Patents by Inventor Austin Wade Mueller
Austin Wade Mueller 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).
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Patent number: 11643970Abstract: A passive flow splitting system for use in a turbine engine control system to provide split fuel flow to two fuel manifolds to supply primary and secondary fuel injectors for the particular combustion zones thereof utilizing intentionally different split ratios dependent on ascending or descending combustion fuel flow is provided. The system includes a passive fuel divider valve (FDV) that includes a primary piston and a secondary piston. The primary piston is moveable independently from the secondary piston during a portion of its stroke, and is hydro-locked to the secondary piston during another portion of its stroke. An ecology valve is also provided to purge the fuel from the primary and/or secondary manifolds during different modes of operation. A transfer valve is included to control the position of ecology piston of the ecology valve.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2021Date of Patent: May 9, 2023Assignee: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Carthel C. Baker, Brett Flannery, Robert Mazza, Austin Wade Mueller, Michael L. Hahn, Grzegorz Pelc
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Patent number: 11346281Abstract: A passive flow splitting system for use in a turbine engine control system to provide split fuel flow to two fuel manifolds to supply primary and secondary fuel injectors for the particular combustion zones thereof utilizing intentionally different split ratios dependent on ascending or descending combustion fuel flow is provided. The system includes a passive fuel divider valve (FDV) that includes a primary piston and a secondary piston. The primary piston is moveable independently from the secondary piston during a portion of its stroke, and is hydro-locked to the secondary piston during another portion of its stroke. An ecology valve is also provided to purge the fuel from the primary and/or secondary manifolds during different modes of operation. A transfer valve is included to control the position of ecology piston of the ecology valve.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2020Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Carthel C. Baker, Brett Flannery, Robert Mazza, Austin Wade Mueller, Michael L. Hahn, Grzegorz Pelc
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Patent number: 11307069Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a fluid flow measurement apparatus includes an inlet configured to flow a dynamic fluid flow, an outlet configured to flow the dynamic fluid flow, a first fluid conduit fluidically connected between the inlet and the outlet, configured with a first predetermined geometry, and configured to flow a first portion of the dynamic fluid flow, a second fluid conduit fluidically connected between the inlet and the outlet, configured with a second predetermined geometry, and configured to flow a second portion of the dynamic fluid flow, and a first flow meter configured to measure the second portion of the dynamic fluid flow.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2020Date of Patent: April 19, 2022Assignee: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Jordan Loren Loos, Gregory Warren Pulley, Austin Wade Mueller, Michael L. Hahn
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Publication number: 20220099029Abstract: A passive flow splitting system for use in a turbine engine control system to provide split fuel flow to two fuel manifolds to supply primary and secondary fuel injectors for the particular combustion zones thereof utilizing intentionally different split ratios dependent on ascending or descending combustion fuel flow is provided. The system includes a passive fuel divider valve (FDV) that includes a primary piston and a secondary piston. The primary piston is moveable independently from the secondary piston during a portion of its stroke, and is hydro-locked to the secondary piston during another portion of its stroke. An ecology valve is also provided to purge the fuel from the primary and/or secondary manifolds during different modes of operation. A transfer valve is included to control the position of ecology piston of the ecology valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 8, 2021Publication date: March 31, 2022Applicant: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Carthel C. Baker, Brett Flannery, Robert Mazza, Austin Wade Mueller, Michael L. Hahn, Grzegorz Pelc
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Publication number: 20220056848Abstract: A passive flow splitting system for use in a turbine engine control system to provide split fuel flow to two fuel manifolds to supply primary and secondary fuel injectors for the particular combustion zones thereof utilizing intentionally different split ratios dependent on ascending or descending combustion fuel flow is provided. The system includes a passive fuel divider valve (FDV) that includes a primary piston and a secondary piston. The primary piston is moveable independently from the secondary piston during a portion of its stroke, and is hydro-locked to the secondary piston during another portion of its stroke. An ecology valve is also provided to purge the fuel from the primary and/or secondary manifolds during different modes of operation. A transfer valve is included to control the position of ecology piston of the ecology valve.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2020Publication date: February 24, 2022Applicant: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Carthel C. Baker, Brett Flannery, Robert Mazza, Austin Wade Mueller, Michael L. Hahn, Grzegorz Pelc
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Publication number: 20210278262Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a fluid flow measurement apparatus includes an inlet configured to flow a dynamic fluid flow, an outlet configured to flow the dynamic fluid flow, a first fluid conduit fluidically connected between the inlet and the outlet, configured with a first predetermined geometry, and configured to flow a first portion of the dynamic fluid flow, a second fluid conduit fluidically connected between the inlet and the outlet, configured with a second predetermined geometry, and configured to flow a second portion of the dynamic fluid flow, and a first flow meter configured to measure the second portion of the dynamic fluid flow.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2020Publication date: September 9, 2021Applicant: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Jordan Loren Loos, Gregory Warren Pulley, Austin Wade Mueller, Michael L. Hahn
