Patents by Inventor Daniel BLACKER

Daniel BLACKER 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: 20250092823
    Abstract: An aircraft comprises a machine body which encloses a turbofan gas turbine engine. The turbofan gas turbine engine includes a heat exchanger module, fan assembly, compressor module, turbine module, and exhaust module. The heat exchanger module communicates with the fan assembly by an inlet duct. The heat exchanger module includes first heat transfer elements that transfer heat energy from a first fluid within the transfer elements to an airflow passing over a surface of the transfer elements before entry of the airflow into a fan assembly inlet. The first fluid contained within transfer elements has a temperature, and the airflow passing over the transfer element surface has a temperature. The turbofan gas turbine engine further includes at least one second heat transfer element, with the or each second heat transfer element transfers heat energy from the first fluid to a second fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2024
    Publication date: March 20, 2025
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Natalie C. WONG, Thomas S. BINNINGTON, David A. JONES, Daniel BLACKER
  • Patent number: 12123351
    Abstract: A turbofan gas turbine engine comprises, in axial flow sequence, a heat exchanger module, a fan assembly, a compressor module, and a turbine module. The fan assembly comprises a plurality of fan blades defining a fan diameter (D), and the heat exchanger module comprises a plurality of heat exchanger elements. The heat exchanger module is in fluid communication with the fan assembly by an inlet duct, with the heat exchanger module having an axial length along a central axis between an upstream-most face of the heat exchanger elements and a downstream-most face of the heat exchanger elements. The axial length is in the range of 0.1*D to 5.0*D.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Natalie C Wong, Thomas S Binnington, David A Jones, Daniel Blacker
  • Patent number: 11993387
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises, in axial flow sequence, a fan assembly, a compressor module, a turbine module, and an exhaust module. The gas turbine engine comprises first and second engine mount planes. The first and second engine mount planes are configured to support gas turbine engine in machine body. The gas turbine engine has axial length L, with axial length extending from inlet face of engine to exhaust face of engine. The first engine mount plane is positioned axially along gas turbine engine at first engine mount plane position, with first engine mount plane position within a range of between 0.24*L to 0.32*L from the inlet face of the engine. The second engine mount plane is positioned axially along gas turbine engine at second engine mount plane position, with second engine mount plane position within a range of between 0.73*L to 0.79*L from the inlet face of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Jamie W Gallagher, Daniel Blacker, Hugh J Blakemore, Adrian M Manser, Jonathan V Watson, Alexander L Fry, Robert A Barker, James Thorp, Marie-Océane Parent
  • Patent number: 11988141
    Abstract: An aircraft comprises a machine body. The machine body encloses a turbofan gas turbine engine and a plurality of ancillary systems. The turbofan gas turbine engine comprises, in axial flow sequence, a heat exchanger module, a fan assembly, a compressor module, a turbine module, a combustor module, and an exhaust module. The machine body comprises either one or two fluid inlet apertures. The or each fluid inlet aperture is configured to allow a fluid flow to enter the machine body and to pass through the heat exchanger module. The heat exchanger module is configured to transfer a waste heat load from the gas turbine engine and the ancillary systems to the fluid flow prior to an entry of the fluid flow into the fan module, and thence into the compressor module, the turbine module, the combustor module, and the exhaust module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Natalie C Wong, Thomas S Binnington, David A Jones, Daniel Blacker
  • Patent number: 11828228
    Abstract: An aircraft includes a machine body that encloses a turbofan gas turbine engine and a plurality of ancillary systems. The turbofan gas turbine engine includes, in axial flow sequence, a first heat exchanger module, a fan assembly, a compressor module, a combustor module, a turbine module, and an exhaust module. The aircraft includes a second heat exchanger module. The machine body comprises a single fluid inlet aperture, with the fluid inlet aperture being configured to allow a fluid cooling flow to enter the machine body and to pass through the first heat exchanger module. When a temperature of the fluid cooling flow is less than a temperature of a fluid to be cooled, the fluid to be cooled is directed to the first heat exchanger module, and when a temperature of the fluid cooling flow is greater than a temperature of the fluid to be cooled, the fluid to be cooled is directed to the second heat exchanger module and cooled using a fuel supply for the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Natalie C Wong, Thomas S Binnington, David A Jones, Daniel Blacker
