Patents Examined by Katheryn A Malatek
  • Patent number: 11976820
    Abstract: Fuel injectors for gas turbine engines include a housing and a tube defining a portion of a first fluid passage therein and a second fluid passage is defined between an exterior surface of the tube and an interior surface of the housing. An inner airflow tube is arranged having an inflow vane assembly and a central air passage. A portion of the first fluid passage extends axially at a position radially outward from the inner airflow tube, and the third fluid passage extends axially at a position radially outward from the first fluid passage. A nozzle outlet is configured to receive first, second, and thirds fluids from the respective fluid passages to cause mixing thereof. The inflow vane assembly comprises a number of vanes, with each vane angled relative to a nozzle axis at an angle between 20° and 40°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Timothy S. Snyder
  • Patent number: 11976589
    Abstract: An engine system for an aircraft includes a first gas turbine engine, a second gas turbine engine, and a control system. The control system is configured to operate the first gas turbine engine with a sub-idle fuel burn schedule based on detecting landing of the aircraft, where the sub-idle fuel burn schedule includes a reduction of an idle fuel burn schedule. The control system is configured to operate the second gas turbine engine with the idle fuel burn schedule based on detecting landing of the aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen A. Witalis, Ramesh Rajagopalan, Subhradeep Chowdhury
  • Patent number: 11971172
    Abstract: A premixer assembly for a combustor includes: at least one ring of premixers, each premixer having a central axis, an annular peripheral wall surrounding a centerbody, and at least one swirler disposed between the centerbody and the peripheral wall, wherein the peripheral wall defines an inlet area of the premixer; and a lip extending forward along the central axis from the peripheral wall, the lip extending at an oblique angle to the axis of symmetry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: David A. Lind, Ajoy Patra, Ting-Yu Tu, Pradeep Naik, Gregory A. Boardman
  • Patent number: 11965467
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system comprises first and second thrust producing gas turbine engines. The system comprises a controller configured to determine a required overall propulsion system thrust level, and determine an engine core power level contribution from each aircraft gas turbine engine such that the overall propulsion system produces a minimum overall noise level and meets the required overall propulsion system thrust level. In meeting the minimum overall noise level, at least the first and second gas turbine engines are operated at different engine core power settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Peter Swann, Kevin M Britchford
  • Patent number: 11953205
    Abstract: A swirler with a fuel manifold, and a combustor and gas turbine including the same are provided. The swirler may include a swirler body disposed between an inner surface of a fuel nozzle and an outer surface of a center body, a fuel injection hole disposed on the swirler body, a fuel manifold formed in the swirler body, the fuel manifold being connected to a fuel channel disposed in the center body while communicating with the fuel injection hole, and a turbulence alleviator formed at a fuel inlet of the fuel manifold to alleviate creation of turbulence of fuel flowing from the fuel channel to the fuel manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: DOOSAN ENERBILITY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: In Chan Choi
  • Patent number: 11946422
    Abstract: A method of operating a combustion system (16) for a gas turbine (10), the combustor system (16) comprises a main fuel supply (72, 73), a pilot fuel supply (74), a combustion chamber (38). The method comprises the steps supplying a first fuel flow through the main fuel supply (72) and the pilot fuel supply (74), monitoring a composition of the first fuel, monitoring combustion instability, reducing the first fuel flow through the pilot fuel supply (74) to zero when the first fuel composition has a) a hydrogen content ?5% by volume and/or b) a high-HC content ?5% by volume and the combustion instability <a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ghenadie Bulat, Kristopher Calladine
  • Patent number: 11940150
    Abstract: A combustion chamber assembly includes a through hole on the combustion chamber wall bounded on an outer side of the wall by a hole edge and a combustion chamber shingle having a collar bounding a mixing air hole on the outer side of the wall and protruding with a first collar portion beyond the hole edge on the outer side of the wall. A cooling air opening is formed on an inner circumferential surface of a duct portion of the mixing air hole adjoining the first collar portion and extending in the direction of a combustion space, the cooling air opening leading into a cooling air duct which extends through the duct portion and via which cooling air is guided out of the mixing air hole in a direction of a hot side of the shingle facing the combustion space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignees: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG, ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Matthew Thomson, Romek Ott, Igor Sikorski, Sabina Heyen
  • Patent number: 11933221
