Patents by Inventor David Richard Johns

David Richard Johns 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: 8966910
    Abstract: A turbine assembly includes a fuel nozzle configured to mix fuel and air and a transition nozzle oriented to receive the fuel and air mixture from the fuel nozzle. The transition nozzle includes a transition portion and a nozzle portion integrally formed with the transition portion. The transition nozzle includes a plurality of openings oriented to channel air to facilitate cooling the transition portion and/or the nozzle portion. The transition portion is oriented to channel combustion gases towards the nozzle portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kevin Weston McMahan, Ronald James Chila, David Richard Johns
  • Publication number: 20150056073
    Abstract: A system for cooling an angelwing coupled to a rotor blade in a gas turbine engine is provided. An angelwing coupled to a shank of a rotor blade includes at least one cooling passage extending from at least one inlet opening coupled in flow communication with a gas turbine engine inner wheelspace to at least one outlet opening coupled in flow communication with a gas turbine engine outer rotor/stator cavity. The at least one outlet opening is located in an upper surface of the angelwing. The at least one cooling passage receives pressurized cooling air channeled from the inner wheelspace, such that the pressurized cooling air is channeled into the at least one inlet opening and discharged from the at least one outlet opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael James Fedor, David Richard Johns, Richard William Johnson
  • Patent number: 8915087
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for transferring heat from a transition nozzle. The transition nozzle includes a transition portion, a nozzle portion integrally formed with the transition portion, and at least one surface feature configured to transfer heat away from the transition portion and/or the nozzle portion. The transition portion is oriented to channel the combustion gases towards the nozzle portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kevin Weston McMahan, Ronald James Chila, David Richard Johns
  • Publication number: 20140338364
    Abstract: A turbine rotor blade includes a mounting portion that partially defines a cooling circuit within the turbine rotor blade and an airfoil portion that extends radially outward from the mounting portion. The airfoil portion further defines the cooling circuit. The turbine rotor blade further includes a platform portion that is disposed radially between the mounting portion and the airfoil. The platform portion includes a bottom wall, a top wall, a forward wall, an aft wall and a pair of opposing side walls. A cooling plenum that at least partially defines the cooling circuit is defined within the platform portion. The cooling plenum is at least partially defined between the forward wall, the aft wall and between the pair of opposing side walls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Richard Johns, Mark Andrew Jones
  • Publication number: 20140133971
    Abstract: A seal configuration includes a housing and a rotatable member rotationally mounted relative to the housing. The rotatable member has at least one portion defining an outer perimetrical face that is configured to contact the housing during operational conditions that cause a radial dimension of the at least one portion to increase. The at least one portion has opposing axial surfaces with each of the opposing axial surfaces being dimensionally axially nearer to the other of the opposing axial surfaces immediately radially inwardly of the outer perimetrical face than a furthest part of the outer perimetrical face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: David Richard Johns, Eric David Roush
  • Patent number: 8678644
    Abstract: A hot gas path measurement apparatus is provided and includes a substrate having a coating applied on a surface thereof such that the coating is interposed between the substrate and a hot gas path; and a measurement device fixed in a recess formed in the substrate, the measurement device including a sensor, and a holder configured to position the sensor in an alignment condition with a plane of a surface of the coating or at least partially within a span of the hot gas path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Richard Johns, Ariel Harter Lomas, James Stewart Phillips
  • Patent number: 8668445
    Abstract: A nozzle is disclosed for use in a turbine or compressor. In an embodiment, each of a plurality of vanes is supported by an outer shroud including a plurality of outer shroud segments disposed adjacent to adjoining segments in end-to-end relationship. Each segment includes a hole therethrough, dimensioned to receive a vane extension sleeve. This system may be used in conjunction with a modulated cooling system and may allow for improved removal for overhaul.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andres Jose Garcia Crespo, Robert Walter Coign, David Richard Johns, Gary Charles Liotta
  • Publication number: 20130283814
    Abstract: A system includes a turbine. The turbine includes a rotor, a stator, and a cooling insert. The rotor includes multiple turbine blades. The stator surrounds the rotor and includes an inner wall surrounding the multiple turbine blades, an outer wall surrounding the inner wall, and a cooling chamber between the inner wall and the outer wall. The cooling insert extends through an opening in the outer wall into the cooling chamber. The insert includes a side wall extending around an axis, an end wall crosswise to the axis, a set of lateral ports extending through the side wall, and end ports extending through the end wall. The cooling insert is configured to direct a cooling fluid through the set of lateral ports and end ports into the cooling chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: David Richard Johns, Don Conrad Johnson
  • Publication number: 20130280040
    Abstract: A cooling assembly for a gas turbine system includes a turbine nozzle having at least one channel comprising a channel inlet configured to receive a cooling flow from a cooling source, wherein the at least one channel directs the cooling flow through the turbine nozzle in a radial direction at a first pressure to a channel outlet. Also included is an exit cavity for fluidly connecting the channel outlet to a region of a turbine component, wherein the region of the turbine component is at a second pressure, wherein the first pressure is greater than the second pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: David Richard Johns, Kevin Richard Kirtley
  • Publication number: 20130167543
    Abstract: A transition nozzle for use with a turbine assembly is provided. The transition nozzle includes a liner defining a combustion chamber therein, a wrapper circumscribing the liner such that a cooling duct is defined between the wrapper and the liner, a cooling fluid inlet configured to supply a cooling fluid to the cooling duct, and a plurality of ribs coupled between the liner and the wrapper such that a plurality of cooling channels are defined in the cooling duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Inventors: Kevin Weston McMahan, Ronald James Chila, David Richard Johns
  • Patent number: 8444152
