Patents Examined by Katheryn Malatek
  • Aircraft propulsion system comprising an internal fixed structure with a discharge slot
    Patent number: 11047262
    Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft. The propulsion system comprises a core, an internal fixed structure secured to the core and arranged around the core, and a nacelle surrounding the core and the internal fixed structure in which a secondary flow path is delimited between the internal fixed structure and the nacelle. The internal fixed structure has a slot which permits fluidic communication between a compartment on the inside of the internal fixed structure and the secondary flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
    Inventors: Thierry Gaches, Lionel Czapla, Bastian Sabathier
  • Method and system for detecting an abnormal engine start
    Patent number: 11047309
    Abstract: Herein provided are methods and systems for detecting an abnormal engine start of a gas turbine engine. An inter-turbine temperature of the engine is measured during engine start. The inter-turbine temperature is compared to an inter-turbine temperature threshold which depends on at least one additional parameter. An abnormal engine start is detected when the inter-turbine temperature exceeds the threshold. The at least one additional parameter may comprise engine rotational speed. The at least one additional parameter may comprise time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Andrzej Fiedler, Michael Krynski
  • Bellmouth nozzle assembly for a gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 11047336
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine that includes a nozzle assembly that has features that facilitate airflow into and through a bypass passage of the gas turbine engine during a reverse thrust operation is provided. The nozzle assembly of the gas turbine engine also includes features that increase the effectiveness of the thrust reverse system of the gas turbine engine. Methods for reversing the thrust of a gas turbine engine are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Tomasz Iglewski
  • Precooling for fuel vaporization in use with catalytic fuel tank inerting
    Patent number: 11046449
    Abstract: A gas inerting system for an aircraft includes a fuel tank configured to contain a liquid fuel, a fuel vaporization system in fluid communication with the fuel tank and configured to receive the liquid fuel from the fuel tank, a source of air in fluid communication with the fuel vaporization system and configured to deliver air into the liquid fuel to produce the fuel vapor, a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the source of air at a location upstream of the fuel vaporization system, and a catalytic oxidation unit in fluid communication with the fuel vaporization system. The heat exchanger is configured to cool the air from the air source. A fluid connection is configured to deliver the fuel vapor to the catalytic oxidation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Eric Surawski
  • Gas turbine engine reverse bleed for coking abatement
    Patent number: 11047306
    Abstract: A turbine engine includes: a core cowl, a core within the core cowl, the core including a compressor having a bleed port; an undercowl space; a cooling duct at least partially in the undercowl space and having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet communicating with a source of cooling air, the outlet communicating with the compressor bleed port; a valve assembly in the cooling duct; and a cooling blower operable to move air flow from the inlet of the cooling duct towards the outlet of the cooling duct and into the compressor bleed port. A method of cooling an engine having a core cowl and a compressor, combustor and turbine includes: operating the engine; shutting the engine down; after or during engine shutdown, operating a cooling blower internal to the engine cowl, to force air through the compressor by way of a compressor bleed port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael R. Millhaem, Byron Andrew Pritchard, Hendrik Pieter Jacobus de Bock, John Carl Glessner, Jeffrey Scott Ksander, Craig A. Gonyou, Christopher Jon Potokar
  • Combustor assembly for a turbine engine
    Patent number: 11047574
    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: December 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ernesto Andres Vallejo Ruiz, Douglas Craig Anderson
  • Combustion chamber system and a method of operating a combustion chamber system
    Patent number: 11041626
    Abstract: A combustion chamber system has pilot and main fuel manifolds, and pilot and main fuel nozzles. Each pilot nozzle is connected to the pilot manifold. Each main nozzle is connected to the main manifold. A greater total amount of fuel is supplied to the pilot nozzles than to the main nozzles. A greater amount of fuel is supplied to pilot nozzles at, or in, a first region of the combustion chamber than to pilot fuel nozzles at, or in, a second region. A greater amount of fuel is supplied to the main nozzles at, or in, the first region than to the main nozzles at, or in, the second to improve combustion efficiency, weak extinction and relight of the combustion chamber in a first mode of operation. A greater total amount of fuel is supplied to the main nozzles than to the pilot nozzles in a second mode of operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Hua Wei Huang, Jochen Rupp, Michael Whiteman
