Patents Examined by Steven M Sutherland
  • Patent number: 11629640
    Abstract: An oil pumping system for use with a gas turbine engine includes an electric machine, an oil pump assembly, and a variable frequency drive controller. The variable frequency drive is connected with the electric machine and the oil pump assembly. The variable frequency drive controller is programmed to control a torque and speed of the pump motor independent of the gas turbine engine speed so that a flow of oil moved by the oil pump assembly is controlled to cool or lubricate components of the gas turbine engine independent of the gas turbine engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Alan W. Smith
  • Patent number: 11629666
    Abstract: A method for converting a turbofan engine including providing a turbofan engine and converting the turbofan engine. The turbofan engine includes a core engine (including at least one high pressure spool assembly and a combustion chamber), and an unmodified fan configured for providing at least a bypass flow bypassing the core engine, the fan being mechanically coupled to a low pressure turbine that is in turn driven by the core engine. The conversion includes modifying or replacing the unmodified fan to provide a modified fan, the modified fan configured for generating a reduced bypass flow with respect to said fan bypass flow during operation of the converted turbofan engine corresponding to at least one set of engine conditions, enabling said low pressure turbine to generate an excess shaft power above a baseline shaft power required for driving the modified fan during operation of the converted turbofan engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: ISRAEL AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES LTD.
    Inventors: Aviad Brandstein, Avi Ponchek
  • Patent number: 11624324
    Abstract: An air starter for an engine, such as a turbine engine, that includes a turbine for rotatably extracting mechanical power from a flow of fluid. The turbine includes a drive shaft that can be coupled to an output shaft to provide a rotational output. The interface between the drive shaft and the output shaft can be offset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Unison Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Sharad Pundlik Patil, Subrata Nayak, David Allan Dranschak, Shiloh Montegomery Meyers, Bajarang Agrawal, Jasraj Asdev, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger
  • Patent number: 11619193
    Abstract: A scramjet engine with a novel isolator is disclosed herein. The scramjet includes an air inlet configured to receive and direct air into the engine and a combustor operable to receive air from the air inlet and combust fuel therein as is conventional. An isolator is positioned between the air inlet and the combustor. The isolator includes a primary flow path separated into a plurality of separate secondary flow channels formed therethrough. The smaller secondary flow channels prevent shockwaves from propagating upstream from the combustor to the inlet that can occur during some operating conditions of a supersonic combustion flow process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Robert Mercier, Mark Gruber, Ryan Milligan
  • Patent number: 11613373
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for an aircraft propulsion system. The assembly includes a nacelle inlet structure with an internal cavity. The assembly also includes a nozzle configured to direct fluid into the internal cavity through a plurality of ports that include one or more first ports and at least one second port. The nozzle includes a trunk conduit, a first branch conduit and a second branch conduit. The first branch conduit and the second branch conduit are fluidly coupled in parallel to the trunk conduit. The first branch conduit includes the first port(s). The second branch conduit includes the second port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Rohr, Inc.