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine including a core having a compressor section fluidly connected to a combustor via a primary flowpath and a turbine section connected to the combustor via the core flow path. An assembly is disposed within the gas turbine engine and includes a first part connected to a second part via a radial stack joint. The first part includes a radially inward facing surface contacting a corresponding radially outward facing surface of the second part. A fastener protrudes through the first part and the second part and is configured to maintain the relative positions of the first part and the second part. A channel is disposed on at least one of the radially inward facing surfaces and is positioned between the fastener and a circumferential edge of the first part. The channel is connected to at least one cooling air source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Corey D. Anderson, Edward Boucher, Rebecca R. Dunnigan, Nicholas Broulidakis, Matthew Murakami, Daniel R. Brandt, Konrad Kuc, Victoria M. Imlach, Sushruth G. Kamath, Manuel A. Casares Rivas, Eric G. Leamon, Adam Castles, Edmond Cheung, Kyra A. Thole-Wilson, Javier Nebero Johnson
  • Patent number: 11927101
    Abstract: Tip shrouds or other shrouds with multi-slope geometries are generally implemented using segments, since performing the necessary cut for an alternative split-ring design is difficult given conventional cutting processes. However, a segmented design generally results in more leakage, relative to a split-ring design. Accordingly, a split-ring multi-slope design is disclosed that can be more easily manufactured. In particular, a continuous ring may be cut along a linear path to produce a split ring, and then the ends of the split ring may be machined to form complementary shiplap portions. The split ring may then be compressed for installation by overlapping the shiplap portions, to form a seal against leakage through the shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Megan K. Waller, Jeffrey B. Stewart, George Prater, James Maleski, Victor Antonio Chagala Galicia, Antonio Fajardo Celis, Marius Dumitrascu, Jeffrey Tarczy
  • Patent number: 11920517
    Abstract: A turbine engine heat exchanger has an array of heat exchanger plates mounted to an inner case wall for providing heat transfer from a bleed flowpath to a bypass flowpath. Each plate has: first and second faces along the bypass flowpath; a proximal edge mounted to the inner case wall; an inlet along the proximal edge; an outlet along the proximal edge; and a branch segment of the bleed flowpath passing from the inlet to the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: James F. Wiedenhoefer, Russell J. Bergman, William P. Stillman, Patrick M. Hart
  • Patent number: 11913405
    Abstract: An airflow profile structure having a leading and/or trailing edge profiled with a serrated profile having a succession of teeth and depressions. Along the leading and/or trailing edge, from a first location to a second location, the teeth of the serrated profile are individually inclined towards the second location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: Safran Aircraft Engines
    Inventors: Fernando Gea Aguilera, Matthieu Fiack, Mathieu Simon Paul Gruber
  • Patent number: 11913645
    Abstract: A combustor assembly for a gas turbine engine defining a radial direction and a circumferential direction includes a liner assembly at least partially defining a combustion chamber and including at least one liner formed of a ceramic matrix composite material and extending between a downstream end and an upstream end, the downstream end of the at least one liner defining an interface surface extending along the circumferential direction; and a seal member also formed of a ceramic matrix composite material and bonded to the interface surface of the at least one liner, the seal member defining a downstream surface for contacting an adjacent component to form a seal with the adjacent component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ernesto Andres Vallejo Ruiz, Douglas Craig Anderson
  • Patent number: 11898493
    Abstract: A system includes an air manifold, a fuel manifold, and a plurality of fuel injectors. At least one of the fuel injectors includes a heat exchanger portion for supplying compressed, cooled air form the heat exchanger portion to the air manifold. An air valve is operatively connected to an outlet of the air manifold for controlling release of air from the air manifold. A controller is operatively connected to the air valve, wherein the controller includes machine readable instructions configured to control the air valve to regulate flow of air through the air valve based on fuel temperatures in the fuel channel. The machine readable instructions can be configured to cause the controller to flow air through the air valve in a heat exchange mode if a fuel temperature in the fuel injectors is below a predetermined fuel temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason A. Ryon, Gregory A. Zink, Brandon P. Williams, Lev A. Prociw
  • Patent number: 11898503
    Abstract: Methods and systems for determining an engine temperature for a gas turbine engine are provided. An estimated combustor temperature is determined based on at least one operating condition of the gas turbine engine and an estimated vane mass flow. A corrected vane mass flow is determined based on the estimated combustor temperature, the estimated vane mass flow, and a combustor pressure. The corrected vane mass flow is compared to a reference vane mass flow to obtain the mass flow correction factor. When a condition associated with the mass flow correction factor is not satisfied, the estimated combustor temperature is adjusted based on the mass flow correction factor to produce an adjusted combustor temperature; and the mass flow correction factor is updated based on the adjusted combustor temperature. When the condition associated with the mass flow correction factor is satisfied, the estimated combustor temperature is assigned as the engine temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Yves Cloutier
