Patents by Inventor Brian Kenneth Wardle
Brian Kenneth Wardle 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: 11421549Abstract: Disclosed is a cooled airfoil having a hub end and tip, an airfoil height being defined between the hub end and the tip. The airfoil has a leading edge, trailing edge, suction side and pressure side. The airfoil has a first airfoil height section adjacent the hub end and extending towards the tip, wherein, in a meridional view, the leading edge and trailing edge are straight along the first airfoil height section. The airfoil has a second airfoil height section adjacent the tip and extending towards the hub end, wherein, in a meridional view, the airfoil is concavely shaped at the leading edge and is convexly shaped at the trailing edge along the second airfoil height section. At least one cooling channel has a length principally extending along the airfoil height, extends straight in a first cooling channel length section, and is bent in a second cooling channel length section.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2020Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AGInventors: Frank Gersbach, Brian Kenneth Wardle, Iannis Buffart
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Publication number: 20200386120Abstract: Disclosed is a cooled airfoil having a hub end and tip, an airfoil height being defined between the hub end and the tip. The airfoil has a leading edge, trailing edge, suction side and pressure side. The airfoil has a first airfoil height section adjacent the hub end and extending towards the tip, wherein, in a meridional view, the leading edge and trailing edge are straight along the first airfoil height section. The airfoil has a second airfoil height section adjacent the tip and extending towards the hub end, wherein, in a meridional view, the airfoil is concavely shaped at the leading edge and is convexly shaped at the trailing edge along the second airfoil height section. At least one cooling channel has a length principally extending along the airfoil height, extends straight in a first cooling channel length section, and is bent in a second cooling channel length section.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2020Publication date: December 10, 2020Applicant: Ansaldo Energia Switzerland AGInventors: Frank GERSBACH, Brian Kenneth WARDLE, Iannis BUFFART
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Patent number: 9969009Abstract: A method for manufacturing a contoured hole, the hole being manufactured in a wall, the wall comprising a first, a second surface, and a wall thickness between the wall first and second surface. The comprises manufacturing a first non-penetrating hole extending from the first surface and into the wall, wherein a distal end of the first hole is located within the wall such that the first hole does not penetrate the wall second surface, and manufacturing a through hole, wherein the through hole is fluidly connected with first hole and penetrates the wall second surface.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2016Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA IP UK LIMITEDInventors: Ivan Luketic, Ioannis Paralikas, Brian Kenneth Wardle
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Patent number: 9890646Abstract: An internally cooled airfoil for a rotary machine, for example, a gas turbine engine includes a suction and pressure side wall each extending in an axial direction, i.e. from a leading to a trailing edge of the airfoil. A suction wall sided cooling channel and a pressure wall sided cooling channel extend in the axial direction. A feed chamber is defined between a first and second inner wall for feeding the suction wall and pressure wall sided cooling channel each by at least one through hole inside of the first and second inner wall. The suction wall sided cooling channel and the pressure wall sided cooling channel extend into the trailing edge region separately. The suction wall sided cooling channel and the pressure wall sided cooling channel join before discharging at the trailing edge.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2015Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA IP UK LIMITEDInventors: Joerg Krueckels, Brian Kenneth Wardle, Herbert Brandl, Marc Widmer
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Publication number: 20160222824Abstract: Disclosed is a cooled airfoil having a hub end and tip, an airfoil height being defined between the hub end and the tip. The airfoil has a leading edge, trailing edge, suction side and pressure side. The airfoil has a first airfoil height section adjacent the hub end and extending towards the tip, wherein, in a meridional view, the leading edge and trailing edge are straight along the first airfoil height section. The airfoil has a second airfoil height section adjacent the tip and extending towards the hub end, wherein, in a meridional view, the airfoil is concavely shaped at the leading edge and is convexly shaped at the trailing edge along the second airfoil height section. At least one cooling channel has a length principally extending along the airfoil height, extends straight in a first cooling channel length section, and is bent in a second cooling channel length section.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2016Publication date: August 4, 2016Applicant: Ansaldo Energia Switzerland AGInventors: Frank GERSBACH, Brian Kenneth WARDLE, Iannis BUFFART
