Patents Examined by William H. Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 12037938
    Abstract: A composite airfoil assembly for a turbine engine. The composite airfoil assembly has an airfoil outer surface defining opposing pressure and suction sides, which extend between a leading edge and a trailing edge. The composite airfoil assembly includes a composite airfoil having a woven core and a skin applied to at least a portion of a core exterior. The composite airfoil assembly also includes a cladding coupled to a skin outer surface where at least one edge or portion of the cladding is located adjacent at least one of the trailing edge, a root, or a tip, wherein the cladding includes a tapered portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Nicholas Joseph Kray
  • Patent number: 12037947
    Abstract: A device for distributing at least one fuel flow for a circuit for supplying fuel to a combustion chamber of a turbo machine, in particular of an aircraft, the device including a rotating main body extending about a longitudinal axis, the main body including an internal flow duct for a first flow of fuel, extending through the main body along the axis, a first annular portion configured to form an outlet passage for a second flow of fuel, and including at least one orifice for the second flow of fuel to pass through, and an external annular groove in fluidic communication with the at least one orifice in the first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Kevin Didier Pierre Le Normand, Frederic Brettes, Loic Pora
  • Patent number: 12031478
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system includes a core engine that includes a core flow path where a core airflow is compressed in a compressor section, communicated to a combustor section, mixed with fuel and ignited to generate a gas flow that is expanded through a turbine section for powering a primary propulsor. The aircraft propulsion system further includes a tap that is at a location upstream of the combustor section where a bleed airflow is drawn, a heat exchanger where the bleed airflow is heated by the gas flow, a power turbine through which heated bleed airflow is expanded to generate a work output, and a secondary propulsor that is driven by the work output that is generated by the power turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Stephen H. Taylor, Alan Retersdorf, Oliver V. Atassi
  • Patent number: 12031505
    Abstract: A variable flow area injector for a liquid rocket engine. The injector has a poppet with a variable outer width portion and a housing with a variable inner width portion. An annular flow path is defined between the variable width portions. Increased throttling of the engine passively increases the annular flow area of the injector by forcing the poppet in a distal direction. Decreased throttling allows a restoring spring to move the poppet in a proximal direction to decrease the annular flow area. A bellows can be included to dampen movement of the poppet. The bellows may be in a propellant-filled cavity separate from the main propellant flow path and have a series of openings through which the separate propellant flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: BLUE ORIGIN, LLC
    Inventors: Mark David Horn, Adam Keith Norman
  • Patent number: 12031502
    Abstract: An engine comprises an air intake arrangement configured to receive air; a heat exchanger arrangement arranged downstream of the air intake arrangement, configured to cool the air, and comprising a plurality of heat exchanger modules; and one or more turbomachinery components configured to receive cooled air from the heat exchanger arrangement. The plurality of heat exchanger modules are arranged to be generally centred on and to be arranged along a longitudinal axis of the engine. At least one of the plurality of heat exchanger modules is arranged to at least partially overlap with at least one other one of the plurality of heat exchanger modules relative to the longitudinal axis of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: Reaction Engines Limited
    Inventors: Robert Alexander Bond, Kathryn Rebecca Evans, Martin Christopher Johnson, Russell Geoffrey Payne
  • Patent number: 12031491
    Abstract: This combustion adjustment method applied to the combustion control of a combustor executes a first step for selecting a combustion parameter for a load of a gas turbine and increasing or decreasing a command value of the combustion parameter from an original location. When the command value reaches a target tolerance upper limit value or a target tolerance lower limit value, the first step is terminated. Furthermore, a second step for decreasing or increasing the command value in a direction opposite to that of the first step is executed. When the command value reaches the target tolerance upper limit value or the target tolerance lower limit value, the present invention includes a combustion tolerance confirmation step for confirming a combustion tolerance range of the combustion parameter at which the second step is terminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2024
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaro Fujioka, Tsukasa Ito, Fumikatsu Inoue, Ryoichi Haga, Takahiro Ito
  • Patent number: 12025314