    Inventors: Radhakrishna Chilukuri, Yuvaraj Patil, Ashok Babu Saya, Vanukuri Venkatareddy
  • Patent number: 11614032
    Abstract: An eductor for an auxiliary power unit with a gas turbine engine and a load compressor incorporates an eductor housing having an cooling airflow inlet and a turbine exhaust inlet opening fluidly connected through a primary plenum to an outlet opening. A splitter plate is positioned in the primary plenum fixing a flow stagnation point with respect to a wall of the primary plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Ryan Boufford, Sean P. Howe
  • Patent number: 11608796
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan rotor driven by a fan drive turbine about an axis through a gear reduction to reduce a speed of the fan rotor relative to a speed of the fan drive turbine. A fan case surrounds the fan rotor, and a core engine with a compressor section, including a low pressure compressor. The fan rotor delivers air into a bypass duct defined between the fan case and the core engine. A rigid connection is between the fan case and the core engine including a plurality of radial struts rigidly connected to the fan case, and to the core engine. A plurality of non-structural fan exit guide vanes and the non-structural fan exit guide vanes are provided with an acoustic feature to reduce noise. The non-structural fan exit guide vanes are rigidly mounted to at least one of the fan case and the core engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony R. Bifulco, David A. Topol
  • Patent number: 11598223
    Abstract: A turbofan engine according to an example of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a fan, and an outer housing surrounding the fan to define a bypass flow path, a compressor, a turbine section including a fan drive turbine and a second turbine, an epicyclic gear system with a gear reduction, the fan drive turbine driving the fan through the gear system, and the gear system straddle-mounted by first and second bearings. The fan drive turbine has a first exit area at a first exit point and is rotatable at a first speed. The second turbine has a second exit area at a second exit point and is rotatable at a second speed. A first performance quantity is defined as the product of the first speed squared and the first area. A second performance quantity is defined as the product of the second speed squared and the second area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Gabriel L. Suciu, William K. Ackermann, Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Michael E. McCune
  • Patent number: 11591960
    Abstract: The invention relates to an air intake of an aircraft turbojet engine nacelle, extending along an axis X, in which an air flow circulates from upstream to downstream, the air intake extending circumferentially around the axis X and comprising an inner wall, which faces the axis X in order to guide an inner air flow, and an outer wall, which is opposite the inner wall, for guiding an external air flow, the walls being connected by a leading edge and an inner partition so as to delimit an annular cavity. The air intake comprises means for injecting at least one hot air flow into the inner cavity and at least one ventilation orifice formed in the outer wall in order to allow the hot air flow to escape after heating the internal cavity, the air intake comprising at least one disruption member of the external air flow, positioned upstream of the ventilation orifice, which extends outwardly from the outer wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN NACELLES
    Inventors: Sébastien Laurent Marie Pascal, Jean-Michel Paul Ernest Nogues, Marc Versaevel, François Chauveau
  • Patent number: 11592182
    Abstract: A swirler assembly of a combustor of a gas turbine, the swirler assembly including a primary swirler having a primary swirler flow opening, and a swirler ferrule plate connected to an upstream side of the primary swirler. The swirler ferrule plate includes (a) a fuel nozzle opening, and (b) a plurality of oxidizer purge passages surrounding the fuel nozzle opening, each one of the plurality of oxidizer purge passages including (i) an inlet passage portion, and (ii) an outlet passage portion extended from the inlet passage portion to a downstream end of the swirler ferrule plate and having an outlet in fluid communication with the primary swirler flow opening. The outlet passage portion has an increasing cross-sectional area extending along the length of the outer passage portion from the inlet passage portion to the outlet that induces a pressure drop in a flow of oxidizer through the oxidizer flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Rimple Rangrej, Pradeep Naik, Perumallu Vukanti, Saket Singh
  • Patent number: 11592178
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine having a compressor upstream of the combustor and a turbine downstream of the combustor. The combustor also includes a combustor chamber, an oxy-fuel pilot burner (104) centrally positioned at an end of the combustor chamber, and an air-fuel premix burner configured to at least partially premix air and fuel. The air-fuel premix burner surrounds the oxy-fuel pilot burner (104) in an annular configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Daniel D'Agostini, Anup Vasant Sane
  • Patent number: 11591961
    Abstract: A jet engine screen assembly for protecting a jet engine from debris includes a mounting ring which forms a closed loop thereby facilitating the mounting ring to be mounted to an intake of a jet engine. A grate is hingedly disposed on the mounting ring. The grate is comprised of a plurality of intersecting members that are arranged to define a plurality of holes to facilitate air to pass through the grate. The grate is comprised of a rigid material to inhibit debris from entering into the jet engine. The grate is positionable in a closed position has the grate covering the intake of the jet engine. Conversely, the grate is positionable in an open position having the grate being displaced from the intake of the jet engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Inventors: Cedric Strickland, Stanley Gilley
