Patents Examined by William Rodriguez
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Patent number: 8146370Abstract: A pneumatically driven turbine drive system is coupled to a gas turbine engine that includes low and high pressure compressors, low and high pressure turbines, a lock-up clutch, and at least one engine accessory driven by the high pressure compressor. The pneumatically driven turbine drive system selectively bleeds air discharged from the high pressure compressor and supplies it to an air turbine that is coupled to the at least one engine accessory. Thus, the system selectively reduces the power extracted from the high pressure compressor and is capable of supplying power back to the engine core. This, coupled with the bleed air that is diverted from the high pressure turbine and the low pressure turbine, allows the high pressure spool and the low pressure spool to run at lower speeds when high engine thrust is not needed or desired, but when the at least one engine accessory is still needed.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2008Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.Inventors: Peter Kenneth Zeiner, Tony Libera, Todd Langston
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Patent number: 8146364Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide resonators (260, 460) that have lateral walls (268, 270) disposed at non-square angles relative to the liner's longitudinal (and flow-based) axis (219) such that a film cooling of substantial portions of an intervening strip (244, 444) is provided from apertures (226A, 226B, 426) in a resonator box (262, 462) adjacent and upstream from the intervening strip (244, 444). This film cooling also cools weld seams (280) along the lateral walls (268, 270) of the resonator boxes (262, 462). In various embodiments the lateral wall angles are such that film cooling may be provided to include the most of the downstream portions of the intervening strips (244, 444). These downstream portions are closer to the combustion heat source and therefore expected to be in greater need of cooling.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2007Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.Inventors: Clifford E. Johnson, Robert J. Bland, Domenico Gambacorta, Samer P. Wasif
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Patent number: 8127534Abstract: There is disclosed a solid fuel rocket motor which may include a case and a nozzle coupled to the case. A plurality of fuel pellets may be disposed within the case. An igniter may be disposed to ignite at least a portion of the fuel pellets. A pellet retainer may be positioned within the case to retain the plurality of fuel pellets within the case. The pellet retainer may be perforated to allow exhaust gases to flow from the ignited fuel pellets to the nozzle while preventing unburned fuel pellets from being expelled through the nozzle.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2008Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: Raytheon CompanyInventors: Robert J. Cavalleri, Thomas A. Olden
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Patent number: 8127552Abstract: An engine assembly includes a combustor having a combustion chamber in which an air and fuel mixture is combusted to produce combustion gases. The engine assembly further includes a transition scroll coupled to the combustor for receiving the combustion gases. The transition scroll includes an interior surface, an exterior surface, and effusion cooling holes for providing cooling air to the interior surface. The engine assembly further includes a turbine coupled to the transition scroll for receiving and extracting energy from the combustion gases.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2008Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.Inventors: Jurgen C. Schumacher, Ian L. Critchley, David G. Walhood, Stony W. Kujala, Gregory O. Woodcock
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Patent number: 8127526Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes an exhaust liner having cold and hot sheets radially spaced from one another and interconnected by a band arranged in a cavity between the hot and cold sheets. In one example, the band is Z-shaped to permit thermal growth of the hot sheets relative to the cold sheets in the axial and radial directions. The hot sheets include axially adjacent portions that provide slots that are in fluid communication with the space. Cooling fluid is provided to the cavity through impingement jets in the cold sheet. The slots are arranged radially between the hot sheet portions.Type: GrantFiled: January 16, 2008Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Michael Joseph Murphy, Jeffrey R. Lavin
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Patent number: 8122721Abstract: A method of assembling a combustion turbine engine in provided. The method includes coupling at least one fuel nozzle inner atomized air tube to a combustor end cover plate body. The method also includes assembling a fuel nozzle insert sub-assembly by inserting at least one flow control apparatus into a fuel nozzle insert sub-assembly body. The method further includes inserting at least one seal between the combustor end cover plate body and the fuel nozzle insert sub-assembly body as well as inserting at least one seal between the combustor end cover plate body and the fuel nozzle insert sub-assembly body. The method also includes coupling the fuel nozzle insert sub-assembly to the combustor end cover plate body. The method further includes inserting at least one bellows onto a bellows support fitting and inserting the bellows support fitting onto a fuel nozzle insert sub-assembly body support surface. The method also includes assembling a fuel nozzle sub-assembly.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2006Date of Patent: February 28, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Thomas Edward Johnson, James Thomas Brown
