Patents Examined by Marc J Amar
  • Patent number: 12286928
    Abstract: A compressed air supply system that extracts compressed air from a gas turbine engine and supplies the compressed air to an air conditioning pack of an airframe. The compressed air supply system includes: a low-pressure bleed air port that extracts compressed air from an upstream side of a high-pressure compressor; a high-pressure bleed air port that extracts compressed air from a downstream side of a front-stage portion of the high-pressure compressor; a main pipe extending from the low-pressure bleed air port toward the air conditioning pack; an auxiliary compressor that is located at the main pipe and increases pressure of the compressed air; a high-pressure bleed air pipe that couples the main pipe to the high-pressure bleed air port; a high-pressure bleed air valve located at the high-pressure bleed air pipe; and circuitry that opens the high-pressure bleed air valve when the circuitry determines that an insufficient pressure state occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroaki Takami, Naoya Sekoguchi, Katsuhiko Ishida, Kenta Umezaki, Hiroshi Sakamoto, Tatsuhiko Goi
  • Patent number: 12196136
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating systems are provided. For example, a system comprises a heat source for providing a flow of a hot fluid and a fuel flowpath for a flow of a fuel. The fuel flowpath includes a fuel accumulator and a heat exchanger for heat transfer between the hot fluid and fuel. The heat exchanger includes a hot fluid inlet for receipt of the hot fluid at an inlet temperature and a fuel inlet for receipt of the fuel at an inlet temperature. The hot fluid inlet temperature is greater than the fuel inlet temperature such that the fuel is heated through heat transfer with the hot fluid in the heat exchanger. The fuel accumulator accumulates at least a portion of the heated fuel. An exemplary system is selectively operated to heat and circulate the fuel through the fuel flowpath for consumption and/or accumulation in the fuel accumulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Jeffrey Douglas Rambo
  • Patent number: 12129041
    Abstract: An engine pylon for an aircraft and comprising an inverted U-shaped upper spar with two lateral walls, a U-shaped lower spar with two lateral walls, where the free ends of the lateral walls of the spars are adjacent, an arrangement to the free end of a lateral wall of one spar to the free end of the lateral wall of the other spar, and ribs between the spars where each has a top end fixed to the lateral walls of the upper spar and a bottom end fixed to the lower spar. Such an engine pylon thus offers a reduced number of component parts and a single row of fixings per side, enabling a saving in weight and in assembly time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2024
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
    Inventors: Olivier Pautis, Jonathan Blanc
  • Patent number: 12092023
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for a turbine engine. This assembly includes a housing, a combustor and a steam system. The housing includes an air plenum. The combustor is disposed within the air plenum. The combustor includes a combustion chamber and a combustor wall between the combustion chamber and the air plenum. The steam system includes a steam injector arranged within the air plenum next to the combustor wall. The steam system is configured to inject steam out of the steam injector and into the air plenum to impinge against the combustor wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen K. Kramer, Lance L. Smith, Zhongtao Dai, Gregory Boardman
  • Patent number: 12085017
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to hydraulic fracturing equipment powered by one or more natural gas turbine generators. Natural gas from a supply line is released via a valve into a turbine gas line. The turbine gas line includes one or more regulators to reduce the pressure of the natural gas stream in the turbine gas line to a pressure or pressure range optimum for one or more gas compressors. The gas compressors increase the pressure of the natural gas stream, which is then directed to one or more natural gas turbine generators. The natural gas turbine generators combust the natural gas to produce electricity, which powers electric hydraulic fracturing equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: US Well Services, LLC
    Inventors: Jared Oehring, Brandon N. Hinderliter
  • Patent number: 12078110
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to hydraulic fracturing equipment powered by one or more natural gas turbine generators. Natural gas from a supply line is released via a valve into a turbine gas line. The turbine gas line includes one or more regulators to reduce the pressure of the natural gas stream in the turbine gas line to a pressure or pressure range optimum for one or more gas compressors. The gas compressors increase the pressure of the natural gas stream, which is then directed to one or more natural gas turbine generators. The natural gas turbine generators combust the natural gas to produce electricity, which powers electric hydraulic fracturing equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: US Well Services, LLC
    Inventors: Jared Oehring, Brandon N. Hinderliter
  • Patent number: 12078103
    Abstract: A thermal management system for a gas turbine engine includes an inlet, a compressor, a mixing unit, and a fuel source. The compressor includes a low pressure stage and a high pressure stage. The mixing unit includes a first valve port fluidically connected to a low pressure bleed line of the compressor and a high pressure bleed line of the compressor and having an adjustable inlet gate on each of these lines and an outlet fluidically connected to the inlet of the engine to prevent ice accretion in the inlet or de-ice the inlet. The fuel source is configured to provide fuel to the mixing unit to actuate the adjustable inlet gates to regulate the amounts of low pressure bleed air and high pressure bleed air directed to the outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Rex M. Little