  • Metering valve assembly and method of assembly thereof
    Patent number: 11041445
    Abstract: A valve assembly includes a body including an inlet port, an outlet port, and a flow passage extending therebetween. The flow passage includes a plurality of valve seats in a stepped arrangement between the inlet port and the outlet port. The valve assembly further includes a valve stem positioned within the flow passage. The valve stem includes at least one shaft and a poppet disk positioned at one end of the at least one shaft, and at least one reed petal coupled to the at least one shaft. The poppet disk is engageable with a first valve seat of the plurality of valve seats, and the at least one reed petal is engageable with a second valve seat of the plurality of valve seats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: John Michael Cadman, David Richard Barnhart
  • Fuel spray nozzle for a gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 11041624
    Abstract: A fuel spray nozzle comprises a fuel passage (1) having at least one inlet and at least one outlet. The outlet is configured for accelerating fuel exiting the fuel passage into a jet. An air swirler (3) is arranged outboard of the fuel passage and converges to a single outlet chamber (5) adjacent the fuel passage outlet(s). The air swirler (3) can be nominally concentrically arranged but have some freedom to move axially or radially or change its angular position. The fuel passage outlets may be arranged symmetrically in an annular configuration. An air passage may be arranged axially within the annular array of fuel passage outlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Frederic Witham, Steven P Jones, Jonathan M Gregory, Timothy Minchin, David Clarke, David Steele
  • Gas turbine engine service tube mount
    Patent number: 11041438
    Abstract: An apparatus and method of biasing a service tube within a turbine rear frame of a gas turbine engine. The engine includes an engine core having a service fitting. A service tube is mounted to the service fitting and at least one support mount secures the service tube to the engine core. A spring element on the support mount can provide a biasing force to the service tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Karthik Gopal Rao Agara, Edward Joseph Stiftar, Caitlin Marie Ford, Vinodh Rajagopalan
  • Combined cycle power plant having condensate recirculation pump using venturi effect
    Patent number: 11041409
    Abstract: A combined cycle power plant and a method for operating a combined cycle power plant are presented. The combined cycle power plant includes a condensate recirculation pump to recirculate flow medium from downstream of a condensate preheater system to upstream of the condensate preheater system. An adequate flow temperature at the upstream of the condensate preheater system may be maintained to prevent acid gas dew point corrosion. The condensate recirculation pump may use a venturi effect to convert a high pressure of a condensate supplied by a condensate extraction pump to a suction pressure for the recirculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Mohamed Elfadli
  • Process for retrofitting an industrial gas turbine engine for increased power and efficiency
    Patent number: 11041436
    Abstract: A process for retrofitting an industrial gas turbine engine of a power plant where an old industrial engine with a high spool has a new low spool with a low pressure turbine that drives a low pressure compressor using exhaust gas from the high pressure turbine, and where the new low pressure compressor delivers compressed air through a new compressed air line to the high pressure compressor through a new inlet added to the high pressure compressor. The old electric generator is replaced with a new generator having around twice the electrical power production. One or more stages of vanes and blades are removed from the high pressure compressor to optimally match a pressure ratio split. Closed loop cooling of one or more new stages of vanes and blades in the high pressure turbine is added and the spent cooling air is discharged into the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell B. Jones, Joseph D. Brostmeyer, Justin T. Cejka, John E. Ryznic
  • Fuel injector heat exchanger assembly
    Patent number: 11029029
    Abstract: A fuel injector heat exchanger assembly is provided, in which the fuel injector assembly includes a body defining an outer surface and an inner surface. The body includes a plurality of walls in concentric arrangement. The plurality of walls defines a plurality of passages including a first passage surrounded by a second passage, and a third passage surrounding the second passage. Each passage is fluidly segregated from one another by the plurality of walls. A first conduit wall is defined through the body from the outer surface. The first conduit wall defines a first conduit in fluid communication with the second passage. The first conduit wall fluidly segregates the first conduit from the third passage. The first conduit is configured to admit a flow of fluid from outside the fuel injector into the second passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Varun Swaminathan Lakshmanan, Michael Anthony Benjamin, Veeraraju Vanapalli, Karthikeyan Sampath
  • Load distribution panel assembly, system and method
    Patent number: 11022071
