Patents Examined by Edwin Kang
  • Patent number: 10184665
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle is provided for a gas turbine engine, and can include a pilot fuel injector having an axially-elongated, inner pilot centerbody wall and an outer pilot centerbody wall, with the axially-elongated, inner pilot centerbody wall extending from an upstream end to an annular fuel passage defining the downstream end of the pilot fuel injector. The fuel passage intersects with the inner pilot centerbody wall at a pilot fuel metering orifice. The fuel nozzle also includes a pilot fuel film surface downstream from the annular fuel passage and an annular splitter surrounding the pilot fuel injector. The annular splitter comprises, in axial sequence: an upstream section, a splitter throat having a diameter that is larger than a downstream diameter defined by the pilot fuel film surface, and a downstream diverging surface having an average diverging angle of about 24° to about 40° in relation to a centerline axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Anthony Benjamin, Alfred Albert Mancini, Rameshkumar Muthuvel Chandrasekaran
  • Patent number: 10145336
    Abstract: A flow control device includes a first axially extending flow control surface, a second axially extending flow control surface radially offset from the first surface to define a gas flow path therebetween, the gas flow path having a downstream flow path exit, and a third axially extending flow control surface radially offset from the first surface and capable of axially translating with respect to the first and second surfaces for modifying the gas flow path and selectively closing the flow path exit. A turbofan engine includes a core flow passage, a fan bypass passage located radially outward from the core flow passage, a third stream bypass passage located radially outward from the fan bypass passage, and a flow control device that dynamically regulates the third stream bypass passage, allowing fluid flowing through the third stream bypass passage to provide thrust to the turbofan engine and reduce afterbody drag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: John R. Buey, Robert H. Bush, Felix Izquierdo
  • Patent number: 10145558
    Abstract: A method for determining the temperature of an aggressive and/or abrasive gas is described using an acoustic transmitter and an acoustic receiver. The transmitter emits an acoustic signal with varying frequencies and the receiver extracts from the acoustic input signal a frequency of the maximum. Based on this the frequency of this maximum the temperature of the gas between transmitter and receiver is calculated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Bruno Schuermans, Dominik Wassmer
  • Patent number: 10113747
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a system with a gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine includes a first combustor having a first fuel injector and a second combustor having a second fuel injector. The gas turbine engine further includes a first fuel conduit extending from a first orifice to a first fuel outlet of the first fuel injector. The first fuel conduit has a first acoustic volume between the first orifice and the first fuel outlet. The gas turbine engine further includes a second fuel conduit extending from a second orifice to a second fuel outlet of the second fuel injector. The second fuel conduit has a second acoustic volume between the second orifice and the second fuel outlet, and the first acoustic volume and the second acoustic volume are different from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sarah Lori Crothers, Hasan Karim, Joel Meador Hall
  • Patent number: 10100748
    Abstract: An aircraft, controller, and method for simultaneously using a liquid fuel and a gaseous fuel. The use of natural gas and other similar fuels in gas turbines engines can enable an aircraft to operate less expensively. However, aircraft often use liquid fuels en route to the gas turbine engine burners for secondary purposes, such as oil cooling and hydraulic pressure. The aircraft, controllers, and methods described herein feed a minimal quantity of liquid fuel to an engine to satisfy the secondary purposes while simultaneously feeding a quantity of gaseous fuel to the engine to satisfy a thrust command for the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Ronald T. Kawai, Michael K. Kisska
  • Patent number: 10087848
    Abstract: A gear assembly support for a gas turbine engine includes a spline ring configured to fit into a case of the gas turbine engine and a flex support. The flex support includes splines for engaging the spline ring and an inner portion attachable to a portion the gear assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Brian P. Cigal, John R. Otto
  • Patent number: 10082082
