Patents by Inventor David M. DONNELLY
David M. DONNELLY 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).
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Patent number: 12234775Abstract: There is disclosed a gas turbine engine comprising: an electrically-powered motor configured to rotate a driven spool of the gas turbine engine; a primary controller configured to conduct a primary function using the motor; and a bow controller configured to selectively control the motor to perform a rotor bow mitigation operation in which the motor drives the driven spool to rotate to mitigate a non-uniform thermal distribution in a rotor of a spool of the gas turbine engine.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2023Date of Patent: February 25, 2025Assignee: Rolls-Royce plcInventors: David M. Donnelly, Derek S. Wall
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Patent number: 12215626Abstract: There is provided a method of starting a gas turbine engine, comprising: selecting a baseline starting procedure of the gas turbine engine based on environmental data; receiving condition information for the gas turbine engine and/or for a starting system of the gas turbine engine, the condition information comprising at least one of: health information for the gas turbine engine and/or the starting system; maintenance information for the gas turbine engine and/or the starting system; and operation information relating to an expected future usage of the gas turbine engine. The method further comprises determining a predicted degradation profile for the gas turbine engine and/or the starting system based on the condition information; determining a starting procedure of the gas turbine engine by adapting the baseline starting procedure based on the predicted degradation profile; and controlling the gas turbine engine and/or the starting system according to the determined starting procedure.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2023Date of Patent: February 4, 2025Assignee: Rolls-Royce plcInventors: David M. Donnelly, Caroline L. Turner, Derek S. Wall, Peter F. Douglas
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Publication number: 20240229674Abstract: There is provided a method of starting a gas turbine engine, comprising: selecting a baseline starting procedure of the gas turbine engine based on environmental data; receiving condition information for the gas turbine engine and/or for a starting system of the gas turbine engine, the condition information comprising at least one of: health information for the gas turbine engine and/or the starting system; maintenance information for the gas turbine engine and/or the starting system; and operation information relating to an expected future usage of the gas turbine engine. The method further comprises determining a predicted degradation profile for the gas turbine engine and/or the starting system based on the condition information; determining a starting procedure of the gas turbine engine by adapting the baseline starting procedure based on the predicted degradation profile; and controlling the gas turbine engine and/or the starting system according to the determined starting procedure.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2023Publication date: July 11, 2024Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventors: David M. DONNELLY, Caroline L. TURNER, Derek S. WALL, Peter F. DOUGLAS
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Publication number: 20240191658Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine engine having a spool includes executing, by a controller, a pre-shutdown procedure. The pre-shutdown procedure includes: determining a parameter associated with a thermal condition of the gas turbine engine; and calculating an idle period for an idle rotation operation to be performed in a shutdown procedure. Calculation of the idle period is based on the determined parameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2023Publication date: June 13, 2024Applicant: Rolls-Royce plcInventors: David M. Donnelly, Derek S. Wall, Jonathan Wieland
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Publication number: 20240191633Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine engine having a spool includes executing, by a controller, a shutdown procedure. The shutdown procedure includes: performing an idle rotation operation; determining a parameter associated with a thermal condition of the gas turbine engine while the idle rotation operation is performed; determining, based on the determined parameter, whether the gas turbine engine has met a pre-determined criterion corresponding to a thermally stabilised condition; and terminating the idle rotation operation in response to a determination that the gas turbine engine has met the pre-determined criterion.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2023Publication date: June 13, 2024Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLCInventors: David M. Donnelly, Derek S. Wall, Jonathan Wieland
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Publication number: 20240133314Abstract: There is provided a method of starting a gas turbine engine, comprising: selecting a baseline starting procedure of the gas turbine engine based on environmental data; receiving condition information for the gas turbine engine and/or for a starting system of the gas turbine engine, the condition information comprising at least one of: health information for the gas turbine engine and/or the starting system; maintenance information for the gas turbine engine and/or the starting system; and operation information relating to an expected future usage of the gas turbine engine. The method further comprises determining a predicted degradation profile for the gas turbine engine and/or the starting system based on the condition information; determining a starting procedure of the gas turbine engine by adapting the baseline starting procedure based on the predicted degradation profile; and controlling the gas turbine engine and/or the starting system according to the determined starting procedure.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2023Publication date: April 25, 2024Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventors: David M. DONNELLY, Caroline L. TURNER, Derek S. WALL, Peter F. DOUGLAS
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Publication number: 20240093645Abstract: There is disclosed a gas turbine engine comprising: an electrically-powered motor configured to rotate a driven spool of the gas turbine engine; a primary controller configured to conduct a primary function using the motor; and a bow controller configured to selectively control the motor to perform a rotor bow mitigation operation in which the motor drives the driven spool to rotate to mitigate a non-uniform thermal distribution in a rotor of a spool of the gas turbine engine.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 10, 2023Publication date: March 21, 2024Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plcInventors: David M. DONNELLY, Derek S. WALL