    Abstract: A method of operating a combustor of a turbomachine on a total fuel input that contains a concentration of hydrogen that is greater than about 80% is provided. The method includes injecting a first mixture of air and a first fuel containing a first amount of hydrogen into the primary combustion zone of the combustor to generate a first flow of combustion gases having a first temperature. The method further includes injecting, with one or more premix injectors disposed downstream of the fuel nozzles, a second mixture of air and a second fuel containing a second amount of hydrogen into the secondary combustion zone of the combustor to generate a second flow of combustion gases having a second temperature. The method further includes separately injecting a third fuel into secondary combustion zone to generate a third flow of combustion gases having a third temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology LLC
    Inventors: Michael John Hughes, Willy Steve Ziminsky
  • Patent number: 12025053
    Abstract: A stator vane assembly includes a support structure a support structure and a plurality of cantilever stator vanes Each cantilever stator vane of the plurality of cantilever stator vanes extends from the support structure to a distal end of that cantilever stator vane. At least one notch is formed in each of the distal ends. At least one damper is received within the at least one notch formed in each of the distal ends. A method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Nicola Houle, Domenico Di Florio
  • Patent number: 12025311
    Abstract: Known micromixers for fuel injection (e.g., in a gas turbine engine) experience early burning or have limited operability. Accordingly, a micromixer is disclosed that utilizes an air nozzle, in combination with one or more fuel jets, to produce short flames that minimize the emission of nitrogen oxides, while providing additional benefits, such as mechanical robustness, aerodynamic efficiency, resistance to flame damage, suitability for additive manufacturing, wider operating ranges, operation with a variety of gaseous fuels, and/or amenability to control using conventional mechanisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Gareth W. Oskam, Georgina J. McGee, Yonduck Sung, Gregory Michael Balow, Rajeshriben Patel, Nathan J. Kirksey
  • Patent number: 12025077
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a combustor including a heat exchange structure and a rocket including the combustor. The combustor according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes: an inner wall; an outer jacket arranged to cover an outer surface of the inner wall; a plurality of first heat exchange channels arranged between the inner wall and the outer jacket and through which a fuel introduced from a fuel tank flows; and a second heat exchange channel arranged between the inner wall and the outer jacket and through which a pressurized gas introduced from a pressurized gas tank flows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Assignee: KOREA AEROSPACE RESEARCH INSTITUTE
    Inventors: Keum-Oh Lee, Byoungjik Lim, Soon-Young Park
  • Patent number: 12018841
    Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine engine including a combustor. The combustor includes a combustion chamber and a plurality of fuel spray nozzles configured to inject fuel into the chamber. The nozzles include a first and second subset of fuel spray nozzles. The combustor is operable in a condition wherein the first subset is supplied with more fuel than the second. A ratio of the number of nozzles in the first subset to the second is 1:2 to 1:5. The method includes operating the engine so a reduction of 20-80% in an average of particles/kg of nvPM in the exhaust when the engine is operating at 85% available thrust for given operating conditions and when the engine is operating at 30% is obtained when fuel provided to the nozzles is a sustainable aviation fuel instead of a fossil-based hydrocarbon fuel. Also, a gas turbine engine for an aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Christopher P Madden, Craig W Bemment, Andrew T Smith, Peter Swann
  • Patent number: 12018628
    Abstract: A rear part for a turbojet engine includes a variable-geometry nozzle in which a convergent flap is provided with a lever supporting a bearing roller arranged axially between an upstream bearing wall and a downstream bearing wall, which are rigidly secured to a movable part capable of moving axially on command with respect to an upstream stator structure in such a way that the bearing roller is free to move with respect to the upstream and downstream bearing walls in a radial direction. During a downstream movement of the movable part, the upstream bearing wall pushes the lever to pivot a downstream end of the convergent flap towards the longitudinal axis. Operation of the drive mechanism for moving the movable part can thus be optimized while limiting the size and the mass of the mechanism for controlling the flaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Thierry Kohn, Frédéric Paul Eichstadt, Elric Georges André Fremont
  • Patent number: 12006871
    Abstract: A complex cycle gas turbine engine for an aircraft with hydrogen fuel supply. The gas turbine engine comprises, in fluid flow series, a core gas turbine and a recuperator for heating hydrogen fuel prior to combustion by turbine exhaust products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Chloe J Palmer, John R Whurr