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Publication number: 20160193667Abstract: A method for manufacturing a contoured hole, the hole being manufactured in a wall, the wall comprising a first, a second surface, and a wall thickness between the wall first and second surface. The comprises manufacturing a first non-penetrating hole extending from the first surface and into the wall, wherein a distal end of the first hole is located within the wall such that the first hole does not penetrate the wall second surface, and manufacturing a through hole, wherein the through hole is fluidly connected with first hole and penetrates the wall second surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2016Publication date: July 7, 2016Applicant: General Electric Technology GmbHInventors: Ivan LUKETIC, Ioannis PARALIKAS, Brian Kenneth WARDLE
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Publication number: 20150159490Abstract: The invention refers to an internally cooled casted airfoil for a rotary machine, preferably a gas turbine engine comprising a suction and a pressure side wall each extending in an axial direction, i.e. from a leading to a trailing edge region of said airfoil. At least one suction wall sided cooling channel extends in axial direction confined by the suction side wall and a first inner wall. At least one pressure wall sided cooling channel extends in axial direction confined by the pressure side wall and a second inner wall. At least one feed chamber is defined between the first and second inner wall for feeding said at least one suction and pressure sided cooling channel each by at least one through hole inside of the first and second inner wall. At least one suction wall sided cooling channel and the at least one pressure wall sided cooling channel extend into the trailing edge region separately.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2015Publication date: June 11, 2015Inventors: Joerg KRUECKELS, Brian Kenneth Wardle, Herbert Brandl, Marc Widmer
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Patent number: 9051838Abstract: A turbine blade of an axial turbine includes internal cooling fluid passages with radially outwardly extending passages connected to holes in the blade root. The holes are generally core printouts providing stability to the core during the casting process, but are not needed and need to be closed to guarantee the functioning of the cooling system. This is achieved by at least one covering plate. The plate is held by at least two slots located at the root of the turbine blade. Thus, the supply holes for cooling fluid located at the root section are closed by a simple mechanical device, e.g., a plate that does not require any subsequent brazing/welding operations. In addition, the plate is removable to facilitate inspection/cleaning, or further processing of the blade at service intervals.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2011Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTD.Inventors: Brian Kenneth Wardle, Christoph Didion, Herbert Brandl, Shailendra Naik
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Patent number: 8721281Abstract: A cooled blade for a gas turbine includes a blade airfoil extending between leading and trailing edges in a flow direction and on suction and pressure sides is delimited by a wall, which include an interior space in which cooling air flows towards the trailing edge in the flow direction and discharges to the outside in the region of the trailing edge. The pressure-side wall terminates at a distance in front of the trailing edge in the flow direction, forming a pressure-side lip, such that the cooling air discharges from the interior space on the pressure side. Multiple ribs subdivides the interior space, parallel to the flow direction, into a plurality of parallel cooling passages which create a high pressure drop and in which turbulators are arranged for increasing cooling. Before the outlet, multiple flow barriers are provided in the cooling air flow path, distributed transversely to the flow direction.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2011Date of Patent: May 13, 2014Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.Inventors: Jörg Krückels, Thomas Heinz-Schwarzmaier, Brian Kenneth Wardle
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Publication number: 20140060766Abstract: A blade for a gas turbine has a leading edge and a trailing edge, and an interior cavity, which is delimited by internal surfaces, for guiding cooling air therethrough. A multiplicity of turbulators or pins, which are formed on the wall, are arranged in a distributed manner in the region of the trailing edge and project from the internal surfaces into the cavity, to improve the transfer of heat between the wall of the blade and the cooling air. An improvement of the internal cooling is achieved by the turbulators or pins extending into the cavity in a direction which can be freely selected within an angular range.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2013Publication date: March 6, 2014Applicant: ALSTOM Technology LtdInventors: Jose Anguisola MCFEAT, Jörg KRÜCKELS, Roland DÜCKERSHOFF, Brian Kenneth WARDLE
