Patents by Inventor Abdul Rafey Khan

Abdul Rafey Khan has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8276385
    Abstract: A fuel injection nozzle includes a body member having an upstream wall opposing a downstream wall, and an internal wall disposed between the upstream wall and the downstream wall, a first chamber partially defined by the an inner surface of the upstream wall and a surface of the internal wall, a second chamber partially defined by an inner surface of the downstream wall and a surface of the internal wall a first gas inlet communicative with the first chamber operative to emit a first gas into the first chamber, a second gas inlet communicative with the second chamber operative to emit a second gas into the second chamber, and a plurality of mixing tubes, each of the mixing tubes having a tube inner surface, a tube outer surface, a first inlet communicative with an aperture in the upstream wall operative to receive a third gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Baifang Zuo, Abdul Rafey Khan, William David York, Willy Steve Ziminsky
  • Patent number: 8256226
    Abstract: A burner for use in a gas turbine engine includes a burner tube having an inlet end and an outlet end; a plurality of air passages extending axially in the burner tube configured to convey air flows from the inlet end to the outlet end; a plurality of fuel passages extending axially along the burner tube and spaced around the plurality of air passage configured to convey fuel from the inlet end to the outlet end; and a radial air swirler provided at the outlet end configured to direct the air flows radially toward the outlet end and impart swirl to the air flows. The radial air swirler includes a plurality of vanes to direct and swirl the air flows and an end plate. The end plate includes a plurality of fuel injection holes to inject the fuel radially into the swirling air flows. A method of mixing air and fuel in a burner of a gas turbine is also provided. The burner includes a burner tube including an inlet end, an outlet end, a plurality of axial air passages, and a plurality of axial fuel passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Abdul Rafey Khan, Gilbert Otto Kraemer, Christian Xavier Stevenson
  • Patent number: 8252251
    Abstract: The present subject matter discloses a fluid cooled reformer for gas turbine systems and a method for cooling both a fuel reformer and a heated reformate stream produced by such fuel reformer. The fluid cooled reformer may include a pressure vessel and a reactor assembly disposed within the pressure vessel. The reactor assembly may include a reactor and may be configured to receive and reform an oxygen/fuel mixture to produce a heated reformate stream. Additionally, the fluid cooled reformer may include an inlet configured to direct a fluid stream into the pressure vessel. At least a portion of the fluid stream may be used to cool the reactor assembly. A reformate cooling section may be disposed downstream of the reactor of the reactor assembly and may be configured to cool the heated reformate stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Hasan Karim, Abdul Rafey Khan
  • Publication number: 20120186266
    Abstract: A reformer for use in a gas turbine engine specially configured to treat a supplemental fuel feed to the combustor that includes a reformer core containing a catalyst composition and an inlet flow channel for transporting the reformer fuel mixture, air and steam (either saturated or superheated) into a reformer core. An outlet flow channel transports the resulting reformate stream containing reformed and thermally cracked hydrocarbons and substantial amounts of hydrogen out of the reformer core for later combination with the main combustor feed. Because the catalytic partial oxidation reaction in the reformer is highly exothermic, the additional heat is transferred (and thermally integrated) using one or more heat exchange units for a first and/or second auxiliary gas turbine fuel stream that undergo thermal cracking and vaporization before combining with the reformate. The combined, hydrogen-enriched feed significantly improves combustor performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventors: Abdul Rafey Khan, Hasan Karim, Jonathan Dwight Berry
  • Publication number: 20120180497
    Abstract: A turbomachine system includes a compressor portion having a compressor inlet and a compressor outlet, a turbine portion operatively connected to the compressor portion, a combustor having a combustor inlet fluidly connected to the compressor outlet and a combustor outlet fluidly connected to the turbine portion; and a reformer having a reformer inlet fluidly connected to the compressor outlet and a reformer outlet fluidly connected to the combustor inlet. The reformer partially combusts air from the compressor portion and a fuel to form a hydrogen-rich syngas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Kihyung Kim, Hasan Karim, Abdul Rafey Khan
  • Publication number: 20120167544
    Abstract: The present application provides a combustor. The combustor may include an air flow path with a flow of air therein. A flow obstruction may be positioned within the air flow path and cause a wake or a recirculation zone downstream thereof. A number of fuel injectors may be positioned downstream of the flow obstruction. The fuel injectors may inject a flow of fuel into the air flow path such that the flows of fuel and air in the wake or the recirculation zone do not exceed a flammability limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: David Kaylor Toronto, Kwanwoo Kim, Abdul Rafey Khan, Luis Flamand
  • Publication number: 20120096866
