Patents by Inventor Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb

Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb 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: 9447976
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a combustor of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The fuel injector includes a gas gallery and a gas passage. The gas gallery is an annular passage configured to circumferentially distribute gas fuel. The gas passage includes an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is distal to the gas gallery and includes an inlet area with a circular shape. The outlet adjoins the gas gallery and includes an outlet area including an annular sector shape. The gas passage is configured to diffuse the gas fuel and discharge the gas fuel from the outlet and into the gas gallery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, Rasoul Z. Paydar
  • Patent number: 9316154
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine may include a flow path for a fuel-air mixture extending longitudinally through the fuel injector, and a fuel gallery extending circumferentially around the flow path. The fuel gallery may be adapted to inject a liquid fuel into the flow path. The fuel injector may also include an annular casing positioned circumferentially around the fuel gallery to define an insulating chamber around the gallery. The fuel injector may also include an annular cover extending around the fuel injector to define a metering chamber. The fuel injector may further include one or more purge holes fluidly coupling the metering chamber to the insulating chamber, and one or more metering holes fluidly coupling the metering chamber to a volume exterior to the fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, James Gregory Roesch
  • Patent number: 9296038
    Abstract: A liquid fuel injection spoke for a gas turbine engine. The liquid fuel injection spoke may include an inlet end and an outlet end. The liquid fuel injection spoke may further include a head located at the inlet end and a stem extending along a longitudinal axis from the head to the outlet end. The stem may define a fluid passageway therein. The head may include a cavity with an inner wall. The inner wall may include an annular protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Alexander Ilich Krichever, Mario Eugene Abreu, Norm Turoff, John Frederick Lockyer, Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, David Marc Stansel
  • Publication number: 20160069570
    Abstract: A diffuser for a gas-turbine engine is provided. The diffuser has an outer housing, an inner housing, and a diffusion plate. The outer housing has a first wall. The inner housing has a second wall and is disposed within the outer housing. A flow passage is formed between the first wall and the second wall and has a forward end and an aft end. The diffusion plate has a plurality of openings and extends across the flow passage from the first wall to the second wall in an aft direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Inventors: Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, Stephen Paul Burke, Bharat Damodar Raghunathan, Robert James Fanella
  • Patent number: 9212609
    Abstract: When starting a dual fuel turbine engine on liquid fuel, a flow of air assist into a combined pilot gaseous fuel and air assist tube is supplied. The velocity of the flow of air assist is increased as it is expelled through an outlet of the tube. The flow of air assist is directed into a first end of a pilot injector barrel. Additional air is drawn into the first end of the pilot injector barrel from an enclosure containing both the first end of the pilot injector barrel and the tube outlet. Liquid pilot fuel is supplied at a second end of the pilot injector barrel, and this fuel is atomized by the flow of the air assist and additional air. The atomized pilot liquid fuel may then be combusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incoporated
    Inventors: Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, Robert Anthony Corr, II
  • Patent number: 9151227
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine may include an injector housing extending along a longitudinal axis and configured to be fluidly coupled to a combustor of the turbine engine. The fuel injector may also include a flow path for a fuel air mixture to the combustor extending longitudinally within the injector housing, and a gallery for liquid fuel encircling the flow path. The gallery may include a plurality of fuel spokes that are configured to deliver liquid fuel from the gallery to the flow path. The gallery may extend from a feed end to a terminal end that overlaps the feed end. The feed end may be a region where liquid fuel enters the gallery and the terminal end may be a region where the gallery terminates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: John Frederick Lockyer, Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, Mario Eugene Abreu
  • Patent number: 9086017
    Abstract: A fuel injector includes a flow path for fuel air mixture to a combustor extending longitudinally through the fuel injector. The fuel injector may also include a liquid fuel gallery at least partially encircling the flow path. The gallery may include a plurality of fuel spokes configured to deliver liquid fuel from the gallery to the flow path. The fuel injector may also include an annular outer housing circumferentially positioned about the gallery to form an insulating air cavity at least partially around the gallery. The outer housing may include at least one purge hole to provide communication between the insulating air cavity and outside the outer housing of the injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, Jonathan Gerrard Duckers
