Patents Examined by Courtney D Heinle
  • Patent number: 11835027
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to supporting structures for a central frame of a direct-drive wind turbine and methods for managing such structures. A supporting structure is configured to assume a deployed configuration and a stowed configuration. In the stowed configuration, the supporting structure has a shape and size such that the supporting structure can be introduced into the central frame from an outside. In the deployed configuration, the supporting structure has one or more increased dimensions with respect to the stowed configuration, and comprises a working platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
    Inventor: Alejandro Hernandez Ferre
  • Patent number: 11834952
    Abstract: Exhaust frequency mitigation apparatus, exhaust diffusers, and turbomachines are provided. An exhaust frequency mitigation apparatus includes a main body extending along an axial centerline from a base to a tip. the base defines a first diameter and the tip defining a second diameter. the main body converges from the first diameter to the second diameter with respect to the axial centerline. The base is configured to extend from an inner shell of a turbomachine exhaust diffuser. The exhaust frequency mitigation apparatus further includes at least one rib extending from a root coupled to the main body to a free end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Joshy John, Srinivas Pakkala, Prabaharan K, Satish Kumar, Prakash Bavanjibhai Dalsania
  • Patent number: 11835034
    Abstract: A lightning bypass system for a blade (22) of a wind turbine (10), the lightning bypass system comprising a blade connector (110) comprising an electrically insulating material (114) and configured to be located substantially in a rotational axis (R) of a blade root (24) of a wind turbine blade (22). The blade connector (110) is configured to be electrically connected to a down conductor cable (100) of the blade (22), and comprises a core configured to be electrically connected to a first end (111) and a second end (112) of the blade connector (110). The present disclosure further relates to methods for providing lightning bypass systems and to wind turbine hub assemblies comprising a lightning bypass system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Renovables Espana, S.L.
    Inventor: Raul Gracia Suberviola
  • Patent number: 11834962
    Abstract: A turbine stator vane includes; an airfoil portion; a shroud disposed on at least one of the side of a tip end portion or the side of a root end portion of the airfoil portion; and a protruding portion protruding toward the opposite side to the airfoil portion across a gas path surface in a radial direction. The shroud includes: a circumferential-direction passage disposed at the side of a trailing edge and extending in a circumferential direction; and a plurality of trailing edge end portion passages arranged in the circumferential direction at the side of the trailing edge, each trailing edge end portion passage having a first end portion connected to the circumferential-direction passage and a second end portion having an opening on a trailing edge end surface of the shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI POWER, LTD.
    Inventors: Satoshi Hada, Yoshifumi Okajima, Kunihiko Waki
  • Patent number: 11834992
    Abstract: A turbofan engine having one or more heat exchangers tied to an accessory gearbox is provided. The accessory gearbox is mechanically coupled with a spool, and a hydraulic pump is mechanically coupled with the accessory gearbox. The one or more heat exchangers have a heat exchanger capacity defined by a product raised to a half power, the product being determined by multiplying a resultant heat transfer surface area density of the one or more heat exchangers by a heat conductance factor that relates an accessory gearbox heat load, a power of the hydraulic pump, a diameter of a fan, and a bypass ratio of the turbofan engine. The heat exchanger capacity is between 23.9 and 97.7 for a rotational speed of the spool between 7,500 and 35,000 revolutions per minute at one hundred percent capacity and a resultant heat transfer surface area density being between 4,000 m2/m3 and 13,000 m2/m3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Eyitayo James Owoeye
  • Patent number: 11830467
    Abstract: An acoustic attenuation structure for a gas turbine engine includes a periodic structure having a first unit cell, the first unit cell having a first central body and a first axial tube disposed on the first central body and a second axial tube disposed on the first central body, opposite the first axial tube, each of the first axial tube and the second axial tube being in fluid communication with one another through the first central body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: RTX COROPORATION
    Inventors: Craig Aaron Reimann, Julian Winkler, Kenji Homma, Jeffrey Michael Mendoza, Ramons A. Reba
  • Patent number: 11828182
    Abstract: A method for producing an integrally bladed rotor includes providing imaginary front and rear lattice points on the ridges of the front and rear edges; providing a first imaginary line on positive-pressure and negative-pressure surfaces to connect a first imaginary front lattice point and a first imaginary rear lattice point; providing a second imaginary line on the positive-pressure and negative-pressure surfaces to connect a second imaginary front lattice point next to the first imaginary front lattice point and a second imaginary rear lattice point next to the first imaginary rear lattice point; providing a spiral path on the positive-pressure and negative-pressure surfaces by connecting the first and second imaginary lines with a spiral curve; and cutting the positive-pressure and negative-pressure surfaces by moving a cutting point corresponding to a cutting edge of a turning tool along the spiral path. point around the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: YAMAZAKI MAZAK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukihide Harada, Tetsuji Fujita
