Patents by Inventor Amy R. Grace

Amy R. Grace 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: 11274604
    Abstract: A bowed rotor start mitigation system for a gas turbine engine of an aircraft is provided. The bowed rotor start mitigation system includes a motoring system and a controller coupled to the motoring system and an aircraft communication bus. The controller is configured to determine at least one inferred engine operating thermal parameter based on at least one aircraft-based parameter received on the aircraft communication bus, where the at least one inferred engine operating thermal parameter is based on data describing a history of the aircraft before an engine shutdown. The motoring system is controlled to drive rotation of a starting spool of the gas turbine engine below an engine idle speed based on determining that the at least one inferred engine operating thermal parameter is within a preselected range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Amy R. Grace
  • Patent number: 10823075
    Abstract: According to an aspect, a method includes predicting, by a processor, a projected oil-wetted metal temperature in a lubrication system of a gas turbine engine at shutdown based on one or more thermal models prior to shutdown of the gas turbine engine. The processor determines a coking index based on the projected oil-wetted metal temperature and a coking limit threshold associated with one or more engine components. An oil coking mitigation action is triggered as a shutdown management event of the gas turbine engine based on the coking index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jorn A. Glahn, Denman H. James, Amy R. Grace
  • Publication number: 20200291860
    Abstract: A bowed rotor start mitigation system for a gas turbine engine of an aircraft is provided. The bowed rotor start mitigation system includes a motoring system and a controller coupled to the motoring system and an aircraft communication bus. The controller is configured to determine at least one inferred engine operating thermal parameter based on at least one aircraft-based parameter received on the aircraft communication bus, where the at least one inferred engine operating thermal parameter is based on data describing a history of the aircraft before an engine shutdown. The motoring system is controlled to drive rotation of a starting spool of the gas turbine engine below an engine idle speed based on determining that the at least one inferred engine operating thermal parameter is within a preselected range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Amy R. Grace
  • Patent number: 10539079
    Abstract: A bowed rotor start mitigation system for a gas turbine engine of an aircraft is provided. The bowed rotor start mitigation system includes a motoring system and a controller coupled to the motoring system and an aircraft communication bus. The controller is configured to determine at least one inferred engine operating thermal parameter from at least one aircraft-based parameter received on the aircraft communication bus. The motoring system is controlled to drive rotation of a starting spool of the gas turbine engine below an engine idle speed based on determining that the at least one inferred engine operating thermal parameter is within a preselected threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Amy R. Grace
  • Patent number: 10443507
    Abstract: A bowed rotor prevention system for a gas turbine engine of an aircraft is provided. The bowed rotor prevention system includes a bowed rotor prevention motor operable to drive rotation of a starting spool of the gas turbine engine through an engine accessory gearbox. The bowed rotor prevention system also includes a controller operable to engage the bowed rotor prevention motor and drive rotation of the starting spool until a bowed rotor prevention threshold condition is met or a bowed rotor prevention shutdown request to halt rotation of the starting spool is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Amy R. Grace
  • Patent number: 10443505
    Abstract: A bowed rotor start mitigation system for a gas turbine engine is provided. The bowed rotor start mitigation system includes a controller operable to receive a vibration input indicative of an actual vibration level of the gas turbine engine and a speed input indicative of a rotor speed of the gas turbine engine. The controller generates a bowed rotor start mitigation request based on comparing the actual vibration level to a modeled vibration level at the rotor speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: John P. Virtue, Jr., Amy R. Grace, Parakrama Herath
  • Patent number: 10379003
    Abstract: A fuel actuation system may comprise a servo valve (SV) including a torque motor and at least one screen, a metering valve (MV) fluidly connected to the SV, and an electronic engine control (EEC) operatively connected to the SV. The EEC may be configured and disposed to determine a travel time of the MV, a travel distance of the MV, a pressure of a fuel, and/or a temperature of the fuel, generate at least one of a travel time history, a travel distance history, a fuel temperature history, and a fuel pressure history, and determine a level of degradation of the fuel actuation system based on the at least one of the travel time history, the travel distance history, the fuel temperature history, or the fuel pressure history.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Angelo Martucci, William Donat, Amy R Grace, Thomas A Bush, Eric Nelson Hettler, Kevin Patrick McCormick
  • Patent number: 10309316
    Abstract: A bowed rotor start mitigation system for a gas turbine engine is provided. The bowed rotor start mitigation system includes a controller operable to receive a vibration input indicative of an actual vibration level of the gas turbine engine and a speed input indicative of a rotor speed of the gas turbine engine. The controller generates a bowed rotor start mitigation request based on comparing the actual vibration level to a modeled vibration level at the rotor speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: John P. Virtue, Jr., Amy R. Grace, Parakrama Herath
  • Patent number: 10174678
