Patents Examined by L. J. Casaregola
  • Patent number: 7331169
    Abstract: Conventional auxiliary power units (APUs) may experience over-temperature shutdowns when attempting to start them at high altitudes. Further, such conventional APUs may also experience overspeed conditions when a generator load is removed during on-speed operations. A fuel control logic that controls the fuel flow cutback below the minimum blowout fuel schedule is provided. A temperature trim loop measures engine temperature to determine the onset of a possible over-temperature condition. The fuel flow may then be trimmed accordingly to correct this over-temperature onset. Further, when the onset of an overspeed condition is detected, such as when a generator load is removed, the fuel flow may be trimmed accordingly to correct this overspeed onset. The fuel control logic allows the control to find the individual minimum fuel flow for each fuel control without risking blowout of the APU itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventor: Harold J. Riley
  • Patent number: 7328582
    Abstract: An annular turbine engine combustion chamber configured so that in an axial half-section, values of first acute angles formed between a line that is effectively the median of the half-section located between an external axial wall and an internal axial wall, and the principal directions, in this half-section, of the holes in an external portion of a chamber base, decrease as a function of the distance between the holes and this line that is effectively the median. Further, values of second acute angles formed between the line that is effectively the median and the principal directions, in this half-section, of the holes in an internal portion of the chamber base, decrease as a function of the distance between the holes and this line that is effectively the median.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Snecma Moteurs
    Inventors: Denis Sandelis, Yves Salan
  • Patent number: 7328581
    Abstract: A method for the generation of electrical power from a carbonaceous fuel, wherein the fuel is combusted in presence of oxygen under increased pressure in a combustion chamber is described. The exhaust gas from the combustion is separated into a CO2 rich fraction that is handled so that it does not escape to the surroundings, and a CO2 depleted fraction that is expanded over one or more turbines to power other processes and/or generation of electrical power, before the gas is released into the surroundings, where the temperature in the combustion chamber is reduced under the generation of steam that is expanded over steam turbines connected to electrical generator for the generation of electrical power. Additionally a thermal power plant for the performing of the method is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Sargas AS
    Inventors: Tor Christensen, Henrik Fleischer, Knut Børseth
  • Patent number: 7325402
    Abstract: A pilot nozzle heat shield includes a generally cylindrical body having a first end for receiving a pilot nozzle. The body includes a plurality of radial retention pin cavities for receiving retention pins. A frustoconical flow tip is located at a second end of the body that includes a proximal periphery and a distal periphery. A plurality of flow jets are circumferentially spaced about the proximal periphery of the frustoconical flow tip which further includes a plurality of slots extending distally from the plurality of flow jets. The plurality of slots define a plurality of tangs and the plurality of tangs define an aperture at the distal periphery of the flow tip. At least two of the tangs are connected about the distal periphery of the flow tip and the pilot nozzle heat shield generally includes at least two sets of connected tangs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Power Generation, Inc.
    Inventors: David Parker, Rajeev Ohri, Plum Boonsuan
  • Patent number: 7325403
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a dome assembly for a gas turbine engine combustor includes forming an annular dome plate including a plurality of substantially circular eyelets circumferentially spaced thereon, coupling a seal plate to the dome plate at each eyelet such that an opening defined in each seal plate is aligned substantially concentrically with respect to a respective eyelet, coupling a baffle to each seal plate such that an opening defined in each baffle is aligned substantially concentrically with respect to a respective eyelet, and coupling a swirler assembly having an integrally formed swirler and flare cone to each seal plate such that the flare cone extends at least partially through the baffle opening, and such that cooling air may be directed towards the flare cone through openings formed in the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Aureen Cyr Currin, Kamil Bazyli Kaczorowski, John Carl Jacobson, Joseph Douglas Monty
  • Patent number: 7322178
    Abstract: A device for indicating a residual power margin of aircraft turbine engines includes a measuring stage associated with at least one turbine engine of an aircraft to measure a number of first parameters related to a power output of the engine; a calculating unit associated with the measuring unit to calculate at least one second parameter indicating the power output of the engine on the basis of the first parameters; and a display. The display includes a power scale having at least one reference indicator indicating an operating limit of the engine; and at least one cursor cooperating with the power scale and the reference indicator to simultaneously display a current value of the second parameter and an available power margin of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Agusta S.p.A.
