Patents by Inventor Daniel Alan NIERGARTH

Daniel Alan NIERGARTH 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).

  • Publication number: 20250101919
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided having a turbomachine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order, the compressor section having a high pressure compressor defining a high pressure compressor exit area (AHPCExit) in square inches and the turbine section having a drive turbine defining a drive turbine exit area (ADTExit) in square inches, the turbomachine further comprising a drive turbine shaft coupled to the drive turbine; wherein the gas turbine engine defines a maximum exhaust gas temperature (EGT) in degrees Celsius, a maximum drive turbine shaft torque (TOUT) in Newton meters, and a corrected specific power (CSP) in Newtons squared times degrees Celsius over meters squared, wherein the corrected specific power is determined as follows: ( T OUT A DTExit ) 2 * EGT A HPCExit * 1 ? 0 - 1 ? 1 ; wherein CSP is greater than 0.0001194×EGT2?0.103×EGT+22.14 and less than 0.0003294×EGT2?0.306×EGT+77.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2024
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Jorge de Luis, Douglas Downey Turner, Michael Macrorie, Keith W. Wilkinson, Arthur William Sibbach, Vincenzo Martina
  • Publication number: 20250033789
    Abstract: A system and method for using a fuel with an engine, an airframe having an aircraft heat load, a fuel tank, and a fuel oxygen reduction unit are provided. The method includes receiving an inlet fuel flow in the fuel oxygen reduction unit for reducing an amount of oxygen in the inlet fuel flow; separating a fuel/gas mixture within the fuel oxygen reduction unit into an outlet gas flow and an outlet fuel flow exiting the fuel oxygen reduction unit; controlling a first portion of the outlet fuel flow to the engine; and controlling a second portion of the outlet fuel flow to the airframe to transfer heat between the second portion of the outlet fuel flow and the aircraft heat load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2024
    Publication date: January 30, 2025
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Michael Robert Bonacum, John Michael Pyles
  • Patent number: 12196131
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided having a turbomachine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order, the compressor section having a high pressure compressor defining a high pressure compressor exit area (AHPCExit) in square inches and the turbine section having a drive turbine defining a drive turbine exit area (ADTExit) in square inches, the turbomachine further comprising a drive turbine shaft coupled to the drive turbine; wherein the gas turbine engine defines a maximum exhaust gas temperature (EGT) in degrees Celsius, a maximum drive turbine shaft torque (TOUT) in Newton meters, and a corrected specific power (CSP) in Newtons squared times degrees Celsius over meters squared, wherein the corrected specific power is determined as follows: ( T O ? U ? T A D ? T ? E ? x ? i ? t ) 2 * E ? G ? T A H ? P ? C ? E ? x ? i ? t * 1 ? 0 - 1 ? 1 ; wherein CSP is greater than 0.0001194×EGT2?0.103×EGT+22.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2025
    Assignees: General Electric Company, GE Avio S.r.l.
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Jorge de Luis, Douglas Downey Turner, Michael Macrorie, Keith W. Wilkinson, Arthur William Sibbach, Vincenzo Martina
  • Patent number: 12180886
    Abstract: A fan assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a fan disk, a trunnion, an actuation device, a fan blade, and a counterweight assembly. The trunnion is mounted to the fan disk. The actuation device is operably coupled to the trunnion. The fan blade is rotatably attached to the fan disk. The counterweight assembly includes a link arm, a lever arm, a hinge, and a counterweight. The link arm is connected to the trunnion, to the actuation device, or to both. The link arm is configured to drive rotation of the trunnion relative to the fan disk. The hinge is pivotably connected to the lever arm. The lever arm is connected to the link arm and is disposed to rotate about a connection point of the lever arm and the hinge. The counterweight is mounted to the lever arm at a location spaced from the hinge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas M. Daggett, Gert Johannes van der Merwe, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brian Lewis Devendorf
  • Patent number: 12139270
    Abstract: A system and method for using a fuel with an engine, an airframe having an aircraft heat load, a fuel tank, and a fuel oxygen reduction unit are provided. The method includes receiving an inlet fuel flow in the fuel oxygen reduction unit for reducing an amount of oxygen in the inlet fuel flow; separating a fuel/gas mixture within the fuel oxygen reduction unit into an outlet gas flow and an outlet fuel flow exiting the fuel oxygen reduction unit; controlling a first portion of the outlet fuel flow to the engine; and controlling a second portion of the outlet fuel flow to the airframe to transfer heat between the second portion of the outlet fuel flow and the aircraft heat load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Michael Robert Bonacum, John Michael Pyles
  • Patent number: 12134971
    Abstract: A fan for a gas turbine engine is provided. The fan includes a plurality of fan blades, a disk, and a trunnion mechanism for attaching the fan blades to the disk. The disk can be formed of a plurality of individual disk segments, with the trunnion mechanism attaching one of the plurality of fan blades to a respective disk segment. A retention member is also provided. The retention member includes a means for catching a portion of the trunnion mechanism should a primary attachment system of the trunnion mechanism fail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Ian Francis Prentice, Daniel Alan Niergarth