    Abstract: A nozzle for a combustor is disclosed. The nozzle includes a center body, a burner tube provided around the center body and defining a fuel-air mixing passage therebetween, and an outer peripheral wall provided around the burner tube and defining an air flow passage therebetween. The nozzle further includes a nozzle tip connected to the center body. The nozzle tip includes a pilot fuel passage configured to deliver a flow of pilot fuel to a combustion zone, and a plurality of transfer passages. The plurality of transfer passages are configured to deliver a flow of air for combustion with the flow of pilot fuel in the combustion zone and further configured to deliver a flow of transfer fuel to the combustion zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Publication date: April 26, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Abdul Rafey Khan, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Christian Xavier Stevenson
  • Publication number: 20120085834
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle includes a nozzle cavity with a side wall defining an annular cavity, and swirler vanes arranged circumferentially around an outer surface of the nozzle cavity. A plurality of ports are formed in the side wall and are circumferentially spaced around the nozzle cavity. The ports provide fluid communication through the side wall. The plurality of ports are positioned and/or oriented such that fuel jets communicated through the side wall are communicated downstream of the swirler vanes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Inventors: Abdul Rafey Khan, Thomas Edward Johnson
  • Patent number: 8141363
    Abstract: A nozzle includes a nozzle body and a cavity defined at least in part by the nozzle body. A plenum extends through the nozzle body into the cavity. At least one passage through the plenum provides fluid communication between the plenum and the cavity. Orifices through the nozzle body and circumferentially spaced around the nozzle body provide fluid communication through the nozzle body. A method for cooling a face of a nozzle having a nozzle body that defines a cavity includes flowing a fuel through the cavity and inserting a plenum through the nozzle body into the cavity. The method further includes flowing a fluid through the plenum so that the fluid impinges on the face of the nozzle to remove heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Abdul Rafey Khan, Christian Xavier Stevenson, Thomas Edward Johnson
  • Patent number: 8123150
    Abstract: A nozzle is provided and includes a circuit by which fuel is delivered to a nozzle part and a valve, interposed between the circuit and the nozzle part and upon which the fuel impinges, an opening and closing of the valve being passively responsive to a fuel pressure in the circuit such that the valve thereby modulates a size of an area through which a corresponding quantity of the fuel flows from the circuit to the nozzle part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Abdul Rafey Khan, Joseph Citeno, Christian Xavier Stevenson, Baifang Zuo
  • Publication number: 20120011854
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of primary nozzles configured to diffuse or premix fuel into an air flow through the combustor; and a secondary nozzle configured to premix fuel with the air flow. Each premixing nozzle includes a center body, at least one vane, a burner tube provided around the center body, at least two cooling passages, a fuel cooling passage to cool surfaces of the center body and the at least one vane, and an air cooling passage to cool a wall of the burner tube. The cooling passages prevent the walls of the center body, the vane(s), and the burner tube from overheating during flame holding events.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventors: Abdul Rafey KHAN, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Chunyang Wu, Baifang Zuo, Christian Xavier Stevenson
  • Publication number: 20110289929
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a compressor, a turbine operatively coupled to the compressor, and a combustor fluidly linking the compressor and the turbine. The combustor includes at least one fuel nozzle. The at least one fuel nozzle includes a flow passage including a body having first end that extends to a second end through at least one flow channel having a flow area. A fuel inlet is provided at the first end of the body. The fuel inlet is configured to receive at least one fuel. A fuel outlet is provided at the second end of the body. A control flow passage is fluidly connected to the body between the first and second ends. The control flow passage is configured and disposed to deliver a control flow into the fuel nozzle. The control flow establishes a selectively variable effective flow area of the flow passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Abdul Rafey Khan, Kapil Kumar Singh
  • Publication number: 20110240769
    Abstract: A nozzle is provided and includes a circuit by which fuel is delivered to a nozzle part and a valve, interposed between the circuit and the nozzle part and upon which the fuel impinges, an opening and closing of the valve being passively responsive to a fuel pressure in the circuit such that the valve thereby modulates a size of an area through which a corresponding quantity of the fuel flows from the circuit to the nozzle part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Abdul Rafey Khan, Joseph Citeno, Christian Xavier Stevenson, Baifang Zuo
  • Publication number: 20110243805
    Abstract: The present subject matter discloses a fluid cooled reformer for gas turbine systems and a method for cooling both a fuel reformer and a heated reformate stream produced by such fuel reformer. The fluid cooled reformer may include a pressure vessel and a reactor assembly disposed within the pressure vessel. The reactor assembly may include a reactor and may be configured to receive and reform an oxygen/fuel mixture to produce a heated reformate stream. Additionally, the fluid cooled reformer may include an inlet configured to direct a fluid stream into the pressure vessel. At least a portion of the fluid stream may be used to cool the reactor assembly. A reformate cooling section may be disposed downstream of the reactor of the reactor assembly and may be configured to cool the heated reformate stream.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Hasan Karim, Abdul Rafey Khan
