Patents by Inventor Brandon Wayne Miller
Brandon Wayne Miller 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).
-
Publication number: 20210339867Abstract: An aircraft defining a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction is provided. The aircraft includes: a fuselage; an engine mounted at a location spaced from the fuselage of the aircraft, the engine comprising a plurality of rotor blades; and a fuselage shield attached to or formed integrally with the fuselage at a location in alignment with the plurality of rotor blades along the lateral direction, the fuselage shield comprising a first layer defining a first density and a second layer defining a second density, the first density being different than the second density.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2020Publication date: November 4, 2021Inventors: David William Crall, Nicholas Joseph Kray, Douglas Duane Ward, Brandon Wayne Miller
-
Publication number: 20210340914Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a turbomachine and a thermal management system. The thermal management system includes a heat source heat exchanger configured to collect heat from the turbomachine during operation; a heat sink heat exchanger; and a thermal transport bus having a heat exchange fluid configured to flow therethrough at a pressure within an operational pressure range. The thermal management system defines an operational temperature range for the heat exchange fluid, the operational temperature range having a lower temperature limit less than about zero degrees Fahrenheit at a pressure within the operational pressure range and an upper temperature limit of at least about 1000 degrees Fahrenheit at a pressure within the operational pressure range.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2021Publication date: November 4, 2021Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Adon Delgado, JR., Brandon Wayne Miller, Hendrik Pieter Jacobus de Bock
-
Publication number: 20210340938Abstract: An engine system is provided for an aircraft having an engine and an engine controller. The engine system includes: an electric machine configured to be in electrical communication with the engine controller for powering the engine controller; and a fuel oxygen reduction unit defining a liquid fuel flowpath and a stripping gas flowpath and configured to transfer an oxygen content of a fuel flow through the liquid fuel flowpath to a stripping gas flow through the stripping gas flowpath, the fuel oxygen reduction unit also in electrical communication with the electric machine such that the electric machine powers at least in part the fuel oxygen reduction unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2020Publication date: November 4, 2021Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Robert Jon McQuiston, David Justin Brady
-
Patent number: 11161622Abstract: An engine includes a combustion section and a fuel delivery system in fluid communication with the combustion section for providing fuel to the combustion section. The fuel delivery system includes a fuel oxygen reduction unit defining a circulation gas flowpath. The fuel oxygen reduction unit includes a gas oxygen reduction unit positioned in the circulation gas flowpath for reducing an oxygen content of a flow of stripping gas through the circulation gas flowpath and a pre-heater positioned in thermal communication with the circulation gas flowpath upstream of the gas oxygen reduction unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2018Date of Patent: November 2, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Peter Allen Andrews, Jr., Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Christian Xavier Stevenson
-
Patent number: 11156128Abstract: A method is provided for maintaining a gas turbine engine installed on an aircraft, the gas turbine engine including an electric machine mounted at least partially inward of a core air flowpath of the gas turbine engine. The method includes removing a rotor mount connecting a rotor of the electric machine to a rotary component of the gas turbine engine; removing a stator mount connecting a stator of the electric machine to a stationary component of the gas turbine engine; and removing in situ the electric machine.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2018Date of Patent: October 26, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Randy M. Vondrell, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Christopher Charles Glynn
-
Patent number: 11148824Abstract: A fuel system for an aircraft includes a fuel source and a fuel oxygen reduction unit defining a liquid fuel supply path, a stripping gas supply path, a liquid fuel outlet path, and a stripping gas return path, wherein the stripping gas return path and stripping gas supply path are each in airflow communication with the fuel source.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2018Date of Patent: October 19, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller
-
Patent number: 11143104Abstract: A method of operating a thermal management system for a gas turbine engine includes determining the gas turbine engine is in a first operating mode; transferring heat from a first heat source exchanger to a heat sink system in response to determining the gas turbine engine is in the first operation mode, the first heat source exchanger thermally coupled to a first system/component of the gas turbine engine; determining the gas turbine engine is in a second operating mode, the second operating mode being different than the first operating mode; and transferring heat from a second heat source exchanger to the heat sink system in response to determining the gas turbine engine is in the second operation mode, the second heat source exchanger thermally coupled to a second system/component of the gas turbine engine, the second system/component being different than the first system/component.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2018Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Kishanjit Pal, Arnab Sen, Pranav R. Kamat, Brandon Wayne Miller, Daniel Alan Niergarth
-
