Patents by Inventor Calvin W. Emmerson

Calvin W. Emmerson 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: 10443856
    Abstract: A wave rotor combustor includes an inlet plate, an outlet plate, and a rotor drum assembly positioned therebetween. The inlet plate is formed to include an inlet port arranged to receive a mixture of fuel and air. The outlet plate is formed to include an outlet port arranged to receive combusted gasses flowing out of the wave rotor combustor. The rotor drum assembly is arranged to rotate relative to the inlet and outlet plates and to combust the fuel and air mixture as part of a combustion process. Conditioned air is passed through the wave rotor combustor to regulate a temperature distribution of the wave rotor combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Calvin W. Emmerson, Philip H. Snyder
  • Patent number: 10443493
    Abstract: A wave rotor assembly includes a wave rotor combustor and an exit duct. The wave rotor combustor includes an aft plate formed to include an exit port and a rotor drum mounted for rotation relative to the aft plate. The rotor drum is formed to include a plurality of rotor passages arranged to align with the exit port during rotation of the rotor drum. The exit duct is coupled to the aft plate and defines a passage arranged to receive exhaust gasses flowing through the exit port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Calvin W. Emmerson, Philip H. Snyder
  • Publication number: 20160245526
    Abstract: A wave rotor combustor includes an inlet plate, an outlet plate, and a rotor drum assembly positioned therebetween. The inlet plate is formed to include an inlet port arranged to receive a mixture of fuel and air. The outlet plate is formed to include an outlet port arranged to receive combusted gasses flowing out of the wave rotor combustor. The rotor drum assembly is arranged to rotate relative to the inlet and outlet plates and to combust the fuel and air mixture as part of a combustion process. Conditioned air is passed through the wave rotor combustor to regulate a temperature distribution of the wave rotor combustor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Inventors: Calvin W. Emmerson, Philip H. Snyder
  • Publication number: 20160230656
    Abstract: A wave rotor assembly includes a wave rotor combustor and an exit duct. The wave rotor combustor includes an aft plate formed to include an exit port and a rotor drum mounted for rotation relative to the aft plate. The rotor drum is formed to include a plurality of rotor passages arranged to align with the exit port during rotation of the rotor drum. The exit duct is coupled to the aft plate and defines a passage arranged to receive exhaust gasses flowing through the exit port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Calvin W. Emmerson, Philip H. Snyder
  • Patent number: 8596968
    Abstract: A diffuser is provided having a number of diffuser channels defined by a top wall, bottom wall, and two sidewalls. The sidewalls can be constructed according to an involute of a circle which provides constant interwall distance between the sidewalls along the length of the diffuser channel. The top and bottom walls, however, diverge from one another along the length of the diffuser channel to provide a desired diffusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Calvin W. Emmerson
  • Patent number: 8555612
    Abstract: A constant volume combustor device includes, in one form, a detonative combustion. The apparatus includes inlet and outlet ports that interface with a plurality of fluid flow passageways on a rotor. A buffer gas is routed through some of the inlet and outlet ports and into and out of the plurality of fluid flow passageways. One of the inlet ports is a buffer gas inlet port that when placed in registry with a fluid flow passageway allows the flow of buffer gas into the respective passageway. Fuel is delivered into the buffer gas proximate the buffer gas inlet port so that only a portion of the buffer gas inlet port receives any fuel. In one form the wave rotor of the constant volume combustor is supported by magnetic bearings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip H. Snyder, Calvin W. Emmerson
  • Publication number: 20120240585
    Abstract: A constant volume combustor device includes detonative combustion. In one form the wave rotor of the constant volume combustor is supported by magnetic bearings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventors: Philip H. Snyder, Calvin W. Emmerson
  • Patent number: 8241005
    Abstract: In one embodiment a centrifugal impeller has an axis of rotation, a plurality of blades, and a plurality of pitches defined between the blades. A cavity may be formed in a back side of the impeller, opposite with at least one of the plurality of pitches. In one form the cavity may not extend below a radius determined according to a stress criteria or stress limitation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Calvin W. Emmerson, Robert A. Ress, Jr., Stephen N. Hammond
  • Patent number: 8117828