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Patent number: 8632309Abstract: A blade is disclosed for a gas turbine including an airfoil, which extends along a longitudinal axis from a blade root to a blade tip, and has a shroud segment at the blade tip. The shroud segment abuts with first and second edges against shroud segments of adjacent blades to form a ring-like shroud. The first and second edges are each provided with a respective side rail on the upper side of the shroud segment. Each of the side rails is subdivided into sections of different height and/or width.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2011Date of Patent: January 21, 2014Assignee: Alstom Technology LtdInventors: Igor Tsypkaykin, Ruben Valiente, Brian Kenneth Wardle, Beat Von Arx, Andre Saxer
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Patent number: 8459934Abstract: A guide blade for a gas turbine includes an inner and an outer platform, an airfoil extending in a radial direction between the inner and the outer platforms and having a height in the radial direction, and at least one cooling channel disposed in an interior of the airfoil and configured to receive a cooling medium flowing through the at least one cooling channel configured to cool the guide blade, wherein a cross-sectional area of a blade material of the airfoil varies over the height.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2010Date of Patent: June 11, 2013Assignee: Alstom Technology LtdInventors: Willy Heinz Hofmann, Roland Dueckershoff, Brian Kenneth Wardle
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Patent number: 8382433Abstract: A method is provided for producing a blade, by casting, for a gas turbine. The blade includes an elongate airfoil which extends in a blade longitudinal direction, merges into a blade root at the lower end, has a shroud segment at the blade tip and is pervaded by a single cooling air channel running in the blade longitudinal direction from the blade root to the blade tip. The method includes, during the casting of the blade, the blade material being fed exclusively from the blade root into the mold provided therefor, and the cooling air channel is formed during the casting of the blade by using a single core body, which is provided, at the blade tip, with a local casting cross section increasing element.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2011Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: ALSTOM Technology LtdInventors: Brian Kenneth Wardle, Beat Von Arx
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Patent number: 8371808Abstract: Provided is an industrial gas turbine multi vane segment, which can be cast in one piece using a wax pattern method. The multi vane segment includes a platform; at least three airfoils, extending radially from the platform, having a combined airfoil volume, a chord length and an airfoil thickness; and a shroud with a shroud volume, disposed on an end of said airfoils radially distant from the platform. The ratio of the shroud volume to the combined airfoil volume defines a first ratio, while the multi vane segment has a first ratio greater or equal to 1.4:1. This ratio enables preferential solidification, during casting, of the airfoils before the shroud.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2009Date of Patent: February 12, 2013Assignee: Alstom Technology LtdInventors: Brian Kenneth Wardle, Thomas Peter Sommer, Beat Von Arx, Andre Saxer
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Patent number: 8231349Abstract: A turbine component (25) includes a root (21), a tip (22), and an airfoil portion (7) having a leading and a trailing edge (8,9), an external suction side and pressure side wall (13, 14) between the leading and trailing edge. The walls enclose a central cavity (1-6) for the passage of cooling air, the cavity being partitioned into a leading edge- and a trailing edge region (7a, 7b) by at least one longitudinally extending first web (15) connecting the suction side wall with the pressure side wall and a second longitudinally extending web (16), connecting the first web with the suction side wall, thereby defining a first and second entry chamber (2, 3). The first web (15) is provided with at least one cross-over hole (H1) between the first entry chamber and the leading edge chamber (1), whereas the second web has no openings.Type: GrantFiled: March 20, 2009Date of Patent: July 31, 2012Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.Inventors: Shailendra Naik, Brian Kenneth Wardle
