Patents Examined by Carlos A Rivera
  • Patent number: 10247419
    Abstract: A liner panel for use in a combustor of a gas turbine engine, including a multiple of heat transfer ribs located in at least one discrete area of the liner panel. A wall assembly within a gas turbine engine including a support shell, a liner panel mounted to the support shell via a multiple of studs and a multiple of heat transfer ribs located in at least one discrete area on a cold side of the liner panel, each of the multiple of heat transfer ribs account for the multiple of studs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas N. Slavens, Mark F. Zelesky, Andrew D. Burdick
  • Patent number: 10247203
    Abstract: A noise reduction structure includes a compressor discharge-side pipe portion, a first porous plate having a plurality of through holes and extending circumferentially along an inner circumferential surface of the compressor discharge-side pipe portion so that an air layer is formed between the first porous plate and the inner circumferential surface, a partition dividing an interior of the compressor discharge-side pipe portion in a radial direction in a circumferential direction of the compressor discharge-side pipe portion so as to form a plurality of flow paths in the compressor discharge-side pipe portion, and a second porous plate having a plurality of through holes. The second porous plate is provided in each of the plurality of flow paths and extends along the partition so that an air layer is formed between the second porous plate and the partition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yushi Ono, Hiroyuki Hosoya, Kentaro Hayashi, Seokcheol Kim, Yoshihisa Ono, Yasuhiro Wada
  • Patent number: 10247104
    Abstract: A pneumatic starter system for a turbine engine. The pneumatic starter system includes a pneumatic starter and a compressed gas storage unit. The pneumatic starter is configured to cause at least one turbine of the turbine engine to rotate. The compressed gas storage unit is configured to store oxygen rich gas and expel the oxygen rich gas to power the pneumatic starting system to cause the at least one turbine to rotate. The pneumatic starter system also includes a first exhaust path configured to direct at least a first portion of the oxygen rich gas exhausted from the pneumatic starter to a turbine combustion zone of the turbine engine to create an oxygen rich fuel mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew J. Eifert
  • Patent number: 10247010
    Abstract: A turbine component includes an airfoil-shaped core having an outer peripheral surface. A plurality of channels is formed in the core, each opening to the outer peripheral surface. The channels extend substantially radially to be elongated in the radial direction. A first platform is attached to the core. The component also includes an airfoil-shaped non-permeable skin having a hollow interior, an inner peripheral surface and an outer peripheral surface. The skin is sized so that the core can be received in the hollow interior of the skin. A second platform is attached to the skin. The core is received in the hollow interior of the skin such that the outer peripheral surface of the core engages the inner peripheral surface of the skin such that a plurality of generally radial cooling channels are formed between the channels in the core and the inner peripheral surface of the skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Arrell, Stefan Mazzola
  • Patent number: 10247005
    Abstract: A blade or vane arrangement for a turbomachine includes a turbomachine blade or vane and at least one tuning element guide housing with at least one cavity, in which at least one tuning element, which is provided for impact contact with the tuning element guide housing is taken up, the tuning element guide housing being arranged in a recess of the turbomachine blade or vane, wherein the cavity of the tuning element guide housing in which the tuning element is taken up, is closed in a gas-tight manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: MTU Aero Engines AG
    Inventors: Andreas Hartung, Manfred Schill, Gerhard-Heinz Roesele
  • Patent number: 10240470
    Abstract: A vane structure includes an airfoil section with a first inner airfoil wall surface and a second inner airfoil wall surface. A baffle is mounted within the airfoil section between the first inner airfoil wall surface and the second inner airfoil wall surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin F. Hagan, Ryan A. Waite, Brandon W. Spangler, Steven B. Gautschi
