Patents Examined by James McGlynn
  • Patent number: 10280872
    Abstract: A turbofan engine has a fan portion in fluid communication with a core stream and a bypass stream of air separated by splitters disposed both upstream and downstream of the fan portion. A fluid passage is defined between the splitters. The turbofan engine has a plurality of high pressure fluid jets originating from a trailing edge of the upstream splitter, the jets restricting the migration of the core stream into the bypass stream through the fluid passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventor: Edward C. Rice
  • Patent number: 10233869
    Abstract: A turbofan engine has a fan portion in fluid communication with a core stream and a bypass stream of air separated by splitters disposed both upstream and downstream of the fan portion. A fluid passage is defined between the splitters. The turbofan engine has a plurality of vortex generators, each of the vortex generators positioned on the leading edge of a respective fan blade proximate the upstream splitter and the core stream restricting the migration of the core stream into the bypass stream through the fluid passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: ROLLS ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventor: Edward C. Rice
  • Patent number: 10233841
    Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a gas turbine engine system for cooling engine components includes an engine core, a core housing containing the engine core, an engine core driven fan forward of the core housing, a nacelle surrounding the fan and the core housing, and a bypass duct defined between an outer diameter of the core housing and an inner diameter of the nacelle. Also included is a thermal management system having a coolant circuit including at least one of a first heat exchanger disposed on the inner diameter of the nacelle and a second heat exchanger disposed on a leading edge of a BiFi spanning the bypass duct. The first heat exchanger is in thermal communication with the second heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew E. Bintz, Charles P. Gendrich, John C. DiTomasso, Andrew J. Murphy
  • Patent number: 10234140
    Abstract: A liner panel is provided for use in a gas turbine engine. The liner panel includes an intermediate rail that extends from a cold side of a liner panel. The liner panel also includes a multiple of heat transfer augmentors, which generally decrease in height with respect to a distance from the intermediate rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frank J. Cunha, Stanislav Kostka
  • Patent number: 10233773
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a debris monitoring system is disclosed that includes a fan, a geared architecture operatively coupled to the fan. The geared architecture includes a component having a non-ferrous metal coating. A scavenge pump is in fluid communication with the geared architecture via a lubrication sump. A non-ferrous chip detector is situated downstream of the geared architecture, but upstream of the scavenge pump. A controller is configured to determine a lubrication condition of the component based on a signal received from the non-ferrous chip detector, and command a status indicator in response thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, William G. Sheridan
  • Patent number: 10208620
    Abstract: The invention relates to an overspeed protection device of an aircraft engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignees: SAFRAN ELECTRONICS & DEFENSE, SAFRAN HELICOPTER ENGINES
    Inventors: Michael Montoya, Nicolas Marti, Stephen Langford, Rafael Samson
  • Patent number: 10190773
    Abstract: A combustor floatwall panel includes a stack of layers of a sintered material forming in the aggregate a panel, an attachment stud, and a cooling flow passageway. The panel has a first surface and a second surface parallel to the first surface. The attachment stud projects from the second surface. The cooling flow passageway includes a feeder hole extending through the attachment stud, and at least one effusion cooling hole extending to the first surface. The effusion cooling hole is fluidly connected to the feeder hole. The effusion cooling hole extends along a first axis where the effusion cooling hole meets the first surface. The feeder hole extends along a second axis. The first axis is at a first angle relative to the first surface. The second axis is at a second angle relative to the first surface. The second angle is greater than the first angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Russell B. Hanson, George F. Titterton, III
  • Patent number: 10184400
    Abstract: Methods of cooling a hot fluid in an annular duct of a gas turbine engine are provided. The method can include directing the hot fluid through a plurality of cooling channels that are radially layered within the annular duct to define a heat transfer area, and passing a cooling fluid through the annular duct such that the cooling fluid passes between the radially layered cooling channels. Additionally or alternatively, the method can include passing the hot fluid into a first inner radial tube, through a plurality of cooling channels defined within a plurality of curvilinear plates that are radially layered within the annular duct, and into a second inner radial tube; and passing a cooling fluid through the annular duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Matthew Robert Cerny, Jeffrey Raymond Menard, Thomas Kupiszewski, Johnathen Pegram
  • Patent number: 10184662
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor achieves improved product reliability and a reduced increase in pressure loss through improvements made on a cooling characteristic and structural intensity. The structure of the gas turbine combustor includes a plurality of circularity recesses formed on a side of an annular passage on a partial area of a combustion liner that requires cooling. Each of the circularity recesses has a rectangular surface forming a convex at a right angle with respect to a flowing direction of combustion air. The circularity recesses form a rectangular triangle having an oblique surface facing upstream of the flowing direction of the combustion air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Osami Yokota, Masataka Hidaka, Shohei Numata, Tetsuma Tatsumi
  • Patent number: 10174948
    Abstract: A combustion staging system for fuel injectors of a multi-stage combustor of a gas turbine engine has pilot and mains fuel manifolds distributing fuel to the injectors. A splitting unit splits a fuel flow and sends portions of the flow to pilot and mains fuel manifolds to perform staging control of the combustor. The splitting unit can deselect the mains manifold so that there is no flow into the combustor from the mains manifold. A cooling flow recirculation line provides a cooling flow of fuel to the mains manifold when that manifold is deselected so that the mains manifold remains primed with relatively cool fuel. A return section collects the cooling flow from the mains manifold. One or more fuel pressure sensors detect pressure of the cooling flow on the recirculation line. A control arrangement closes off the recirculation line when the pressure sensor(s) indicates failure of the cooling flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Ralph Hill
