Patents by Inventor David William Cihlar

David William Cihlar 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: 20120297783
    Abstract: A system includes a gas turbine combustor, which includes a combustion liner disposed about a combustion region, a flow sleeve disposed about the combustion liner, an air passage between the combustion liner and the flow sleeve, and a structure extending between the combustion liner and the flow sleeve. The structure obstructs an airflow path through the air passage. The gas turbine combustor also includes an aerodynamic wake reducer configured to redirect an airflow around the structure to reduce a wake region downstream of the structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Patrick Benedict Melton, Bradley Donald Crawley, David William Cihlar, Robert Joseph Rohrssen, Ronald James Chila
  • Publication number: 20120297782
    Abstract: A system includes a gas turbine combustor, which includes a combustion liner disposed about a combustion region, a flow sleeve disposed about the combustion liner, an air passage between the combustion liner and the flow sleeve, and an aerodynamic mounting assembly disposed in the air passage. The aerodynamic mounting assembly is configured to retain the combustion liner within the flow sleeve. The aerodynamic mounting assembly includes a flow sleeve mount coupled to the flow sleeve and a liner stop coupled to the combustion liner. The flow sleeve mount includes a first portion of an aerodynamic shape and the liner stop includes a second portion of the aerodynamic shape, which is configured to direct an airflow into a wake region downstream of the aerodynamic mounting assembly. The flow sleeve mount and the liner stop couple with one another to define the aerodynamic shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David William Cihlar, Patrick Benedict Melton, Robert Joseph Rohrssen
  • Patent number: 8307655
    Abstract: An air cooling hood offset from an exterior of the transition piece to define an air cooling passage between the air cooling hood and the exterior of the transition piece, wherein the air cooling hood comprises a plurality of air outlets disposed along the exterior of the transition piece, and the plurality of air outlets is configured to expel an airflow from the air cooling passage away from the exterior of the transition piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ronald James Chila, David William Cihlar
  • Publication number: 20120280460
    Abstract: A side seal assembly is provided for sealing gaps between adjacent transition ducts in a gas turbine combustor arrangement. The side seal assembly includes a first elongated plate mounting an outer seal and a first fastening element at one end thereof; a second elongated plate mounting a second fastening element at one end thereof and an inner seal at an opposite end thereof. The first and second elongated plates are adapted to be joined in back-to-back relationship by means of the first and second fastening elements, such that in use, the outer and inner seals extend substantially parallel to, but offset from, the first and second elongated plates. The first elongated plate and the inner and outer seals substantially cover three radial gaps between the adjacent transition ducts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: David William CIHLAR, William BYRNE, Patrick Benedict MELTON
  • Publication number: 20120234012
    Abstract: An impingement sleeve and methods for designing and forming an impingement sleeve are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for designing an impingement sleeve is disclosed. The method includes determining a desired operational value for a transition piece, inputting a combustor characteristic into a processor, and utilizing the combustor characteristic in the processor to determine a cooling hole pattern for the impingement sleeve, the cooling hole pattern comprising a plurality of cooling holes, at least a portion of the plurality of cooling holes being generally longitudinally asymmetric, the cooling hole pattern providing the desired operational value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jerome David Brown, Ronald James Chila, Patrick Benedict Melton, Russell DeForest, David William Cihlar
  • Publication number: 20120234018
    Abstract: An aft frame and a method for cooling an aft frame are disclosed. In one embodiment, an aft frame for a transition piece in a combustor is disclosed. The combustor includes the transition piece and an impingement sleeve at least partially defining a flow path therebetween. The aft frame includes a body and a generally radially extending cooling passage defined in the body, the cooling passage comprising a first end configured to accept a coolant. The aft frame further includes an exhaust passage defined in the body, the exhaust passage including a first end in communication with the cooling passage and a second end configured for communication with the flow path for flowing the coolant therethrough.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: David William Cihlar, Patrick Benedict Melton, David Leach, Kevin Weston McMahan
  • Publication number: 20120210729
    Abstract: A bracket for a combustor, and a method for mounting a transition piece in a combustor, are disclosed. The combustor has an impingement sleeve at least partially surrounding a transition piece and an outer casing at least partially surrounding the impingement sleeve. The bracket is mounted to the transition piece and connected to the outer casing. The method includes mounting a bracket to the transition piece, extending the bracket through an impingement sleeve, the impingement sleeve at least partially surrounding the transition piece, and connecting the bracket to an outer casing, the outer casing at least partially surrounding the impingement sleeve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: David William Cihlar, Patrick Benedict Melton
  • Publication number: 20120198855
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for cooling a combustor liner in a combustor are disclosed. In one embodiment, a combustor is disclosed. The combustor includes a transition piece, and an impingement sleeve at least partially surrounding the transition piece and at least partially defining a generally annular flow path therebetween. The combustor further includes an injection sleeve mounted to one of the transition piece or the impingement sleeve and positioned radially outward of the impingement sleeve, the injection sleeve at least partially defining a flow channel configured to flow working fluid to the flow path. In another embodiment, a method for cooling a combustor liner in a combustor is disclosed. The method includes flowing a working fluid through a flow channel at least partially defined by an injection sleeve, and exhausting the working fluid from the flow channel into a flow path adjacent the combustor liner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2011
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: David William Cihlar, Patrick Benedict Melton
  • Publication number: 20120186269
    Abstract: A support between a transition piece and an impingement sleeve in a combustor is disclosed. The support includes a resilient portion, the resilient portion configured to provide dampening between the transition piece and the impingement sleeve. The support further includes a mount portion configured for mounting the support to one of the transition piece or the impingement sleeve. The support further includes a contact portion configured for contacting the other of the transition piece or the impingement sleeve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: David William Cihlar, Patrick Benedict Melton
  • Publication number: 20120180492
    Abstract: A sleeve component assembly for a combustor, and a method for forming the sleeve component assembly for the combustor, are disclosed. The sleeve component assembly includes a sleeve component, the sleeve component comprising one of an inner sleeve component or an outer sleeve component. The sleeve component assembly further includes at least one support feature extending from the sleeve component, the at least one support feature configured to contact and provide vibratory support to an adjacent sleeve component. The at least one support feature is integral with the sleeve component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: John Alfred Simo, Patrick Benedict Melton, David William Cihlar
  • Publication number: 20120167571
    Abstract: A method of assembling a combustor assembly for use in a turbine engine is provided. A combustor liner that defines a combustion chamber therein is provided. The liner includes a forward end and an aft end, wherein the aft end includes at least one channel extending therethrough. The channel is aligned obliquely with respect to a centerline extending through the aft end. A plurality of fuel nozzles are coupled to the forward end such that the fuel nozzles extend through the forward end. An annular sleeve that includes at least one opening extending radially therethrough is coupled to the aft end, wherein the sleeve substantially circumscribes the aft end such that a cavity is defined therebetween and such that a fluid channeled through the at least one opening impinges against a surface of the aft end prior to the fluid being channeled into the combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventors: David William Cihlar, Ronald James Chila, Mert Enis Berkman
  • Publication number: 20110283707
    Abstract: An air cooling hood offset from an exterior of the transition piece to define an air cooling passage between the air cooling hood and the exterior of the transition piece, wherein the air cooling hood comprises a plurality of air outlets disposed along the exterior of the transition piece, and the plurality of air outlets is configured to expel an airflow from the air cooling passage away from the exterior of the transition piece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ronald James Chila, David William Cihlar