648383
    Abstract: A method of designing a gas turbine engine includes configuring a speed reduction device for driving a fan and configuring a lubrication system for lubricating components across a rotation gap. The lubrication system includes a lubricant input. A stationary first bearing receives lubricant from the lubricant input and has a first race in which lubricant flows. A second bearing for rotation is within the first bearing. The second bearing has a first opening in registration with the first race such that lubricant may flow from the first race through the first opening into a first conduit. The first bearing is configured to also include a second race into which lubricant flows. The second bearing has a second opening in registration with the second race such that lubricant may flow from the second race through the second opening into a second conduit. The first and second conduits deliver lubricant to distinct locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael E. McCune, William G. Sheridan, Lawrence E. Portlock
  • Patent number: 10641493
    Abstract: A premixing fuel nozzle assembly for a turbomachine is disclosed as having at least one fuel injector with an outer jacket having a first end and a second end and a threaded surface disposed therebetween. The first end has a cylindrical sealing surface and the second end has at least one wrenching pocket. An annular hub is disclosed as having an aperture with a first end and a second end and a threaded surface disposed therebetween, wherein the aperture is configured to at least partially house the fuel injector therein and the annular hub further has a conical seat about the first end. The fuel injector cylindrical sealing surface swages inward to form a hermetic seal when contacting the annular hub conical seat as the fuel injector is threaded into the aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Edward Johnson, Kaitlin Marie Graham, Geoffrey David Myers
  • Patent number: 10641176
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to an annular combustion system. The annular combustion system includes an inner liner and an outer liner that define therebetween an annulus that circumscribes a centerline of the combustion system. The annulus includes a plurality of primary combustion zones defined at an upstream end thereof and further defines a plurality of secondary combustion zones downstream of the primary combustion zones. The annular combustion system further includes a plurality of fuel nozzles where at least one fuel nozzle discharges a combustible mixture into a respective primary combustion zone of the plurality of primary combustion zones. A plurality of panel fuel injectors is disposed between adjacent fuel nozzles. The plurality of panel fuel injectors extends in an axially downstream direction so as to separate adjacent primary combustion zones. Each panel fuel injector discharges a combustible mixture into at least one secondary combustion zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Michael John Hughes
  • Patent number: 10627110
    Abstract: A combustor cooling panel has a first channel and a second channel through which a cooling medium flows. Relative to an end zone in a longitudinal direction of the first channel, the second channel has: an overlapping zone that overlaps the end zone in an extension direction of the end zone by extending in the extension direction while being separated from the end zone in a circumferential direction intersecting the extension direction; and a non-overlapping zone that does not overlap the end zone in the extension direction. A bent portion that is bent toward the end zone in the circumferential direction is formed in the second channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroki Shibata
  • Patent number: 10619571
    Abstract: A zero-emission, closed-loop and hybrid solar-produced syngas power cycle is introduced utilizing an oxygen transport reactor (OTR). The fuel is syngas produced within the cycle. The separated oxygen inside the OTR through the ion transport membrane (ITM) is used in the syngas-oxygen combustion process in the permeate side of the OTR. The combustion products in the permeate side of the OTR are CO2 and H2O. The combustion gases are used in a turbine for power production and energy utilization then a condenser is used to separate H2O from CO2. CO2 is compressed to the feed side of the OTR. H2O is evaporated after separation from CO2 and fed to the feed side of the OTR.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: KING FAHD UNIVERSITY OF PETROLEUM AND MINERALS
    Inventors: Medhat Ahmed Nemitallah, Mohamed Abdel-Aziz Habib
  • Patent number: 10612775
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a dual-fuel fuel nozzle including a center body having a tube shape and a gas fuel plenum defined within the center body. The fuel nozzle also includes a plurality of turning vanes extending radially outward from the center body. Each turning vane includes at least one fuel port in fluid communication with the gas fuel plenum. A plurality of apertures is disposed through the plurality of turning vanes. The fuel nozzle further includes a ring manifold disposed within the center body downstream of the plurality of turning vanes. Additionally, the fuel nozzle includes a first fuel tube extending helically around a centerline of the center body. Furthermore, the fuel nozzle includes an air shield disposed within the center body and extending circumferentially around the first fuel tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Edward Johnson, Kaitlin Marie Graham, Geoffrey David Myers
  • Patent number: 10612784
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a nozzle assembly including a header manifold and a ring manifold, which defines a liquid fuel plenum, spaced from the header manifold. An outer sleeve connects to the ring manifold, and a nozzle body connects to the outer sleeve. The ring manifold, the outer sleeve, and the nozzle body define a fluid chamber. An inner fuel tube extends from the header manifold to the nozzle body. A portion of the inner fuel tube extends helically about an axial centerline of the nozzle assembly between the ring manifold and the nozzle body. A first fuel tube extends helically around a portion of the inner fuel tube. The first fuel tube fluidly couples the liquid fuel plenum to the header manifold. A second fuel tube extends helically around a portion of the inner fuel tube and fluidly couples the liquid fuel plenum to the header manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kaitlin Marie Graham, Thomas Edward Johnson, Geoffrey David Myers
  • Patent number: 10612468
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a compressor, a cooling source, and a thermoelectric intercooler adapted for selective operation in response to operational states of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas D. Dierksmeier, Daniel K. Vetters, Michael A. Karam