    Inventor: Maurizio Simoni
  • Patent number: 7322195
    Abstract: An acoustic resonator for use in an engine is provided. The acoustic resonator includes a cavity having a volume, an aperture, and a passage connecting the aperture and the cavity. The aperture has a profiled surface for delaying separation of fluid entering the passage and for reducing losses caused by fluid separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Mark Edward Borja, Gavin Julian Hendricks
  • Patent number: 7322197
    Abstract: Variable rate ignition method and system that take advantage of knowledge and analysis of environmental conditions and/or operational conditions. A variable ignition rate for igniting the engine permits an optimal use of the igniters and thereby prolongs their life as well as its associated maintenance schedule. Operating costs and durability are also enhanced. Furthermore, flexibility is enhanced since any changes to the method of determining the best spark rate can be made through update in the software of the engine controller instead of change in the hardware (e.g., the exciter).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: Pratt + Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Richard Robert Kudrna, Danielle Methot
  • Patent number: 7320213
    Abstract: A system for ranking combustion chambers in a gas turbine in order of chamber combustion temperature including: at least one fuel nozzle supplying fuel to the combustion chambers at a predetermined fuel rate abnormally near a lean blow out (LBO) condition of the chambers; at least one dynamic pressure sensor in each chamber sensing combustion dynamic pressures in said combustion chambers and generating dynamic pressure signals representative of the dynamic pressure in each of said combustion chambers, wherein the dynamic pressure signals provide information regarding the dynamic pressure at a plurality of frequencies; a signal band pass filter segmenting the signals into a plurality of predefined frequency bands comprising a lean blow out (LBO) precursor frequency band, a cold tone frequency band and a hot tone frequency band; a processor determining a value for each chamber representative of amplitudes of the signals in each of LBO precursor frequency band, the cold tone frequency band and the hot tone frequ
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Minesh Ashok Shah, Ajai Singh, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Derrick Simons
  • Patent number: 7320212
    Abstract: In a gas turbine engine, a fuel inlet tube comprising a body, a channel defined in the body and in fluid communication with a manifold, and a side inlet in fluid communication with the channel, such that fuel entering the side inlet is delivered to the manifold through the channel with a pressure generally directed along a radial axis of the body. Also, a fuel inlet tube comprising a heat shield surrounding at least part of a body, a chamber defined between the heat shield and the body and in fluid communication with fuel leak sources, a drain channel defined in the body in fluid communication with the chamber, and a drain hole defined in the body in fluid communication with the drain channel, such that a leak produces fuel received in the chamber and safely directed through the channel and the hole to allow detection of the leak.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Jason Araan Fish, Bryan Olver, Vittorio Bruno
  • Patent number: 7318317
    Abstract: A combustion chamber 10 for a gas turbine that operates in a highly diluted mode of combustion has a substantially toroidal plenum 30. At least one combustion fluid injector is located at the periphery of the plenum. The shape of the plenum and the disposition of the combustion fuel injectors are such that a vortex flow 2 is established in the combustion chamber in use. Gasses are entrained in the vortex which provides high enough levels of flue gas re-circulation to allow for the onset of highly diluted combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.
    Inventor: Elisabetta Carrea
  • Patent number: 7316105
    Abstract: The invention relates to an inventive steam power plant comprising at least one steam turbine and a steam generator. According to the invention, a firing device is located downstream of the steam generator and upstream of the steam turbine and/or downstream of a first turbine phase and upstream of a second turbine phase of the stream turbine in the direction of the stream flow and the steam flow can be heated in a combustion chamber of the firing device by being mixed with a heating gas that can be generated in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Georg Haberberger, Christoph Kail
  • Patent number: 7316117
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustor (10) comprises a main swirler assembly (400) comprising an annulus casting (410) itself comprising a modified downstream end (418) fitted into an reversed-edge base plate (450) that comprises an opening (453) defined by a lip (452) oriented upstream. The lip (452) comprises an upstream surface (457), an outboard surface (458) and an inboard surface (459). In certain embodiments the modified downstream end (418) has a shape to fit against the upstream surface (457) and the outboard surface (458) so as to increase the natural frequency of the main swirler assembly (400) to above the natural frequency of the combustion in the gas turbine combustor (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Power Generation, Inc.