    Abstract: A bowed rotor start mitigation system for a gas turbine engine is provided. The bow rotor start mitigation system includes a controller operable to receive a speed input indicative of a rotor speed of the gas turbine engine and a measured temperature of the gas turbine engine. The controller is further operable to drive motoring of the gas turbine engine by oscillating the rotor speed within a motoring band for a motoring time based on the measured temperature when a start sequence of the gas turbine engine is initiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Amy R. Grace
  • Publication number: 20180246012
    Abstract: A fuel actuation system may comprise a servo valve (SV) including a torque motor and at least one screen, a metering valve (MV) fluidly connected to the SV, and an electronic engine control (EEC) operatively connected to the SV. The EEC may be configured and disposed to determine a travel time of the MV, a travel distance of the MV, a pressure of a fuel, and/or a temperature of the fuel, generate at least one of a travel time history, a travel distance history, a fuel temperature history, and a fuel pressure history, and determine a level of degradation of the fuel actuation system based on the at least one of the travel time history, the travel distance history, the fuel temperature history, or the fuel pressure history.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Angelo Martucci, William Donat, Amy R. Grace, Thomas A. Bush, Eric Nelson Hettler, Kevin Patrick McCormick
  • Patent number: 9983096
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring fuel actuation system health are described herein. A method for monitoring fuel actuation system health may comprise: moving a metering valve from a first position to a second position; detecting a first travel distance of the metering valve; storing the first travel distance of the metering valve to memory to generate a first travel distance history; and determining a level of degradation of the fuel actuation system based on at least the first travel distance history.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Angelo Martucci, William Donat, Amy R. Grace, Thomas A. Bush, Eric Nelson Hettler, Kevin Patrick McCormick
  • Publication number: 20170335770
    Abstract: According to an aspect, a method includes predicting, by a processor, a projected oil-wetted metal temperature in a lubrication system of a gas turbine engine at shutdown based on one or more thermal models prior to shutdown of the gas turbine engine. The processor determines a coking index based on the projected oil-wetted metal temperature and a coking limit threshold associated with one or more engine components. An oil coking mitigation action is triggered as a shutdown management event of the gas turbine engine based on the coking index.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2016
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Jorn A. Glahn, Denman H. James, Amy R. Grace
  • Publication number: 20170234230
    Abstract: A bowed rotor start mitigation system for a gas turbine engine is provided. The bow rotor start mitigation system includes a controller operable to receive a speed input indicative of a rotor speed of the gas turbine engine and a measured temperature of the gas turbine engine. The controller is further operable to drive motoring of the gas turbine engine by oscillating the rotor speed within a motoring band for a motoring time based on the measured temperature when a start sequence of the gas turbine engine is initiated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Amy R. Grace
  • Publication number: 20170234238
    Abstract: A bowed rotor prevention system for a gas turbine engine of an aircraft is provided. The bowed rotor prevention system includes a bowed rotor prevention motor operable to drive rotation of a starting spool of the gas turbine engine through an engine accessory gearbox. The bowed rotor prevention system also includes a controller operable to engage the bowed rotor prevention motor and drive rotation of the starting spool until a bowed rotor prevention threshold condition is met or a bowed rotor prevention shutdown request to halt rotation of the starting spool is received.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Amy R. Grace
  • Publication number: 20170234231
    Abstract: A bowed rotor start mitigation system for a gas turbine engine is provided. The bowed rotor start mitigation system includes a controller operable to receive a vibration input indicative of an actual vibration level of the gas turbine engine and a speed input indicative of a rotor speed of the gas turbine engine. The controller generates a bowed rotor start mitigation request based on comparing the actual vibration level to a modeled vibration level at the rotor speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: John P. Virtue, JR., Amy R. Grace, Parakrama Herath
  • Publication number: 20170234233
    Abstract: A bowed rotor start mitigation system for a gas turbine engine of an aircraft is provided. The bowed rotor start mitigation system includes a motoring system and a controller coupled to the motoring system and an aircraft communication bus. The controller is configured to determine at least one inferred engine operating thermal parameter from at least one aircraft-based parameter received on the aircraft communication bus. The motoring system is controlled to drive rotation of a starting spool of the gas turbine engine below an engine idle speed based on determining that the at least one inferred engine operating thermal parameter is within a preselected threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Amy R. Grace
  • Publication number: 20170227424
    Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring fuel actuation system health are described herein. A method for monitoring fuel actuation system health may comprise: moving a metering valve from a first position to a second position; detecting a first travel distance of the metering valve; storing the first travel distance of the metering valve to memory to generate a first travel distance history; and determining a level of degradation of the fuel actuation system based on at least the first travel distance history.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2016
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Angelo Martucci, William Donat, Amy R. Grace, Thomas A. Bush, Eric Nelson Hettler, Kevin Patrick McCormick