  • Patent number: 10240463
    Abstract: A blade made of organic matrix composite material for a gas turbine aeroengine, includes an airfoil extending transversely between a leading edge and a trailing edge; and a metal strip positioned on the leading edge of the airfoil, the metal strip having two flanges extending on either side of the leading edge over portions of the side faces of the airfoil forming a pressure side face and a suction side face so that the strip fits closely to the profile of the leading edge, the metal strip being fastened to the leading edge of the airfoil by at least one stitching thread; wherein the stitching thread has at least one external thread segment extending substantially transversely between a hole formed through a flange of the strip and a passage formed in a portion of the airfoil that has at least one face that is not covered by the metal strip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Gilles Pierre-Marie Notarianni, Matthieu Arnaud Gimat, Jérémy Guivarc'h, Thibault Ruf
  • Patent number: 10234036
    Abstract: An exemplary carbon seal assembly generally may include a stator fixable to a static component, such as a mechanical housing of a gas turbine engine, and a rotor fixable to a rotating component, such as a shaft of the gas turbine engine, where the rotating component is rotatable relative to the static component. The carbon seal assembly may also include a carbon ring and a spring attached thereto positioned between the stator and the rotor, where the spring may be configured to move the carbon ring fore and aft between the stator and the rotor. The carbon seal assembly may further include a diaphragm operatively attached to stator and to the carbon ring and spring combination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: Nathan A. Lewis
  • Patent number: 10233868
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a gear assembly, a bypass flow passage, and a core flow passage. The bypass flow passage includes an inlet. A fan is arranged at the inlet of the bypass flow passage. A first shaft and a second shaft are mounted for rotation about an engine central longitudinal axis. A first turbine is coupled with the first shaft such that rotation of the first turbine is configured to drive the fan, through the first shaft and gear assembly, at a lower speed than the first shaft. The fan includes a hub and a row of fan blades that extend from the hub. The row includes 12 (N) of the fan blades, a solidity value (R) that is from 1.0 to 1.2, and a ratio of N/R that is from 10.0 to 12.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Edward J. Gallagher, Byron R. Monzon
  • Patent number: 10227931
    Abstract: There is disclosed an aero gas turbine engine comprising a compressor and an array of variable inlet guide vanes for the compressor. The angle of the variable inlet guide vanes is controlled by scheduling, the scheduling comprising a first component invoked for engine ground start and a second component invoked for engine in-flight windmill start at least under particular flight conditions. The angle of the variable inlet guide vanes required by at least a portion of the second component is greater than the angle of the variable inlet guide vanes required by at least a portion of the first component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Mark T Stockwell
  • Patent number: 10221771
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan section and a speed change mechanism for driving the fan section. A first fan section support bearing is mounted forward of the speed change mechanism and a second fan section bearing is mounted aft of the speed change mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gary D. Roberge, Michael E. McCune, William G. Sheridan
  • Patent number: 10221713
    Abstract: A cartridge for a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) seal segment of a segmented turbine shroud of a gas turbine engine is provided. The cartridge comprises a carrier segment and a CMC seal segment. A surface of the carrier segment and a surface of the CMC seal segment form a mating region proximate the entire perimeter of the CMC seal segment. The carrier segment surface may comprise a channel, and a compressible mating element may be disposed within the channel. Air may be supplied to a cavity, formed by the carrier and CMC seal segment, and the mating region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION, ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC., ROLLS-ROYCE HIGH TEMPERATURE COMPOSITES INC.
