Patents Examined by Henry Ng
  • Patent number: 11698192
    Abstract: A combustor liner assembly includes a first liner panel that has a first forward end and a first aft end. A second liner panel has a second forward end and a second aft end. A support band has a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes. The support band is arranged between the first liner panel and the second liner panel. The support band has a protrusion with a first angled surface and a second angled surface. The first angled surface is in engagement with the first aft end and the second angled surface in engagement with the second forward end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Salvatore D'Alessandro, Gary J. Dillard
  • Patent number: 11692513
    Abstract: Electric engine to provide thrust to fly an aircraft. Engine includes housing, air inlet, shaft, bladed rotor having a plurality of magnets secured on shaft, stator having plurality of coils positioned so as to interact with plurality of magnets and an exhaust nozzle. Powering coils causes interaction with magnets that results in bladed rotor rotating and pressurizing and accelerating air received via air inlet and expelling via exhaust nozzle to provide thrust. Engine may include generator having stator with coils secured to shaft via bearings and plurality of rotors with magnets secured to shaft to rotate with shaft. Magnets rotating past coils results in electric generation. Second hollow shaft may be mounted to shaft with bearings and generator may be located with hollow shaft. Second bladed rotor may be connected to, and rotate, second shaft. Engine may include ducts external to bladed rotor and fan to route air therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Inventor: Yuriy Radzikh
  • Patent number: 11692488
    Abstract: An embodiment of a torch igniter for a combustor of a gas turbine engine comprises a combustion chamber oriented about an axis, a cap defining an axially upstream end of the combustion chamber and oriented about the axis, a tip defining an axially downstream end of the combustion chamber, a structural wall coaxial with and surrounding the igniter wall, an outlet passage defined by the igniter wall within the tip, and a cooling system. The cooling system comprises an air inlet formed within the structural wall, a first flow path disposed between the structural wall and the igniter wall, and an aperture extending through the igniter wall transverse to the flow direction. The aperture directly fluidly connects the first flow path to the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Ryon, Lev Alexander Prociw
  • Patent number: 11686474
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine may include a combustion section having a fuel nozzle, a swirler, and a ferrule configured to mount and center the fuel nozzle with the swirler. The combustion section may further include a damper on a cold side of the combustion section. The damper may have an acoustic cavity, a damper neck, and a cavity feed hole. The damper may operate as Helmholtz cavity to absorb a hydrodynamic or acoustic instability present in a region within the swirler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Kwanwoo Kim, Clayton Cooper, Steven Vise, Shai Birmaher, Pradeep Naik, Andrew Wickersham
  • Patent number: 11674686
    Abstract: A coating occlusion resistant effusion cooling hole to form a film of a cooling fluid on a surface of a wall. The cooling hole extends along a longitudinal axis. The cooling hole includes an inlet section defined so as to be spaced apart from the surface. The inlet section is to receive the cooling fluid. The cooling hole includes a metering section fluidly coupled downstream of the inlet section. The cooling hole includes an outlet section fluidly coupled downstream of the metering section. The outlet section includes an overhang portion, a recessed portion, a first sidewall and a second sidewall. The first sidewall and the second sidewall interconnect the overhang portion with the recessed portion along a portion of the outlet section, and the first sidewall and the second sidewall converge and diverge in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Nagaraja Rudrapatna, Rodolphe Dudebout
  • Patent number: 11629857
    Abstract: Combustors and gas turbines are provided. A combustor includes an axial centerline and an end cover. The combustor further includes at least one fuel nozzle that extends from the end cover and at is least partially surrounded by a combustion liner. The combustion liner extends between the at least one fuel nozzle and an aft frame and that defines a combustion chamber. An outer sleeve is spaced apart from and surrounds the combustion liner such that an annulus is defined therebetween. The outer sleeve defines at least one aperture. A wake energizer is mounted on the outer sleeve. The wake energizer defines at least one passage that is angled with respect to the axial centerline of the combustor. The at least one passage aligns and is in fluid communication with the at least one aperture of the outer sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lucas John Stoia, Homayoon Feiz, Shreekrishna Rao, Emily Klara Happ
  • Patent number: 11608783