  • Patent number: 12065973
    Abstract: A turbofan engine includes a first spool including a first turbine, and a first tower shaft engaged to the first spool. A second spool includes a second turbine, and a second tower shaft is engaged to the second spool. A superposition gearbox includes a sun gear, a plurality of intermediate gears engaged to the sun gear, and is supported in a carrier and a ring gear circumscribing the intermediate gears. The first tower shaft or the second tower shaft drives one of the intermediate gears. A drive motor is engaged to drive the sun gear, an inner electric motor, a stator disposed radially outside of the inner electric motor, and an outer electric motor disposed radially outside the stator. A first load on the first spool and a second load on the second spool is adjusted by operation of at least one of the inner electric motor and the outer electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Coy Bruce Wood
  • Patent number: 12044174
    Abstract: An adjustable injector system for adjusting a radial distribution of a mixed fuel includes an adjustable injector configured to receive first and second non-carbon fuels and configured to adjust the radial distribution of the mixed fuel with a movable part, wherein the mixed fuel is obtained from mixing the first non-carbon fuel with the second non-carbon fuel; a sensor configured to determine an instability of a flame generated by the mixed fuel; and a controller electrically connected to the adjustable injector and the sensor, and configured to change a configuration of the adjustable injector, based on an input signal from the sensor, to control the radial distribution of the mixed fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Deanna A. Lacoste, Thibault F. Guiberti, Amit Katoch
  • Patent number: 12044194
    Abstract: A propulsion system, the propulsion system comprising a rotating element, a stationary element, and an inlet between the rotating element and the stationary element, wherein the inlet passes radially inward of the stationary element; wherein the inlet passes radially inward of the stationary element; wherein the inlet leads to an inlet duct containing a ducted fan having an axis of rotation and a plurality of blades; and wherein the inlet duct divides into a first duct and a second duct, separate from the first duct. A method of operating a propulsion system, comprising the steps of: operating a first rotating fan assembly to produce a first stream of air; directing a portion of the first stream of air into a second ducted rotating fan assembly; operating the second ducted rotating fan assembly to produce a second stream of air; dividing the second stream of air into a core stream and a fan stream; and directing the core stream into a gas turbine engine core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Marion Ostdiek, Alan Roy Stuart, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Gert Johannes van der Merwe, Brandon Wayne Miller, Stephen William Freund
  • Patent number: 12038178
    Abstract: A micro-mixer includes a plurality of fuel tubes through which air and fuel flow, a casing accommodating the plurality of fuel tubes therein, an injection part formed as a pyramidal protrusion on one side of the casing and connected to a front end of the fuel tube to inject the air and the fuel, and a fuel supply divided into a plurality of fuel supply parts to supply the fuel to the fuel tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: DOOSAN ENERBILITY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Young Jun Shin, Han Jin Jeong, Eun Seong Cho
  • Patent number: 12025075
    Abstract: A cryogenic engine for a space apparatus is provided. The cryogenic engine includes an injector body, a thrust chamber, and a spark plug, where the injector body is provided therein with an accommodating space; the spark plug is provided on one side of the injector body, and an electrode provided on the spark plug extends into the accommodating space; the thrust chamber is provided on the other side of the injector body and is communicated with the accommodating space; the injector body is provided with a combustion improver flow channel and a combustible agent flow channel; and the combustion improver flow channel and combustible agent flow channel are connected with the accommodating space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: SHANGHAI INSTITUTE OF SPACE PROPULSION
    Inventors: Cheng Cheng, Haiqing Zhou, Gui Tian, Jingyu Xiong, Yeming Zeng, Guofeng Zhou, Hongbo Xu
  • Patent number: 11987370
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsion assembly including a front engine mount including a transverse beam which is connected to the engine via first and second convergent connection rods. This transverse beam includes an upper extension which is at least partially positioned opposite a front transverse reinforcement of the primary structure and which is connected thereto via at least one first connection element and right and left lateral extensions which are positioned at one side and another of the upper extension, each of them being connected via a least one second fixing element to a first wing of a right or left bracket, a second wing of the right or left bracket being connected via at least one third connection element to the primary structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventor: Jean Geliot
  • Patent number: 11975857
    Abstract: A front engine attachment system having an engine pylon having a frontal rib fastened against a front face, a front engine attachment having a beam fastened to the frontal rib, two rods articulated to the beam respectively via two connection points and one connection point, and a front casing of an engine, wherein the first rod is articulated to the front casing via a connection point and wherein the second rod is articulated to the front casing via a connection point, wherein each point of connection of a rod to the beam is positioned inside a volume that extends the front face of the engine pylon towards the front. Such a front engine attachment system has reduced bulk and therefore less drag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
