Patents by Inventor David Allen Little

David Allen Little 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: 7107773
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention relate to a method for facilitating the reduction of carbon monoxide emissions during part load operation of a turbine engine by holding high combustor temperatures. The combustor section of the turbine engine includes a plurality of combustors, each combustor having a pilot nozzle, a plurality of main nozzles circumferentially surrounding the pilot nozzle, and a premix ring. According to one aspects of the invention, a first pair of combustors are selected. Fuel can be substantially restricted from being supplied to the main nozzles and the premix ring of the selected combustors, while fuel continues to be supplied to the pilot nozzles of the selected combustors. Additional combustors can be selected and the supply of fuel can be selectively restricted as described above. The process can continue until there is substantially zero net power out of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Power Generation, Inc.
    Inventor: David Allen Little
  • Patent number: 6968696
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention relate to a turbine engine configuration and method for overcoming a turbine blade tip clearance problem that can arise when the turbine inlet temperature is maintained at a high level during part load operation of the turbine. Aspects of the invention relate to reducing rotor cooling air to a temperature below the design temperature level by using, for example, additional heat extraction devices or by reconfiguring or resizing existing heat exchanger devices. Upon exposure to the cooled air, the discs and blades of the turbine will shrink so as to provide a clearance between the blade tips and surrounding stationary support structure. The design rotor cooling air temperature can be from about 350 degrees Fahrenheit to about 480 degrees Fahrenheit. Aspects of the present invention can be used to decrease the rotor cooling air to about 150 degrees Fahrenheit at about 70 percent load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventor: David Allen Little
  • Patent number: 6796130
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustion system and method used for generating electrical power includes a compressor that receives and compresses air. A first stage turbine nozzle is flowise connected to the compressor and receives a portion of the compressed air from the compressor within a first air flow. A torus configured combustion chamber is positioned around the first stage turbine nozzle and receives a portion of the compressed air from the compressor within a second air flow that is passed through the combustion chamber where air and fuel are mixed and combusted. The air is discharged at the first stage turbine nozzle to mix with the first air while achieving a dry low NOx combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventors: David Allen Little, Thomas E. Lippert
  • Publication number: 20040088990
    Abstract: A gas turbine combustion system and method used for generating electrical power includes a compressor that receives and compresses air. A first stage turbine nozzle is flowise connected to the compressor and receives a portion of the compressed air from the compressor within a first air flow. A torus configured combustion chamber is positioned around the first stage turbine nozzle and receives a portion of the compressed air from the compressor within a second air flow that is passed through the combustion chamber where air and fuel are mixed and combusted. The air is discharged at the first stage turbine nozzle to mix with the first air while achieving a dry low NOx combustion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2002
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Applicant: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventors: David Allen Little, Thomas E. Lippert
  • Patent number: 6691519
    Abstract: A combustion turbine power plant includes a modular compressor assembly structured to enclose multiple configurations of vanes and blades, a modular combustor assembly structured to be disengagably coupleable to a fuel source, a modular first turbine assembly structured to enclose multiple configurations of vanes and blades, a modular diffuser, a modular second turbine unit, a work unit, and a modular heat exchange system. A work unit shaft is structured to have two ends that are disengagably coupleable to the modular second turbine unit and the work unit. A compressor turbine shaft is structured to have two ends that are disengagably coupleable to the modular compressor assembly and the modular compressor turbine assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventor: David Allen Little
  • Publication number: 20010032450
    Abstract: A combustion turbine power plant includes a modular compressor assembly structured to enclose multiple configurations of vanes and blades, a modular combustor assembly structured to be disengagably coupleable to a fuel source, a modular first turbine assembly structured to enclose multiple configurations of vanes and blades, a modular diffuser, a modular second turbine unit, a work unit, and a modular heat exchange system. A work unit shaft is structured to have two ends that are disengagably coupleable to the modular second turbine unit and the work unit. A compressor turbine shaft is structured to have two ends that are disengagably coupleable to the modular compressor assembly and the modular compressor turbine assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2001
    Publication date: October 25, 2001
    Applicant: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventor: David Allen Little
  • Patent number: 6217280
    Abstract: A combustion turbine may have a cooling circuit for directing a cooling medium through the combustion turbine to cool various components of the combustion turbine. This cooling circuit may include a compressor, a combustor shell and a component of the combustion turbine to be cooled. This component may be a rotating blade of the combustion turbine. A pressure changing mechanism is disposed in the combustion turbine between the component to be cooled and the combustor shell. The cooling medium preferably flows from the compressor to the combustor shell, through a cooler, the component to the cooled and the pressure changing mechanism. After flowing through the pressure changing mechanism, the cooling medium is returned to the combustor shell. The pressure changing mechanism preferably changes the pressure of the cooling medium from a pressure at which it is exhausted from the component to be cooled to approximately that of the combustor shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
    Inventor: David Allen Little