Patents by Inventor Christian Carroll
Christian Carroll 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: 8430633Abstract: A blade extension for a rotor blade and a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine are disclosed. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade having exterior surfaces defining a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge each extending in a generally span-wise direction between a tip and a root. At least one of the leading edge or the trailing edge has a modified aerodynamic contour. The rotor blade assembly further includes a blade extension including a first panel and an opposed second panel. Each of the first panel and the second panel includes an interior surface and an exterior surface each extending between a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end of each of the first panel and the second panel is spaced apart from the rotor blade in a generally chord-wise direction in a standard operation position.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2011Date of Patent: April 30, 2013Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Christian A. Carroll, Stefan Herr, Aaron Yarbrough
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Patent number: 8403642Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade having a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge extending in a generally span-wise direction between a tip and a root. An edge extension is attached along either or both of the leading edge or trailing edge in a generally span-wise direction from adjacent the root towards the blade tip, with the edge extension having a contoured outer surface that defines a generally continuous aerodynamic surface. The edge extension has a terminal end that is spaced from root. A curtain is attached to the edge extension and extends in a span-wise direction from the terminal end t to the root. The curtain is formed from a pliant, flexible material that accommodates connection of the root to a rotor hub, as well as pitch movement of the rotor blade relative to the hub.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2011Date of Patent: March 26, 2013Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Christian A. Carroll, Jonathan Glenn Luedke, Stefan Herr
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Patent number: 8376703Abstract: A blade extension for a rotor blade and a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine are disclosed. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade having exterior surfaces defining a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge each extending in a generally span-wise direction between a tip and a root. The rotor blade assembly further includes a blade extension including a first panel and an opposed second panel. Each of the first panel and the second panel includes an interior surface and an exterior surface each extending between a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end of each of the first panel and the second panel is spaced apart from the rotor blade in a generally chord-wise direction in a standard operation position.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2011Date of Patent: February 19, 2013Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Christian A. Carroll, Stefan Herr, Aaron Yarbrough
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Publication number: 20120141278Abstract: A rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine and a method for modifying a load characteristic of a rotor blade in a wind turbine are disclosed. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade having surfaces defining a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge extending between a tip and a root. The rotor blade further defines a span and a chord. The rotor blade includes a body defining at least a portion of the pressure side, the suction side, and the trailing edge, and a nose feature movable with respect to the body. The rotor blade assembly further includes a controller operable to move the nose feature.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2011Publication date: June 7, 2012Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Christian A. Carroll, Jonathan Glenn Luedke, David Samuel Pesetsky
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Publication number: 20120141281Abstract: A wind turbine rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade having a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge extending in a generally span-wise direction between a tip and a root. An edge extension is attached along either or both of the leading edge or trailing edge in a generally span-wise direction from adjacent the root towards the blade tip, with the edge extension having a contoured outer surface that defines a generally continuous aerodynamic surface. The edge extension has a terminal end that is spaced from root. A curtain is attached to the edge extension and extends in a span-wise direction from the terminal end t to the root. The curtain is formed from a pliant, flexible material that accommodates connection of the root to a rotor hub, as well as pitch movement of the rotor blade relative to the hub.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2011Publication date: June 7, 2012Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Christian A. Carroll, Jonathan Glenn Luedke, Stefan Herr
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Publication number: 20120134836Abstract: A blade extension for a rotor blade and a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine are disclosed. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade having exterior surfaces defining a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge each extending in a generally span-wise direction between a tip and a root. At least one of the leading edge or the trailing edge has a modified aerodynamic contour. The rotor blade assembly further includes a blade extension including a first panel and an opposed second panel. Each of the first panel and the second panel includes an interior surface and an exterior surface each extending between a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end of each of the first panel and the second panel is spaced apart from the rotor blade in a generally chord-wise direction in a standard operation position.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2011Publication date: May 31, 2012Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Christian A. Carroll, Stefan Herr, Aaron Yarbrough
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Publication number: 20120134815Abstract: A blade extension for a rotor blade and a rotor blade assembly for a wind turbine are disclosed. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade having exterior surfaces defining a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge each extending in a generally span-wise direction between a tip and a root. The rotor blade assembly further includes a blade extension including a first panel and an opposed second panel. Each of the first panel and the second panel includes an interior surface and an exterior surface each extending between a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end of each of the first panel and the second panel is spaced apart from the rotor blade in a generally chord-wise direction in a standard operation position.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2011Publication date: May 31, 2012Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Christian A. Carroll, Stefan Herr, Aaron Yarbrough
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Publication number: 20120027588Abstract: A rotor blade assembly and a method for reducing the separation region of a rotor blade for a wind turbine are disclosed. The rotor blade assembly includes a rotor blade having exterior surfaces defining a pressure side, a suction side, a leading edge, and a trailing edge extending in a generally span-wise direction between a tip and a root. The rotor blade assembly further includes a flap extending in the generally span-wise direction from the root towards the tip. The flap includes an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface conformingly mounted to at least one of the pressure side, the suction side, or the trailing edge, the outer surface and at least one of the pressure side or the suction side defining a generally continuous aerodynamic surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2011Publication date: February 2, 2012Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventor: Christian A. Carroll
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Publication number: 20100166543Abstract: Inlet guide vanes and gas turbine engine systems involving such vanes are provided. In this regard, a representative an inlet guide vane for a gas turbine engine includes: a fixed strut; and a variable flap located downstream of the fixed strut and being movable with respect thereto; the fixed strut having a leading edge, a trailing edge and side surfaces extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge, the side surfaces being asymmetric with respect to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2008Publication date: July 1, 2010Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORP.Inventor: Christian A. Carroll
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Publication number: 20090260341Abstract: An engine inlet ice protection system and method for ice protection includes a plurality of grouped structural elements having electrical components that provide ice protection where power is cycled to the groups of structural elements so that at a given time the ice protection elements receiving power are generally distributed throughout the engine inlet.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2008Publication date: October 22, 2009Applicant: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Isaac Jon Hogate, Christian A. Carroll
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Patent number: 7549839Abstract: An inlet guide vane provides improved, smooth airflow and avoids separation of flow even at high incidence angles. The inlet guide vane includes a strut having opposite side surfaces that are continuously curved to provide a controlled velocity distribution at the trailing edge of the strut. The inlet guide vane further includes a flap having a leading edge aligned behind the trailing edge of the strut. Generally, the strut and the flap are designed together so that low momentum air in the gap between the strut and the flap will be energized and entrained in the boundary layer of the flap. The airflow from the gap will remain attached to the flap to improve the flow from the flap.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2005Date of Patent: June 23, 2009Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Christian A. Carroll, James Allen Eley, Carl Brian Klinetob
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Publication number: 20070092372Abstract: An inlet guide vane provides improved, smooth airflow and avoids separation of flow even at high incidence angles. The inlet guide vane includes a strut having opposite side surfaces that are continuously curved to provide a controlled velocity distribution at the trailing edge of the strut. The inlet guide vane further includes a flap having a leading edge aligned behind the trailing edge of the strut. Generally, the strut and the flap are designed together so that low momentum air in the gap between the strut and the flap will be energized and entrained in the boundary layer of the flap. The airflow from the gap will remain attached to the flap to improve the flow from the flap.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 25, 2005Publication date: April 26, 2007Inventors: Christian Carroll, James Eley, Carl Klinetob