    Inventors: Daniel Kent Vetters, David J. Thomas, Ted Freeman, Joseph Lamusga, Rick Uskert
  • Patent number: 10221764
    Abstract: A variable geometry inlet system of an aircraft engine includes an inlet duct. The inlet duct includes at least first and second sections moveable between extended and retracted positions such that the inlet duct defines a variable axial length of an inlet in controlling noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Michel Labrecque, Vincent Couture-Gagnon, Richard Ullyott
  • Patent number: 10221716
    Abstract: Turbine and compressor casing/housing abradable component embodiments for turbine engines, have abradable surfaces with ridges projecting from the abradable surface, separated by grooves. The ridges have one or both sidewalls inclined against the opposing turbine blade tip rotational direction for redirecting and/or dissipating blade tip gap leakage airflow energy. In some embodiments the ridge tip and/or groove base have inclined profiles for redirecting airflow leakage away from the blade tip gap. In some embodiments, the inclined ridge tip profile provides a progressive wear zone that increases abradable surface area as the inclined ridge is abraded by the rotating blade tip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Kok-Mun Tham, Ching-Pang Lee
  • Patent number: 10222814
    Abstract: A method for controlling a number of phases that are active in a multiphase direct-current-to-direct-current (DC-to-DC) converter includes (a) filtering a current signal representing a magnitude of current processed by the multiphase DC-to-DC converter to generate a filtered signal, (b) comparing the filtered signal to a first threshold value, (c) deactivating one or more phases of the multiphase DC-to-DC converter in response to the filtered signal falling below the first threshold value, (d) comparing the current signal to a second threshold value, the second threshold value being greater than the first threshold value, and (e) activating one or more phases of the multiphase DC-to-DC converter in response to the current signal rising above the second threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Volterra Semiconductor LLC
    Inventors: Sombuddha Chakraborty, Yali Xiong, Michael D. McJimsey, Anthony J. Stratakos, Giovanni Garcea, Ilija Jergovic, Andrew Burstein, Andrea Pizzutelli
  • Patent number: 10215030
    Abstract: A component for a gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a wall having an internal surface, an outer skin and a cooling hole having an inlet extending from the internal surface and merging into a metering section, and a diffusion section downstream of the metering section that extends to an outlet located at the outer skin. At least two lobes are embedded within the diffusion section of the cooling hole. At least one surface of each of the at least two lobes is at least partially cylindrical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: JinQuan Xu
  • Patent number: 10215416
    Abstract: The burner of a gas turbine has a duct, a vortex generator extending in the duct and including a leading edge and a trailing edge. The trailing edge has a first order lobed shape. The first order lobed shape is defined by a second order lobed shape. Preferably a nozzle for fuel injection is connected to the vortex generator and the second order lobed shape is only provided at the nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Michael Dusing, Madhavan Narasimhan Poyyapakkam, Stefan Wysocki
  • Patent number: 10215042
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes in axial flow series a fan rotor, a series of outlet guide vanes for guiding flow from the fan rotor; and a bifurcation. The gas turbine engine further includes a substantially annular fluid passageway extending from fan to the bifurcation, the outlet guide vanes being positioned within the passageway. The passageway includes a profiled region positioned upstream of the bifurcation, the profiled region including a first circumferential portion positioned adjacent a second circumferential portion, the first circumferential portion having a first average radial thickness and a second circumferential portion having a second average radial thickness, the first average radial thickness being smaller than second average radial thickness. The profiled region of the passageway is configured to modify the flow through the passageway so as to improve uniformity of a static pressure field from immediately upstream of the bifurcation to just downstream of the fan rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Stephane Michel Marcel Baralon
  • Patent number: 10215417
    Abstract: The invention refers to a sequential combustor arrangement having a first burner, a first combustion chamber, a mixer for admixing a dilution gas to the hot gases leaving the first combustion chamber during operation, a second burner, and a second combustion chamber arranged sequentially in a fluid flow connection. The mixer includes of injection tubes pointing inwards from the side walls of the mixer for admixing the dilution gas to cool the hot flue gases leaving the first combustion chamber. A flow guide is arranged in the connecting duct and/or the injection tubes for guiding the dilution gas into the injection tubes. The invention further refers to a gas turbine and a method for operating a gas turbine with such a sequential combustor arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Xianfeng Gao, Luis Tay Wo Chong Hilares
  • Patent number: 10208734
    Abstract: A lift-driven wind turbine has a turbine rotor with blades mounted to the turbine shaft by two struts hinged to the shaft and each blade to form a four-bar linkage. The blades' airfoil cross section generates lift that rotates the blades around the axis in the presence of a prevailing wind. The airfoil chord forms a geometric angle of attack ?G relative to the tangent of the blade path and the struts orient the blades with an outward tilt angle ?. The turbine is designed with values of ?G and ? that cause the lift generated by each blade to have an upward component that supports the blade against the force of gravity and a mean radially inward component that substantially balances centrifugal forces on the blade. Wind turbines designed according to the principles disclosed herein facilitate the construction of free-floating utility scale wind turbines for deep water installations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: Continuum Dynamics, Inc.
    Inventors: Alexander H. Boschitsch, Alan J. Bilanin, Glen R. Whitehouse