Patents Examined by Steven M Sutherland
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Patent number: 11739691Abstract: A combustion engine component is disclosed. The combustion engine component comprises a body that includes a first surface in operative thermal communication with a hot combustion gas, and a second surface in operative fluid communication with a cooling fluid. Also, as disclosed in greater detail below, the second surface includes a first surface contour feature configured to increase a contact angle of a liquid on the second surface.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2018Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventor: Benjamin Heneveld
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Patent number: 11732676Abstract: A rocket motor has an energetic material between solid fuel (propellent) and a casing that surrounds the solid fuel. The energetic material is configured to be burned along with the solid fuel during normal operation of the rocket motor to produce thrust. The energetic material can also be detonated to cause rupture of the casing. The detonation may be initiated as part of a flight termination process. The detonation may also be initiated as a part of process to prevent as a higher-order reaction, such as in reaction to heating from a fire or other cause. The energetic material may be arranged to function as part of a shaped charge, able to split the casing when detonated. By being located inside the casing, the energetic material does not adversely affect aerodynamics of the flight vehicle of which the rocket motor is a part, such as a missile.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2022Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: Raytheon CompanyInventors: Coulton T. Sadler, Mitchell Lee Moffet, Erik C. Rupp, Reuben E. Weinzinger
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Patent number: 11731778Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes an intake device. The intake device includes a snorkel and a filter case. The snorkel includes a tubular body and an inlet aperture. The tubular body extends between a closed end and an open end opposite the closed end. The inlet aperture is formed through the tubular body proximate the closed end. The tubular body forms a first portion of a gas flow path for a bleed gas from the inlet aperture to the open end. The filter case is connected to the tubular body. The filter case extends between a first end and a second end. The filter case includes a sidewall extending from the first end to the second end. The sidewall surrounds a filter cavity. The filter case is configured to receive the bleed gas from the open end of the tubular body. The filter case and the snorkel form a unitary component.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2022Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.Inventors: Julien Girard, Sylvain Lamarre, Xiaoliu Liu, David Koo, Kevin Nguyen, Liam McPherson, AnnMarie Unnippillil
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Patent number: 11732648Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes: a casing that accommodates a compressor and the like; bearings; a main lubricator including an oil mist generator that generates oil mist by mixing oil with compressed air extracted from the compressor and a first supply passage through which the oil mist is guided to the bearings; and a starting lubricator including a second supply passage through which a gas flowing out from a gas source is guided to a connection portion of the first supply passage, the connection portion being connected to the second supply passage, and an opener that starts supply of the gas from the gas source. The main lubricator supplies the oil mist to the bearings through the first supply passage by the pressure of the compressed air extracted from the compressor. When the opener starts the supply of the gas, the starting lubricator supplies the oil mist to the bearings by the pressure of the gas flowing out from the gas source.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2020Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takafumi Fujii, Hikaru Maesato, Tatsuya Okuwa, Shutaro Ichimura, Hiromasa Ikai
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Patent number: 11702979Abstract: An electricity generating system is disclosed. The system includes one or more rotary arms extending from a central hub, a tube or blade with an air passage therein extending from each of the one or more rotary arms, a set of rotary blades operably connected to the tube or blade, an axle or shaft joined or fixed to the central hub, and a generator operably connected to the axle or shaft. The air passage has one or more air inlets at or near an end of the tube or blade connected or joined to a corresponding rotary arm. The set of rotary blades is configured to provide a force that rotates the tube or blade. The axle or shaft is configured to rotate with the central hub. The generator is configured to convert a torque from the axle or shaft to electricity.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2022Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Inventor: Brent Wei-Teh Lee
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Patent number: 11702993Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft that includes a nacelle, a fan, an engine core, a bypass duct extending between the engine core and the nacelle and guiding a bypass airflow through the bypass duct, and at least one non-structural strut extending in the radial direction within the bypass duct, wherein the non-structural strut includes an outside wall acting as a heat exchanger, and wherein the outside wall includes first transport means configured to transport in the outside wall at least one fluid to be cooled. It is provided that the non-structural strut further includes second transport means configured to transport a fluid to be heated, wherein the first transport means and the second transport means are configured such that the fluid to be heated is heated by the at least one fluid to be cooled and the at least one fluid to be cooled is cooled both by the bypass airflow and the fluid to be heated.Type: GrantFiled: June 23, 2020Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KGInventor: Carsten Buchholz