  • Patent number: 11821331
    Abstract: This steam turbine comprises: a rotating shaft that extends along an axis; a plurality of rotor blades that are arranged in the circumferential direction and that extend in a radial direction from the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft; a casing body that covers the rotating shaft and the rotor blades from the outer circumference side; and a plurality of stationary blades that extend in the radial direction from a position on the inner circumferential surface of the casing body on the upstream side of the rotor blades and that are arranged in the circumferential direction. A plurality of microgrooves that extend in the steam flow direction are formed on the surface of the rotor blades and/or the stationary blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeki Senoo, Soichiro Tabata
  • Patent number: 11821326
    Abstract: A turbine containment system is provided. The turbine containment system includes a first containment member surrounding a portion of a turbine including a plurality of rotor disks and rotor blades; and a second containment member in communication with the first containment member, wherein the first containment member and the second containment member together contain each of the rotor disks and the rotor blades therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Veeraraju Vanapalli, Bhaskar Nanda Mondal, Apostolos Pavlos Karafillis, Kenneth E. Seitzer
  • Patent number: 11814974
    Abstract: A tip shroud, comprising a plurality of tip shoes encircling a rotor assembly, in a turbine may deform due to thermal gradients experienced during operation of the turbine. Accordingly, a tip shoe is disclosed that utilizes an internal cooling cavity to supply coolant throughout the interior of the tip shoe, as well as to the slash faces of the tip shoe. In addition, features are described that increase the surface area exposed to the coolant, while remaining suitable for additive manufacturing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Sudhakar Bollapragada, Xiaoqiang Zeng, Michael D. Fox, Branden R. Elam, Daniel Ryan, Karen A. Thole, Thomas M. Corbett
  • Patent number: 11808278
    Abstract: A vertical rotating system that includes a first vertical shaft that rotates. The first vertical shaft is oriented such that the gravitational force is substantially parallel to the first vertical shaft. A radial bearing extends about a first portion of the first vertical shaft. A first impeller sectioned couples to the first vertical shaft and rotates in a first direction to pump a first fluid. A first stator surrounds the first vertical shaft. The first stator defines a first groove that extends about a second portion of the first vertical shaft. The first groove receives a second fluid. A pressure of the second fluid drives the first vertical shaft away from the first groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: OneSubsea IP UK Limited
    Inventors: Knut Harald Klepsvik, Anders Brunvold
  • Patent number: 11808154
    Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a flow path component assembly includes a support structure having an axial portion and a radial portion and an outer portion arranged between the support structure. The outer portion defines a gap between the outer portion and the axial portion of the support structure. A flange is positioned relative to the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: San Quach, Bryan P. Dube, Erik R. Granstand, Michael G. McCaffrey, Stephen G. Pixton
  • Patent number: 11808165
    Abstract: An aircraft turbomachine rotor has a rotor disc extending transversely with respect to a longitudinal axis X, a plurality of blades, and a damping device. The damping device having: a support ring arranged transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis X and mounted on the outer periphery of the rotor disc, and has a plurality of damping members that are attached to the support ring and project upstream from the support ring, each damping member being configured to extend at least under a platform of a blade so as to exert a radially outward force to dampen the radial movement of the blade when the turbomachine is in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventor: Nicolas Gérard Bénito Cornec
  • Patent number: 11808273
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a high-speed radial fan and to a rotor assembly (10) for a high-speed radial fan, comprising a bearing tube (20) which is axially open in the interior and in which a shaft (40) carrying a fan wheel (30) is mounted with a rotor (50), wherein the rotor (50) of the rotor assembly (10) is mounted in a cylindrical separating can (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: ebm-papst St. Georgen GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Volker Ehlers, Frederick Wursthorn
  • Patent number: 11802543