    Abstract: A pressure wave apparatus utilizing the principles of pulsed detonation and wave rotor technologies. The apparatus includes inlet and outlet ports that interface with a plurality of fluid flow passageways on a rotor. A buffer gas is routed through some of the inlet and outlet ports and into and out of the plurality of fluid flow passageways. One of the inlet ports is a buffer gas inlet port that when placed in registry with a fluid flow passageway allows the flow of buffer gas into the respective passageway. Fuel is delivered into the buffer gas proximate the buffer gas inlet port so that only a portion of the buffer gas inlet port receives any fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Allison Advanced Development Company
    Inventors: Philip H. Snyder, Calvin W. Emmerson
  • Publication number: 20100212282
    Abstract: A constant volume combustor device includes detonative combustion. In one form the wave rotor of the constant volume combustor is supported by magnetic bearings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventors: Philip H. Snyder, Calvin W. Emmerson
  • Publication number: 20100166552
    Abstract: A diffuser is provided having a number of diffuser channels defined by a top wall, bottom wall, and two sidewalls. The sidewalls can be constructed according to an involute of a circle which provides constant interwall distance between the sidewalls along the length of the diffuser channel. The top and bottom walls, however, diverge from one another along the length of the diffuser channel to provide a desired diffusion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2009
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventor: Calvin W. Emmerson
  • Publication number: 20100098546
    Abstract: In one embodiment a centrifugal impeller has an axis of rotation, a plurality of blades, and a plurality of pitches defined between the blades. A cavity may be formed in a back side of the impeller, opposite with at least one of the plurality of pitches. In one form the cavity may not extend below a radius determined according to a stress criteria or stress limitation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Inventors: Calvin W. Emmerson, Robert A. Ress, JR., Stephen N. Hammond
  • Patent number: 7621118
    Abstract: A constant volume combustor device includes, in one form, a detonative combustion. In one form the wave rotor of the constant volume combustor is supported by magnetic bearings. The constant volume combustor device includes a rotor having a number of fluid passageways that rotate about an axis. End plates having at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port are located on either end of the rotor. Relatively compressed air enters the rotor through the at least one inlet port, is burned with fuel in a pulsed combustion process, and exits at least one exit port. The pulsed combustion process can be a pulsed detonation combustion process or a pulsed deflagration combustion process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip H. Snyder, Calvin W. Emmerson
  • Patent number: 7137243
    Abstract: A pressure wave apparatus utilizing the principles of pulsed detonation and wave rotor technologies. The apparatus includes inlet and outlet ports that interface with a plurality of fluid flow passageways on a rotor. A buffer gas is routed through some of the inlet and outlet ports and into and out of the plurality of fluid flow passageways. One of the inlet ports is a buffer gas inlet port that when placed in registry with a fluid flow passageway allows the flow of buffer gas into the respective passageway. Fuel is delivered into the buffer gas proximate the buffer gas inlet port so that only a portion of the buffer gas inlet port receives any fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip H. Snyder, Calvin W. Emmerson
  • Publication number: 20040154304
    Abstract: A constant volume combustor device includes detonative combustion. In one form the wave rotor of the constant volume combustor is supported by magnetic bearings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Publication date: August 12, 2004
    Inventors: Philip H. Snyder, Calvin W. Emmerson
  • Patent number: 3963368
    Abstract: A cooling arrangement for high temperature turbines, particularly the first stage nozzles of gas turbine engines. Cooling is effected by compressor discharge air taken from the combustion chamber jacket of the engine. The shrouds of the nozzle have a base ring and a porous facing spaced from the base ring and exposed to the motive fluid. Cooling air fed through openings in the base ring flows through the porous facing into the motive fluid path to cool the facing by transpiration. The vanes are cooled by an arrangement providing for a mixture of impingement and transpiration cooling. Compressor discharge air is admitted between a baffle in the interior of the hollow vane and the high pressure face of the vane. Some of the air flows through the porous high pressure face for transpiration cooling. The rest of the air is discharged through a row of openings in the baffle to impinge on and cool the interior of the leading edge of the vane, which is imperforate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1967
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1976
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Calvin W. Emmerson