    Abstract: An embodiment of a torch igniter for a combustor of a gas turbine engine includes a combustion chamber oriented about an axis, a cap defining an axially upstream end of the combustion chamber, a tip defining the axially downstream end of the combustion chamber, an igniter wall extending from the cap to the tip and defining a radial extent of the combustion chamber, a structural wall coaxial with and surrounding the igniter wall, an outlet passage defined by the igniter wall within the tip, a glow plug housing configured to receive a glow plug and allow an innermost end of the glow plug to extend into the combustion chamber, and a cooling system. The cooling system includes an air inlet formed within an exterior of the structural wall, a cooling channel forming a flow path through the structural wall at the glow plug housing, and an air passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Delavan, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Ryon, Lev Alexander Prociw
  • Patent number: 11572827
    Abstract: Apparatuses and systems are provided herein for unducted propulsion systems. The system includes an aft housing for low drag for high subsonic sustained flight. A plurality of blades are affixed to the aft housing, wherein the housing defines a flowpath curve extending from the axial extent of the aft blade root to the aft end of the aft housing. The flowpath curve is described by an axial direction parallel to an axis of rotation and a radius from the axis of rotation. The flowpath curve includes first point having a first radius where the radius reaches a maximum aft of the aft blade root and a second point forward of the first point having a second radius where the radius stops decreasing. The ratio of the first radius to the second radius is greater than or equal to 1.081.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Syed Arif Khalid, Daniel L. Tweedt, David B. Riddle
  • Patent number: 11566787
    Abstract: A cartridge for attachment to the inner surface of a single-walled combustion liner of an annular combustor is provided. The cartridge includes at least one chute projecting into the combustion chamber for a counter swirl effect for improved fuel/air mixing in the combustion chamber and at least two studs projecting through associated stud holes in the liner. A method for attaching a cartridge to the inner surface of a single-walled combustion liner is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Charles B. Graves, David E. B. Stone
  • Patent number: 11561007
    Abstract: A combustor liner for a gas turbine engine, the combustor liner including a panel configured to at least partially define a combustion chamber. The combustor liner further includes a shell configured to mount to the panel and form a gap between the panel and the shell. The panel includes a stud and a plurality of a stand-off pins proximate to the stud defining a cavity therebetween. The shell includes a plurality of angled impingement holes located away from the cavity but extending through the shell at an orientation such that cooling air passing through the angled impingement holes is directed towards the cavity between adjacent stand-off pins and at an acute angle relative to the stud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Fumitaka Ichihashi
  • Patent number: 11555453
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a first spool having a low pressure compressor section disposed forward of an air inlet along a direction of travel of the engine, and a low pressure turbine section disposed forward of the low pressure compressor section and drivingly engaged thereto. A second spool has a high pressure compressor section disposed forward of the low pressure compressor section, and a high pressure turbine section disposed forward of the high pressure compressor section and drivingly engaged thereto. The high pressure turbine section is disposed aft of the low pressure turbine section. An output drive shaft drivingly engages the low pressure turbine section and extends forwardly therefrom to drive a rotatable load. A method of operating a gas turbine engine is also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Keith Morgan, Robert Peluso, Ghislain Plante, Eugene Gekht, Eric Durocher, Jean Dubreuil
  • Patent number: 11548652
    Abstract: A nacelle may comprise an inlet cowling comprising an inlet cowling aft edge having an aft edge length; a boat tail cowling comprising a boat tail cowling forward edge having a forward edge length, wherein the boat tail cowling forward edge is disposed adjacent to the inlet cowling aft edge. The forward edge length may be shorter than the aft edge length, forming a step being defined by a portion of the inlet cowling aft edge that is radially outward of the boat tail cowling forward edge. The nacelle may further comprise a transition fairing coupled to the boat tail cowling, wherein the transition fairing comprises a fairing forward edge disposed adjacent to the inlet cowling aft edge and a fairing ramp surface spanning between the inlet cowling aft edge and a boat tail cowling external surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Dmitriy B. Sidelkovskiy, Steven H. Zysman
  • Patent number: 11549437
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes an outer liner having a first end interconnected to an opposite second end by an outer liner wall composed of a plurality of outer segments. The inner liner has a first inner end interconnected to an opposite second inner end by an inner liner wall composed of a plurality of inner segments. The outer liner wall and the inner liner wall define a combustion chamber, and each of the outer wall segments extend at an angle of at least 40 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis. The outer wall segments includes a first segment, a second segment that extends at a second angle relative to the first segment, which is less than a third angle defined between the second segment and a third segment and is substantially the same as a fourth angle defined between the third segment and a fourth segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Rodolphe Dudebout, Hamdullah Ozogul, Atul Verma, Amy Kujala, Michael Wedig, Ryan Meyer, Bradley Culbertson