    Abstract: A rotor blade for a wind turbine includes a first blade segment and a second blade segment extending in opposite directions from a chord-wise joint. The blade segments each have at least one shell member defining an airfoil surface and an internal support structure. The internal support structure of the first blade segment includes a beam structure that structurally connects with the internal support structure of the second blade segment via a receiving section. The rotor blade further includes one or more pin joints positioned on at least one of internal support structures of the blade segments. Further, at least one of internal support structures is constructed, at least in part, of a resin material having a plurality of fibers cured therein. The fibers are arranged with varying fiber orientations along a span of the rotor blade at locations of the pin joint(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Merzhaeuser, Andrew Mitchell Rodwell, Scott Jacob Huth
  • Patent number: 11802542
    Abstract: A rotor blade for a wind turbine includes a first blade segment and a second blade segment extending in opposite directions from a chord-wise joint. Each of the first and second blade segments includes at least one shell member defining an airfoil surface. The rotor blade also includes one or more pin joints for connecting the first and second blade segments at the chord-wise joint. The pin joint(s) includes one or more pin joint tubes received within the pin joint slot(s). The pin joint slot(s) are secured within a bearing block. Further, a gap is defined between the pin joint slot(s) and the bearing block. Moreover, the rotor blade includes a shim within the gap between the pin joint slot(s) and the bearing block so as to retain the pin joint slot(s) within the bearing block. In addition, the shim is constructed of a liquid material that hardens after being poured into the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rohit Agarwal, Andrew Mitchell Rodwell, Amir Riahi, Mohammad Salah Attia, Donald Joseph Kasperski, Jianqiang Chen
  • Patent number: 11799099
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a rotating group with a turbine wheel. The turbomachine also includes a housing that houses the rotating group, wherein the housing defines a turbine outlet passage for exhaust from the turbine wheel. The turbine outlet passage is directed in a downstream direction along an axis of the turbine outlet passage. The turbomachine includes an air bearing system with at least one bearing component that supports the rotating group for rotation relative to the housing. The air bearing system includes a bearing cooling path that is fluidly connected to the at least one bearing component and that has a bearing air line outlet. The bearing air line outlet is fluidly connected to the turbine outlet passage and is directed in the downstream direction along the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: GARRETT TRANSPORTATION I INC.
    Inventors: Ryoken Matsuzaki, Junichi Masuda, Marika Alexakis
  • Patent number: 11795907
    Abstract: A rotor blade for a wind turbine includes first and second blade segments extending in opposite directions from a chord-wise joint. Each of the first and second blade segments has at least one shell member defining an airfoil surface and an internal support structure. The first blade segment includes a beam structure extending lengthwise that structurally connects with the second blade segment at a receiving section. At least one of the internal support structures of the first and second blade segments includes at least one spar cap. The rotor blade also includes one or more pin joints positioned on the spar cap(s) for connecting the blade segments. The spar cap is constructed of varying forms of materials along a span of the rotor blade, including at least two of: one or more infused composite laminates, one or more pre-preg composite laminates, one or more pre-fabricated or pre-cured composite elements, one or more additively-manufactured structures, or one or more non-composite structural solids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Merzhaeuser, Andrew Mitchell Rodwell, Scott Jacob Huth, Aaron A. Yarbrough
  • Patent number: 11795833
    Abstract: An integrated nozzle set for injecting a substance into a turbine is provided. The nozzle set includes an outer nozzle container arranged around a part of a circle and an inner nozzle container having a first part arranged around a remaining part of the circle and a second part concentric with the outer nozzle container. The nozzle set further includes a diaphragm connected to the inner nozzle container and configured to seal a cavity of the turbine, a flange having spokes connected to the inner nozzle container, a set of nozzles, and collectors inserted into the outer nozzle container and configured to collect a substance. The nozzles include a first group of nozzles disposed in the outer nozzle container, a second group of nozzles disposed in the first part of the inner nozzle container, and a third group of nozzles disposed in the second part of the inner nozzle container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: PIPL LIMITED
    Inventor: Maxym Polyakov
  • Patent number: 11795831
    Abstract: A multi-material vane is provided for a gas turbine engine. This vane includes an airfoil extending along a chamber line between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The airfoil extends along a span line between an inner end and an outer end. The airfoil extends laterally between a first side and a second side. The airfoil includes a base section, a first side section and a second side section. The base section defines at least a portion of the trailing edge of the airfoil. The base section is laterally between and connected to the first side section and the second side section. The first side section defines at least a portion of the first side of the airfoil. The second side section defines at least a portion of the second side of the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Arun K. Theertham, Andrew Pope