Patents Examined by William H. Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 11572828
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods wherein power production can be achieved with combustion of a fuel utilizing flameless combustion. A fuel may be combusted in a combustor/turbine in a substantially flameless operation to produce a combustion product stream that can be expanded for power generation. After expansion, the output stream can be treated to generate a recycle CO2 stream into which an oxidant can be input. The recycle CO2 stream including the oxidant can be injected into the combustor/turbine to effect combustion in a substantially flameless state. Various control schemes can be implemented to automatically control the concentration of oxygen present in the recycle CO2 stream that is injected into the combustor/turbine in order to achieve and/or maintain substantially flameless combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: 8 Rivers Capital, LLC
    Inventors: Jeremy Eron Fetvedt, Brock Alan Forrest
  • Patent number: 11566790
    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: October 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael John Hughes, Willy Steve Ziminsky
  • Patent number: 11566789
    Abstract: A ferrule in a fuel-air mixer assembly. The ferrule includes a body having (i) a plurality of channels having sidewalls, the plurality of channels leading to a corresponding plurality of exit openings, the plurality of channels configured to guide a first airflow therein and (ii) a plurality of cascade holes formed within the sidewalls of the plurality of channels and defining a plurality of passageways therein that are transverse to the plurality of channels. The ferrule also includes a plurality of airflow modifiers provided within the plurality of channels. The plurality airflow modifiers are configured to reduce a velocity of the first airflow when the first airflow exits through the plurality of exit openings and to generate low velocity vortex pairs to reduce interaction of the first airflow with a second airflow provided through primary vanes located downstream of the plurality of exit openings of the plurality of channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Saket Singh, Pradeep Naik, Rimple Rangrej, Ranganatha Narasimha Chiranthan, Veeraraju Vanapalli
  • Patent number: 11560851
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a fan includes a plurality of fan blades rotatable about an axis. A compressor section includes at least a first compressor section and a second compressor section, wherein components of the second compressor section are configured to operate at an average exit temperature that is between about 1000° F. and about 1500° F. A combustor is in fluid communication with the compressor section. A turbine section is in fluid communication with the combustor. A geared architecture is driven by the turbine section for rotating the fan about the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Karl L. Hasel
  • Patent number: 11549432
    Abstract: A chemical looping combustion (CLC) based power generation, particularly using liquid fuel, ensures substantially complete fuel combustion and provides electrical efficiency without exposing metal oxide based oxygen carrier to high temperature redox process. An integrated fuel gasification (reforming)-CLC-followed by power generation model is provided involving (i) a gasification island, (ii) CLC island, (iii) heat recovery unit, and (iv) power generation system. To improve electrical efficiency, a fraction of the gasified fuel may be directly fed, or bypass the CLC, to a combustor upstream of one or more gas turbines. This splitting approach ensures higher temperature (efficiency) in the gas turbine inlet. The inert mass ratio, air flow rate to the oxidation reactor, and pressure of the system may be tailored to affect the performance of the integrated CLC system and process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
    Inventors: Mohammed Mozahar Hossain, Muflih Arisa Adnan
  • Patent number: 11542869
    Abstract: In one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine includes a primary gas path having, in fluid series communication: an air inlet, a compressor fluidly connected to the air inlet, a combustor fluidly connected to an outlet of the compressor, and a turbine section fluidly connected to an outlet of the combustor section. In embodiments, a hydrogen expansion turbine is in fluid communication to receive hydrogen from the gaseous hydrogen outlet of the heat exchanger. In certain embodiments, the gas turbine engine includes a heat exchanger having a gas conduit fluidly connected to the primary gas path, and a fluid conduit in fluid isolation from the gas conduit and in thermal communication with the gas conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventor: Scott Smith
  • Patent number: 11543131
    Abstract: A nozzle assembly for injecting fuel and compressed air into a combustion chamber of a gas turbine combustor is provided. The nozzle assembly includes a nozzle body disposed in the combustor and having a coolant outlet on one end of which an inside of the nozzle body communicates with the combustion chamber, a spray nozzle disposed in the nozzle body and including a plurality of first nozzle tubes each having a first flow path formed therein to allow combustion air to flow into the combustion chamber and a fuel hole formed to supply fuel, and a second nozzle tube having through-holes to allow the first nozzle tubes to pass therethrough and a second flow path formed to supply fuel, and a diaphragm disposed inside of the nozzle body and including a plurality of coolant flow holes through which a coolant supplied to the nozzle body is supplied towards one end of the nozzle body and a plurality of tube holes through which the first nozzle tubes pass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: DOOSAN ENERBILITY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Han Jin Jeong
  • Patent number: 11542926
