Patents by Inventor Bradley W. Fintel

Bradley W. Fintel 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: 11976562
    Abstract: A system for controlling blade clearances within a gas turbine engine includes a rotor disk and a rotor blade coupled to the rotor disk. Additionally, the system includes an outer turbine component positioned outward of the rotor blade such that a clearance is defined between the rotor blade and the outer turbine component. Furthermore, the system includes a heat exchanger configured to receive a flow of cooling air bled from the gas turbine engine and transfer heat from the received flow of the cooling air to a flow of coolant to generate cooled cooling air. Moreover, the system includes a valve configured to control the flow of the coolant to the heat exchanger. In this respect, the cooled cooling air is supplied to at least one of the rotor disk or the rotor blade to adjust the clearance between the rotor blade and the outer turbine component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Douglas Johnson, Julius John Montgomery, Brandon Wayne Miller, Robert Proctor, Bradley W. Fintel, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo
  • Publication number: 20230265764
    Abstract: A system for controlling blade clearances within a gas turbine engine includes a rotor disk and a rotor blade coupled to the rotor disk. Additionally, the system includes an outer turbine component positioned outward of the rotor blade such that a clearance is defined between the rotor blade and the outer turbine component. Furthermore, the system includes a heat exchanger configured to receive a flow of cooling air bled from the gas turbine engine and transfer heat from the received flow of the cooling air to a flow of coolant to generate cooled cooling air. Moreover, the system includes a valve configured to control the flow of the coolant to the heat exchanger. In this respect, the cooled cooling air is supplied to at least one of the rotor disk or the rotor blade to adjust the clearance between the rotor blade and the outer turbine component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2023
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Inventors: Steven Douglas Johnson, Julius John Montgomery, Brandon Wayne Miller, Robert Proctor, Bradley W. Fintel, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo
  • Publication number: 20220213802
    Abstract: A system for controlling blade clearances within a gas turbine engine includes a rotor disk and a rotor blade coupled to the rotor disk. Additionally, the system includes an outer turbine component positioned outward of the rotor blade such that a clearance is defined between the rotor blade and the outer turbine component. Furthermore, the system includes a heat exchanger configured to receive a flow of cooling air bled from the gas turbine engine and transfer heat from the received flow of the cooling air to a flow of coolant to generate cooled cooling air. Moreover, the system includes a valve configured to control the flow of the coolant to the heat exchanger. In this respect, the cooled cooling air is supplied to at least one of the rotor disk or the rotor blade to adjust the clearance between the rotor blade and the outer turbine component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2021
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Steven Douglas Johnson, Julius John Montgomery, Brandon Wayne Miller, Robert Proctor, Bradley W. Fintel, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo
  • Patent number: 8915057
    Abstract: A sump pressurization system for a gas turbine engine comprises a first hollow shaft and a second hollow shaft disposed within the first hollow shaft and defining a cavity therebetween. Each of the first and second hollow shafts has a common axis of rotation. Also included is a source of pressurized air to pressurize the cavity and a plurality of hollow tubes disposed in the cavity. The tubes are oriented perpendicular to the axis of rotation and are connected to and rotatable with the first hollow shaft. A plurality of apertures in the second hollow shaft are in fluid communication with the tubes, such that pressurized air flowing through the tubes passes through the apertures into the interior of the second hollow shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bala Corattiyil, Richard William Albrecht, Jr., Bradley W Fintel, Rebecca J. Schmidt, Scott Wolfer
  • Publication number: 20140345246
    Abstract: A sump pressurization system for a gas turbine engine comprises a first hollow shaft and a second hollow shaft disposed within the first hollow shaft and defining a cavity therebetween. Each of the first and second hollow shafts has a common axis of rotation. Also included is a source of pressurized air to pressurize the cavity and a plurality of hollow tubes disposed in the cavity. The tubes are oriented perpendicular to the axis of rotation and are connected to and rotatable with the first hollow shaft. A plurality of apertures in the second hollow shaft are in fluid communication with the tubes, such that pressurized air flowing through the tubes passes through the apertures into the interior of the second hollow shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2013
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Inventors: Bala Corattiyil, Richard William Albrecht, JR., Bradley W Fintel, Rebecca J. Schmidt, Scott Wolfer
  • Patent number: 5209633
    Abstract: A high pressure compressor flowpath bleed extraction slot is provided wherein an articulated portion of the outer band of the compressor forms a slot for providing efficient conversion of core air to diffuser air while retaining substantial pressure and velocity energies. The diffuser slot can be applied to an earlier compressor stage with improved performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1993
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William F. McGreehan, Bradley W. Fintel, Andrew J. Lammas