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Patent number: 9989060Abstract: A fuel system incorporating a boost pump unit, a boost pump unit and method of pumping fuel are provided. The fuel system and boost pump unit are preferably self-priming and do not utilize an airframe mounted pump for supplying fuel for an aircraft combustor. The boost pump unit includes a liquid ring pump and an air/fuel separator. The air/fuel separator has an inlet and first and second outlet ports. The inlet is operably fluidly coupled to an outlet of the liquid ring pump. The air/fuel separator has an arcuate flow path. The first outlet port is in fluid communication with a radially outer portion of the arcuate flow path and the second outlet port is in fluid communication with a radially inner portion of the arcuate flow path. A return line connected to the first outlet port is configured to return fuel to the liquid ring pump.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2013Date of Patent: June 5, 2018Assignee: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Austin Wade Mueller, Dmitriy Baryshnikov
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Patent number: 9850917Abstract: A fluid distribution system includes a boost supply providing a fluid flow, and a fluid metering system downstream of the boost supply. The fluid metering system supplies fluid to a downstream device. A main fluid pump supplies at least a portion of the fluid flow to the fluid metering system. A shut-off valve is positioned upstream of a main fluid pump inlet. An actuation system is positioned downstream of the boost supply. The actuation system supplies fluid to one or more hydraulically-operated devices. An actuation pump supplies at least a portion of the fluid flow to the fluid metering system and to the actuation system. A first valve is positioned between the actuation pump and the fluid metering system. The first valve and the shut-off valve are operable to switch between the main fluid pump and the actuation pump as a source of fluid supply to the fluid metering system.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2014Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Austin Wade Mueller, Carthel C. Baker, Michael P. Garry
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Patent number: 9695835Abstract: A liquid ring pump is provided. The liquid ring pump is designed to reduce the overall envelop of the ring pump. The liquid ring pump includes a housing and an impeller. The housing defines an impeller cavity. The impeller cavity has an inlet port and a discharge port. The impeller is positioned within the impeller cavity for rotation about a central rotational axis. The impeller includes a central hub defining a conical outer surface and a plurality of angularly spaced apart main vanes extending radially outward from the conical outer surface relative to the central rotational axis. The inlet and discharge ports may be located on a same side of the impeller housing.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2013Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: Woodward, Inc.Inventor: Austin Wade Mueller
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Publication number: 20160084272Abstract: A fluid distribution system includes a boost supply providing a fluid flow, and a fluid metering system downstream of the boost supply. The fluid metering system supplies fluid to a downstream device. A main fluid pump supplies at least a portion of the fluid flow to the fluid metering system. A shut-off valve is positioned upstream of a main fluid pump inlet. An actuation system is positioned downstream of the boost supply. The actuation system supplies fluid to one or more hydraulically-operated devices. An actuation pump supplies at least a portion of the fluid flow to the fluid metering system and to the actuation system. A first valve is positioned between the actuation pump and the fluid metering system. The first valve and the shut-off valve are operable to switch between the main fluid pump and the actuation pump as a source of fluid supply to the fluid metering system.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2014Publication date: March 24, 2016Applicant: WOODWARD, INC.Inventors: Austin Wade Mueller, Carthel C. Baker, Michael P. Garry
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Publication number: 20150044015Abstract: A liquid ring pump is provided. The liquid ring pump is designed to reduce the overall envelop of the ring pump. The liquid ring pump includes a housing and an impeller. The housing defines an impeller cavity. The impeller cavity has an inlet port and a discharge port. The impeller is positioned within the impeller cavity for rotation about a central rotational axis. The impeller includes a central hub defining a conical outer surface and a plurality of angularly spaced apart main vanes extending radially outward from the conical outer surface relative to the central rotational axis. The inlet and discharge ports may be located on a same side of the impeller housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2013Publication date: February 12, 2015Applicant: Woodward, Inc.Inventor: Austin Wade Mueller
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Publication number: 20150044016Abstract: A fuel system incorporating a boost pump unit, a boost pump unit and method of pumping fuel are provided. The fuel system and boost pump unit are preferably self-priming and do not utilize an airframe mounted pump for supplying fuel for an aircraft combustor. The boost pump unit includes a liquid ring pump and an air/fuel separator. The air/fuel separator has an inlet and first and second outlet ports. The inlet is operably fluidly coupled to an outlet of the liquid ring pump. The air/fuel separator has an arcuate flow path. The first outlet port is in fluid communication with a radially outer portion of the arcuate flow path and the second outlet port is in fluid communication with a radially inner portion of the arcuate flow path. A return line connected to the first outlet port is configured to return fuel to the liquid ring pump.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2013Publication date: February 12, 2015Applicant: WOODWARD, INC.Inventors: Austin Wade Mueller, Dmitriy Baryshnikov