  • Patent number: 12123350
    Abstract: A three-stream engine is provided. The three-stream engine includes a fan section, a core engine disposed downstream of the fan section, and a core cowl annularly encasing the core engine and at least partially defining a core duct. A fan cowl is disposed radially outward from the core cowl and annularly encasing at least a portion of the core cowl. The fan cowl at least partially defining an inlet duct and a fan duct. The fan duct and the core duct at least partially co-extending axially on opposite sides of the core cowl. A heat exchanger disposed within the fan duct. The heat exchanger provides for thermal communication between a fluid flowing through fan duct and a motive fluid flowing through the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Nicholas M. Daggett, Steven Douglas Johnson, Anand P. Roday, Scott Alan Schimmels
  • Publication number: 20240328357
    Abstract: A gas turbine includes a turbomachine including a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order. The compressor section includes a high pressure compressor defining a high pressure compressor exit area (AHPCExit). The turbine section includes a low pressure turbine having at least a first stage of turbine rotor blades and a first stage of turbine stator vanes. The gas turbine engine defines a redline exhaust gas temperature (EGT), a total sea level static thrust output (FnTotal), an airfoil density (?) of one or both of the first stage of turbine rotor blades and the first stage of the turbine stator vanes, and a corrected specific thrust.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2024
    Publication date: October 3, 2024
    Inventors: Jeffrey Donald Clements, Daniel Alan Niergarth
  • Patent number: 12104499
    Abstract: A method of regulating pressure in a thermal transport bus of a gas turbine engine, the method including: operating the gas turbine engine with the thermal transport bus having an intermediary heat exchange fluid flowing therethrough, the thermal transport bus including one or more heat source heat exchangers and one or more heat sink heat exchangers in thermal communication through the intermediary heat exchanger fluid; and adjusting a flow volume of the thermal transport bus using a variable volume device in fluid communication with the thermal transport bus in response to a pressure change associated with the thermal transport bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott Alan Schimmels, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Arthur William Sibbach, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • Patent number: 12078107
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided. The gas turbine engine includes: a turbomachine having a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order, the compressor section having a high pressure compressor defining a high pressure compressor exit area (AHPCExit) in square inches; wherein the gas turbine engine defines a redline exhaust gas temperature (EGT) in degrees Celsius, a total sea level static thrust output (FnTotal) in pounds, and a corrected specific thrust, wherein the corrected specific thrust is greater than or equal to 42 and less than or equal to 90, the corrected specific determined as follows: FnTotal×EGT/(AHPCExit2×1000).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Jeffrey S. Spruill, Erich Alois Krammer, Matthew Kenneth MacDonald, Scott Alan Schimmels
  • Publication number: 20240280049
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided having a turbomachine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order, the compressor section having a high pressure compressor defining a high pressure compressor exit area (AHPCExit) in square inches and the turbine section having a drive turbine defining a drive turbine exit area (ADTExit) in square inches, the turbomachine further comprising a drive turbine shaft coupled to the drive turbine; wherein the gas turbine engine defines a maximum exhaust gas temperature (EGT) in degrees Celsius, a maximum drive turbine shaft torque (TOUT) in Newton meters, and a corrected specific power (CSP) in Newtons squared times degrees Celsius over meters squared, wherein the corrected specific power is determined as follows: ( T O ? U ? T A D ? T ? E ? x ? i ? t ) 2 * E ? G ? T A H ? P ? C ? E ? x ? i ? t * 1 ? 0 - 1 ? 1 ; wherein CSP is greater than 0.0001194×EGT2?0.103×EGT+22.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2024
    Publication date: August 22, 2024
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Jorge de Luis, Douglas Downey Turner, Michael Macrorie, Keith W. Wilkinson, Arthur William Sibbach, Vincenzo Martina
  • Publication number: 20240254922
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided. The gas turbine engine includes: a turbomachine having a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order, the compressor section having a high pressure compressor defining a high pressure compressor exit area (AHPCExit) in square inches; wherein the gas turbine engine defines a redline exhaust gas temperature (EGT) in degrees Celsius, a total sea level static thrust output (FnTotal) in pounds, and a corrected specific thrust, wherein the corrected specific thrust is greater than or equal to 42 and less than or equal to 90, the corrected specific determined as follows: FnTotal×EGT/(AHPCExit2×1000).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2023
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Jeffrey S. Spruill, Daniel Endecott Osgood, Erich Alois Krammer, Matthew Kenneth MacDonald, Scott Alan Schimmels
  • Patent number: 12044194