  • Publication number: 20110225974
    Abstract: A method of operating a combustor includes delivering a primary fuel flow through a plurality of primary fuel nozzles toward a primary combustion zone and combusting the primary fuel flow in the primary combustion zone. A secondary fuel flow is delivered through a secondary fuel nozzle toward a secondary combustion zone and combusted therein. The secondary fuel is located such that the plurality of primary fuel nozzles are arrayed around the secondary fuel nozzle. An outer swirler is located between the plurality of primary fuel nozzles and the secondary fuel nozzle and includes a plurality of outer swirler channels extending therethrough. A flow of swirler fuel is delivered through the plurality of outer swirler channels into the combustor substantially between the primary combustion zone and the secondary combustion zone to stabilize combustion in the primary combustion zone and/or the secondary combustion zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Abdul Rafey Khan, Thomas Edward Johnson
  • Publication number: 20110162371
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of operating a secondary fuel nozzle for a turbomachine combustor including delivering a flow of pilot fuel through a pilot fuel channel toward a combustion zone and delivering a flow of air through a plurality of transfer passages arranged around the pilot fuel channel toward the combustion zone. The flow of pilot fuel and the flow of air are combusted in the combustion zone, and a flow of transfer fuel is delivered through the plurality of transfer passages for combustion. A secondary fuel nozzle includes a pilot fuel channel extending along the fuel nozzle to deliver a flow of pilot fuel to a combustion zone. A plurality of transfer passages are arranged around the pilot fuel channel and are configured to deliver a flow of air for combustion with the flow of pilot fuel and to deliver a flow of transfer fuel to the combustion zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Abdul Rafey Khan, Christian Xavier Stevenson, Willy Steve Ziminsky
  • Publication number: 20110162343
    Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling fuel flow within a machine are provided. A plurality of fuel types provided to the machine and a plurality of fuel circuits associated with the machine may be identified, each of the plurality of fuel circuits adapted to be provided with one or more of the plurality of fuel types. A fuel flow parameter for calculating fuel flow may be identified, and a respective fuel flow for each of the one or more fuel types provided to each of the plurality of fuel circuits may be calculated based at least in part on the identified fuel flow parameter. Based at least in part on the calculation of the respective fuel flows, operation of one or more fuel flow control devices providing fuel to the plurality of fuel circuits may be controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2010
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Noemie Dion Ouellet, Abdul Rafey Khan
  • Publication number: 20110131998
    Abstract: In a conventional secondary fuel nozzle for a gas turbine combustion system, secondary air enters and flows around pegs to mix with fuel injected through holes in pegs. Because the pegs are in the air flow area, undesirable pressure drops occur adversely affecting turbine's efficiency and leading to higher emissions. A novel secondary fuel nozzle is provided in which fuel is injected upstream of the secondary air entry location, which allows the pegs to be removed from the flow area. An example secondary fuel nozzle includes a nozzle body delivering fuel, a nozzle housing surrounding the nozzle body and defining air passages for the secondary air to enter and flow toward an end of the nozzle body, and a premix fuel unit positioned upstream of the air passages injecting fuel delivered by the nozzle body into the secondary air for premixing prior to combustion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2009
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Vaibhav NADKARNI, Manish Kumar, Abdul Rafey Khan
  • Publication number: 20110094234
    Abstract: The present application provides a combustor. The combustor may include a number of nozzles, a first fuel source with a low reactivity fuel therein, a second fuel source with a high reactivity fuel therein, and a primary valve for varying the flow of the low reactivity fuel and the high reactivity fuel delivered to the nozzles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2009
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Abdul Rafey Khan, Willy Steve Ziminsky
  • Publication number: 20110083439
    Abstract: A fuel injection nozzle includes a body member having an upstream wall opposing a downstream wall, and an internal wall disposed between the upstream wall and the downstream wall, a first chamber partially defined by the an inner surface of the upstream wall and a surface of the internal wall, a second chamber partially defined by an inner surface of the downstream wall and a surface of the internal wall a first gas inlet communicative with the first chamber operative to emit a first gas into the first chamber, a second gas inlet communicative with the second chamber operative to emit a second gas into the second chamber, and a plurality of mixing tubes, each of the mixing tubes having a tube inner surface, a tube outer surface, a first inlet communicative with an aperture in the upstream wall operative to receive a third gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2009
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Baifang Zuo, Abdul Rafey Khan, William David York, Willy Steve Ziminsky