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Patent number: 11702984Abstract: A heat exchanger system for a propulsion system inlet duct includes a heat exchanger assembly that is disposed within an inlet duct assembly. The heat exchanger includes a heat exchanger with a front facing area that is greater than an area of the inlet duct that is transverse to a longitudinal length of the inlet duct.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2022Date of Patent: July 18, 2023Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Jon E. Sobanski, Malcolm MacDonald
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Patent number: 11674435Abstract: A fan assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a fan disk, a trunnion, an actuation device, a fan blade, and a counterweight assembly. The trunnion is mounted to the fan disk. The actuation device is operably coupled to the trunnion. The fan blade is rotatably attached to the fan disk. The counterweight assembly includes a link arm, a lever arm, a hinge, and a counterweight. The link arm is connected to the trunnion, to the actuation device, or to both. The link arm is configured to drive rotation of the trunnion relative to the fan disk. The hinge is pivotably connected to the lever arm. The lever arm is connected to the link arm and is disposed to rotate about a connection point of the lever arm and the hinge. The counterweight is mounted to the lever arm at a location spaced from the hinge.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2021Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Nicholas M. Daggett, Gert Johannes van der Merwe, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brian Lewis Devendorf
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Patent number: 11668237Abstract: A particle separator system for a turbine engine having an engine inlet. The particle separator system includes an inlet particle separator located within the engine inlet and configured to remove particles from an incoming airflow. The particle separator system also includes a barrier filter located within an enclosure of the turbine engine downstream of the inlet particle separator, the barrier filter being configured to intercept particles not scavenged by the inlet particle separator.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2021Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Courtney Ann Renninger, James R. Noel, Brian Devendorf
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Patent number: 11661831Abstract: A system and method for a frac pump. The system includes a turbine. The turbine can be 100% powered by natural gas or other fuels. The turbine, which can have an OEM controller, drives a frac pump. The frac pump is used for fracturing. The system has a controller which controls the system, including the OEM controller. The system has an air filtration system to treat the air entering the turbine. The air filtration system can include a system with no moving parts and no filters. The system fits within a trailer so it can be transported to remote locations. The system is self-sufficient.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2021Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Inventors: Bobby Joe Chapman, Sean Dee Edwards, Michael Gerard King, Seth Richard Moore, Kevin Martin Voldarski
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Patent number: 11661205Abstract: A method for supplying air to an engine of an aircraft via an air supply system of the aircraft. A dynamic air intake vent of the system can be closed by a closure member that is movable between a closed position and an open position. A static air intake vent is equipped with a filter medium. During flight, the method comprises an unfiltered operating mode that comprises the following steps: positioning of the closure member in the open position, and, during a phase of forward travel of the aircraft, dynamic intake of a flow of air, then transfer of a first portion of the flow of air to the engine and a second portion of the flow of air to the filter medium in order to clean the filter medium.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2021Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: AIRBUS HELICOPTERSInventor: Benoit Fayard
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Patent number: 11661893Abstract: A method of servicing a gas turbine engine, the method including preparing the gas turbine engine for service; installing a shaft protection cover to an aft end of a fan shaft of the gas turbine engine; installing an oil collector drum at least partially around a gearbox of the gas turbine engine; and removing at least a portion of the gearbox from the gas turbine engine.Type: GrantFiled: November 9, 2021Date of Patent: May 30, 2023Assignee: GE AVIO S.R.L.Inventors: Andrea Depalma, Antonio Giuseppe D'Ettole, Roberto Maddaleno, Matteo Renato Usseglio
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Patent number: 11655979Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine of an aircraft having a fuel nozzle including a fuel swirler and/or an outer air swirler. The fuel swirler may include a manifold for receiving fuel from a fuel conduit, and a plurality of fuel passages to direct fuel from the manifold to discharge orifices that direct fuel with swirling flow. The fuel swirler may be configured to provide uniform spray while minimizing recirculation zones; reduce residence time as fuel enters the manifold; minimize flow disruptions, boundary layer growth, and/or pressure drop as fuel flows through the fuel passages; reduces coking internally of the nozzle; reduces thermal stresses; and is simple and low-cost to manufacture. The outer air swirler may include first and second outer air swirler portions with respective vanes and air passages that provide swirling air flow.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2022Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: Parker-Hannifin CorporationInventors: Luther Wirtz, Jeffrey Lehtinen, Adel Mansour, David Tibbs, Robert Pelletier, Jon Stockill
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Patent number: 11655758Abstract: A vane arc segment includes a platform and an airfoil section that extends in a radial direction from the platform. The airfoil section has a pressure side and a suction side. The platform defines fore and aft axial sides, a core gaspath side, a non-core gaspath side, and first and second flanges that project from the non-core gaspath side. The first and second flanges define, respectively, first and second circumferential mate faces. The first and second flanges each are formed of upturned fiber plies from the platform such that the fiber plies in the first and second flanges are radially-oriented. The first and second circumferential mate faces have, respectively, first and second seal slots that each extend in a ply through-thickness direction across two or more of the fiber plies.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2022Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: Jon Erik Sobanski, Howard J. Liles
