Patents Examined by Thuyhang N Nguyen
  • Patent number: 12385434
    Abstract: An aircraft system is provided that includes a first gas turbine engine, a propulsor rotor, a second gas turbine engine, an electric generator and an electric component. The first gas turbine engine includes a first compressor section, a first combustor section, a first turbine section and a first flowpath. The propulsor rotor is rotatably driven by the first gas turbine engine. The second gas turbine engine includes a second compressor section, a second combustor section, a second turbine section and a second flowpath between a second inlet and a second exhaust. The second inlet and the second exhaust are each fluidly coupled with the first flowpath upstream of a combustor of the first combustor section. The electric generator is rotatably driven by the second gas turbine engine. The electric component receives electricity generated by the electric generator. The electric component is discrete from the first gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2025
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Paul R. Hanrahan, Daniel B. Kupratis
  • Patent number: 12378919
    Abstract: A sensor arrangement for a gas powered turbine includes at least one sensor disposed on a power extraction shaft and configured to output a measured power extraction of the power extraction shaft. A controller is in communication with the at least one sensor. The controller includes a memory and a processor. The memory stores instructions for causing the processor to respond to a received measured power extraction of the power extraction shaft by synthesizing an instantaneous engine power output and engine efficiency and adjusting at least one parameter of the engine based on the synthesized engine power output and engine efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2025
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Donald E. Grove
  • Patent number: 12366209
    Abstract: A powerplant is provided for an aircraft. This powerplant includes an engine housing, an engine assembly, an electric generator, an electric motor and a propulsor rotor. The engine assembly is arranged in the engine housing. The engine assembly includes a core flowpath, a core compressor section, a core combustor section, a core turbine section and a power turbine section. The power turbine section includes a power turbine rotor. The electric generator is arranged in the engine housing. The electric generator includes a generator rotor. The power turbine rotor is configured to drive rotation of the generator rotor. The electric motor is arranged in the engine housing. The electric motor includes a motor rotor. The electric generator is configured to power operation of the electric motor. The motor rotor is configured to drive rotation of the propulsor rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Abbas A. Alahyari, Parag M. Kshirsagar
  • Patent number: 12351326
    Abstract: A power generation system for an aircraft includes: a storage tank for storing hydrogen; a fuel cell configured to generate power from the hydrogen; a fuel supply line configured to supply the hydrogen from storage tank to the fuel cell; a fresh air supply line configured to supply air to a cabin air supply system; and a fuel-air heat exchange system, wherein the fuel supply line and the air supply line pass through the fuel-air heat exchange system such that the hydrogen cools the air in use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2025
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sai Kalyan Yelike, Paolo Grasso, Grzegorz Kruczek
  • Patent number: 12337999
    Abstract: A bleed air supply system has a sensor monitoring the system, an operating condition monitor detecting an operating condition value of the aircraft (other than the bleed air supply system), and independent monitoring modules evaluating a part of the bleed air supply system. The monitoring modules each have an individual monitoring function and individual activation and deactivation parameters based on sensor data and the operating condition value. The method includes: detecting the condition of the bleed air supply system via sensor data and the operating condition value; activating a monitoring module, which has activation parameters met by the sensor data and the operating condition value; monitoring the condition of the bleed air supply system by the activated monitoring module by a monitoring function of the activated monitoring module; and deactivating the activated monitoring module, deactivation parameters of which are met by the sensor data and the operating condition value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: LUFTHANSA TECHNIK AG
    Inventor: Alexej Demeschkin
  • Patent number: 12338776
    Abstract: A system includes a turbine exhaust section downstream of a turbine. The turbine exhaust section includes an exhaust flow path. The turbine exhaust section also includes an inner wall radially disposed along the exhaust flow path. The turbine exhaust section also includes an outer wall disposed radially outward of the inner wall and along the exhaust flow path. The system also includes a fluid injection system configured to inject a fluid into a chamber radially disposed between the inner wall and the outer wall via a plurality of inner ports disposed in the inner wall. The plurality of inner ports is disposed downstream of a downstream edge of a last stage blade of the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology LLC
    Inventors: Moorthi Subramaniyan, Gunnar Leif Dan Siden
  • Patent number: 12338751