    Abstract: A vehicle comprising a structure, a plurality of heating sources, and a transport mechanism. The structure is comprised of multiple materials, a composite such that some of the material constituents can be extracted leaving behind others via application of energy (such as de-alloying). The extracted material or materials are configured to be re-purposed into a propellant. The plurality of heating elements surrounds or is embedded within the structure configured to convert the material into the propellant. The transport mechanism is configured to transport the propellant from the structure to a reservoir or to the propulsion system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: THE AEROSPACE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Horatiu C. Dragnea, Henry Helvajian, Kushal Patel
  • Patent number: 11536196
    Abstract: An inertial particle separator (IPS) has: a main duct having an inlet fluidly connected to an environment outside of the aircraft engine, the main duct having a first segment and a second segment, the first segment extending longitudinally away from the inlet and vertically toward an elbow, the second segment extending vertically and longitudinally away from the elbow, the main duct having a concave side and a convex side; two inlet ducts extending from the concave side of the main duct, the two inlet ducts extending laterally away from one another and vertically away from the elbow; and a bypass duct communicating with the main duct, an intersection between the bypass duct and the main duct defining a splitter, the bypass duct extending along the longitudinal direction and laterally between the two inlet ducts, the two inlet ducts and the bypass duct extending vertically away from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Roberto Marrano, François Bisson
  • Patent number: 11525396
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes combustion apparatus defining a volume, a compressor, a cooling air supply feed from the compressor, and a Helmholtz resonator. The Helmholtz resonator has a neck and a chamber having an attenuation volume and which is in fluid communication with the attenuation volume, the cooling air supply feed is connected to the Helmholtz resonator and includes a valve arrangement. In a first engine operating condition, the valve arrangement is closed and the Helmholtz resonator attenuates acoustic frequencies in a first range and, in a second engine operating condition, the valve arrangement is open whereby cooling air purges the attenuation volume and the Helmholtz resonator attenuates acoustic frequencies in a second range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Ghenadie Bulat
  • Patent number: 11506388
    Abstract: A pilot pre-mixer for a gas turbine engine has a pilot body that includes an internal mixing chamber, a first end on an upstream side of the internal mixing chamber, a second end on a downstream side of the internal mixing chamber, a fuel injector at the first end and communicable with the internal mixing chamber, a plurality of first oxidizer inlet ports arranged to provide an oxidizer agent from outside of the pilot body to the internal mixing chamber, and a plurality of pilot outlet ports at the second end and communicable with the internal mixing chamber, each of the plurality of pilot outlet ports having an outlet on the second end for dispensing a pilot fluid mixture into a combustion zone of a combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Gregory A. Boardman, Pradeep Naik, Bassam Sabry Mohammad Abdelnabi, Manampathy G. Giridharan, Vishal Sanjay Kediya, Narasimhan S. Sahana
  • Patent number: 11506125
    Abstract: A structure for damping at a fluid manifold assembly for an engine is generally provided. The fluid manifold assembly includes a first walled conduit defining a first fluid passage therewithin. A flow of fluid defining a first frequency is permitted through the first fluid passage. A second walled conduit includes a pair of first portions each coupled to the first walled conduit. A second portion is coupled to the pair of first portions. A second fluid passage is defined through the first portion and the second portion in fluid communication with the first fluid passage. The flow of fluid is permitted through the second fluid passage at a second frequency approximately 180 degrees out of phase from the first frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Donald Scott Yeager, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • Patent number: 11506387
    Abstract: A low-pollution combustor and a combustion control method therefor. The low-pollution combustor includes a combustor head including a primary combustion stage and a precombustion stage, the primary combustion stage including a primary-combustion-stage channel and a primary-combustion-stage swirler disposed in the primary-combustion-stage channel. The primary combustion stage includes a pre-film plate disposed in the primary-combustion-stage channel, and the pre-film plate is radially divided into an outer-layer pre-film plate and an inner-layer pre-film plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: AECC COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT ENGINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Longfei Dang, Pei He, Wei Chen, Rong Xu, Yajia E, Pan Chen, Mingming Su, Hao Chen
  • Patent number: 11498705
    Abstract: Systems and methods for refueling a chemical propulsion system are provided. The systems can include multiple pressurant reservoirs to supply pressure to one or more fuel tanks. During a refueling operation, pressurant is released, fuel is added to the fuel tank, and then the fuel tank is repressurized using pressurant from a secondary pressurant tank. In other configurations, during a refueling operation pressurant is cooled to depressurize the fuel tank, fuel is added to the fuel tank, and then the pressurant is heated to repressurize the fuel tank. The systems and methods can be used to refuel operationally deployed space craft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Ball Aerospace & Technology Corp.
