Patents by Inventor Daniel E. Willems

Daniel E. Willems 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: 7310950
    Abstract: A power generating system (20) includes a generator (22) and a combustion turbine (24) for driving the generator (22). The combustion turbine (24) may have a combustion turbine air inlet (30) for receiving an inlet airflow (25). The power generating system (20) may include an evaporative water cooler (26) or fogging evaporative system (26?) for cooling inlet airflow (25), and an inlet airflow temperature sensor (28) proximate or within the combustion turbine air inlet (30). The inlet airflow temperature sensor (28) may sense a drybulb temperature of the inlet airflow (25) proximate the air inlet (30). A controller (47?) is provided for controlling the cooling of inlet airflow (25) across transient load conditions of the power generating system (20?). This control may be based upon the sensed drybulb temperature used to calculate an approach temperature with respect to the inlet airflow (25?) that is compared to an approach temperature setpoint based on load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Power Generation, Inc.
    Inventors: Francisco Dovali-Solis, Daniel E. Willems, Dan W. Kozachuk
  • Patent number: 6923003
    Abstract: A power generating apparatus 20? includes an electrical generator 22? and a combustion turbine 24? for driving the electrical generator. The combustion turbine 24? may have a combustion turbine air inlet 30? for receiving an inlet air flow 25?. The power generating apparatus 20? may also include an evaporative water cooler 26? for evaporating water into the inlet air flow 25? to cool the inlet air flow, and an inlet air flow temperature sensor 28? between the evaporative water cooler and the combustion turbine air inlet 30?. The inlet air flow temperature sensor 28? may include a hollow body 32? connected in fluid communication with the inlet air flow 25?, and a temperature sensing device 34? carried by the hollow body. The hollow body 32? may include interior portions to reduce water accumulation on the temperature sensing device 34? so that the temperature sensing device senses a drybulb temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel E. Willems, Weston G. Frost
  • Patent number: 6775988
    Abstract: An inlet air flow temperature sensor 28 includes a hollow body 32 connected in fluid communication with an inlet air flow 25 a temperature sensing device 34 carried by the hollow body. The hollow body 32 includes interior portions that define a tortuous path of air flow P. The tortuous path of air flow 49 reduces water accumulation on the temperature sensing device 34. The inlet air flow temperature sensor 28 may be used to sense temperature of an inlet air flow 25 associated with an evaporatively cooled combustion turbine 24 that has a combustion turbine air inlet 30 to receive the inlet air flow 25. The evaporatively cooled combustion turbine may, in turn, be used to drive an electrical generator 22.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corproation
    Inventor: Daniel E. Willems
  • Publication number: 20040050069
    Abstract: A power generating apparatus 20′ includes an electrical generator 22′ and a combustion turbine 24′ for driving the electrical generator. The combustion turbine 24′ may have a combustion turbine air inlet 30′ for receiving an inlet air flow 25′. The power generating apparatus 20′ may also include an evaporative water cooler 26′ for evaporating water into the inlet air flow 25′ to cool the inlet air flow, and an inlet air flow temperature sensor 28′ between the evaporative water cooler and the combustion turbine air inlet 30′. The inlet air flow temperature sensor 28′ may include a hollow body 32′ connected in fluid communication with the inlet air flow 25′, and a temperature sensing device 34′ carried by the hollow body. The hollow body 32′ may include interior portions to reduce water accumulation on the temperature sensing device 34′ so that the temperature sensing device senses a drybulb temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Applicant: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel E. Willems, Weston G. Frost
  • Publication number: 20040050068
    Abstract: An inlet air flow temperature sensor 28 includes a hollow body 32 connected in fluid communication with an inlet air flow 25 a temperature sensing device 34 carried by the hollow body. The hollow body 32 includes interior portions that define a tortuous path of air flow P. The tortuous path of air flow 49 reduces water accumulation on the temperature sensing device 34. The inlet air flow temperature sensor 28 may be used to sense temperature of an inlet air flow 25 associated with an evaporatively cooled combustion turbine 24 that has a combustion turbine air inlet 30 to receive the inlet air flow 25. The evaporatively cooled combustion turbine may, in turn, be used to drive an electrical generator 22.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Applicant: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel E. Willems
  • Patent number: 5513229
    Abstract: A method for removing a CRD with the position indicator probe in place. The method allows probe removal to be performed in a low-dose area, thereby effectively reducing the exposure received by the crew removing the probe to nearly zero. An electronic monitoring tool is provided for continuous CRD uncoupled monitoring during drive removal, using the position indicator probe to verify that the drive is uncoupled. The tool is mounted on the CRD removal equipment. The monitoring circuit is connected to selected position switches inside the position indicator probe. These switches are closed when a ring magnet on the drive piston is in proximity to the respective switch. The detected state of the switches can be used to determine whether the index tube/drive piston assembly is being extended as the CRD is lowered out of the housing. Indicator lights are activated to annunciate a coupled condition wherein the index tube is displacing relative to the piston tube as the CRD is lowered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Daniel E. Willems
  • Patent number: 5426680
    Abstract: A method for removing a CRD with the position indicator probe in place. The method allows probe removal to be performed in a low-dose area, thereby effectively reducing the exposure received by the crew removing the probe to nearly zero. An electronic monitoring tool is provided for continuous CRD uncoupled monitoring during drive removal, using the position indicator probe to verify that the drive is uncoupled. The tool is mounted on the CRD removal equipment. The monitoring circuit is connected to selected position switches inside the position indicator probe. These switches are closed when a ring magnet on the drive piston is in proximity to the respective switch. The detected state of the switches can be used to determine whether the index tube/drive piston assembly is being extended as the CRD is lowered out of the housing. Indicator lights are activated to annunciate a coupled condition wherein the index tube is displacing relative to the piston tube as the CRD is lowered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 20, 1995
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Daniel E. Willems