  • Patent number: 10167782
    Abstract: A gas turbine having a compressor, a turbine unit, at least one combustion chamber and a secondary air system, which secondary air system has at least one cooling line having a compressor-side inlet for removing cooling air from the compressor and a turbine-side outlet for leading the cooling air onward into the turbine unit, wherein the cooling air line at the compressor-side inlet is connected fluidically to a housing opening of the gas turbine which adjoins a cavity in the gas turbine and which, during operation, guides compressor air, and wherein the housing opening is formed as a manhole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Philipp Kreutzer, Marco Larson, Ansgar Sternemann
  • Patent number: 10156190
    Abstract: A system and method of accommodating an uncontrolled high thrust condition in a turbofan gas turbine engine includes processing engine data from the turbofan gas turbine engine to determine when a potential for an uncontrolled high thrust condition exists. When the potential for an uncontrolled high thrust condition exists, the engine data are processed to determine whether corrective action for the uncontrolled high thrust condition should be implemented by varying turbofan gas turbine engine effective geometry to (i) increase turbofan gas turbine engine rotational speed or (ii) decrease turbofan gas turbine engine rotational speed. The determined corrective action is automatically implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Scot Coffey, Gregory J. Chapman, Yufei Xiong
  • Patent number: 10156362
    Abstract: A fuel supply system includes a fuel reformer in contact with at least one of a combustion chamber or a wall of the combustion chamber. The fuel reformer includes a reformer chamber wall enclosing a fuel reformer chamber, and a reforming catalyst support sheet in the fuel reformer chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventor: Kenji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10125992
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor includes a plurality of fuel nozzles, a premixing plate, and a plurality of annular flow sleeves. The plurality of annular flow sleeves includes an inner annular flow sleeve and an outer annular flow sleeve. The plurality of annular flow sleeves is formed to divide an airflow passage into a plurality of flow passages including an inner and an outer circumferential flow passages. The airflow passage is formed around the plurality of fuel nozzles. The airflow passage extends from an upstream side of the plurality of fuel nozzles to fuel injecting ports of the fuel nozzles. The plurality of annular flow sleeves rectifies a flow of air in each of the flow passages and guiding the flow of air to the fuel injecting ports of the fuel nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Wada, Toshifumi Sasao, Takeo Saito
  • Patent number: 10119465
    Abstract: A geared turbofan engine includes a fan rotatable about an engine axis. A compressor section compresses air and delivers the compressed air to a combustor where the compressed air is mixed with fuel and ignited to drive a turbine section that in turn drives the fan and the compressor section. A gear system is driven by the turbine section for driving the fan at a speed different than the turbine section. The gear system includes a carrier attached to a fan shaft. A plurality of planet gears are supported within the carrier. Each of the plurality of planet gears includes a first row of gear teeth and a second row of gear teeth supported within the carrier. A sun gear is driven by a turbine section. The sun gear is in driving engagement with the plurality of planet gears. At least two separate ring gears circumscribe the plurality of planet gears. Each of the at least two ring gears are supported by a respective flexible ring gear mount that enables movement relative to an engine static structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: William G. Sheridan
  • Patent number: 10107120
    Abstract: A mid-turbine frame (MTF) for a gas turbine engine includes an inner manifold directing air to a turbine rotor of the gas turbine engine. The MTF includes an outer MTF case and an inner MTF case. The inner manifold of the MTF is located in the inner case of the MTF.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Paul K. Sanchez, John S. Tu, Kalpendu J. Parekh, William A. Daniels
  • Patent number: 10094332
    Abstract: A core cowl for a turbofan engine may include a plurality of valleys formed in an outer surface of the core cowl. Each valley may include a convex portion upstream of a concave portion, and may be configured to disrupt a shock cell exiting a fan nozzle of the turbofan engine. Associated methods for reducing turbofan engine noise are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: David F. Cerra, Paul Robert Tretow, Robert H. Willie, Abhishek Sahay
  • Patent number: 10041681
    Abstract: The present application provides a combustor for use with a gas turbine engine. The combustor may include a primary stage nozzle in communication with a linear actuator and a number of stationary secondary nozzles surrounding the primary stage nozzle in whole or in part. The linear actuator varies the position of the primary stage nozzle with respect to the stationary secondary nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Joseph Vincent Citeno, Thomas Edward Johnson
  • Patent number: 9982627
    Abstract: A thrust reverser unit (TRU) 100 for a gas turbine engine 10 is provided that has first and second cascade elements 110, 120. In a stowed configuration, both the first and second cascade elements, and the operating mechanism, are located inside the nacelle 40, meaning that the TRU has no detrimental impact on the flow through the bypass duct 22. In the deployed configuration, the first cascade element 110 extends across the bypass duct 22. The first cascade element 110 has flow passages 112 that allow the flow to pass through, redirecting the flow towards the second cascade element 120. The second cascade element 120 further turns the flow so as to provide decelerating reverse thrust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG
    Inventor: Luis Daniel Teia Dos Santos Mendes Gomes
  • Patent number: 9932902
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a compressor portion, a combustor fluidly connected to the compressor portion via a primary flowpath, and a turbine portion fluidly connected to the combustor via the primary flowpath. The turbine section includes a first turbine portion and a second turbine portion. The second turbine portion is at a low pressure relative to the first turbine portion. A first turbine shaft is supported relative to a second turbine shaft by a first bearing, the first bearing having an inner diameter and an outer diameter, with the inner diameter of the first bearing being connected to one of the first shaft and the second shaft and the outer diameter of the first bearing being connected to the other of the first shaft and the second shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Gary D. Roberge