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Patent number: 8099942Abstract: A method of operating a power generation system is provided. The system includes a first gas turbine engine that uses at least one of a primary fuel and a secondary fuel, and at least one second gas turbine engine that operates using at least one of a primary and secondary fuel. The method includes supplying primary fuel to at least one of the first and second engines from a common fuel source coupled to the first and second engines, and selectively operating the first engine between a first operational position and a second operational position. The first engine using only secondary fuel in the first operational position and operates using only primary fuel in the second operational position. The method includes supplying the second engine with primary fuel from the common fuel source without flaring the primary fuel.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2007Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Michael Joseph Alexander, Rahul Mohan Joshi, Matthew Charles Prater, William Randolph Hurst, John Reuben Aiton
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Patent number: 8096132Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine is disclosed which is able to operate with high combustion efficiency, and low nitrous oxide emissions during gas turbine operations. The combustor consists of a can-type configuration which combusts fuel premixed with air and delivers the hot gases to a turbine. Fuel is premixed with air through a swirler and is delivered to the combustor with a high degree of swirl motion about a central axis. This swirling mixture of reactants is conveyed downstream through a flow path that expands; the mixture reacts, and establishes an upstream central recirculation flow along the central axis. A cooling assembly is located on the swirler co-linear with the central axis in which cooler air is conveyed into the prechamber between the recirculation flow and the swirler surface.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2008Date of Patent: January 17, 2012Assignee: FlexEnergy Energy Systems, Inc.Inventors: Yimin Huang, Shaun Sullivan, Brian Finstad, Alexander Haplau-Colan
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Patent number: 8091367Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustor liner with at least one of the inner and outer liners that is effusion cooled and has a row of groups of circumferentially spaced apart dilution holes defined therethrough. Each group is located within a respective zone of the combustor liner defined by an overlap of adjacent conical sections corresponding to the sprays of adjacent fuel nozzles.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2008Date of Patent: January 10, 2012Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.Inventor: Hisham Alkabie
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Patent number: 8091364Abstract: In a combustion chamber wall for a combustion chamber having a combustion chamber outlet through which a hot combustion exhaust gas can exit the combustion chamber, the combustion chamber wall comprises an outlet end which surrounds the combustion chamber outlet, and the outlet end is provided with a tempering device.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2006Date of Patent: January 10, 2012Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Andreas Böttcher, Jens Kleinfeld, Claus Krusch
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Patent number: 8091363Abstract: Embodiments for an apparatus and associated method for reducing the residence time in a gas turbine combustor are disclosed. The embodiments of the present invention comprise a fuel nozzle that extends to a downstream plane of an end cap for a combustion liner where the axial distance of the premixer is reduced, however the swirl for mixing the fuel and air, is increased. As a result, the mixing of the fuel and air is essentially unchanged, thereby allowing higher air pressures and operating temperatures within the premixer without inducing auto-ignition.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2007Date of Patent: January 10, 2012Assignee: Power Systems Mfg., LLCInventors: Daniel J. Sullivan, Peter Stuttaford, Robert J. Kraft, Khalid Oumejjoud, Yan Chen
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Patent number: 8087250Abstract: An exhaust nozzle includes a conical duct terminating in an annular outlet. A row of vortex generating duplex tabs are mounted in the outlet. The tabs have compound radial and circumferential aft inclination inside the outlet for generating streamwise vortices for attenuating exhaust noise while reducing performance loss.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2008Date of Patent: January 3, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ephraim Jeff Gutmark, Steven (nmn) Martens
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Patent number: 8083494Abstract: Improvements to combustors such as burners and engines are provided. In one aspect, the specification presents an acoustically enhanced ejector system which can be used as part of an intake system for a combustor. In another aspect, the specification teaches the use of a combustor combustion chamber as an oscillator to magnify a harmonic frequency of a pulsating frequency of the combustor. In still other aspects, the specification presents a combustion chamber having an inlet with a plurality of tangentially spaced apertures, and an in-line intake system connected to the apertures.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2006Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: Gestion Serge Benjamin Inc.Inventors: Luc Laforest, Dennis Vivian Collins
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Patent number: 8083506Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a double action simplex pump including a pump body with a first half and a second half joined together to form an enclosed cavity. The first half includes a first pipe member and the second half includes a second pipe member. A first end of the first pipe member is a fluid inlet port and a second end of the second pipe member is a fluid outlet port. The enclosed cavity defines a first pocket and a second pocket each in fluid communication with a first lumen of the first pipe member and a second lumen of the second pipe member. A first valve assembly is positioned in the first pocket and a second valve assembly is positioned in the second pocket. Each of the first valve assembly and the second valve assembly includes a valve casing supporting an inlet poppet valve, an outlet poppet valve, and a central opening located between the inlet poppet valve and the outlet poppet valve. The central opening is aligned with one of a plunger and a diaphragm.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2010Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: Sta-Rite Industries, LLCInventors: Bruce A. Maki, Daniel A. Beilke
