Patents Examined by L. J. Casaregola
  • Patent number: 7168253
    Abstract: A support arm (13) is intended to be installed in a radial position in an afterburner device of a bypass turbojet. The device comprises first and second inner annular casings defining a passage for a primary flow and an outer annular casing defining together with the first inner annular casing a passage for a secondary flow. The arm (13) comprises a monobloc structure made of composite material including two integral walls (14, 15), on the one hand, designed to define a groove (16) having a substantially V-shaped profile and, on the other hand, including first end parts (17) joined together and adapted to define a foot (18) and second end parts (19) adapted each to define at least one flange (20, 21) intended to be positively connected to the outer annular casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Snecma Moteurs
    Inventors: Stephane Blanchard, Stephane Touchaud, Thierry Pancou, Eric Conete, Pierre Camy, Georges Habarou
  • Patent number: 7162874
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine with a single stage combustor includes an external premixer to provide premixed fuel/compressed air to the combustor as well as compressed air for dilution; and an automatic controller to provide feedback control of the compressed air flow and fuel flow to the premixer in accordance with actual power versus power demand. The fuel/compressed air mixture is combusted in a combustor and the combustion gases and dilution air are expanded in a turbine. The engine further includes a bleed valve under control of the controller for diverting sufficient compressed dilution air past the turbine to induce increased fuel flow and compressed air flow to the premixer for delivery to, and combustion of, the combustor to compensate for the power deficit due to the bled air, to provide selected minimum premixer exit velocities during engine operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: HIJA Holding B.V.
    Inventor: R. Jan Mowill
  • Patent number: 7162875
    Abstract: In order to regulate fuel flow to the combustor (36) of the combustion turbine engine (10) having a primary combustion zone (64) and at least one further combustion zone, the temperature of the inlet and outlet of the combustor (36) are determined, as are first and second values representing first and second properties, with the first property being one of: the total enthalpy rise in the combustor (36), the equivalence ratio of the combustor (36), the fuel/air ratio of said combustor (36), the fuel flow through the combustor, and the second property being one of: the enthalpy rise in the primary zone (64), the equivalence ratio of said primary zone (64), the fuel/air ratio of the primary zone(64); the temperature rise across the primary zone(64), or the fuel flow through the primary zone (64). The second property is determined from the first value and the current value of the ratio of the fuel to the primary zone (64) to the total fuel to the combustor (36).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Paul Fletcher, Philip P Walsh
  • Patent number: 7162876
    Abstract: A system for optimizing cooling air supply pressure includes a high pressure fluid source which receives bleed air from the exit of a high pressure compressor and a nozzle and ejector assembly for supplying fluid to a point of use at a pressure sufficient to maintain a required cooling airflow and backflow margin at the point of use, and for reducing leakage of the cooling fluid between the high pressure source and the point of use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Richard W. Hoff, James P. Chrisikos
  • Patent number: 7155898
    Abstract: A thrust vector control system for a plug nozzle rocket engine for propelling and maneuvering a vehicle is disclosed. The plug nozzle rocket engine includes a housing having a nozzle throat, a plug disposed within the housing and positioned within the nozzle throat to define a space between the plug and the nozzle throat, and a thrust diverter moveably disposed relative to the housing to define an asymmetric pressure distribution along the plug for thrust-vectoring. In one embodiment, the thrust diverter is normally biased to a non-thrust-vectoring position, but is moveable in a plane substantially perpendicular to an axis extending longitudinally through the plug.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Aerojet-General Corporation
    Inventors: Charles G. Sota, Jr., George J. Callis, Robert K. Masse
  • Patent number: 7152409
    Abstract: According to one aspect, a method of controlling a multi-combustor catalytic combustion system is provided for determining a characteristic of a fuel-air mixture downstream of a preburner associated with a catalytic combustor and adjusting the fuel flow to the preburner based on the characteristic. The characteristic may include, for example, a measurement of the preburner or catalyst outlet temperature or a determination of the position of the homogeneous combustion wave in the burnout zone of the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: David K. Yee, Dag Reppen