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Patent number: 11655736Abstract: A CCPP includes a gas turbine, a HRSG, a steam turbine a flash tank and first and second supply lines. The gas turbine, the HRSG and the steam turbine are interconnected to generate power. The gas turbine may include an air preheating system to preheat the air supplied in the gas turbine to enable expedite combustion therein. The flash tank is fluidically connected at a cold end of the HRSG to extract waste hot water from the cold end. Further, the first supply line is configured to interconnect the flash tank and the steam turbine to supply of flash steam to the steam turbine. Furthermore, the second supply line is configured to interconnect the flash tank and the air preheating system to supply hot flash condensate thereto.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2021Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBHInventors: Klara Berg, Mariah Couzzi-Carneiro, Paul Drouvot, Torbjörn Stenström
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Patent number: 11649963Abstract: A liquid fuel injector includes a cylindrical center body including a center axis, an annular shroud concentrically disposed outside the center body, an annular fuel injection body disposed between and concentrically with the center body and the shroud, and including a fuel passage formed therein, a plurality of inner swirl vanes that are arranged in an equal cycle in an inner air passage between the center body and the fuel injection body, and are provided with an inner swirl vane action surface on an upstream side, a plurality of outer swirl vanes that are arranged in an equal cycle in an outer air passage between the fuel injection body and the shroud, and an outer swirl vane action surface on the upstream side.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2020Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: IHI CORPORATIONInventors: Nagayoshi Hiromitsu, Kouta Kanai
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Patent number: 11649762Abstract: An improved power generation system and methods of its operation are provided, wherein the system combines: (i) a wave reformer, (ii) an optional second wave rotor, and (iii) a gas turbine in a flexible range of novel designs. Such a hybrid power generation system can thermally crack or decompose hydrocarbon fuel to produce a high-pressure fuel product, including mainly hydrogen and lead to a higher thermal efficiency than existing engines with low to no direct emission footprint.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2021Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: New Wave Hydrogen, Inc.Inventors: Pejman Akbari, Colin D. Copeland, Kathleen M. O'Neil
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Patent number: 11649765Abstract: Method for using an air intake of a turbojet engine nacelle comprising at least one elastically deformable portion, at least one connecting member mounted in an annular cavity integrally with the elastically deformable portion, and at least one controllable displacement member, in which method: during a thrust phase of the turbojet engine, the controllable displacement member moves the connecting member into a first position in which the elastically deformable portion of the air intake lip has an aerodynamic profile, and during a thrust reversal phase of the turbojet engine the controllable displacement member moves the connecting member into a second position in which the elastically deformable portion of the air intake lip has an irregular profile so as to allow a release of the reverse air flow from the elastically deformable portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2020Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINESInventors: Daniel-Ciprian Mincu, Laurent Louis Robert Baudoin, Nicolas Joseph Sirvin, Jagoda Alina Worotynska, Frédéric Dautreppe, Caroline Marie Frantz
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Patent number: 11635022Abstract: A method is provided during which an aircraft powerplant is provided. The aircraft powerplant includes a combustor and a water recovery system. The water recovery system includes a condenser and a reservoir. Fuel is combusted within the combustor to provide combustion products. Water is extracted from the combustion products using the condenser. The water recovery system is operated in one of a plurality of modes based on likelihood of contrail formation. The modes include a first mode and a second mode, where the water is collected within the reservoir during the first mode, and where the water passes through the water recovery system during the second mode.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2022Date of Patent: April 25, 2023Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach, David L. Ma
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Patent number: 11635024Abstract: A turboprop gas turbine engine mountable to an aircraft has an engine core and a gearbox driving a propeller, the engine core and the gearbox being enclosed within a nacelle. The propeller is located rearward of the gearbox and the engine core relative to a direction of travel of the aircraft. An air intake is disposed within the nacelle and formed to direct ambient air into the engine core. The air intake includes an air inlet duct, having a forward-facing intake inlet receiving the ambient air, with an upstream section and a downstream section. The upstream section is in fluid communication with the intake inlet and extends downstream from the intake inlet. The downstream section fluidly connects to and directs air from the upstream section into the engine air inlet. A second air outlet duct is located within the nacelle and directs air into an air-cooled-oil-cooler (ACOC).Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2020Date of Patent: April 25, 2023Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.Inventors: Laurent Letourneau, Keith Morgan, John Wilson, Paul Weaver, Eric Durocher