Patent number: 11131256Abstract: A fuel oxygen conversion unit includes a contactor defining a liquid fuel inlet, a stripping gas inlet and a fuel/gas mixture outlet. The fuel oxygen conversion unit also includes a fuel/gas separator defining a fuel/gas mixture inlet in flow communication with the fuel/gas mixture outlet of the contactor, an axial direction, and a radial direction. The fuel/gas separator includes a separator assembly including a core including a gas-permeable section extending along the axial direction and defining a maximum diameter, the maximum diameter of the gas-permeable section being substantially constant along the axial direction; and a stationary casing, the fuel/gas separator defining a fuel/gas chamber in fluid communication with the fuel/gas mixture inlet at a location inward of the stationary casing and outward of the gas-permeable section of the separator assembly along the radial direction.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2018Date of Patent: September 28, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Richard Alan Wesling
-
Patent number: 11125165Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a turbomachine and a thermal management system. The thermal management system includes a heat source heat exchanger configured to collect heat from the turbomachine during operation; a heat sink heat exchanger; and a thermal transport bus having a heat exchange fluid configured to flow therethrough at a pressure within an operational pressure range. The thermal management system defines an operational temperature range for the heat exchange fluid, the operational temperature range having a lower temperature limit less than about zero degrees Fahrenheit at a pressure within the operational pressure range and an upper temperature limit of at least about 1000 degrees Fahrenheit at a pressure within the operational pressure range.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2017Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Adon Delgado, Jr., Brandon Wayne Miller, Hendrik Pieter Jacobus de Bock
-
Patent number: 11111858Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a compressor section defining a compressor exit temperature, T3. The gas turbine engine also includes a combustion section and a turbine section, with the turbine section defining a turbine inlet temperature, T4. A ratio, T4:T3, of the turbine inlet temperature, T4, to compressor exit temperature, T3, during operation of the gas turbine engine at a rated speed is less than or equal to 1.85.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2017Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Randy M. Vondrell, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Kurt David Murrow
-
Patent number: 11105269Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method of control of a gas turbine engine comprising a fan section coupled to a low turbine together defining a low spool, an intermediate compressor coupled to an intermediate turbine together defining an intermediate spool, and a high compressor coupled to a high turbine together defining a high spool. The method includes providing an intermediate spool speed to low spool speed characteristic curve to a controller; providing a commanded power output to the controller; providing one or more of an environmental condition to the controller; determining, via the controller, a commanded fuel flow rate; determining, via the controller, a commanded intermediate compressor loading; and generating an actual power output of the engine, wherein the actual power output is one or more of an actual low spool speed, an actual intermediate spool speed, an actual high spool speed, and an actual engine pressure ratio.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2017Date of Patent: August 31, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Alan Roy Stuart, James William Simunek, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Brandon Wayne Miller, Sridhar Adibhatla
-
Patent number: 11105340Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes an electric propulsion engine configured to be mounted at an aft end of the aircraft. The electric propulsion engine includes an electric motor and a fan rotatable about a central axis, the fan driven by the electric motor. The electric propulsion system additionally includes a cooling system operable with an airflow over the aft end the aircraft when the electric propulsion system is mounted to the aircraft. The cooling system is configured to cool the electric motor during operation of the electric propulsion engine.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2016Date of Patent: August 31, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Lawrence Chih-hui Cheung, Nikolai N. Pastouchenko, Kishore Ramakrishnan, Brandon Wayne Miller
-
Patent number: 11105200Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a turbine engine defining a longitudinal direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction. The turbine engine includes a power turbine including a first turbine rotor assembly interdigitated with a second turbine rotor assembly along the longitudinal direction; a gear assembly coupled to the first turbine rotor assembly and the second turbine rotor assembly, wherein the gear assembly includes a first input interface coupled to the first turbine rotor assembly, a second input interface coupled to the second turbine rotor assembly, and one or more third gears coupled to the first input interface and the second input interface therebetween; and a first output shaft and a second output shaft, wherein each of the first output shaft and the second output shaft are configured to couple to an electrical load device.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2017Date of Patent: August 31, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Jeffrey Donald Clements, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Brandon Wayne Miller, Joseph Robert Dickman
-
Patent number: 11097850Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes an electric propulsion engine configured to be mounted to the aircraft at an aft end of the aircraft. The electric propulsion engine includes a power gearbox mechanically coupled to an electric motor. The electric propulsion engine further includes a fan rotatable about a central axis of the electric propulsion engine by the electric motor through the power gearbox. Moreover, the electric propulsion engine includes an attachment assembly for mounting at least one of the electric motor or the power gearbox. The attachment assembly includes a torsional damper for accommodating a torsional vibration of the electric motor or the power gearbox.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2019Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Randy M. Vondrell, Brandon Wayne Miller, Patrick Michael Marrinan