    Abstract: A spring seal assembly includes a first plate and a second plate. One or more spring elements are located between the first plate and the second plate and compressible therebetween. The spring seal assembly is insertable into a gap between two adjacent components such that at least one of the first plate and the second plate at least partially block a flow between the two adjacent components while exerting a force on the two adjacent components to prevent vibration of the seal in the gap. A method of sealing between adjacent components includes at least partially compressing a spring seal assembly. The spring seal assembly is inserted into the gap and allowed to expand in the gap thereby at least partially blocking a flow between the two adjacent components while exerting a force on the two adjacent components to prevent vibration of the seal in the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Onika Misasha Kerber, David Richard Johns
  • Publication number: 20130042668
    Abstract: A hot gas path measurement apparatus is provided and includes a substrate having a coating applied on a surface thereof such that the coating is interposed between the substrate and a hot gas path; and a measurement device fixed in a recess formed in the substrate, the measurement device including a sensor, and a holder configured to position the sensor in an alignment condition with a plane of a surface of the coating or at least partially within a span of the hot gas path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: David Richard Johns, Ariel Harter Lomas, James Stewart Phillips
  • Publication number: 20120328421
    Abstract: A turbine assembly includes a fuel nozzle configured to mix fuel and air and a transition nozzle oriented to receive the fuel and air mixture from the fuel nozzle. The transition nozzle includes a transition portion and a nozzle portion integrally formed with the transition portion. The transition nozzle includes a plurality of openings oriented to channel air to facilitate cooling the transition portion and/or the nozzle portion. The transition portion is oriented to channel combustion gases towards the nozzle portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventors: Kevin Weston McMahan, Ronald James Chila, David Richard Johns
  • Publication number: 20120324897
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for transferring heat from a transition nozzle. The transition nozzle includes a transition portion, a nozzle portion integrally formed with the transition portion, and at least one surface feature configured to transfer heat away from the transition portion and/or the nozzle portion. The transition portion is oriented to channel the combustion gases towards the nozzle portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventors: Kevin Weston McMahan, Ronald James Chila, David Richard Johns
  • Publication number: 20120324898
    Abstract: A combustor assembly for use with a turbine engine that includes a rotor assembly. The combustor assembly includes a casing that includes a plenum and a combustor liner that is spaced a distance from the plenum and that defines a combustion chamber therein. A transition nozzle extends between the combustor liner and the rotor assembly for channeling combustion gases from the combustion chamber to the rotor assembly. The transition nozzle includes a transition portion and a nozzle portion integrally formed with the transition portion. An annular flowsleeve is coupled radially outward from the transition nozzle such that an annular flow path is defined between the flowsleeve and the transition nozzle. The flowsleeve includes a plurality of openings extending through an outer surface of the flowsleeve for providing flow communication between the plenum and the annular flow path to facilitate impingement cooling of the flowsleeve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventors: Kevin Weston McMahan, Ronald James Chila, David Richard Johns
  • Publication number: 20120280455
    Abstract: A spring seal assembly includes a first plate and a second plate. One or more spring elements are located between the first plate and the second plate and compressible therebetween. The spring seal assembly is insertable into a gap between two adjacent components such that at least one of the first plate and the second plate at least partially block a flow between the two adjacent components while exerting a force on the two adjacent components to prevent vibration of the seal in the gap. A method of sealing between adjacent components includes at least partially compressing a spring seal assembly. The spring seal assembly is inserted into the gap and allowed to expand in the gap thereby at least partially blocking a flow between the two adjacent components while exerting a force on the two adjacent components to prevent vibration of the seal in the gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Onika Misasha Kerber, David Richard Johns
  • Publication number: 20120093632
    Abstract: A nozzle is disclosed for use in a turbine or compressor. In an embodiment, each of a plurality of vanes is supported by an outer shroud including a plurality of outer shroud segments disposed adjacent to adjoining segments in end-to-end relationship. Each segment includes a hole therethrough, dimensioned to receive a vane extension sleeve. This system may be used in conjunction with a modulated cooling system and may allow for improved removal for overhaul.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Andres Jose Garcia Crespo, Robert Walter Coign, David Richard Johns, Gary Charles Liotta
  • Publication number: 20110259015
    Abstract: A combustion section for a gas turbine includes a casing defining a chamber, a plurality of combustor cans disposed in the casing and oriented in an annular pattern, and a plurality of transition pieces each coupled with one of the combustor cans. The transition pieces direct products of combustion from the combustor cans into contact with rotating buckets of the gas turbine. Each of the transition pieces is angled in two planes to effect turning of the products of combustion and to shorten the gas turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Inventors: David Richard Johns, Craig Steven Humanchuk
  • Publication number: 20110110771
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments include a multi-layer, modular and replaceable heat shield for gas turbines. The heat shield apparatus can include a base layer adjacent the airfoil and a thermal layer coupled to the base layer, wherein the base layer and the thermal layer match a contour of the airfoil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Victor John Morgan, David Richard Johns
  • Publication number: 20100284800
    Abstract: A turbine nozzle segment includes an outer band portion, an inner band portion, and at least one nozzle vane extending between the band portions. A cooling plenum is defined in a mating side face of at least one of the band portions and extends transversely at least partially through the respective band portion. First and second cooling passages extend from the cooling plenum to respective first and second cooling chambers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2009
    Publication date: November 11, 2010
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: EVAN ANDREW SEWALL, DAVID RICHARD JOHNS, GARY MICHAEL ITZEL