    Abstract: A propulsion system, the propulsion system comprising a rotating element, a stationary element, and an inlet between the rotating element and the stationary element, wherein the inlet passes radially inward of the stationary element; wherein the inlet passes radially inward of the stationary element; wherein the inlet leads to an inlet duct containing a ducted fan having an axis of rotation and a plurality of blades; and wherein the inlet duct divides into a first duct and a second duct, separate from the first duct. A method of operating a propulsion system, comprising the steps of: operating a first rotating fan assembly to produce a first stream of air; directing a portion of the first stream of air into a second ducted rotating fan assembly; operating the second ducted rotating fan assembly to produce a second stream of air; dividing the second stream of air into a core stream and a fan stream; and directing the core stream into a gas turbine engine core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Marion Ostdiek, Alan Roy Stuart, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Gert Johannes van der Merwe, Brandon Wayne Miller, Stephen William Freund
  • Publication number: 20240218828
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided. The gas turbine engine includes: a turbomachine having a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order, the compressor section having a high pressure compressor defining a high pressure compressor exit area (AHPCExit) in square inches; wherein the gas turbine engine defines a redline exhaust gas temperature (EGT) in degrees Celsius, a total sea level static thrust output (FnTotal) in pounds, and a corrected specific thrust, wherein the corrected specific thrust is greater than or equal to 42 and less than or equal to 90, the corrected specific determined as follows: FnTotal×EGT/(AHPCExit2×1000).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2023
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Inventors: Daniel Alan NIERGARTH, Jeffrey Donald CLEMENTS, Jeffrey S. SPRUILL, Daniel Endecott OSGOOD, Erich Alois KRAMMER, Matthew Kenneth MACDONALD, Scott Alan SCHIMMELS
  • Patent number: 11994066
    Abstract: A thermal management system of a gas turbine engine, the thermal management system including: a thermal transport bus configured to have a heat exchange fluid flowing therethrough and including a pump including a plurality of bearings; an auxiliary thermal bus in thermal communication with the plurality of bearings; and an auxiliary heat exchanger in thermal communication with the auxiliary thermal bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Kevin Edward Hinderliter, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brian Gene Brzek
  • Patent number: 11982497
    Abstract: A system for heat exchange and leak detection is generally provided, the system including a heat exchanger including a first wall defining a first passage containing a first fluid. A leak detection enclosure containing a leak detection medium is defined between the first wall and a second wall surrounding the first wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Nicholas Taylor Moore, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Hendrik Pieter Jacobus de Bock, William Dwight Gerstler
  • Patent number: 11981419
    Abstract: The variable pitch propeller assembly includes a hub. The variable pitch propeller assembly also includes a plurality of propeller blade assemblies spaced circumferentially about the hub. Each of the plurality of propeller blade assemblies configured to rotate a respective propeller blade. The variable pitch propeller assembly also includes a hydraulic fluid port assembly integrally formed and including at least three hydraulic fluid ports configured to receive respective flows of hydraulic fluid from a stationary hydraulic fluid transfer sleeve. The variable pitch propeller assembly also includes a pitch actuator assembly coupled in flow communication with at least three hydraulic fluid ports through respective hydraulic fluid transfer tubes. The pitch actuator coupled to the plurality of propeller blade assemblies to selectively control a pitch of the propeller blades. The pitch actuator assembly includes a travel stop configured to limit a rotation of at least one of the pitch actuator assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Christopher James Kroger
  • Publication number: 20240141835
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided. The gas turbine engine includes: a turbomachine having a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order, the compressor section having a high pressure compressor defining a high pressure compressor exit area (AHPCExit) in square inches; wherein the gas turbine engine defines a redline exhaust gas temperature (EGT) in degrees Celsius, a total sea level static thrust output (FnTotal) in pounds, and a corrected specific thrust, wherein the corrected specific thrust is greater than or equal to 42 and less than or equal to 90, the corrected specific determined as follows: FnTotal×EGT/(AHPCExit2×1000).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2022
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Jeffrey S. Spruill, Daniel Endecott Osgood, Erich Alois Krammer, Matthew Kenneth MacDonald, Scott Alan Schimmels
  • Patent number: 11945600
    Abstract: A fuel system is provided for an aircraft having a fuel source. The fuel system includes a fuel oxygen reduction unit defining a liquid fuel supply path, a stripping gas supply path, a liquid fuel outlet path, and a stripping gas return path, wherein the stripping gas return path is in airflow communication with the fuel source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • Patent number: 11906163
    Abstract: A fuel delivery system for a gas turbine engine includes a fuel source; a draw pump downstream of the fuel source for generating a liquid fuel flow from the fuel source; a main fuel pump downstream of the draw pump; and a fuel oxygen reduction unit downstream of the draw pump and upstream of the main fuel pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Sridhar Adibhatla, Ethan Patrick O'Connor