  • Patent number: 10598097
    Abstract: A combustion staging system includes a splitting unit receiving a metered fuel flow and controllably splitting the received flow into pilot and mains flows for injecting at pilot and mains fuel stages performing staging combustor control. Pilot and mains fuel manifolds distribute fuel from the unit, which can select pilot-only and pilot and mains operations. A cooling flow recirculation line provides a cooling flow to the mains manifold during pilot-only operation, and a return section to collect mains manifold cooling flow. A fuel recirculating control valve open position allows the cooling flow to enter a delivery section during pilot-only operation; a shut off position prevents the cooling flow from entering the delivery section during pilot and mains operation. The unit can divert a mains flow portion into the delivery section during pilot and mains operation, the diverted portion re-joining the rest of the mains flow in the mains fuel stages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Christopher Doody
  • Patent number: 10590807
    Abstract: The invention relates a combined cycle power plant with a gas turbine, a shaft connecting a compressor to a turbine, and a first generator, a heat recovery steam generator fluidly connected to the exhaust of the gas turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Raimond Arnold, Christoph Ruchti, Glenn T. Selby
  • Patent number: 10584660
    Abstract: An exemplary gas turbine engine includes a fan section including a fan rotor and at least one fan blade. A fan pressure ratio across the at least one fan blade is less than 1.45, noninclusive of the pressure across any fan exit guide vane system. The engine further includes a low-pressure compressor having a low-pressure compressor rotor that rotates together with the fan rotor at a common speed in operation, and a geared architecture that drives the low-pressure compressor rotor and the fan rotor. The geared architecture has a gear reduction ratio of greater than 2.5. The engine further includes a high-pressure compressor having a pressure ratio greater than 20, a low-pressure turbine having a pressure ratio greater than 5, and a bypass ratio greater than 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: William G. Sheridan, Michael E. McCune
  • Patent number: 10583931
    Abstract: An integrated gas turbine engine, electrical power subsystem and thermal management subsystem for aerospace application includes a first motor/generator coupled to a low pressure (LP) shaft of the gas turbine engine, a second motor/generator coupled to a high pressure (HP) shaft of the gas turbine engine, and a system controller coupled to each of the gas turbine engine, a first motor generator and a second motor/generator, wherein the controller receives engine thrust demand and electrical power demand and is programmed to determine total system power demand and the amount of power sharing between the first motor/generator and the second motor/generator to meet thrust and electrical power demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Curtis H. Cline, Michael J. Armstrong
  • Patent number: 10583932
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine of an aircraft includes: an engine core having a turbine including a lowest pressure rotor stage, a turbine diameter, a fan including a plurality of fan blades extending from a hub, an annular fan face at a leading edge of the fan; wherein a downstream blockage ratio is: the ? ? turbine ? ? diameter ? ? at ? ? an ? ? axial location ? ? of ? ? the ? ? lowest ? ? pressure ? ? rotor ? ? stage ? ground ? ? plane ? ? to ? ? wing ? ? distance and a quasi-non-dimensional mass flow rate Q defined as: Q = W ? T ? ? 0 P ? ? 0 · A flow where: W is mass flow rate through the fan in Kg/s; T0 is average stagnation temperature of the air at the fan face in Kelvin; P0 is average stagnation pressure of the air at the fan face in Pa; and Aflow is the flow area of the fan face in m2, and wherein a Q ratio of: the downstream blockage ratio×Q is in a range from 0.005 to 0.01.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Richard G Stretton, Michael C Willmot
  • Patent number: 10570793
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided for generating power in low emission turbine systems and separating the exhaust into rich CO2 and lean CO2 streams. In one or more embodiments, the exhaust is separated at an elevated pressure, such as between a high-pressure expansion stage and a low-pressure expansion stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Franklin F. Mittricker, Sulabh K. Dhanuka, Richard A. Huntington, O. Angus Sites, Dennis M. O'Dea, Russell H. Oelfke
  • Patent number: 10563869
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to the operation and turndown of a segmented annular combustion system. The method includes injecting, via a fuel nozzle, a combustible mixture into a primary combustion zone between an adjacent pair of integrated combustor nozzles and burning the combustible mixture. The method further includes flowing air and injecting fuel into a premixing channel defined within a first integrated combustor nozzle to produce a second combustible mixture. The second combustible mixture is injected into a secondary combustion zone where it is combusted. The flow of combustion gases is accelerated, via turbine nozzles of the integrated combustor nozzles, toward turbine blades of a downstream turbine section. The method permits turndown of the combustion system by reducing or shutting off fuel to various components of the combustion system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Michael John Hughes
  • Patent number: 10551065
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan, a compressor section, a combustor, a fan drive gear system, and a turbine section coupled to drive the fan through the gear system. The combustor includes an annular outer shell and an annular inner shell that define an annular combustion chamber. There is a bulkhead in the annular combustion chamber, and an annular heat shield is mounted on the bulkhead. The annular heat shield includes a segment that has a forward face and an aft face, a circumferential outer side and a circumferential inner side, a central orifice between the forward face and the aft face, a lip projecting from the forward face around the central orifice, a rail projecting from the forward face, and a plurality of through-holes between the rail and the lip. The rail contacts the bulkhead to define a cavity bounded by the rail, the lip, and the bulkhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jonathan Jeffery Eastwood, Joey Wong, Robert M. Sonntag, Albert K. Cheung, Timothy S. Snyder