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Publication number: 20120163995Abstract: A turbine blade of an axial turbine includes internal cooling fluid passages with radially outwardly extending passages connected to holes in the blade root. The holes are generally core printouts providing stability to the core during the casting process, but are not needed and need to be closed to guarantee the functioning of the cooling system. This is achieved by at least one covering plate. The plate is held by at least two slots located at the root of the turbine blade. Thus, the supply holes for cooling fluid located at the root section are closed by a simple mechanical device, e.g., a plate that does not require any subsequent brazing/welding operations. In addition, the plate is removable to facilitate inspection/cleaning, or further processing of the blade at service intervals.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 20, 2011Publication date: June 28, 2012Inventors: Brian Kenneth Wardle, Christoph Didion, Herbert Brandl, Shailendra Naik
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Patent number: 8142143Abstract: A stator blade for a gas turbine includes a blade airfoil extending in a longitudinal direction of the blade and is delimited by leading and trailing edges. The stator blade includes a shroud, whose inner side is exposed to hot gas which flows through the gas turbine. A hook-like fastening element for fastening the stator blade on a casing of the gas turbine projects outwards in the region of the trailing edge. The fastening element has a locating slot above the trailing edge for fixing a heat shield, which is connected to the shroud in the flow direction of the hot gas. A cavity is provided on the shroud between the locating slot for the heat shield and the trailing edge of the blade airfoil for reducing the thermal and mechanical stresses in the region of transition between the trailing edge and shroud.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2010Date of Patent: March 27, 2012Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd.Inventors: Erich Kreiselmaier, Jose Anguisola McFeat, Christoph Nagler, Sergei Riazantsev, Brian Kenneth Wardle
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Publication number: 20120020787Abstract: A cooled blade for a gas turbine includes a blade airfoil extending between leading and trailing edges in a flow direction and on suction and pressure sides is delimited by a wall, which include an interior space in which cooling air flows towards the trailing edge in the flow direction and discharges to the outside in the region of the trailing edge. The pressure-side wall terminates at a distance in front of the trailing edge in the flow direction, forming a pressure-side lip, such that the cooling air discharges from the interior space on the pressure side. Multiple ribs subdivides the interior space, parallel to the flow direction, into a plurality of parallel cooling passages which create a high pressure drop and in which turbulators are arranged for increasing cooling. Before the outlet, multiple flow barriers are provided in the cooling air flow path, distributed transversely to the flow direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2011Publication date: January 26, 2012Applicant: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTDInventors: Jörg KRÜCKELS, Thomas HEINZ-SCHWARZMAIER, Brian Kenneth WARDLE
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Publication number: 20110286834Abstract: A guide vane is provided for a gas turbine and has an airfoil extending in the radial direction between an inner platform and an outer platform. The airfoil extends transversely to the direction of the hot gas flow between a leading edge and a trailing edge and has a pressure side and a suction side. A cooling slot running parallel to the trailing edge is provided on the pressure side in front of the trailing edge, a cooling medium can exit through the cooling slot from the guide vane over the entire length of the guide vane and can cool the trailing edge of the guide vane. In such a guide vane, the service life is extended by a thermal stress reducing element provided on the inner platform below the trailing edge and the cooling slot.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2011Publication date: November 24, 2011Applicant: ALSTOM TECHNOLOGY LTDInventors: Brian Kenneth WARDLE, Andre SAXER, Beat VON ARX, Igor TSYPKAYKIN
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Publication number: 20110286849Abstract: A blade is disclosed for a gas turbine including an airfoil, which extends along a longitudinal axis from a blade root to a blade tip, and has a shroud segment at the blade tip. The shroud segment abuts with first and second edges against shroud segments of adjacent blades to form a ring-like shroud. The first and second edges are each provided with a respective side rail on the upper side of the shroud segment. Each of the side rails is subdivided into sections of different height and/or width.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2011Publication date: November 24, 2011Applicant: ALSTOM Technology Ltd.Inventors: Igor TSYPKAYKIN, Ruben Valiente, Brian Kenneth Wardle, Beat Von Arx, Andre Saxer