  • Patent number: 7146795
    Abstract: The present invention is a combustion turbine assembly connected to a steam generator which utilizes deaerated potable water. The steam formed by the steam generator may be combined with air and injected into the combustor of the combustion turbine assembly to increase the mass flow of gas through the turbine for power augmentation. The deaeration of the feed water to the steam generator eliminates the need to demineralize the water and eliminates the use of more costly alloys for heat exchanger components of a steam generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: RGP Engineering LLC
    Inventor: Robert Gino Pelini
  • Patent number: 7143581
    Abstract: A gas turbine plant comprises an air compressor, gas turbine including at least one high temperature section, a driven equipment, which are operatively connected in series, a gas turbine combustor arranged between the air compressor and the gas turbine, a fuel system disposed for supplying a fuel to the gas turbine combustor, and a heat exchange section for heating the fuel from the fuel by means of a high pressure air as a heating medium fed from the air compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tadashi Kobayashi, Takanari Okamura, Shokou Ito, Takashi Sasaki, Akinori Koga
  • Patent number: 7143582
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operation of a burner, whereby a mixture used for burning is supplied to the burner in a two-stage process. In a first step atomised water is mixed with combustion air and said mixture is mixed with a fuel in a second step and then supplied to the burner. Said burner comprises means for carrying out the above method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Alfred Kessler
  • Patent number: 7143584
    Abstract: A gas turbine apparatus is provided which comprises a turbine, a combustor for burning a mixture of air and fuel and providing the turbine with a combustion gas to drive it, a generator connected to the turbine to receive rotational force therefrom to generate electric power, a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of an exhaust gas from the turbine, a temperature setting unit and a power setting unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Ebara Corporation
    Inventors: Terence McKelvey, Eishi Marui, Masahiro Miyamoto, Tadashi Kataoka, Tai Furuya
  • Patent number: 7143585
    Abstract: A turbine power plant includes power generation apparatuses divided into a plurality of modules, a common base mounting thereon the power generation apparatuses and a supporting apparatus for supporting the common base. The common base is constructed so as to be commonly used as a part of a transportation vehicle and as a frame of the power plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Kuroki, Isao Takehara, Yasuyuki Watanabe, Seisaku Takihana
  • Patent number: 7140175
    Abstract: The invention concerns a throttle control device for an aircraft turbine engine. It comprises a control assembly acting on the native command of the turbine engine (MT1–MT3) as a function of a manual input defined by a pilot control element (1). The pilot control element gives a lever angular position signal (CL, 10JS). The control assembly comprises: an automatic device (4) for converting the lever angular position signal into a transformed angular position signal following a selected command law, and an interface (70) for converting the transformed angular position signal into two sinusoidal signals of the resolver type, thus allowing control by the same device of different turbine machines such as turbine machines which have native command by sinusoidal type signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: SNECMA Moteurs
    Inventor: Jean-Luc Verniau
  • Patent number: 7140188
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes: an air flow control system installed in an air intake path for introducing air to a compressor. The air intake path is located outside and upstream with respect to the compressor. The engine also includes intake air flow control means for controlling an intake air flow by operating the air flow control system according to a load of the engine so as to maintain an air-to-fuel ratio in the combustor within a proper range suited to suppress a discharge of an atmospheric pollutant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasufumi Hosokawa, Makoto Gouda, Masahiro Ogata
  • Patent number: 7131274
    Abstract: A system for automatically transferring the fuel from one or more engine fuel manifolds directly to the engine fuel tank(s) during engine shutdown using an ejector pump has been presented. A checkvalve, which may be integrated with the ejector pump, is also used. A metering valve initiates fuel flow shutoff and is used in the draining of the fuel manifolds, thereby eliminating the need for an additional solenoid dedicated mainly to the shutoff function. The shutoff and pressurizing valve provides flow division between manifolds and manifold drain for systems having multiple manifolds. The bypass valve is used to turn the motive flow and/or manifold drain functions on and off as a function of engine speed at start and shutdown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Woodward Governor Company