  • Patent number: 11543128
    Abstract: An insert for an impingement plate and an impingement plate including the insert are disclosed. The impingement plate includes a plurality of cooling holes therein. The insert includes a body including an opening extending longitudinally therethrough. The body also includes a discharge end configured for positioning in an impingement air plenum between the impingement plate and an upstream surface of a combustor cap plate; a flexible insertion end configured for insertion into a respective cooling hole of the plurality of cooling holes; and a fixation element between the discharge end and the flexible insertion end. The fixation element has an outer dimension configured to fixedly couple the body in the respective cooling hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Neal William Grooms, Charlie Edmond Jones, Lucas John Stoia
  • Patent number: 11536457
    Abstract: The systems and methods described herein relate to a dome of a gas turbine assembly configured to suppress pressure pulsations. The systems and methods provide a dome having an aperture configured to surround an injector assembly of a combustor. The dome having a front panel extending radially from the aperture. The systems and methods couple a first cavity to the front panel. The first cavity includes a series of ducts. A first duct of the series of ducts is configured to receive airflow into the first cavity from a compressor and a second set of ducts of the series of ducts and a third duct of the series of ducts are configured to direct airflow to the combustor from the first cavity, wherein the third duct has a larger diameter than the second set of ducts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Owen Graham, Kwanwoo Kim, Nicholas Magina, Sharath Nagaraja, Fei Han
  • Patent number: 11536454
    Abstract: Wall assemblies for a combustor of a gas turbine engine are disclosed. A wall assembly comprises an outer shell made of a metallic material, adjacent first and second inner panels mounted to the outer shell via an insert and a damper disposed between the outer shell and at least one of the first and second inner panels. The first and second inner panels may be spaced apart from the outer shell to define a double-wall configuration with the outer shell. The first and second inner panels may be made of a composite material. The insert may be made from substantially the same or other type of composite material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Tin-Cheung John Hu
  • Patent number: 11525400
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a system for reducing thermal gradient at a heat engine. The heat engine includes a rotor assembly with a rotor disk and a seal assembly is provided. An interfacing structure at least partially surrounds the rotor assembly at the seal assembly. The seal assembly and the interfacing structure together form a first cavity defining a first environmental condition and a second cavity defining a second environmental condition. A fluid supply manifold is connected to the rotor assembly and is extended at least partially along a radial direction from the first cavity to an outlet opening in thermal communication with the rotor disk of the rotor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Arvind Namadevan, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Arnab Sen
  • Patent number: 11525577
    Abstract: A combustor may comprise an outer combustor panel and an inner combustor panel radially inward of the outer combustor panel. A bulkhead panel may extend radially between the outer combustor panel and the inner combustor panel. An outer spacer may be located between an outer flange of the bulkhead panel and the outer combustor panel. An inner spacer may be located between an inner flange of the bulkhead panel and the inner combustor panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy S. Snyder, James B. Hoke
  • Patent number: 11525404
    Abstract: An embodiment of a torch igniter for a combustor of a gas turbine engine comprises a combustion chamber oriented about an axis, a cap defining an axially upstream end of the combustion chamber and oriented about the axis, a tip defining an axially downstream end of the combustion chamber, a structural wall coaxial with and surrounding the igniter wall, an outlet passage defined by the igniter wall within the tip, and a cooling system. The cooling system comprises an air inlet formed within the structural wall, a first flow path disposed between the structural wall and the igniter wall, and an aperture extending through the igniter wall transverse to the flow direction. The aperture directly fluidly connects the first flow path to the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Ryon, Lev Alexander Prociw
  • Patent number: 11519334
    Abstract: An igniter for a combustor of a turbomachine includes a fuel inlet in fluid communication with a mixing plenum. The mixing plenum is positioned upstream of a mixing channel. An air inlet is in fluid communication with the mixing plenum and an ignition source is in operative communication with the mixing channel. The igniter may include a mounting flange configured for coupling the igniter to the combustor. The ignition source may be positioned proximate to a downstream end of the mixing channel and upstream of the mounting flange. The mixing channel may define a venturi shape. The venturi shape includes a converging section between an upstream end of the mixing channel and a venturi throat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lucas John Stoia, Yimin Huang, Abdul Khan, Thomas Edward Johnson, Heath M. Ostebee, Jayaprakash Natarajan