Patents Examined by Louis J. Casaregola
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Patent number: 7581379Abstract: The plant includes a gaseous fuel processing apparatus for pre-processing natural gas (gaseous fuel) produced in the gas field, a liquid fuel processing apparatus for pre-processing liquid fuel obtained during the extraction and refining process of the natural gas, and a gas turbine. The gas turbine includes a compressor for generating compressed air, a combustor for mixing the compressed air from the compressor with one or both of the gaseous fuel pre-processed by the gaseous fuel processing apparatus and the liquid fuel pre-processed by the liquid fuel processing apparatus, and for burning a gas mixture, and a turbine for driving a generator by combustion gases supplied from the combustor.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2005Date of Patent: September 1, 2009Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Shouhei Yoshida, Yoshitaka Hirata, Hiroshi Inoue, Nariyoshi Kobayashi
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Patent number: 7581385Abstract: A cooling liner having a liner hot sheet formed as a relatively thick iso-grid structure having iso-grid ribs, which extend from a surface between the ribs. A multitude of metering sheets are mounted directly to the liner hot sheet surface. Each metering sheet is mounted to the iso-grid to define a multitude of discrete chambers. A seal is located in a pattern along a subset of the iso-grid ribs to further segregate the surface covered by each metering sheet into a further number of discrete subchambers. Each metering sheet includes a multitude of metering sheet apertures and the surface between the iso-grid ribs of the liner hot sheet include a multitude of hot sheet apertures. By varying the ratio between the number of metering sheet apertures and the number of hot sheet apertures, the pressure in each chamber is defined to efficiently maintain the minimum desired pressure ratio across the hot sheet without undue wastage of cooling airflow.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2005Date of Patent: September 1, 2009Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Jorge I. Farah, Michael J. Murphy, John R. Buey
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Patent number: 7581399Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a suspension system for mounting an exhaust duct liner within an exhaust duct of a gas turbine engine. An exhaust liner suspension system comprises a hanger, a bracket and a coil pin. The hanger comprises a first end for connecting with an exhaust duct and a second end having a hinge pin socket. The bracket comprises a base for connecting with an exhaust duct liner and a pedestal having a hinge pin bore. The coil pin is insertable in the hinge pin socket and the hinge pin bore thereby pivotably connecting the hanger and the bracket. The coil pin also provides a dampened connection between the hanger and the bracket.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2006Date of Patent: September 1, 2009Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Jorge I. Farah, Michael E. Nackoul, José M. Cintrón
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Patent number: 7581401Abstract: A method for cooling a turbine assembly component of a gas turbine engine in a combined-cycle power generation system. The method includes channeling cooling fluid that is extracted from a source external to the gas turbine engine to the turbine assembly component, and cooling the turbine assembly component using the cooling fluid.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2005Date of Patent: September 1, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: James Anthony West, Gilbert Otto Kraemer, David Martin Johnson
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Patent number: 7578121Abstract: Disclosed is a thrust termination device for a solid rocket motor, which terminates the net thrust by the reverse thrust of the rocket motor produced from the emission of the combustion gas in the reverse direction, when the stage separation signal is transferred at the normal thrust state of the rocket motor. An object of the present invention is to provide a thrust termination device for a rocket motor, which can contrive to accomplish the structural safety and mechanical sealing performance at the combustion chamber condition of the high temperature and high pressure, and easily remove the thrust termination device even at the low pressure state and open the trust termination ports successively with very small impacts when the thrust termination is commanded.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2006Date of Patent: August 25, 2009Assignee: Agency For Defense DevelopmentInventors: Hong-Been Chang, Moon-Joong Kang
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Patent number: 7574864Abstract: The invention relates to a gas turbine, for energy generation, with a compressor, arranged coaxially to a rotor, mounted such as to rotate, for the compression of an inlet gaseous fluid, at least partly serving for combustion of a fuel in a subsequent annular combustion chamber, with generation of a hot working medium, with an annular diffuser arranged coaxially to the rotor, between the compressor and the annular combustion chamber, for distribution and deflection of the fluid, whereby a part of the fluid is diverted as cooling fluid for the turbine stages after the combustion chamber, by means of a dividing element, arranged in the fluid flow.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2004Date of Patent: August 18, 2009Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Iris Oltmanns, legal representative, Peter Tiemann
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Patent number: 7568347Abstract: A diverterless hypersonic inlet (DHI) for a high speed, air-breathing propulsion system reduces the ingested boundary layer flow, drag, and weight, and maintains a high capture area for hypersonic applications. The design enables high vehicle fineness ratios, low-observable features, and enhances ramjet operability limits. The DHI is optimized for a particular design flight Mach number. A forebody segment generates and focuses a system of multiple upstream shock waves at desired strengths and angles to facilitate required inlet and engine airflow conditions. The forebody contour diverts boundary layer flow to the inlet sides, effectively reducing the thickness of the boundary layer that is ingested by the inlet, while maintaining the capture area required by the hypersonic propulsion system. The cowl assembly is shaped to integrate with the forebody shock system and the thinned boundary layer region.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2005Date of Patent: August 4, 2009Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventors: Bradley C. Leland, John D. Klinge, Brian F. Lundy