    Inventors: Gordon C. Wu, Derek Chan, Suzan Q. Green
  • Patent number: 11493206
    Abstract: Provided is a gas turbine combustor that can achieve improvement of the combustion stability. A gas turbine combustor includes a pilot burner of the diffusion combustion type, a pilot flow control valve that regulates a flow rate of fuel to be supplied to the pilot burner, a main burner of the premix combustion type arranged on an outer circumference side of the pilot burner, main flow control valves that regulate flow rates of fuel to be individually supplied to burner sectors into which the main burner is sectioned in a circumferential direction, and a controller configured to control the pilot flow control valve and the main flow control valves. The controller controls the main flow control valves such that, when fuel is to be supplied to all the burner sectors, a difference in fuel flow rate occurs between at least one burner sector and the other burner sectors among the burner sectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Wada, Kazuki Abe, Akinori Hayashi, Keita Naito
  • Patent number: 11486581
    Abstract: The fuel nozzle can have a proximal member having a first mating portion defined around an assembly axis, a first fluid conduit internal to the proximal member and spaced apart from the assembly axis, and a first stop facing a first circumferential direction; and a distal member having a second mating portion configured for axial engagement with the first mating portion along the assembly axis, a second stop facing a second circumferential direction, the second circumferential direction opposite the first circumferential direction and configured to abut against the first stop when the distal member and proximal member are axially engaged to one another in a predetermined relative circumferential alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Nadia Swaby
  • Patent number: 11486303
    Abstract: Methods and systems of operating a gas turbine engine in a low-power condition are provided. In one embodiment, the method includes supplying fuel to a combustor by supplying fuel to a first fuel manifolds and a second fuel manifold of the gas turbine engine. The method also includes, while supplying fuel to the combustor by supplying fuel to the first fuel manifold: stopping supplying fuel to the second fuel manifold; and using a pump to drive gas into the second fuel manifold to flush fuel in the second fuel manifold into the combustor and hinder coking in the second fuel manifold and associated fuel nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Antwan Shenouda
  • Patent number: 11480339
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine includes: a flange portion to be mounted to a casing; an extension portion having an annular shape and extending from the flange portion along an axial direction of the combustor; a pipe portion having a first end connected to the flange portion and a second end connected to an outer peripheral surface of the extension portion, the pipe portion extending from the first end to the second end at an outer side of the extension portion in a radial direction; and at least one fuel nozzle configured to receive supply of a fuel via the pipe portion and a passage disposed inside the extension portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenta Taniguchi, Kiyoshi Fujimoto, Tatsuya Kowari, Ryota Fukuoka
  • Patent number: 11466618
    Abstract: The present invention provides a direct-fired supercritical carbon dioxide power generation system and a power generation method thereof, the system comprising: a combustor for burning hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen; a turbine driven by combustion gas discharged from the combustor; a heat exchanger for cooling combustion gas discharged after driving the turbine, by heat exchange with combustion gas recycled and supplied to the combustor; and an air separation unit for separating air to produce oxygen, wherein a portion of the combustion gas discharged after driving the turbine is branched before being introduced to the heat exchanger and is supplied to the air separation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF ENERGY RESEARCH
    Inventors: Dae-Keun Lee, Dong-Soon Noh, Chang-Bog Ko, Young-Tae Guahk, Seung-Gon Kim, Min-Jung Lee, Eun-Kyung Lee, Woo-Nam Jung, Nam-Su Kim
  • Patent number: 11466621
    Abstract: An adaptive thermal management system for a gas turbine engine includes a heat exchanger transferring heat into a coolant, a temperature sensor measuring a temperature of the coolant, and a sensor assembly that measures a parameter of the coolant during operation of the gas turbine engine. The parameter measured by the sensor assembly is indicative of a capacity of the coolant to accept heat from the hot flow. A control valve governs a flow of coolant into the heat exchanger. A controller adjusts the control valve to communicate coolant to the heat exchanger based on a determined capacity of the coolant to accept heat in view of the measured temperature of the coolant and that the measured parameter of the coolant is within a predefined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Lubomir A. Ribarov