    Inventors: Michael Berjot, Thomas Robiglio
  • Patent number: 11975859
    Abstract: A propulsive assembly for aircraft comprising an engine, a nacelle arranged around the engine and a pylon supporting the engine, the nacelle including two engine cowls and reversing cowls, each cowl having an internal skin, characterized in that at least one of the cowls of the nacelle comprises at least one box arranged in a space situated between the internal skin of the cowl and the engine, the box delimiting a volume of inert material, the inert material being flame retardant foam. This box partially blocks a zone of the engine where a fire is likely to begin, which makes it possible to limit the volume of a fire zone of the engine, and thus reduce the quantity of extinguishing agent which is necessary to extinguish a fire in the zone of the engine concerned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
    Inventors: Julien Cayssials, Adeline Soulie, Arnaud Guichot, Nicolas Brachet
  • Patent number: 11970278
    Abstract: A thrust mount assembly includes a thrust link-lever that has a first end region, a second end region, and a fulcrum region disposed between the first end region and the second end region. A thrust link-lever may be coupled or couplable to a fulcrum body of an aft engine-mount at a fulcrum position of the thrust link-lever. When coupled to a turbomachine, the fulcrum position of the thrust link-lever may be laterally offset and/or laterally adjustable relative to an axis of rotation of the turbomachine. A load translated from an engine frame of a turbomachine to an engine-mounting linkage system may be determined and a fulcrum position for the thrust mount assembly may be adjusted laterally relative to an axis of rotation of the turbomachine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Kudum Shinde, Mahesh Shenvi Khandeparker
  • Patent number: 11970279
    Abstract: A control system and methods for controlling the position of one or more engine-mounting links of an engine-mounting linkage system are provided. In one aspect, an engine-mounting linkage system includes one or more engine-mounting links that each have an adjustable inclination angle. An inclination angle of a link may be adjusted by an actuator of the control system. One or more controllers of the control system can control the actuator and thus the inclination angle of the link by determining a control command based at least in part on an output received from one or more sensors of the control system. The controllers can then cause the actuator to change the inclination angle of the link based at least in part on the determined control command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Timothy Leo Schelfaut, Anthony Michael Metz, Jonathan Edward Coleman, Thomas P. Joseph
  • Patent number: 11945595
    Abstract: A support structure for attaching an engine to an aircraft pylon at front, mid and rear attachment positions thereof, including a front mount joined to the engine and configured to attach to the pylon at the front attachment position and a rear mount joined to a core casing to attach to the pylon at the rear attachment position, each of the front and rear mounts configured to transfer lateral and vertical loads from the engine to the pylon, and the rear mount being spaced from the front mount such that yaw and pitch torques are transferred from the engine to the pylon through the front and rear mounts. The support structure also includes an axial load transfer formation to transfer axial loads from the engine to the pylon and a roll-torque transfer formation to transfer roll torque from the core casing to the pylon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Richard G Stretton
  • Patent number: 11920793
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine combustor is provided that includes a swirler, a mounting stage, and a distributor. The swirler has a shaft, a collar, a throat section, and first and second axial ends. The throat section includes an inner radial surface that defines a central passage that extends between the swirler inner bore and the collar. The collar includes a plurality of apertures extending therethrough disposed radially outside of the central passage. The mounting stage is disposed in the inner bore, and has an annular flange, a central hub, and at least one strut. The distributor has a stem attached to a head. The stem has a distal end opposite the head portion engaged with the central hub. The head portion has an end surface and a side surface. The distributor is selectively positionable relative to the throat section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Jakub Strzepek, Kian McCaldon, Anna Mamrol, Owen Wong, Maxime La Fleche
  • Patent number: 11905887
    Abstract: Multi-engine aircraft power and propulsion systems and methods of restarting an engine of a multi-engine aircraft during fight are provided. One such method comprises: determining a condition to the effect that a flame in the combustion equipment of the second gas turbine engine has been extinguished; responsive to the determination, supplying electrical power from the electrical energy storage system to one or more of the electric machines of the second gas turbine engine and operating said one or more electric machines as motors to limit a reduction in a speed of the one or more spools of the second gas turbine engine following extinguishment of the flame in its combustion equipment; and restarting the second gas turbine engine by relighting the combustion equipment of the second gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Gareth E Moore, Paul R Davies, Stephen M Husband, David R Trainer, David P Scothern, Luke George, Douglas M M Herbert