-
Patent number: 11098647Abstract: A system for managing thermal transfer in at least one of an aircraft or a gas turbine engine includes a first engine system utilizing an oil for heat transfer. The oil of the first system has a temperature limit of at least about 500° F. The system additionally includes a fuel system having a deoxygenation unit for deoxygenating fuel in the fuel system, as well as a fuel-oil heat exchanger located downstream of the deoxygenation unit. The fuel-oil heat exchanger is in thermal communication with the oil in the first engine system and the fuel in the fuel system for transferring heat from the oil in the first engine system to the fuel in the fuel system.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2019Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Duane Howard Anstead, Mohammed El Hacin Sennoun, Ning Fang, Kyle Robert Snow
-
Patent number: 11097849Abstract: A method for operating an electric fan of an aircraft propulsion system includes driving a plurality of fan blades of the electric fan with an electric machine to generate thrust for the aircraft; and driving the electric machine with the plurality of fan blades of the electric fan to generate electrical power subsequent to driving the plurality of fan blades of the electric fan with the electric machine to generate thrust for the aircraft.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2018Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Nikolai N. Pastouchenko, Randy M. Vondrell, Kurt David Murrow, Jixian Yao, Brandon Wayne Miller, Patrick Michael Marrinan, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Narendra Digamber Joshi
-
Publication number: 20210246836Abstract: A thermal management system includes a first heat source assembly including a first heat source exchanger, a first thermal fluid inlet line extending to the first heat source exchanger, and a first thermal fluid outlet line extending from the first heat source exchanger; a second heat source assembly including a second heat source exchanger, a second thermal fluid inlet line extending to the second heat source exchanger, and second a thermal fluid outlet line extending from the second heat source exchanger; a shared assembly including a thermal fluid line and a heat sink exchanger, the shared assembly defining an upstream junction in fluid communication with the first thermal fluid outlet line and second thermal fluid outlet line and a downstream junction in fluid communication with the first thermal fluid inlet line and second thermal fluid inlet line; and a controller configured to selectively fluidly connect the first heat source assembly or the second heat source assembly to the shared assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2021Publication date: August 12, 2021Inventors: Justin Paul Smith, Brandon Wayne Miller, Daniel Alan Niergarth
-
Patent number: 11085636Abstract: A fuel oxygen conversion unit includes a stripping gas flowpath for a vehicle or an engine of the vehicle. The fuel oxygen conversion unit includes a stripping gas boost pump positioned in airflow communication with the stripping gas flowpath for increasing a pressure of a flow of stripping gas through the stripping gas flowpath; a contactor defining a stripping gas inlet in airflow communication with the stripping gas flowpath, a liquid fuel inlet, and a fuel/gas mixture outlet; a fuel gas separator defining a fuel/gas mixture inlet in fluid communication with the fuel/gas mixture outlet of the contactor, a stripping gas outlet, and a liquid fuel outlet; and a connection assembly mechanically coupling the stripping gas boost pump to the fuel gas separator, the connection assembly having a speed change mechanism such that the stripping gas boost pump rotates at a different rotational speed than the fuel gas separator.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2018Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Richard Alan Wesling, Peter Allen Andrews, Jr.
-
Patent number: 11085310Abstract: A gas turbine engine including a core having in serial flow order a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine—the compressor, combustor, and turbine together defining a core air flowpath. The gas turbine engine additionally includes a fan section mechanically coupled to the core, the fan section including a plurality of fan blades, and each of the plurality fan blades defining a pitch axis. An actuation device is operable with the plurality fan blades for rotating the plurality fan blades about their respective pitch axes, the actuation device including an actuator located outward of the core air flowpath to, e.g., simplify the gas turbine engine.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2018Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Brandon Wayne Miller
-
Patent number: 11073090Abstract: Systems and methods for adjusting airflow distortion in a gas turbine engine using a valved airflow passage assembly are provided. A gas turbine engine can include a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in series flow and defining at least in part an engine airflow path. The compressor section can include a compressor. The gas turbine engine can further include a valved airflow passage assembly comprising a valve and a duct, the duct defining an inlet in airflow communication with the engine airflow path at a location downstream of the compressor and an outlet in airflow communication with the engine airflow path at a location upstream of the compressor, the duct comprising an airflow passage extending between the inlet and outlet. The valve can be operable with the airflow passage for controlling an airflow through the airflow passage to adjust airflow distortion.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2016Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Brian Francis Nestico, Brian K. Kestner, Brandon Wayne Miller