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The fuel injector includes a flange assembly with a distribution block, three main gas tubes, and an injector head. The distribution block evenly distributes a main gas fuel to the three main gas tubes. The injector head includes an injector body with a primary gas gallery including an annular shape. The three main gas tubes are connected in a parallel configuration between the distribution block and the primary gas gallery. The three main gas tubes are all in flow communication with the primary gas gallery and provide the main gas fuel from the same main gas fuel source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Sean Kelly Spivey, Donald James Cramb, James Scott Piper, Michael John Ramotowski
  • Patent number: 10041364
    Abstract: An inner diffuser case for a gas turbine engine may include a pre-diffuser including a plurality of struts. At least one of the struts may include an aperture therethrough. A cone may have a downstream end coupled to the pre-diffuser downstream of, and proximate to, the aperture. A skirt may have a forward end coupled to the pre-diffuser downstream of, and proximate to, the aperture. The forward end of the skirt may be axially aligned with the downstream end of the cone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jonathan Jeffery Eastwood, Dave J. Hyland, Timothy Dale
  • Patent number: 10024188
    Abstract: An inner fixed structure for an aircraft nacelle may comprise a nanoreinforced polyimide composite skin. The nanomaterials may increase thermal conductivity and decrease microcracking in the inner fixed structure. The inner fixed structure may comprise an inner polyimide composite skin, an acoustic core, and an outer polyimide composite skin. The inner fixed structure may be blanketless.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: ROHR, INC.
    Inventors: Vijay V. Pujar, Teresa Kruckenberg
  • Patent number: 10024539
    Abstract: A method of providing fuel to a combustion chamber of a combustion can in a radial direction of the combustion can, and a micromixer cap having axially arranged fuel stages that receive fuel from a radial direction, the fuel stages supplies fuel to different radial zones of micromixer tubes arranged in a concentric configuration to provide a mixture of fuel and air for combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Scott Robert Simmons
  • Patent number: 10012176
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an aircraft gas turbine comprising a thrust-reverser device that is arranged at the rear area of an engine cowling and that has multiple cascade elements which are distributed at the circumference and which divert a stream, characterized in that the cascade elements are mounted in a displaceable manner, in that on both sides of each cascade element at least one gear rack is formed that can be displaced via a respective cog wheel which is coupled to a driving device, and in that each cascade element is connected to a rear area of the engine cowling via a coupling element for the purpose of displacing the engine cowling in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG, LIEBHERR-AEROSPACE LINDENBERG GMBH
    Inventors: Predrag Todorovic, Josef Baer, Frank Mueller, Uwe Schumann
  • Patent number: 10012113
    Abstract: A combined cycle power plant for frequent stops and startups comprises at least one gas turbine, a heat recovery steam generator, at least one steam turbine and a thermal energy storage and retrieval system utilizing latent heat of fusion. Phase change materials receive thermal charge from two sources: (a) renewable energy generation plants, when their production exceeds demand and (b) gas turbine exhaust heat. The thermal energy storage and retrieval system, discharges efficiently thermal energy for steam production, which keeps the at least one steam turbine preheated and ready for fast startups, thus increasing the plant's flexibility and efficiency. A novel two stage latent thermal energy storage system provides at least supercritical steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Inventor: Vassilios Vamvas
  • Patent number: 10006308
    Abstract: A mid-turbine frame (MTF) system for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The MTF includes an inner case, an outer case and a fairing sandwiched between the inner and outer cases. The fairing includes an inner ring spaced apart from and coupled to an outer ring by a plurality of hollow struts. The hollow struts accommodate support rods that connect the inner case to the outer case. Further, the hollow struts act as turning vanes for turning the flow of gases passing from a high pressure turbine (HPT) to a low pressure turbine (LPT) for purposes of providing the correct incidence angle to the first vane of the LPT. The outer ring of the fairing includes a plurality of bosses which receive attachment pins that pass through the outer case for correctly locating the fairing with respect to the outer case and for permitting radial expansion in contraction of the fairing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jorge I. Farah, Jonathan P. Burt, Paul K. Sanchez, Kalpendu J. Parekh, Jonathan J. Jakiel
  • Patent number: 9976480
