Patents by Inventor Christian Xavier Stevenson
Christian Xavier Stevenson 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: 11319085Abstract: A fuel oxygen conversion unit includes a contactor; a fuel gas separator, the fuel oxygen conversion unit defining a circulation gas flowpath from the fuel gas separator to the contactor; and an isolation valve in airflow communication with the circulation gas flowpath for modulating a gas flow through the circulation gas flowpath to the contactor.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2018Date of Patent: May 3, 2022Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Richard Alan Wesling, Christian Xavier Stevenson, Peter Allen Andrews, Jr.
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Patent number: 11186382Abstract: An engine includes a stripping gas source, a combustion section, and a fuel oxygen conversion unit positioned upstream of the combustion section, the fuel oxygen conversion unit defining a stripping gas flowpath in airflow communication with the stripping gas source. The fuel oxygen conversion unit includes a contactor defining a fuel inlet, a gas inlet in airflow communication with the stripping gas flowpath, and a fuel gas mixture outlet; and a fuel gas separator defining a fuel gas mixture inlet for receiving a fuel gas mixture from the contactor, a liquid fuel outlet, and a stripping gas outlet; wherein the stripping gas flowpath receives substantially all of a stripping gas flow therethrough from the stripping gas source and provides the stripping gas flow to the contactor.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2018Date of Patent: November 30, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Peter Allen Andrews, Jr., Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Christian Xavier Stevenson, David Vickery Parker
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Patent number: 11173668Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to methods for additive manufacturing (AM) that utilize rail support structures in the process of building objects, as well as novel rail support structures to be used within these AM processes. The rail support structures include a plurality of substantially parallel vertical walls, each wall extending substantially parallel to a direction from the first side to the second side. Adjacent walls of the plurality of substantially parallel vertical walls are separated by a portion of unfused powder. An object is formed above the plurality of substantially parallel vertical walls.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 2020Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Christian Xavier Stevenson, Patrick Michael Kenney, John William Moores, David Corsmeier
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Publication number: 20210340936Abstract: A fuel oxygen reduction unit for an engine is provided. The fuel oxygen reduction unit includes a contactor including a fuel inlet that receives an inlet fuel flow and a stripping gas inlet that receives an inlet stripping gas flow, the contactor configured to form a fuel/gas mixture; a separator that receives the fuel/gas mixture, the fuel oxygen reduction unit defining a circulation gas flowpath from the separator to the contactor; and a stripping gas source selectively in fluid communication with the circulation gas flowpath for selectively introducing a stripping gas from the stripping gas source to the circulation gas flowpath, wherein the stripping gas source is an accessory gearbox.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2020Publication date: November 4, 2021Inventors: Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Christian Xavier Stevenson, Brandon Wayne Miller
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Publication number: 20210340913Abstract: A fuel delivery system for a gas turbine engine including a fuel oxygen reduction unit is provided. The fuel oxygen reduction unit defines a liquid fuel flowpath and a stripping gas flowpath and is 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 includes an impeller in airflow communication with the stripping gas flowpath for circulating the stripping gas flow through the stripping gas flowpath; and a turbine coupled to the impeller.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2020Publication date: November 4, 2021Inventors: Peter Allen Andrews, JR., Ethan Patrick O'Connor, David Vickery Parker, Brandon Wayne Miller, Richard Alan Wesling, Christian Xavier Stevenson
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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
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Patent number: 11067003Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine including a housing circumferentially surrounding an electric machine. The electric machine is supported within the housing. The housing defines a cooling passage proximate to the electric machine. The cooling passage circumferentially surrounds the electric machine and is extended at least partially along a lengthwise direction of the electric machine. The cooling passage provides a flow of fluid therethrough.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2017Date of Patent: July 20, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Christian Xavier Stevenson, Nathan Evan McCurdy Gibson, Sean Christopher Binion, Patrick Michael Marrinan
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Patent number: 11027719Abstract: A method and system for distributed power generation is provided. The method includes determining an operational cycle for the system; determining an average energy requirement of the system based on the operational cycle; configuring a plurality of energy sources each corresponding to the load device to produce a peak efficiency corresponding to the average energy requirement of the system; and coupling the energy source to provide energy to the load device.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 2018Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Christian Xavier Stevenson, Brandon Wayne Miller, Christopher James Kroger, Patrick Michael Marrinan
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Patent number: 11027491Abstract: A method of making a part by an additive manufacturing process includes the steps of: (a) supporting a build platform on a support surface; (b) traversing a powder dispenser positioned above the support surface across the build platform, while dispensing powder from the powder dispenser, so as to deposit the powder over the build platform; (c) traversing the build platform with a scraper to scrape the deposited powder, so as to form a layer increment of powder; (d) using a directed energy source to fuse the layer increment of powder in a pattern corresponding to a cross-sectional layer of the part; and (e) repeating in a cycle steps (b) through (d) to build up the part in a layer-by-layer fashion.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 2020Date of Patent: June 8, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Steven Hubert Rengers, Christian Xavier Stevenson, Charles Michael Welsh
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Patent number: 10951095Abstract: In one an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, an engine includes a drive shaft; an electric machine including a stator assembly and a rotor assembly, the rotor assembly rotatable relative to the stator assembly; and an electrical break, the drive shaft coupled to the rotor assembly through the electrical break.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2018Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Christopher James Kroger, Christian Xavier Stevenson