    Inventors: Dmitriy Baryshnikov, Douglas P. Smith
  • Patent number: 7127898
    Abstract: A method for determining an estimated operating parameter for a gas turbine including the steps of: determining an estimated operating parameter using an algorithm have an input from a sensor, wherein the algorithm includes a trim factor; determining a first trim factor based on a comparison of the first estimated operating parameter and the output of the sensor when a condition of the sensor is in a first mode, and during a subsequent determination of the estimated operating parameter, applying the first trim factor to subsequently determine the estimated operating condition if the condition of second sensor is in a second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Timothy Andrew Healy
  • Patent number: 7124571
    Abstract: A rotary internal combustion engine with intermittent burning cycle, converting heat energy into the rotary motion, with a multi stage compression rotor (3) and centrifugally-axial air compression impellers (3.2), an air valve (5.1), which alternatively filling up the combustors (4.3) with the compressed air and closing them. A fuel pump (6) compresses fuel and through fuel distributor (6.1) supplies it to the combustors (4.3) to achieve combustion when sprinkled on the hot-red spirals of the ignition plugs (4.5). The gas generated in the combustors (4.3) passes through the cascade turbines (5.10; 5.3; 5.11), driving the power rotor (5) and through the coupling-gear (5.4) transferring rotary motion to a drive shaft (7). A hollow impeller (3.5), mounted onto the compression rotor (3), pumps air through a diffusor-shade (3.8) for cooling the compressor from the outside and the inside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Inventor: Algimantas Aleksandras Stanevicius
  • Patent number: 7121078
    Abstract: A method facilitates assembling a gas turbine engine assembly. The method comprises providing at least one propelling gas turbine engine that includes a core engine including at least one turbine. The method also comprises coupling an auxiliary engine to the propelling gas turbine engine such that during operation of the propelling gas turbine engine, at least a portion of the airflow entering the propelling gas turbine engine is extracted from the propelling gas turbine engine upstream from the core engine turbine, and channeled to the auxiliary engine for generating power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John B. Turco, Gary Craig Wollenweber
  • Patent number: 5970715
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a wavy air-foil structure effective to pre-mix liquid fuel and air prior to ingestion into a gas turbine engine. The structure is a surface or boundary generally in the form of a linear combination of sinusoidals, and over which the incoming air is caused to flow at very near sonic speed. This invention is based on a new phenomenon observed in a study of small-perturbation theory of gas dynamics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: San Diego State University Foundation
    Inventor: Balbir S. Narang
  • Patent number: 4444544
    Abstract: A rotor stage assembly 20 of the type adapted for use in an axial flow gas turbine engine is disclosed. The assembly includes a rotor disk 36 having blade attachment slots 42 configured to receive a plurality of rotor blades 40. Each rotor blade is insertable into the disk in a generally axial direction. Each rotor blade is retained against fore and aft movement by a lock pin 52. The disk is adapted by a groove 44 and the blade is adapted by a groove 48 to receive the lock pin. During assembly the lock pin is slidable in the grooves 44,48 to bring the lock pin into engagement with the corresponding groove in a rotor blade in a corresponding groove in the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1980
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1984
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Robert L. Rowley
  • Patent number: 4418529
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine fuel control has a main hydromechanical fuel flow control and an electrically operable valve in series with the flow control for speed limitation purposes. The valve is controlled by a signal N.sub.L or N.sub.H derived from an engine speed transducer. A phase advance compensation circuit advances the phase of the transducer signal and its output is applied to an error amplifier which compares it with a datum (which may vary with altitude). The error signal is applied to a non-linear amplifier the amplification factor of which increases when a certain error threshold is exceeded. The combination of phase advance and non-linear amplification ensures rapid limitation of speed without introducing stability problems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1980
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1983
    Assignee: Lucas Industries Limited
    Inventor: Michael J. Joby