    Abstract: A fluid intake system including a fluid collector scoop designed to be fastened on an inside surface of a wall in order to collect the fluid flowing on the outside of the wall; and an extraction duct suitable for directing the fluid from an inlet orifice into the duct to at least one outlet orifice from the duct, is provided. The scoop is arranged so as to direct the collected fluid towards the inlet orifice of the extraction duct. In this system, at least one outlet orifice is of substantially elliptical section with a ratio of the major diameter of the ellipse over its minor diameter being greater than 1.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Jackie Raymond Julien Prouteau, Pierrick Mouchoux
  • Patent number: 9964038
    Abstract: An engine inlet for efficient operation at both design Mach number and off-design Mach numbers with an inlet having a caret configuration with rotatably extending effective leading edges on the inlet from a retracted position aligned with a nominal Mach number shock wave to an extended position aligned with an off-design Mach number shock wave.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Thuy Huynh
  • Patent number: 9945237
    Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a rotor is disclosed. The rotor may include a disk having a central axis, an airfoil radially extending from the disk, a bayonet tab extending radially from the disk, and a lock. The lock may further include a short tab and a long tab, both extending radially from the disk and in an axial direction with respect to the central axis. The long tab may have a greater axial length than the short tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Julian Partyka, Jonathan Perry Sandoval
  • Patent number: 9927123
    Abstract: A fluid transport system for a gas turbine engine includes a plenum configured to provide a fluid, an airfoil having an internal cavity, and a transfer tube arranged to transfer the fluid between the plenum and the internal cavity of the airfoil. The transfer tube includes an inlet, an outlet, a cavity extending from the inlet to the outlet, and at least one partition wall dividing the cavity into multiple flow passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Benjamin F. Hagan
  • Patent number: 9909442
    Abstract: A method for controlling a position actuation system component in a gas turbine engine based on a modified proportional and integral control loop is provided. The method includes determining an error value between a demand signal for the position actuation system component and a position signal for the position actuation system component. The method also includes determining an integral gain scaler as a function of a scheduling parameter value and determining an integral gain based on the determined error value and the determined integral gain scaler. Additionally the method includes determining a proportional gain scaler as a function of the scheduling parameter value and determining a proportional gain based on the determined error value and the determined proportional portion gain scaler. The method adds the determined integral gain with the determined proportional gain to determine a null current value for the position actuation system component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Premal Desai, John A. Striker, Kenneth Paul Meiners
  • Patent number: 9903274
    Abstract: A heat exchanger apparatus including a surface cooler and a passive automatic retraction and extension system coupled to the surface cooler. The surface cooler having disposed therein one or more fluid flow channels configured for the passage therethrough of a heat transfer fluid to be cooled. The heat transfer fluid in a heat transfer relation on an interior side of said one or more fluid flow channels. The surface cooler including a plurality of fins projecting from an outer surface thereof. The passive automatic retraction and extension system including a thermal actuation component responsive to a change in temperature of at least one of the heat transfer fluid and a cooling fluid flow so as to actuate a change in a geometry of the surface cooler. Further disclosed is an engine including the heat exchanger apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Carlos Enrique Diaz, William Dwight Gerstler, Michael Ralph Storage, Michael Thomas Kenworthy
  • Patent number: 9897011
    Abstract: An assembly including an exhaust casing and an exhaust cone for a gas turbine engine, each including an axial annular flange, the two flanges being inserted into one another, one being radially external and the other radially internal, and held together by a mechanical attachment, and the assembly further including a guide by which, during operation of assembling the annular flanges to each other, the exhaust cone is in a predetermined angular position relative to the exhaust casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventors: Mario Cesar De Sousa, Baghdad Achbari, Benoit Argemiro Matthieu Debray, Sylvain Pichon, Gregory Ghosarossian-Prillieux, Frederic Noel, Nicolas Pommier, Mathieu Ange Poisson