  • Patent number: 11585293
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan with a plurality of fan blades rotatable about an axis, a compressor section, a combustor in fluid communication with the compressor section, and a turbine section in fluid communication with the combustor. The fan defines a fan diameter and the turbine section includes a fan drive turbine with a diameter less than 0.50 the size of the fan diameter. A geared architecture is driven by the turbine section for rotating the fan about the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Gabriel L. Suciu
  • Patent number: 11585276
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a very high speed low pressure turbine such that a quantity defined by the exit area of the low pressure turbine multiplied by the square of the low pressure turbine rotational speed compared to the same parameters for the high pressure turbine is at a ratio between about 0.5 and about 1.5. The high pressure turbine is supported by a bearing positioned at a point where the first shaft connects to a hub carrying turbine rotors associated with the second turbine section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Brian D. Merry, Gabriel L. Suciu, William K. Ackermann
  • Patent number: 11578656
    Abstract: Air filtration assemblies configured to provide instant detection of particles and/or improve particle filtration are disclosed. The assemblies may include an air inlet duct in fluid communication with a compressor of a gas turbine system. The air inlet duct may include an inlet for receiving intake air including intake air particles, and an outlet positioned opposite the inlet. The assembly may also include a plurality of vane filters at the inlet, an array of fabric filters positioned in the air inlet duct, downstream of the vane filters, and a silencer assembly positioned in the air inlet duct, downstream of the fabric filters. Additionally, the assembly may include an electrostatic component positioned in the air inlet duct, downstream of the fabric filters. The electrostatic component may be configured to charge the intake air particles that pass through the vane filters and the fabric filters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Wolfgang Franz Dietrich Mohr, Joerg Pfistner, Kamel Tayebi, Murali Krishna Kalaga, Rebecca Evelyn Hefner
  • Patent number: 11578665
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a nacelle, and a bypass flow path in a bypass duct within the nacelle of the turbofan engine. A fan section includes a fan with fan blades. The fan section drives air along the bypass flow path. A fan shaft drives a fan that has fan blades and the fan rotates about a central longitudinal axis of the turbofan engine. A speed reduction device includes an epicyclic gear system. A turbine section is connected to the fan section through the speed reduction device and the turbine section rotates about the central longitudinal axis. A first fan bearing for supporting rotation of the fan hub is located axially forward of the speed reduction device. A second fan bearing for supporting rotation of the fan hub is located axially aft of the speed reduction device. A first outer race of the first fan bearing is fixed relative to the fan hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: William G. Sheridan
  • Patent number: 11578669
    Abstract: A system has: a combustor; a plenum surrounding the combustor; a transfer tube having an inlet fluidly connected to the plenum and at least two outlets, a first flow passageway defined between the inlet and a first outlet, a second flow passageway defined between the inlet and a second outlet, the second flow passageway connected to a discharge region outside of the plenum; a flow valve disposed within the second flow passageway and operable between an open position and a closed position, in the open position the flow valve fluidly connects the plenum with the discharge region, in the closed position the flow valve blocking fluid communication between the plenum and the discharge region; and a controller communicatively coupled to the flow valve to control operation thereof by: causing the flow valve to open for a time period; and subsequent to the time period, causing the flow valve to close.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Ninad Joshi, Sid-Ali Meslioui
  • Patent number: 11578662
    Abstract: An air starter for starting a turbine engine that includes a housing, a turbine member, a drive shaft, and at least one bearing assembly. The housing can define an interior where the turbine couples to the drive shaft that is rotatably supported by the least one bearing assembly. A lubricant passageway can provide lubrication to the at least one bearing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Unison Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Nilesh Vilas Varote, David Raju Yamarthi, David Allan Dranschak, Eliel Fresco Rodriguez, Amit Arvind Kurvinkop
  • Patent number: 11577844
    Abstract: A piccolo tube for an anti-icing system may comprise an annular tube and a plurality of openings formed along a circumference of the annular tube. The annular tube may comprise a first cross-sectional diameter at an inlet point and a second cross-sectional diameter at a distal point. The second cross-sectional diameter is less than first cross-sectional diameter. The distal point may be 180° from the inlet point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Rohr, Inc.
    Inventors: Joewin Joy, Senthilkumar Radhakrishnan
  • Patent number: 11578654
    Abstract: A compressor adapted for use in a gas turbine engine includes an impeller, a diffuser, and a deswirler. The impeller is arranged circumferentially about an axis and configured to rotate about the axis. The diffuser is arranged circumferentially around the impeller to receive the air from the impeller. The deswirler is configured to receive the air from the diffuser and to conduct the air into a combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan C. Humes, Andrew J. Eifert