  • Patent number: 11892165
    Abstract: A heat shield for a fuel nozzle of a gas turbine engine combustor. The heat shield includes a radial flange extending in radial and circumferential directions and has an opening therethrough at a radially inward end of the radial flange, and an annular conical wall extending in longitudinal and circumferential directions, the annular conical wall being connected to the radial flange at the radially inward end of the radial flange. The radial flange includes a flange forward side, and a flange aft side, and has a flange outer end portion. The flange outer end portion includes a flange rounded end portion on one of the flange forward side or the flange aft side, and a flange rounded protruding lip on the other of the flange forward side or the flange aft side, the rounded protruding lip extending in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Hiranya Nath, Michael A. Benjamin, Rajendra Wankhade, Hari Chandra
  • Patent number: 11891954
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan located at a forward portion of the gas turbine engine. A compressor section and a turbine section are arranged in serial flow order. The compressor section and the turbine section together define a core airflow path. A rotary member is rotatable with at least a portion of the compressor section and with at least a portion of the turbine section. An electrical machine is coupled to the rotary member and is located at least partially inward of the core airflow path in a radial direction. An enclosure at least partially encloses the electrical machine. The enclosure at least partially defines a first cooling airflow path within the enclosure that at least partially defines a first cooling airflow buffer cavity at least partially around the electrical machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignees: General Electric Company Polska sp. z o.o., General Electric Company
    Inventors: Adam Tomasz Paziński, Miroslaw Sobaniec, Christopher N. Delametter
  • Patent number: 11891959
    Abstract: A fuel control system for a gas turbine engine includes a fuel metering valve, a pressure raising and shut-off valve (PRSOV), and a shutoff effector including a first stage unit that is electrically powered and a second stage unit that is controlled by the first stage unit. The second stage unit actuates a valve member of the PRSOV between an open position that allows supply of a fuel to burners of the gas turbine engine and a closed position that prevents supply of the fuel to the burners. Upon loss of electrical power to the first stage unit during operation of the gas turbine engine, the first stage unit is configured to: control the second stage unit to actuate the valve member of the PRSOV to the closed position after a predetermined time duration; or retain the valve member of the PRSOV in the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Daniel J Bickley
  • Patent number: 11885281
    Abstract: An aeronautical thrust reverser including a sliding cowl, shutter flaps and deflection cascades. The reverser includes, for each flap, a return member hinged to the sliding cowl, to a driving connecting rod itself hinged to a front frame of the reverser, and to a return connecting rod itself hinged to the flap, the latter being moreover hinged by its rear end to the sliding cowl. The return member, the driving connecting rod and the return connecting rod form an actuation system capable of opening the secondary flow duct in a direct thrust configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN NACELLES
    Inventors: Josse Plaquin, Cedric François Pierre Renault
  • Patent number: 11879393
    Abstract: A fuel system can include a total flow line configured to receive a total flow and a primary flow line connected to the total flow line. The primary flow line can be in fluid communication with one or more primary fuel nozzles of a nozzle assembly. The fuel system can include a secondary flow line connected to the total flow line in parallel with the primary flow line, the secondary flow line in fluid communication with a plurality of secondary flow nozzles of the nozzle assembly. The fuel system can include a flow split system configured to control a flow split between a primary flow of the primary flow line and a secondary flow of the secondary flow line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Charles E. Reuter, Kevin Gibbons
  • Patent number: 11878810
    Abstract: Auxiliary power systems, aircraft including the same, and related methods are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the aircraft includes an airframe and an auxiliary power system that includes an auxiliary power unit (APU), an APU controller, and a bleed air temperature (BAT) sensor. The APU defines a bleed air outlet and is configured to regulate a BAT of a bleed air flow generated by the auxiliary power unit. The BAT sensor is positioned at a remote BAT location that is outside the bleed air outlet of the APU. In another embodiment, the auxiliary power system includes an APU configured to generate a bleed air flow, an APU controller configured to receive and transmit signals, and a BAT sensor suite configured to measure the BAT of the bleed air flow and to generate a BAT signal that is based, at least in part, on the BAT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Scott Schorn, John Carl Szillat, David Scott Krug, Paul R. Tretow, Keith Douglas Choyke, Royal E. Boggs, Angela O'Gorman