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Patent number: 7568349Abstract: A method for controlling a combustion dynamics level within a combustion device includes defining a high dynamics operating state at a first fuel split ratio. The first fuel split ratio is a ratio of an amount of fuel supplied to the combustion device through a first fuel line to a total amount of fuel supplied to the combustion device. A low dynamics operating state is defined at a second fuel split ratio different from the first fuel split ratio. The second fuel split ratio is a second ratio of an amount of fuel supplied to the combustion device through the first fuel line to a total amount of fuel supplied to the combustion device. The combustion dynamics level within the combustion device is controlled by periodically switching between the first fuel split ratio and the second fuel split ratio.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2005Date of Patent: August 4, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Mark Allan Hadley
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Patent number: 7565793Abstract: A fuel control system (10) for a gas turbine engine includes a main fuel inlet line (18), an auxiliary fuel inlet line (20) and an engine fuel outlet line (16). A first flow path extends from the main fuel inlet line (18) to the engine fuel outlet line (16) and a second flow path extends from the auxiliary fuel inlet line (20) to the engine fuel outlet line (16). A check valve (22) in the first flow path allows fuel flow through the first flow path in a direction from the main fuel inlet line (18) to the engine fuel outlet line (16) and substantially prevents fuel flow through the first flow path in a direction from the engine fuel outlet line (16) to the main fuel inlet line (18). The check valve (22) is shiftable between a first position connecting the auxiliary fuel inlet (20) to the engine fuel outlet (16) and a second position blocking the second flow path. Also a method of controlling fuel flow in a fuel control system of a gas turbine engine.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2006Date of Patent: July 28, 2009Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Jeffrey Dugan Shelby, Paul W. Futa, Jr., George S. Wieger
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Patent number: 7565805Abstract: Methods and systems for operating a gas turbine engine system include an electrical generator configured to provide electrical energy to a load, a gas turbine engine including at least one combustor that includes a plurality of fuel injection points configured to inject a fuel into the combustor at a plurality of different locations wherein the combustor configured to combust the fuel and the gas turbine engine is rotatably coupled to the generator through a shaft. The gas turbine engine system includes a control system including a plurality of sensors positioned about the gas turbine engine system and configured to measure at least one parameter associated with the sensor, a processor programmed to receive a signal indicative of a heating value of the fuel, and automatically control a fuel split between the fuel injection points on the combustor using the determined heating value.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2005Date of Patent: July 28, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Charles Evan Steber, Massoud Parisay, Ravindra Annigeri, Willy Steve Ziminsky, John Stephen Henderson
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Patent number: 7565794Abstract: A burner (1) for a combustion chamber of a gas turbine, especially in a power plant, includes an oxidizer feed device (10) for feeding a gaseous oxidizer into a mixer chamber (3) of the burner (1), a gaseous fuel feed device (11) for feeding a gaseous fuel into the mixer chamber (3), and a liquid fuel feed device (12) for feeding a liquid fuel into the mixer chamber (3). In order to improve the operation of the burner (1) with liquid fuel, the liquid fuel feed device (12) has a main feed line (13) which feeds liquid fuel to a plurality of injection orifices (14). Some of these injection orifices (14), with regard to a main outflow direction (9) of the burner (1), which has an oxidizer-fuel mixture, which flows from the mixer chamber (3), at an outlet opening (5) of the mixer chamber (3), are arranged in series.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2007Date of Patent: July 28, 2009Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.Inventors: Adnan Eroglu, Majed Toqan
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Patent number: 7559202Abstract: An assembly that includes two components joined by a pre-compressed braze where the compression in the braze is progressively relieved upon relative thermal expansion of the two components. Also disclosed is a process for producing a pre-compressed braze.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2005Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.Inventors: Lev Alexander Prociw, Harris Shafique, Dany Clarence Gaudet
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Patent number: 7559191Abstract: A system for cooling a ducted fan aircraft engine includes a first nacelle surrounding the engine and a second nacelle substantially concentrically surrounding the first nacelle. The system includes a first spinner coupled around a base of a rotor of the ducted fan and a second spinner substantially concentrically surrounding the first spinner and forming a duct between first and second spinners. The second spinner includes an opening to allow air to flow into the duct. The rotor includes a plurality of airfoils penetrating through the first and second spinners. Each of the airfoils includes a first portion located in the duct, and a second portion located between the second spinner and a fuselage of the ducted fan. The first portions of the airfoils provide cooling airflow over the engine and structural support for the second portions. The second portions of the airfoils provide thrust for the aircraft.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2005Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences CorporationInventor: Robert Parks