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Patent number: 8082728Abstract: A continuous detonation system, including: a rotatable member including a forward end, an aft end, a circumferential wall and a longitudinal centerline axis extending therethrough; an outer circumferential wall, wherein the rotatable member is positioned therein so that the circumferential wall of the rotatable member is spaced radially inwardly from the outer circumferential wall; at least one helical channel formed by a plurality of helical sidewalls extending between the circumferential wall of the rotatable member and the outer circumferential wall, each helical channel being open at the forward end and the aft end of the rotatable member so as to provide flow communication therethrough; an air supply for providing air to each helical channel; and, a fuel supply for providing fuel to each helical channel. In this way, a mixture of the fuel and air is continuously detonated within each helical channel in a manner such that combustion gases exit therefrom with an increased pressure and temperature.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2008Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Kurt David Murrow, Lawrence nmn Butler
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Gas turbine engine with a means of driving the accessory gear box, and method of fitting said engine
Patent number: 8074455Abstract: A twin-spool gas turbine engine including a high-pressure rotor and a low-pressure rotor, which rotors are mounted in bearings supported by an intermediate casing, at least one accessory gear box, and a drive device which drives radial and coaxial shafts for transmitting movement to the accessory gear box is disclosed. The drive device includes a high-pressure drive gear driving one of the radial shafts and connected to the high-pressure rotor and a low-pressure drive gear connected to the low-pressure rotor upstream of the high-pressure drive gear and driving the other of the radial shafts. The low-pressure drive gear is supported in the intermediate casing by an axial-positioning bearing.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2008Date of Patent: December 13, 2011Assignee: SnecmaInventors: Arnaud Jean-Marie Pierrot, Stephane Rousselin -
Patent number: 8069673Abstract: Provided is a seal structure, according to the present invention, for sealing opposite surfaces of flanges between adjacent tail ducts, which can be prevented from being worn or aged deteriorated due to a thermal deformation in a high temperature atmosphere or vibration of a gas turbine combustor, and which can maintain a satisfactory sealing function for a long time.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2010Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Nobuhiro Kunitake, Kuniaki Aoyama, Kiyoshi Fujimoto, Masaharu Minami
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Patent number: 8069669Abstract: A combustion chamber which is fitted with a separator disposed between the radially inner wall of the chamber and the inner flange of the chamber is disclosed. The separator includes a tubular portion and a fastener portion. The tubular portion is centered on the main axis of the combustion chamber, with the upstream end thereof being situated upstream from orifices in the radially inner wall of the chamber. The fastener portion is secured to the combustion chamber. The tubular portion splits the flow of air running along the radially inner wall into an inner air flow passing between the tubular portion and the inner flange of the chamber, and an outer air flow passing between the radially inner wall and the tubular portion.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2008Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: SnecmaInventors: Christophe Pieussergues, Denis Jean Maurice Sandelis
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Patent number: 8069646Abstract: A pressure vessel bypass valve forms a bypass system for enabling a part of the air compressed by a compressor to directly flow into a combustor while preventing the part of the air from flowing through a humidification tower and a recuperator. A turbine bypass valve forms another bypass system for enabling a part of a humidified air to be discharged to an exhaust duct after a heat exchange between the humidified air and a turbine exhaust gas is performed in the recuperator while preventing the part of the humidified air from flowing through a turbine. A turbine control system controls the bypass valves to be opened and closed in accordance with increase and decrease of the load.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2007Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Yuki Nakano, Yukinori Katagiri
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Patent number: 8070453Abstract: A centrifugal impeller having an inlet and a plurality of outlets, the outlets including at least one outlet in a forward direction of the impeller and at least one outlet in a rearward direction of the impeller. A flow path distance of the outlet in the forward direction can be greater than a flow path distance of the outlet in the rearward direction in order to provide a greater pressure in the outlet having the greater flow path distance. In another embodiment, the flow path volume in the forward direction can be greater than the flow path volume in the rearward direction in order to provide a greater flow volume in the forward direction. In another embodiment, the number of flow paths in the forward direction can be greater than the number of flow paths in the rearward direction in order to provide a greater flow volume in the forward direction.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2009Date of Patent: December 6, 2011Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Alfred P Matheny