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system includes a condenser at least partially disposed within the core flow path where water is extracted from the exhaust gas flow, an evaporator system that is at least partially disposed within the core flow path upstream of the condenser where thermal energy from the exhaust gas flow is utilized to generate a steam flow from at least a portion of water that is extracted by the condenser. Steam within the exhaust gas flow is concentrated into a portion of the exhaust gas flow that is communicated through the condenser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Andressa L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 12338769
    Abstract: A turbine engine for an aircraft. The turbine engine includes a combustor fluidly coupled to a fuel delivery assembly to receive fuel from the fuel delivery assembly. The fuel is injected into the combustor and combusted in the combustor to generate combustion gases. A condenser is located downstream of a turbine to receive the combustion gases and to condense water. The fuel heat exchanger is thermally coupled to the condenser to receive heat from the water condensed by the condenser. The fuel heat exchanger is located in the fuel delivery assembly to receive the fuel and to transfer the heat received from the water to the fuel. The boiler is located downstream of the fuel heat exchanger. The boiler receives the water and is fluidly connected to the combustor to receive the combustion gases and to boil the water to generate steam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Arthur W. Sibbach, Aaron M. Dziech, Scott Alan Schimmels, Robert R. Rachedi, Jeffrey D. Rambo, Brandon W. Miller
  • Patent number: 12338775
    Abstract: A propulsion assembly for an aircraft having a chassis in the form of a cage with bars, a turbine, a dihydrogen supply pipe winding inside a nacelle as far as the rear of the turbine, with a radial step towards the outside of the nacelle, a rail with a radial step towards the outside of the nacelle, a bypass pipe connected between the two radial steps outside the nacelle, and a protection plate fastened to the bars, and an absorber between the protection plate and the related bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2025
    Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Lionel Czapla, Emmanuel Vardelle
  • Patent number: 12331699
    Abstract: A thrust reverser includes a jack for translational actuation of a movable part, the jack being a screw jack without an extension tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: SAFRAN NACELLES
    Inventors: Vincent Jean-François Peyron, Patrick André Boileau
  • Patent number: 12326116
    Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine engine having a spool includes executing, by a controller, a pre-shutdown procedure. The pre-shutdown procedure includes: determining a parameter associated with a thermal condition of the gas turbine engine; and calculating an idle period for an idle rotation operation to be performed in a shutdown procedure. Calculation of the idle period is based on the determined parameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: David M Donnelly, Derek S Wall, Jonathan Wieland
  • Patent number: 12326113
    Abstract: An assembly for an aircraft propulsion system includes a nacelle inlet structure. The nacelle inlet structure includes an inlet lip, an inner barrel, an outer barrel, a bulkhead and a plurality of structure segments. Each of the structure segments includes an exterior skin, an inner mount flange, an outer mount flange and an electric heater configured to heat the exterior skin. The exterior skin forms at least a respective circumferential section of the inlet lip. The inner mount flange is connected to and projects radially outward away from the exterior skin. An inner fastener extends axially through the inner mount flange and couples the inner mount flange to the inner barrel. The outer mount flange is connected to and projects radially inward away from the exterior skin. An outer fastener extends axially through the outer mount flange and couples the outer mount flange to the bulkhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: Rohr, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Moe, John E. Van Doren, Aleksandar Ratajac
  • Patent number: 12326099
    Abstract: A vane assembly includes a vane having an outer platform with mount structure and an airfoil extending inwardly from the mount structure and formed of ceramic matrix composites (“CMC”). The vane has an internal cooling chamber. A metal baffle is received within the internal cooling chamber and extends beyond the platform. A bathtub seal has a central portion receiving the metal baffle. The metal baffle has a central chamber and cooling air holes to deliver cooling air into the internal cooling chamber. The bathtub seal has an inner wall and an outer wall outward of the metal baffle. The inner wall, the outer wall and a bottom wall define a bathtub seal chamber. The bottom wall is in contact with an upper surface of the vane. The vane is connected to the outer wall. Static structure is received within the bathtub seal chamber. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventor: David J. Wasserman
  • Patent number: 12326112