  • Patent number: 11767789
    Abstract: A turbofan gas turbine engine comprises, in axial flow sequence, a heat exchanger module, a fan assembly, a compressor module, and a turbine module. The fan assembly comprises a plurality of fan blades defining a fan diameter (D). The heat exchanger module comprises a plurality of heat transfer elements. The heat exchanger module is in fluid communication with the fan assembly by an inlet duct. The inlet duct has a fluid path length along a central axis of the inlet duct between a downstream-most face of the heat transfer elements and an upstream-most face of the fan assembly. The fluid path length is less than 10.0*D.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Natalie C Wong, Thomas S Binnington, David A Jones, Daniel Blacker
  • Patent number: 11761380
    Abstract: A turbofan gas turbine engine includes, in axial flow sequence, a heat exchanger module, a fan assembly, a compressor module, and a turbine module. The fan assembly includes a plurality of fan blades defining a fan diameter, and the heat exchanger module is in fluid communication with the fan assembly by an inlet duct. The heat exchanger module includes a plurality of heat transfer elements for transfer of heat from a first fluid contained within the heat transfer elements to an airflow passing over a surface of the heat transfer elements prior to entry of the airflow into an inlet to the fan assembly. At full-power condition, the engine produces a maximum thrust T (N), the heat exchanger module transfers a maximum heat rejection H (W) from the first fluid to the airflow, and a Heat Exchanger Performance parameter PEX (W/N) defined as PEX=H/T is 0.4 to 6.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Natalie C Wong, Thomas S Binnington, David A Jones, Daniel Blacker
  • Patent number: 11692484
    Abstract: A turbofan gas turbine engine includes, in axial flow sequence, a heat exchanger module, a fan assembly, a compressor module, and a turbine module. The fan assembly includes fan blades defining a corresponding fan area (AFAN). The heat exchanger module is in fluid communication with the fan assembly by an inlet duct, and includes radially-extending vanes arranged in a circumferential array with at least one vane including a heat transfer element for heat transfer from a first fluid contained within each element to an airflow passing over a surface of each heat transfer element before entering the fan assembly inlet. Each heat transfer element extends axially along the corresponding vane, with a swept heat transfer element area (AHTE) being the wetted surface area of all heat transfer elements in contact with the airflow. A Fan to Element Area parameter FEA of AHTE/AFAN lies in the range of 47 to 132.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Natalie C Wong, Thomas S Binnington, David A Jones, Daniel Blacker
  • Publication number: 20230193822
    Abstract: An aircraft includes a machine body that encloses a turbofan gas turbine engine and a plurality of ancillary systems. The turbofan gas turbine engine includes, in axial flow sequence, a first heat exchanger module, a fan assembly, a compressor module, a combustor module, a turbine module, and an exhaust module. The aircraft includes a second heat exchanger module. The machine body comprises a single fluid inlet aperture, with the fluid inlet aperture being configured to allow a fluid cooling flow to enter the machine body and to pass through the first heat exchanger module. When a temperature of the fluid cooling flow is less than a temperature of a fluid to be cooled, the fluid to be cooled is directed to the first heat exchanger module, and when a temperature of the fluid cooling flow is greater than a temperature of the fluid to be cooled, the fluid to be cooled is directed to the second heat exchanger module and cooled using a fuel supply for the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2023
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Natalie C WONG, Thomas S BINNINGTON, David A JONES, Daniel BLACKER
  • Patent number: 11668235
    Abstract: A turbofan gas turbine engine comprises, in axial flow sequence, a heat exchanger module, an inlet duct, a fan assembly, a compressor module, and a turbine module. The fan assembly comprises a plurality of fan blades defining a fan diameter D, and the heat exchanger module comprises a plurality of heat transfer elements for transfer of heat from a first fluid contained within the heat transfer elements to an airflow passing over a surface of the heat transfer elements prior to entry of the airflow into the fan assembly. In use, the first fluid has a maximum temperature of 80° C., and the heat exchanger module transfers at least 300 kW of heat energy from the first fluid to the airflow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Natalie C Wong, Thomas S Binnington, David A Jones, Daniel Blacker