    Abstract: There is provided a load distribution panel assembly for a gas turbine engine. The assembly has a panel structure having at least one circumferential structural panel having a first end, and a second end coupled to a fixed structure of the gas turbine engine. The circumferential structural panel has a first compliant portion extending away from the first end, and has a second stiffened portion angled with respect to and extending radially away from the first compliant portion, and terminating at the second end. The second stiffened portion has a closed stiffened cavity portion integral with a perimeter flange portion. The panel assembly converts fore/aft point load(s) applied to it by load applying apparatus(es), to hoop tension and compression loads, and reacts a load offset in in-plane load(s), to provide uniform load distribution of the fore/aft point load(s) to the fixed structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Luke D. Torjesen, Robert D. Morrow
  • Backup system for supplying compressed air to a gas turbine component
    Patent number: 11022040
    Abstract: The invention relates generally to gas turbine engines used for electrical power generation. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide systems and ways for improving gas turbine engine reliability through an electric motor backup system for cooling features of the turbine section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Powerphase International, LLC
    Inventor: Robert J. Kraft
  • Adaptable dual delta-P flow measurement
    Patent number: 11008948
    Abstract: A system includes a venturi duct, a first delta P sensor, a second delta P sensor, and an ECS controller. The venturi duct is configured to receive a first bleed air flow or a second bleed air flow. The first and second delta P sensors are configured to sense a first and second pressure difference between a first point and a second point of the venturi duct. The first and second delta P sensors are configured to sense pressure difference over different pressure ranges. The ECS controller is configured determine a flow rate of an ECS air flow based upon the first pressure and/or second sensed pressure differences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Robert M. DeRoy, Patrick Yung, John M. Maljanian, Jeffry K. Kamenetz, Mark Vignali, John A. Schwemmer
  • Undercut combustor panel rail
    Patent number: 11009230
    Abstract: A heat shield panel for a gas turbine engine combustor is disclosed. The heat shield panel includes a hot side defining a first surface having an outer perimeter, a cold side defining a second surface spaced from the first surface, a rail member disposed on the cold side proximate a first portion of the outer perimeter, the rail member having an outer wall and an inner wall, an undercut portion within the second surface proximate the inner wall of the rail member and an orifice extending through the rail member, from the inner wall to the outer wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Steven D Porter, Jon E Sobanski
  • Combustor having honeycomb seal ring
    Patent number: 11009131
    Abstract: Provided is a combustor of a gas turbine including a combustion liner where combustion occurs, a transition piece connected to the combustion liner to allow combustion gases to pass through, and a honeycomb seal ring disposed between the combustion liner and the transition piece to prevent compressed air from leaking through a gap between the combustion liner and the transition piece. The honeycomb seal ring is inserted into the exit portion of the combustion liner to prevent compressed air from leaking when the combustion liner and the transition piece are coupled with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Doosan Heavy Industries Construction Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Glenn David Turner, Matthew Charles Lau, Ryan Lee Nutt
  • Nozzle for an aircraft propulsion system
    Patent number: 11002188
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for an aircraft propulsion system. This assembly includes an inlet lip for a nacelle inlet structure, a bulkhead and a nozzle. The bulkhead is configured with the inlet lip to form a cavity between the inlet lip and the bulkhead. The nozzle includes a distribution conduit and one or more nozzle ports. The distribution conduit projects longitudinally out from the bulkhead and into the cavity along a conduit centerline. At least a first portion of the distribution conduit tapers as the distribution conduit extends longitudinally along the conduit centerline. The first portion of the distribution conduit has an elongated geometry in a plane perpendicular to the conduit centerline. The one or more nozzle ports are arranged longitudinally along the conduit centerline and fluidly coupled with an internal passage of the distribution conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Rohr, Inc.
    Inventor: Radhakrishna Chilukuri
  • Gas turbine combustor, gas turbine, and control method for gas turbine combustor
    Patent number: 10995679
    Abstract: A flame produced within a premixer is promptly extinguished and a reduction in output power of a gas turbine associated with extinguishment is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi, Power, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuki Abe, Akinori Hayashi, Yasuhiro Wada, Tetsuma Tatsumi, Shohei Yoshida