  • Publication number: 20150198333
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a combustor of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The fuel injector includes a gas gallery and a gas passage. The gas gallery is an annular passage configured to circumferentially distribute gas fuel. The gas passage includes an inlet and an outlet. The inlet is distal to the gas gallery and includes an inlet area with a circular shape. The outlet adjoins the gas gallery and includes an outlet area including an annular sector shape. The gas passage is configured to diffuse the gas fuel and discharge the gas fuel from the outlet and into the gas gallery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Applicant: SOLAR TURBINES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, Rasoul Z. Paydar
  • Patent number: 8966908
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a turbine engine may include a body member disposed about a longitudinal axis, and a barrel member located radially outwardly from the body member. The fuel injector may also include an annular passageway extending between the body member and the barrel member from a first end to a second end. The first end may be configured to be fluidly coupled to a compressor of the turbine engine and the second end may be configured to be fluidly coupled to a combustor of the turbine engine. The fuel injector may also include a perforated plate positioned proximate the first end of the passageway. The perforated plate may be configured to direct compressed air into the annular passageway with a first pressure drop. The fuel injector may also include at least one fuel discharge orifice positioned downstream of the perforated plate. The at least one fuel discharge orifice may be configured to discharge a fuel into the annular passageway with a second pressure drop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, Hongyu Wang, James Wilfrid Blust, Mario E. Abreu
  • Publication number: 20140250907
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine may include a flow path for a fuel-air mixture extending longitudinally through the fuel injector, and a fuel gallery extending circumferentially around the flow path. The fuel gallery may be adapted to inject a liquid fuel into the flow path. The fuel injector may also include an annular casing positioned circumferentially around the fuel gallery to define an insulating chamber around the gallery. The fuel injector may also include an annular cover extending around the fuel injector to define a metering chamber. The fuel injector may further include one or more purge holes fluidly coupling the metering chamber to the insulating chamber, and one or more metering holes fluidly coupling the metering chamber to a volume exterior to the fuel injector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Christopher Zdzislaw TWARDOCHLEB, James Gregory Roesch
  • Publication number: 20140137565
    Abstract: When starting a dual fuel turbine engine on liquid fuel, a flow of air assist into a combined pilot gaseous fuel and air assist tube is supplied. The velocity of the flow of air assist is increased as it is expelled through an outlet of the tube. The flow of air assist is directed into a first end of a pilot injector barrel. Additional air is drawn into the first end of the pilot injector barrel from an enclosure containing both the first end of the pilot injector barrel and the tube outlet. Liquid pilot fuel is supplied at a second end of the pilot injector barrel, and this fuel is atomized by the flow of the air assist and additional air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Solar Turbines, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, Robert Anthony Corr, II
  • Publication number: 20140047813
    Abstract: An exhaust collector having a radial inlet configured to receive exhaust gas in a radial direction, an outlet configured to deliver exhaust gas in and outlet direction, and an enclosure configured to collect the received exhaust gas into at least two circumferential counter flows, and route the collected exhaust gas to the outlet, wherein the enclosure includes a collected flow barrier configured to divide the collected exhaust gas from the exhaust gas received at the radial inlet, and a collected flow circumferential divider configured to form a physical barrier between at least a portion of the at least two circumferential counter flows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: SOLAR TURBINES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Javier Leonardo Frailich, Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, Jiang Luo
  • Publication number: 20140026999
    Abstract: An exhaust diffuser having an outer turbine mounting interface, an outer exhaust collector mounting interface, an outer diffuser wall extending between the outer turbine mounting interface and the outer exhaust collector mounting interface, an inner turbine mounting interface, an inner exhaust collector mounting interface, an inner diffuser wall extending between the inner turbine mounting interface and the inner exhaust collector mounting interface, and a plurality of struts circumferentially distributed around the center axis and extending between the outer diffuser wall and the inner diffuser wall, wherein each of the plurality of struts is radially curved between the diffuser flow outer wall and the diffuser flow inner wall, respectively, and wherein the termination points of each strut is outer wall interface are radially offset from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: SOLAR TURBINES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Javier Leonardo Frailich, Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, Jiang Luo
  • Publication number: 20130283809