  • Publication number: 20230166855
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises, in axial flow sequence, a fan assembly, a compressor module, a turbine module, and an exhaust module. The gas turbine engine comprises first and second engine mount planes. The first and second engine mount planes are configured to support gas turbine engine in machine body. The gas turbine engine has axial length L, with axial length extending from inlet face of engine to exhaust face of engine. The first engine mount plane is positioned axially along gas turbine engine at first engine mount plane position, with first engine mount plane position within a range of between 0.24*L to 0.32*L from the inlet face of the engine. The second engine mount plane is positioned axially along gas turbine engine at second engine mount plane position, with second engine mount plane position within a range of between 0.73*L to 0.79*L from the inlet face of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2022
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Jamie W. GALLAGHER, Daniel BLACKER, Hugh J. BLAKEMORE, Adrian M. MANSER, Jonathan V. WATSON, Alexander L. FRY, Robert A. BARKER, James THORP, Marie-Océane PARENT
  • Patent number: 11649764
    Abstract: An aircraft comprises a machine body. The machine body encloses a turbofan gas turbine engine and a plurality of ancillary systems. The turbofan gas turbine engine comprises, in axial flow sequence, a heat exchanger module, a fan assembly, a compressor module, a combustor module, a turbine module, and an exhaust module. The machine body comprises a single fluid inlet aperture, with the fluid inlet aperture being configured to allow a fluid cooling flow to enter the machine body and to pass through the heat exchanger module. The heat exchanger module is configured to transfer a waste heat load from the gas turbine engine and the ancillary systems to the fluid cooling flow prior to an entry of the entire fluid cooling flow into the fan module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Natalie C Wong, Thomas S Binnington, David A Jones, Daniel Blacker
  • Publication number: 20220205388
    Abstract: An aircraft comprises a machine body. The machine body encloses a turbofan gas turbine engine and a plurality of ancillary systems. The turbofan gas turbine engine comprises, in axial flow sequence, a heat exchanger module, a fan assembly, a compressor module, a turbine module, a combustor module, and an exhaust module. The machine body comprises either one or two fluid inlet apertures. The or each fluid inlet aperture is configured to allow a fluid flow to enter the machine body and to pass through the heat exchanger module. The heat exchanger module is configured to transfer a waste heat load from the gas turbine engine and the ancillary systems to the fluid flow prior to an entry of the fluid flow into the fan module, and thence into the compressor module, the turbine module, the combustor module, and the exhaust module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Natalie C WONG, Thomas S BINNINGTON, David A JONES, Daniel BLACKER
  • Publication number: 20220112838
    Abstract: A turbofan gas turbine engine includes, in axial flow sequence, a heat exchanger module, a fan assembly, a compressor module, and a turbine module. The fan assembly includes fan blades defining a corresponding fan area (AFAN). The heat exchanger module is in fluid communication with the fan assembly by an inlet duct, and includes radially-extending vanes arranged in a circumferential array with at least one vane including a heat transfer element for heat transfer from a first fluid contained within each element to an airflow passing over a surface of each heat transfer element before entering the fan assembly inlet. Each heat transfer element extends axially along the corresponding vane, with a swept heat transfer element area (AHTE) being the wetted surface area of all heat transfer elements in contact with the airflow. A Fan to Element Area parameter FEA of AHTE/AFAN lies in the range of 47 to 132.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Natalie C WONG, Thomas S BINNINGTON, David A JONES, Daniel BLACKER
  • Publication number: 20220112842
    Abstract: An aircraft comprises a machine body. The machine body encloses a turbofan gas turbine engine and a plurality of ancillary systems. The turbofan gas turbine engine comprises, in axial flow sequence, a heat exchanger module, a fan assembly, a compressor module, a combustor module, a turbine module, and an exhaust module. The machine body comprises a single fluid inlet aperture, with the fluid inlet aperture being configured to allow a fluid cooling flow to enter the machine body and to pass through the heat exchanger module. The heat exchanger module is configured to transfer a waste heat load from the gas turbine engine and the ancillary systems to the fluid cooling flow prior to an entry of the entire fluid cooling flow into the fan module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Natalie C. WONG, Thomas S. BINNINGTON, David A. JONES, Daniel BLACKER