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan operable for delivering air into a bypass duct. The fan is also operable for delivering air into a core engine housing. The core engine housing encloses a compressor, a combustor and a turbine section. The core engine housing has an upstream end defining a separation point between the bypass duct and the core engine housing. An air separation device is adjacent the upstream end. The air separation device includes a baffle and an opposed louver. The baffle and louver together are structured for defining an airflow path to guide air adjacent the upstream end with a radially outward and axially downstream components. There are baffle ribs on the baffle facing opposed louver ribs on the louver, with at least some of the louver ribs being circumferentially offset from the baffle ribs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Marco P. Convertini, Shervin Aslani Amoli, Harinath Bodugutla Venkata
  • Patent number: 12320262
    Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine engine having a spool includes executing, by a controller, a shutdown procedure. The shutdown procedure includes: performing an idle rotation operation; determining a parameter associated with a thermal condition of the gas turbine engine while the idle rotation operation is performed; determining, based on the determined parameter, whether the gas turbine engine has met a pre-determined criterion corresponding to a thermally stabilised condition; and terminating the idle rotation operation in response to a determination that the gas turbine engine has met the pre-determined criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: David M Donnelly, Derek S Wall, Jonathan Wieland
  • Patent number: 12320304
    Abstract: A gas turbine includes a compressor bleed air system that includes a compressor shroud, a compressor bleed air plenum, and a plurality of compressor bleed air passages arranged through the compressor shroud that provide fluid communication between the compressor airflow passage and the compressor bleed air plenum. The plurality of compressor bleed air passages are arranged circumferentially spaced apart from one another, where a first compressor bleed air passage and a second compressor bleed air passage circumferentially adjacent to one another are spaced apart a first angular spacing, and the respective inlets of at least a portion of a remainder of the plurality of compressor bleed air passages are circumferentially spaced apart from one another a second angular spacing, the second angular spacing being less than the first angular spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2025
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Meredith Wulff, Jonathan Atef Tawfik, Jesse Ollove
  • Patent number: 12313001
    Abstract: According to an aspect, a support structure is integrally formed with a bearing compartment. The support structure includes a plurality of vertical supports and horizontal supports. The vertical supports and horizontal supports include one or more features to support machining of the bearing compartment and removal of the support structure from the bearing compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2025
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Binek, Christopher D. Ramsey, Benjamin G. Gardell
  • Patent number: 12297771
    Abstract: A thermal management system for an energy storage system, the energy storage system comprising an energy storage device, an energy storage monitoring system including circuitry dedicated and configured to monitor a temperature of the energy storage device. The thermal management system comprises: a thermal management conditioning loop, a pump configured to circulate a thermal management fluid through the thermal management conditioning loop, a heat source, and a heat transfer hardware in thermal communication with the energy storage device. An energy storage controller of the energy storage monitoring system is configured to confirm that a temperature of the thermal management fluid and/or a temperature of the energy storage device is below an upper safety limit, between a lower control limit and an upper control limit, or both, and in response, to send an enable heater request indicating the heat source is to turn on.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Stephen Andrew Long, Michael Dougherty, Tomasz Marek Lubecki, Firman Sasongko, Chandana Jayampathi Gajanayake, Michael Adam Zagrodnik
  • Patent number: 12296941
    Abstract: An assembly for an aircraft propulsion system includes a propulsor, an engine, and electrical distribution system, and a controller. The propulsor is configured for rotation about a rotational axis. The engine includes a rotor coupled with the propulsor. The electrical distribution system includes an electric motor. The electric motor is coupled with the propulsor. The electric motor and the rotor are configured to cooperatively control rotation of the propulsor about the rotational axis by applying a total torque to the propulsor. The total torque includes a motor torque of the electric motor and an engine torque of the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2025
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventor: Richard Freer
  • Patent number: 12292007
    Abstract: A hydrogen supply assembly for an aircraft propulsion system includes a storage housing, a hydrogen supply component, and a leak detection system. The storage housing surrounds and forms a storage plenum. The hydrogen supply component is disposed within the storage housing coincident with the storage plenum. The leak detection system includes an interior pressure sensor, an exterior pressure sensor, and a controller. The interior pressure sensor is connected in fluid communication with the storage plenum. The exterior pressure sensor is connected in fluid communication with an ambient atmosphere outside the storage housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Assaf Farah