    Abstract: A fuel injector includes a flow path for fuel air mixture to a combustor extending longitudinally through the fuel injector. The fuel injector may also include a liquid fuel gallery at least partially encircling the flow path. The gallery may include a plurality of fuel spokes configured to deliver liquid fuel from the gallery to the flow path. The fuel injector may also include an annular outer housing circumferentially positioned about the gallery to form an insulating air cavity at least partially around the gallery. The outer housing may include at least one purge hole to provide communication between the insulating air cavity and outside the outer housing of the injector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, Jonathan Gerrard Duckers
  • Publication number: 20130168472
    Abstract: A liquid fuel injection spoke for a gas turbine engine. The liquid fuel injection spoke may include an inlet end and an outlet end. The liquid fuel injection spoke may further include a head located at the inlet end and a stem extending along a longitudinal axis from the head to the outlet end. The stem may define a fluid passageway therein. The head may include a cavity with an inner wall. The inner wall may include an annular protrusion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Inventors: Alexander Ilich Krichever, Mario Eugene Abreu, Norm Turoff, John Frederick Lockyer, Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, David Marc Stansel
  • Publication number: 20120324900
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a turbine engine may include a body member disposed about a longitudinal axis, and a barrel member located radially outwardly from the body member. The fuel injector may also include an annular passageway extending between the body member and the barrel member from a first end to a second end. The first end may be configured to be fluidly coupled to a compressor of the turbine engine and the second end may be configured to be fluidly coupled to a combustor of the turbine engine. The fuel injector may also include a perforated plate positioned proximate the first end of the passageway. The perforated plate may be configured to direct compressed air into the annular passageway with a first pressure drop. The fuel injector may also include at least one fuel discharge orifice positioned downstream of the perforated plate. The at least one fuel discharge orifice may be configured to discharge a fuel into the annular passageway with a second pressure drop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventors: CHRISTOPHER ZDZISLAW TWARDOCHLEB, Hongyu Wang, James Wilfrid Blust, Mario E. Abreu
  • Publication number: 20120111016
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine may include an injector housing extending along a longitudinal axis and configured to be fluidly coupled to a combustor of the turbine engine. The fuel injector may also include a flow path for a fuel air mixture to the combustor extending longitudinally within the injector housing, and a gallery for liquid fuel encircling the flow path. The gallery may include a plurality of fuel spokes that are configured to deliver liquid fuel from the gallery to the flow path. The gallery may extend from a feed end to a terminal end that overlaps the feed end. The feed end may be a region where liquid fuel enters the gallery and the terminal end may be a region where the gallery terminates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Inventors: John Frederick Lockyer, Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, Mario Eugene Abreu
  • Patent number: 8099940
    Abstract: A pilot assembly for a fuel injector of a gas turbine engine may include a longitudinal passageway having an outlet end. A mass flow in the longitudinal passageway may generally flow towards the outlet end during operation of the engine. The pilot assembly may also include a liquid fuel nozzle that is positioned to direct a mixture of liquid fuel and air near the outlet end, and a compressed air inlet that is configured to direct air compressed by a compressor of the engine to a compressor discharge pressure into the longitudinal passageway without a substantial loss of pressure. The longitudinal passageway may also include a flow restriction section. The flow restriction section may be a narrowed section of the longitudinal passageway, in which an upstream side of the flow restriction section may have compressed air at substantially the compressor discharge pressure and a downstream side may have air at a lower pressure and a higher velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, John Frederick Lockyer, Mario Eugene Abreu
  • Publication number: 20100154424
    Abstract: A pilot assembly for a fuel injector of a gas turbine engine may include a longitudinal passageway having an outlet end. A mass flow in the longitudinal passageway may generally flow towards the outlet end during operation of the engine. The pilot assembly may also include a liquid fuel nozzle that is positioned to direct a mixture of liquid fuel and air near the outlet end, and a compressed air inlet that is configured to direct air compressed by a compressor of the engine to a compressor discharge pressure into the longitudinal passageway without a substantial loss of pressure. The longitudinal passageway may also include a flow restriction section. The flow restriction section may be a narrowed section of the longitudinal passageway, in which an upstream side of the flow restriction section may have compressed air at substantially the compressor discharge pressure and a downstream side may have air at a lower pressure and a higher velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventors: Christopher Zdzislaw Twardochleb, John Frederick Lockyer, Mario Eugene Abreu