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Patent number: 10914274Abstract: A fuel oxygen reduction unit for an aeronautical engine is provided. The fuel oxygen reduction unit includes a stripping gas line that provides a stripping gas flow and a plasma reactor in fluid communication with the stripping gas line. The plasma reactor includes a plasma reactor gas inlet that receives the stripping gas flow from the stripping gas line and a plasma reactor gas outlet that provides the stripping gas flow back to the stripping gas line, the plasma reactor configured to reduce a free oxygen content of the stripping gas flow such that an outlet free oxygen content of the stripping gas flow that exits the plasma reactor gas outlet is lower than an inlet free oxygen content of the stripping gas flow that enters the plasma reactor gas inlet.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2019Date of Patent: February 9, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Christian Xavier Stevenson, Timothy John Sommerer
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Publication number: 20210001556Abstract: A method of making a part by an additive manufacturing process includes the steps of: (a) supporting a build platform on a support surface; (b) traversing a powder dispenser positioned above the support surface across the build platform, while dispensing powder from the powder dispenser, so as to deposit the powder over the build platform; (c) traversing the build platform with a scraper to scrape the deposited powder, so as to form a layer increment of powder; (d) using a directed energy source to fuse the layer increment of powder in a pattern corresponding to a cross-sectional layer of the part; and (e) repeating in a cycle steps (b) through (d) to build up the part in a layer-by-layer fashion.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2020Publication date: January 7, 2021Inventors: Steven Hubert Rengers, Christian Xavier Stevenson, Charles Michael Welsh
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Patent number: 10814387Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus includes: a support surface configured to support a build platform thereon; a powder dispenser disposed above the support surface, the powder dispenser configured to dispense powder, and movable laterally over the support surface; a scraper moveable over the build platform and configured to scrape powder dispensed thereon by the powder dispenser, so as to provide a layer increment of powder above the build platform; and a directed energy source configured to melt and fuse the layer increment of powder in predetermined pattern so as to form a part.Type: GrantFiled: August 3, 2015Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Steven Hubert Rengers, Christian Xavier Stevenson, Charles Michael Welsh
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Publication number: 20200172079Abstract: A method and system for distributed power generation is provided. The method includes determining an operational cycle for the system; determining an average energy requirement of the system based on the operational cycle; configuring a plurality of energy sources each corresponding to the load device to produce a peak efficiency corresponding to the average energy requirement of the system; and coupling the energy source to provide energy to the load device.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2018Publication date: June 4, 2020Inventors: Christian Xavier Stevenson, Brandon Wayne Miller, Christopher James Kroger, Patrick Michael Marrinan
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Publication number: 20200140115Abstract: An engine includes a stripping gas source, a combustion section, and a fuel oxygen conversion unit positioned upstream of the combustion section, the fuel oxygen conversion unit defining a stripping gas flowpath in airflow communication with the stripping gas source. The fuel oxygen conversion unit includes a contactor defining a fuel inlet, a gas inlet in airflow communication with the stripping gas flowpath, and a fuel gas mixture outlet; and a fuel gas separator defining a fuel gas mixture inlet for receiving a fuel gas mixture from the contactor, a liquid fuel outlet, and a stripping gas outlet; wherein the stripping gas flowpath receives substantially all of a stripping gas flow therethrough from the stripping gas source and provides the stripping gas flow to the contactor.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2018Publication date: May 7, 2020Inventors: Peter Allen Andrews, JR., Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Christian Xavier Stevenson, David Vickery Parker
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Publication number: 20200140114Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2018Publication date: May 7, 2020Inventors: Peter Allen Andrews, JR., Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Christian Xavier Stevenson
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Publication number: 20200140109Abstract: A fuel oxygen conversion unit includes a contactor; a fuel gas separator, the fuel oxygen conversion unit defining a circulation gas flowpath from the fuel gas separator to the contactor; and an isolation valve in airflow communication with the circulation gas flowpath for modulating a gas flow through the circulation gas flowpath to the contactor.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2018Publication date: May 7, 2020Inventors: Ethan Patrick O'Connor, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Richard Alan Wesling, Christian Xavier Stevenson, Peter Allen Andrews, JR.
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Publication number: 20200139635Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to methods for additive manufacturing (AM) that utilize rail support structures in the process of building objects, as well as novel rail support structures to be used within these AM processes. The rail support structures include a plurality of substantially parallel vertical walls, each wall extending substantially parallel to a direction from the first side to the second side. Adjacent walls of the plurality of substantially parallel vertical walls are separated by a portion of unfused powder. An object is formed above the plurality of substantially parallel vertical walls.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2020Publication date: May 7, 2020Inventors: Christian Xavier Stevenson, Patrick Michael Kenney, John William Moores, David Corsmeier
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Patent number: 10556383Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to methods for additive manufacturing (AM) that utilize rail support structures in the process of building objects, as well as novel rail support structures to be used within these AM processes. The rail support structures include a plurality of substantially parallel vertical walls, each wall extending substantially parallel to a direction from the first side to the second side. Adjacent walls of the plurality of substantially parallel vertical walls are separated by a portion of unfused powder. An object is formed above the plurality of substantially parallel vertical walls.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2016Date of Patent: February 11, 2020Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Christian Xavier Stevenson, Patrick Michael Kenney, John William Moores, David Corsmeier
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Publication number: 20200044518Abstract: In one an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, an engine includes a drive shaft; an electric machine including a stator assembly and a rotor assembly, the rotor assembly rotatable relative to the stator assembly; and an electrical break, the drive shaft coupled to the rotor assembly through the electrical break.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2018Publication date: February 6, 2020Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Christopher James Kroger, Christian Xavier Stevenson