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Patent number: 7555892Abstract: The invention proposes a cooling system (42) for a gas turbine (1), with an annular duct extending axially in the compressor (5). In the annular duct, a ring (15) of compressor guide blades (14, 28, 33) and a ring (17) of moving blades (16) fastened to a rotor disk (19) of the rotor (3) are provided, with at least one cooling-air extraction point (34), arranged on the rotor (3), for diverting a cooling-air stream into a cooling-duct system arranged in the rotor (3), and with a turbine unit (8), in which, when the gas turbine (1) is in operation, components subjected to thermal stress by a hot gas (20) can be cooled by the divertible cooling-air stream, and also with a feed line (46) for feeding a liquid (45) into the cooling-air stream.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2005Date of Patent: July 7, 2009Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Volker Vosberg
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Patent number: 7552591Abstract: The invention relates to a twin spool turbine engine comprising a high-pressure rotor and a low-pressure rotor, at least one accessory gearbox, a drive means, driving coaxial transmission shafts that transmit movement to the accessory gearbox, characterized in that the drive means comprises a high-pressure drive pinion secured to the high-pressure rotor near its upstream end, a low-pressure drive pinion secured to the low-pressure rotor upstream of the high-pressure rotor, and a power take-off module in direct mesh with the drive pinions, driving the transmission shafts. By virtue of the invention, the transmission shafts run coaxial with one another and therefore pass through a single arm. The use of a power take-off module simplifies the mechanism. The turbine engine is simpler to assemble.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2006Date of Patent: June 30, 2009Assignee: SNECMAInventors: Jacques Rene Bart, Bruno Albert Beutin, Patrick Charles Georges Morel
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Patent number: 7549282Abstract: A bypass channel for use in an inter-turbine transition duct assembly of a turbine engine is connected to a suction port disposed upstream of a high-pressure turbine and at least two injection openings disposed downstream of the high-pressure turbine. The flow through the bypass channel is motivated by the natural pressure difference across the high-pressure turbine. The flow out of the at least two injection openings is used to energize the boundary layer flow downstream of the high-pressure turbine in order to allow for the use of a more aggressively expanded inter-turbine duct without boundary layer separation. Methods for optimizing the flow through the turbine engine are also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2005Date of Patent: June 23, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: James Fredric Widenhoefer, Paolo Graziosi, Kevin Richard Kirtley
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Patent number: 7549292Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for controlling a bypass air split for a gas turbine combustor, the method comprising determining a target exhaust temperature, wherein the target exhaust temperature is based on at least one parameter of a group of parameters consisting of low pressure turbine speed, high pressure turbine speed, inlet guide vane angle, and bypass valve air split. Using the target exhaust temperature to calculate a required percentage of bypass air split based on maintaining maximum CO levels or minimum NOx levels. And, applying the required percentage of bypass air split to control a position of the bypass air valve.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2005Date of Patent: June 23, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Amanda Rose Peck, Jonathan Carl Thatcher, Krishna Venkataraman
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Patent number: 7549291Abstract: A gas turbine engine assembly includes at least one propelling gas turbine engine and an auxiliary engine used for generating power. The propelling gas turbine engine includes a fan assembly and a core engine downstream from said fan assembly. The core engine includes a compressor, a high pressure turbine, a low pressure turbine, and a booster turbine coupled together in serial-flow arrangement such that the booster turbine is rotatably coupled between the high and low pressure turbines. The auxiliary engine includes at least one turbine and an inlet. The inlet is upstream from the high pressure turbine and is in flow communication with the propelling gas turbine engine core engine, such that a portion of airflow entering the propelling engine is extracted for use by the auxiliary engine.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2005Date of Patent: June 23, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Gary Craig Wollenweber, John B. Turco
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Patent number: 7549293Abstract: A system and method to reduce the gas fuel supply pressure requirements of a gas turbine, which results in an increased operability range and a reduction in gas turbine trips. According to the method, the gas turbine is allowed to start and operate at supply pressures determined as a function of ambient conditions and gas turbine compressor pressure ratio. This increases the operability window, and reduces or eliminates the need for gas fuel compressors.Type: GrantFiled: February 15, 2006Date of Patent: June 23, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Brian Gallagher, Ravi Praveen S Eluripati, Jonathan Carl Thatcher, Priscilla Childers, Bryan Edward Sweet
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Patent number: 7546738Abstract: A turbine engine nozzle assembly has an upstream flap and a downstream flap pivotally coupled thereto for relative rotation about a hinge axis. An actuator linkage is coupled to the flaps for actuating the nozzle between a number of throat area conditions. First and second mode struts respectively restrict rotation of the downstream flap in first and second directions.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2004Date of Patent: June 16, 2009Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventor: Donald W. Peters