Patents Examined by Sean V Meiller
  • Patent number: 11105269
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method of control of a gas turbine engine comprising a fan section coupled to a low turbine together defining a low spool, an intermediate compressor coupled to an intermediate turbine together defining an intermediate spool, and a high compressor coupled to a high turbine together defining a high spool. The method includes providing an intermediate spool speed to low spool speed characteristic curve to a controller; providing a commanded power output to the controller; providing one or more of an environmental condition to the controller; determining, via the controller, a commanded fuel flow rate; determining, via the controller, a commanded intermediate compressor loading; and generating an actual power output of the engine, wherein the actual power output is one or more of an actual low spool speed, an actual intermediate spool speed, an actual high spool speed, and an actual engine pressure ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Alan Roy Stuart, James William Simunek, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Brandon Wayne Miller, Sridhar Adibhatla
  • Patent number: 11047576
    Abstract: An assembly for a turbomachine can include a fuel nozzle and a combustion liner. The fuel nozzle and the combustion liner can be attached to each using a plurality of clip joints such that the combustion liner is longitudinally fixed relative to the fuel nozzle but such that the combustion liner can radially move relative to the fuel nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Delavan, Inc.
    Inventors: Jacob Greenfield, Thomas J. Ocken, Jason A. Ryon
  • Patent number: 11015807
    Abstract: A combustor heat shield comprises a panel body having a front surface and a back surface. The back surface has sealing rails extending therefrom and defining a serpentine cooling path on the back surface of the panel body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Si-Man Amy Lao
  • Patent number: 11002190
    Abstract: An annular combustion system includes a fuel nozzle, a panel fuel injector including a fuel plenum and at least one premixing channel therein, an inner liner having a hot side surface and a cool side surface and an outer liner having a hot side surface and a cool side surface. The inner liner, the outer liner and the panel fuel injector partially define a hot gas path downstream from the fuel nozzle. The inner liner and/or the outer liner define a plurality of micro-channel cooling passages which is disposed between the hot side surface and cool side surface of the inner liner. Each micro-channel cooling passage of the first plurality of micro-channel cooling passages is in fluid communication with an inlet hole defined along the cool side surface of the respective liner and an outlet hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Michael John Hughes
  • Patent number: 10961908
    Abstract: Systems and methods to increase intake air flow to a gas turbine engine of a hydraulic fracturing unit when positioned in an enclosure may include providing an intake expansion assembly to enhance intake air flow to the gas turbine engine. The intake expansion assembly may include an intake expansion wall defining a plurality of intake ports positioned to supply intake air to the gas turbine engine. The intake expansion assembly also may include one or more actuators connected to a main housing of the enclosure and the intake expansion assembly. The one or more actuators may be positioned to cause the intake expansion wall to move relative to the main housing between a first position preventing air flow through the plurality of intake ports and a second position providing air flow through the plurality of intake ports to an interior of the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: BJ Energy Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Tony Yeung, Ricardo Rodriguez-Ramon, Joseph Foster
  • Patent number: 10830442
    Abstract: A segmented annular combustion system with dual fuel capability includes an alternating arrangement of fuel injection modules and integrated combustor nozzles. The fuel injection module includes a bundled tube fuel nozzle portion and fuel injection lances, which are fluidly coupled via conduits to respective fuel plenums. A liquid fuel cartridge is disposed within the bundled tube fuel nozzle portion, within one of the plurality of fuel injection lances, or within both the bundled tube fuel nozzle portion and one of the plurality of fuel injection lances. A gas turbine having the segmented annular combustion system is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Stanley Kevin Widener, Michael John Hughes, James Scott Flanagan
  • Patent number: 10823062
    Abstract: An injector head for an anti-icing system may comprise a body having a first surface, a second surface, a face, and an inlet, a first sweeping jet nozzle having a first exit port through the face, wherein the first sweeping jet nozzle comprises a fluid oscillator defining a first sweeping plane of the first sweeping jet nozzle, and a distribution manifold within the body in fluid communication with the inlet and the first sweeping jet nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: ROHR, INC.
    Inventor: Radhakrishna Chilukuri
  • Patent number: 10774664
    Abstract: A gas turbine having an annular flowpath defined between concentric inner radial and outer radial boundaries. A plenum is positioned just outboard of the outer radial boundary that wraps circumferentially in spaced relation thereto. The height of the plenum is defined radially between a floor and ceiling. The plenum includes an inlet formed through the ceiling at a first end and spaced outlet ports formed through the floor. The plenum includes a divider baffle that spans the width of the plenum and extends between the first end and the second end of the plenum so to divide the plenum into radially stacked first and second compartments. The first compartment connects directly to the inlet, while the second compartment connects directly to the outlet ports. The height of the first compartment tapers between a greater height at the first end and a lesser height at the second end of the plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Rogers Mason, III, Zhongman Ding, John Lesley DuBose
  • Patent number: 10775046
    Abstract: Fuel injection assemblies for a gas turbine engine includes a fuel injector and heat exchanger in communication via a fuel line cavity to provide heated fuel for combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Snyder, Patrick C. Sweeney
  • Patent number: 10724441
    Abstract: An annular combustion system includes a fuel nozzle, a panel fuel injector including a fuel plenum and at least one premixing channel therein, an inner liner including an inner band radially spaced from an outer band and an inner flow annulus formed therebetween, and an outer liner radially spaced from the inner liner and comprising an inner band radially spaced from an outer band and an outer flow annulus formed therebetween. The fuel nozzle is positioned radially between the inner liner and the outer liner, and the panel fuel injector extends radially between the inner liner and the outer liner. At least one of the inner flow passage and the outer flow passage is in fluid communication with at least one of a premix air plenum, a cooling air cavity and a cooling air plenum defined within the panel fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Michael John Hughes
  • Patent number: 10690056
    Abstract: A segmented annular combustion system includes an alternating arrangement of fuel nozzles and integrated combustor nozzles. The fuel nozzles deliver fuel to the primary combustion zones. The integrated combustor nozzles include an inner liner segment, an outer liner segment, and a fuel injection panel extending between the liner segments. The fuel injection panel includes injection outlets on one or both side walls to deliver a combustible mixture to the secondary combustion zones. Each fuel injection panel, which provides a boundary between adjacent primary and secondary combustion zones, includes an aft end that defines a turbine nozzle. The segmented annular combustion system is part of a gas turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Stanley Kevin Widener, Michael John Hughes, James Scott Flanagan, Joseph Vincent Citeno, Kevin Weston McMahan
  • Patent number: 10655541
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a segmented annular combustion system including a first panel fuel injector including a premix air plenum, a fuel plenum, and a plurality of first side premixing channels, where each first side premixing channel is in fluid communication with the premix air plenum, the fuel plenum, and a respective first side injection aperture of a plurality of first side injection apertures. A second panel fuel injector is circumferentially spaced from the first panel fuel injector and includes a premix air plenum, a fuel plenum, and a plurality of second side premixing channels where each second side premixing channel is in fluid communication with the premix air plenum, the fuel plenum, and a respective second side injection aperture of a plurality of second side injection apertures. A fuel nozzle is disposed circumferentially between the first panel fuel injection and the second panel fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Michael John Hughes