  • Patent number: 12006880
    Abstract: Systems and methods for high bandwidth control of thrust response for turbofan or turboprop engines are provided. Such systems and methods include an engine control system that processes a rate command and a feedback signal from an engine to generate separate fuel and electric machine control signals that respectively control fuel and electric machine dynamics of the engine to produce engine dynamics that result in desired thrust response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Harry Kirk Mathews, Jr., Stefan Joseph Cafaro, Brendon Leeker, Kevin Graziano
  • Patent number: 11970969
    Abstract: An exhaust device for a compressor bypass bleed system of a ducted fan engine includes a housing having an inlet end and an outlet end and defining a centerline axis from the inlet end to the outlet end, an inlet flow conditioner arranged at the inlet end, the inlet flow conditioner including a plurality of inlet openings for conducting a flow of compressed air therethrough into the housing, and an exit screen arranged at the outlet end of the housing. The exit screen includes a plurality of exit openings therethrough arranged at an acute angle with respect to the centerline axis so as to provide a flow of compressed air therethrough into a bypass flow passage at least partially in a same direction as a bypass airflow through the bypass flow passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas L. Pugh, Mark E. Linz, Jarrod Paul Sands, John J. Rahaim
  • Patent number: 11970975
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system (201) is shown for delivering the hydrogen fuel from a cryogenic storage system to a fuel injection system in a gas turbine engine. The fuel delivery system includes a pump (301), a metering device (302), and a fuel heating system (303,304) for heating the hydrogen fuel to an injection temperature for the fuel injection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Chloe J Palmer, Guy D Snowsill, Jonathan E Holt
  • Patent number: 11970977
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a turbine engine includes a fuel scheduling valve configured for regulation of fuel flow from a fuel inlet, in response to fuel pressure received at the fuel inlet. Primary, secondary and auxiliary fuel circuits receive fuel from the scheduling valve, and an electrically-controlled valve is provided in fluid communication with the auxiliary circuit, which electrically-controlled valve is adapted and configured to actively control fuel through the auxiliary circuit in response to a control signal. The auxiliary fuel circuit joins with the secondary fuel circuit for delivery to a fuel nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Murtuza Lokhandwalla, Brandon P. Williams, Jason A. Ryon, Todd Haugsjaahabink
  • Patent number: 11971171
    Abstract: A pilot cone for use in a burner arrangement having a pilot burner includes a casing which widens downstream along a burner axis and has a plurality of cooling air passages passing through it; an inner wall which extends upstream starting from the upstream end of the casing; an annular gap which runs along the inner wall on the radially outer side; and a plurality of cooling air openings which establish a connection between the annular gap and the cooling air passages. Another wall extends upstream at a distance from the inner wall starting from the casing and delimits the annular gap on the radially outer side, the inner wall having a plurality of holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Christian Beck, Jürgen Meisl, Stefan Reich, Sabrina Isolde Siebelist, Christopher Grandt, Benjamin Witzel
  • Patent number: 11970976
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a turbine engine includes a fuel scheduling valve configured for regulation of fuel flow from a fuel inlet, in response to fuel pressure received at the fuel inlet. Primary, secondary and auxiliary fuel circuits receive fuel from the scheduling valve, and an electrically-controlled valve is provided in fluid communication with the auxiliary circuit, which electrically-controlled valve is adapted and configured to actively control fuel through the auxiliary circuit in response to a control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Murtuza Lokhandwalla, Brandon P. Williams, Todd Haugsjaahabink, Charles E. Reuter, Jason A. Ryon, Kevin Gibbons, Jesse C. Peters
  • Patent number: 11965466
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a turbine combustor assembly includes a primary combustion chamber in fluid communication with a primary fuel injector and a primary air inlet, and an igniter carried by the primary combustion chamber and including a first igniter stage having an auxiliary combustion chamber housing comprising a mixing chamber and a tubular throat converging downstream of the mixing chamber, an ignition source projecting into the mixing chamber of the auxiliary combustion chamber, and a second igniter stage that includes an auxiliary fuel outlet manifold proximal to an outlet of the tubular throat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Bidhan Dam, Logan Oonk, Dan Huber, Vinay Prasad, Sudipa Sarker