  • Publication number: 20220112866
    Abstract: An aircraft comprises a machine body which encloses a turbofan gas turbine engine. The turbofan gas turbine engine includes a heat exchanger module, fan assembly, compressor module, turbine module, and exhaust module. The heat exchanger module communicates with the fan assembly by an inlet duct. The heat exchanger module includes first heat transfer elements that transfer heat energy from a first fluid within the transfer elements to an airflow passing over a surface of the transfer elements before entry of the airflow into a fan assembly inlet. The first fluid contained within transfer elements has a temperature, and the airflow passing over the transfer element surface has a temperature. The turbofan gas turbine engine further includes at least one second heat transfer element, with the or each second heat transfer element transfers heat energy from the first fluid to a second fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Natalie C. WONG, Thomas S. BINNINGTON, David A. JONES, Daniel BLACKER
  • Publication number: 20220112844
    Abstract: A turbofan gas turbine engine comprises, in axial flow sequence, a heat exchanger module, a fan assembly, a compressor module, and a turbine module. The fan assembly comprises a plurality of fan blades defining a fan diameter (D). The heat exchanger module comprises a plurality of heat transfer elements. The heat exchanger module is in fluid communication with the fan assembly by an inlet duct. The inlet duct has a fluid path length along a central axis of the inlet duct between a downstream-most face of the heat transfer elements and an upstream-most face of the fan assembly. The fluid path length is less than 10.0*D.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Natalie C. WONG, Thomas S. BINNINGTON, David A. JONES, Daniel BLACKER
  • Publication number: 20220112839
    Abstract: A turbofan gas turbine engine comprises, in axial flow sequence, a heat exchanger module, an inlet duct, a fan assembly, a compressor module, and a turbine module. The fan assembly comprises a plurality of fan blades defining a fan diameter D, and the heat exchanger module comprises a plurality of heat transfer elements for transfer of heat from a first fluid contained within the heat transfer elements to an airflow passing over a surface of the heat transfer elements prior to entry of the airflow into the fan assembly. In use, the first fluid has a maximum temperature of 80° C., and the heat exchanger module transfers at least 300 kW of heat energy from the first fluid to the airflow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Natalie C. WONG, Thomas S. BINNINGTON, David A. JONES, Daniel BLACKER
  • Publication number: 20220112841
    Abstract: A turbofan gas turbine engine includes, in axial flow sequence, a heat exchanger module, a fan assembly, a compressor module, and a turbine module. The fan assembly includes a plurality of fan blades defining a fan diameter, and the heat exchanger module is in fluid communication with the fan assembly by an inlet duct. The heat exchanger module includes a plurality of heat transfer elements for transfer of heat from a first fluid contained within the heat transfer elements to an airflow passing over a surface of the heat transfer elements prior to entry of the airflow into an inlet to the fan assembly. At full-power condition, the engine produces a maximum thrust T (N), the heat exchanger module transfers a maximum heat rejection H (W) from the first fluid to the airflow, and a Heat Exchanger Performance parameter PEX (W/N) defined as PEX=H/T is 0.4 to 6.0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Natalie C. WONG, Thomas S. BINNINGTON, David A. JONES, Daniel BLACKER
  • Publication number: 20220112843
    Abstract: A turbofan gas turbine engine comprises, in axial flow sequence, a heat exchanger module, a fan assembly, a compressor module, and a turbine module. The fan assembly comprises a plurality of fan blades defining a fan diameter (D), and the heat exchanger module comprises a plurality of heat exchanger elements. The heat exchanger module is in fluid communication with the fan assembly by an inlet duct, with the heat exchanger module having an axial length along a central axis between an upstream-most face of the heat exchanger elements and a downstream-most face of the heat exchanger elements. The axial length is in the range of 0.1*D to 5.0*D.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Natalie C. WONG, Thomas S BINNINGTON, David A. JONES, Daniel BLACKER