    Inventor: Rajeev Ohri
  • Patent number: 7310952
    Abstract: A method facilitates assembling a combustor for a gas turbine engine, wherein the combustor includes a swirler assembly. The method comprises machining material to form a domeplate, positioning a sealplate including an overhanging portion against the domeplate, securing the sealplate in position relative to the domeplate with a welding process, and welding the swirler assembly to the domeplate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stephen John Howell, John Carl Jacobson, Timothy P. McCaffrey, Barry Francis Barnes
  • Patent number: 7305830
    Abstract: In a gas turbine engine, a fuel inlet tube comprising a body, a channel defined in the body and in fluid communication with a manifold, and a side inlet in fluid communication with the channel, the side inlet being sealingly isolated by at least two annular sealing members concentric with each other and disposed about the tube body at longitudinally spaced part points thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventor: Jason Fish
  • Patent number: 7302801
    Abstract: A combustor assembly includes a combustor chamber having a primary and intermediate zone that provides for reduced flame temperatures. The combustor assembly includes first and second pluralities of injectors. The first plurality of injectors introduces fuel to a primary zone. A second plurality of injectors introduces fuel to an intermediate zone. During operation between initial start up and before the introduction of engine load, fuel is introduced into the primary zone only by the first plurality of injectors. Once engine load is applied to the engine, fuel is introduced into the intermediate zone by the second plurality of injectors. Introduction of additional volume of fuel allows the fuel-air ratio to remain constant regardless of engine operating conditions. The constant fuel-air ratio is maintained at a desired rate to lower flame temperatures and reduce nitrous oxide emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Daih-Yeou Chen
  • Patent number: 7299637
    Abstract: A method according to the invention or a corresponding device (1) provides for dividing exhaust gas (9) exiting the gas turbine into a first (11) and a second partial stream (13), for mixing the first partial stream (11) with combustion air (15), and for channeling the resulting mixture (17) to the combustion chamber (5) and the second partial stream (13) to a carbon dioxide precipitation plant (21). In an advantageous embodiment the exhaust gas (9) exiting the gas turbine (3) is previously used to generate process steam (31) for a steam turbine (33) (gas and steam power station) then cooled before the exhaust gas (9) is divided into said partial streams (11,13). Water (29) precipitating during cooling is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Bernard Becker
  • Patent number: 7299617
    Abstract: This invention relates to a gas turbine having a combustion chamber arrangement and a turbine chamber connected downstream of said combustion chamber arrangement, wherein the combustion chamber arrangement includes a plurality of individual combustion chambers formed by input areas and transition areas converging in an annular gap leading to the turbine chamber and wherein the longitudinal axes of the individual combustion chambers are placed at an angle relative to an engine axis that is defined by the axial extension of the turbine chamber. In order to improve said gas turbine by visibly reducing the thermal and mechanical loads of the individual combustion chambers in the transition area so that cooling requirements can be lowered in said area, the transition area of at least one individual combustion chamber into the turbine chamber is deflected in the direction of the engine axis and substantially in the input area of the turbine chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Iris Oltmanns, legal representatives, Peter Tiemann, deceased
  • Patent number: 7299638
    Abstract: A combined heat and power system that may be ON/OFF controlled by the thermal load requirements for the system and/or operated at or below atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Inventor: Robin MacKay
  • Patent number: 7296412
    Abstract: Method for preventing coking of liquid hydrocarbon fuel in a liquid fuel supply system of a gaseous fuel/liquid fuel combustion turbine comprises injecting nitrogen gas into the liquid fuel supply system to displace a portion of the liquid hydrocarbon fuel adjacent the combustion turbine and separate remaining liquid hydrocarbon fuel in the liquid fuel supply system from the combustion turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gavin M. Hall, Julio E. Mestroni