Patents by Inventor Donald A. Clements

Donald A. Clements 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: 11898518
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a radial direction, a longitudinal direction, and a circumferential direction, an upstream end and a downstream end along the longitudinal direction, and an axial centerline extended along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a fan assembly including a plurality of fan blades rotatably coupled to a fan rotor in which the fan blades define a maximum fan diameter and a fan pressure ratio. The gas turbine engine further includes a low pressure (LP) turbine defining a core flowpath therethrough generally along the longitudinal direction. The core flowpath defines a maximum outer flowpath diameter relative to the axial centerline. The gas turbine engine defines a fan to turbine diameter ratio of the maximum fan diameter to the maximum outer flowpath diameter. The fan to turbine diameter ratio over the fan pressure ratio is approximately 0.90 or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Randy M. Vondrell, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • Patent number: 11885233
    Abstract: A turbine engine with at least a compressor section, combustor section, turbine section and a set of airfoils. The airfoils include geometric characteristics to create a high contraction ratio (CR), a low blade turning (BT) at a radially inward location the airfoil, a low solidity, or a low aspect ratio (AR).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignees: General Electric Company, GE Avio S.r.l.
    Inventors: Ernesto Sozio, Francesco Bertini, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Jonathan Ong, Lyle Douglas Dailey, Paul Hadley Vitt, Matteo Renato Usseglio
  • Publication number: 20240003543
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided. The gas turbine engine includes a turbomachine having a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order and together defining a working gas flowpath, the turbomachine including an acoustic liner, the acoustic liner having: a flowpath wall exposed to the working gas flowpath, the flowpath wall defining an opening; and a duct wall extending from the flowpath wall defining at least in part an acoustic passage defining a volume, the acoustic passage operable to attenuate noise through the working gas flowpath during an operating condition of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Inventors: Ravikanth Avancha, Ravish Karve, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Hiranya Kumar Nath, Timothy Richard DePuy
  • Publication number: 20230258134
    Abstract: A turbofan engine is provided. The turbofan engine includes a fan comprising a plurality of rotatable fan blades, each fan blade defining a fan tip speed; a turbomachine operably coupled to the fan for driving the fan, the turbomachine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in serial flow order and together defining a core air flowpath; and a gear box, wherein the turbomachine is operably coupled to the fan through the gear box, wherein a gear ratio of the gear box is greater than or equal to 1.2 and less than or equal to 3.0; wherein during operation of the turbofan engine at a rated speed the fan tip speed is greater than or equal to 1000 feet per second. In exemplary embodiments, during operation of the turbofan engine at the rated speed the fan pressure ratio is less than or equal to about 1.5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Arthur William Sibbach, Brandon Wayne Miller, Christopher James Kroger, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Sean Christopher Binion, Tsuguji Nakano
  • Patent number: 11655768
    Abstract: A turbofan engine is provided. The turbofan engine includes a fan comprising a plurality of rotatable fan blades, each fan blade defining a fan tip speed; a turbomachine operably coupled to the fan for driving the fan, the turbomachine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in serial flow order and together defining a core air flowpath; and a gear box, wherein the turbomachine is operably coupled to the fan through the gear box, wherein a gear ratio of the gear box is greater than or equal to 1.2 and less than or equal to 3.0; wherein during operation of the turbofan engine at a rated speed the fan tip speed is greater than or equal to 1000 feet per second. In exemplary embodiments, during operation of the turbofan engine at the rated speed the fan pressure ratio is less than or equal to about 1.5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Arthur William Sibbach, Brandon Wayne Miller, Christopher James Kroger, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Sean Christopher Binion, Tsuguji Nakano
  • Publication number: 20230130213
    Abstract: A turbine engine with at least a compressor section, combustor section, turbine section and a set of airfoils. The airfoils include geometric characteristics to create a high contraction ratio (CR), a low blade turning (BT) at a radially inward location the airfoil, a low solidity, or a low aspect ratio (AR).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2022
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Inventors: Ernesto Sozio, Francesco Bertini, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Jonathan Ong, Lyle Douglas Dailey, Paul Hadley Vitt, Matteo Renato Usseglio
  • Publication number: 20230028503
    Abstract: A turbofan engine is provided. The turbofan engine includes a fan comprising a plurality of rotatable fan blades, each fan blade defining a fan tip speed; a turbomachine operably coupled to the fan for driving the fan, the turbomachine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in serial flow order and together defining a core air flowpath; and a gear box, wherein the turbomachine is operably coupled to the fan through the gear box, wherein a gear ratio of the gear box is greater than or equal to 1.2 and less than or equal to 3.0; wherein during operation of the turbofan engine at a rated speed the fan tip speed is greater than or equal to 1000 feet per second. In exemplary embodiments, during operation of the turbofan engine at the rated speed the fan pressure ratio is less than or equal to about 1.5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Inventors: Arthur William Sibbach, Brandon Wayne Miller, Christopher James Kroger, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Sean Christopher Binion, Tsuguji Nakano
  • Publication number: 20220403799
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a radial direction, a longitudinal direction, and a circumferential direction, an upstream end and a downstream end along the longitudinal direction, and an axial centerline extended along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a fan assembly including a plurality of fan blades rotatably coupled to a fan rotor in which the fan blades define a maximum fan diameter and a fan pressure ratio. The gas turbine engine further includes a low pressure (LP) turbine defining a core flowpath therethrough generally along the longitudinal direction. The core flowpath defines a maximum outer flowpath diameter relative to the axial centerline. The gas turbine engine defines a fan to turbine diameter ratio of the maximum fan diameter to the maximum outer flowpath diameter. The fan to turbine diameter ratio over the fan pressure ratio is approximately 0.90 or greater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Randy M. Vondrell, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • Publication number: 20220389862
    Abstract: A compressor section of a gas turbine engine includes an upstream portion and a downstream portion. The upstream portion includes at least one stage of stator vanes and at least one stage of blades configured to rotate about an axial centerline of the compressor section. The at least one stage of stator vanes and the at least one stage of blades are in an alternating arrangement along an axial direction of the gas turbine engine. The downstream portion is disposed immediately adjacent to and downstream along the axial direction from the upstream portion. The downstream portion includes a first set of rotating blade rows and a second set of rotating blade rows. The first and second sets of rotating blade rows are in an alternating arrangement along the axial direction of the gas turbine engine. The first and second sets of rotating blade rows are in a counter-rotating arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2021
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Rudolf K. Selmeier, Jeffrey Donald Clements
  • Patent number: 11434765
    Abstract: A turbine engine with at least a compressor section, combustor section, turbine section and a set of airfoils. The airfoils include geometric characteristics to create a high contraction ratio (CR), a low blade turning (BT) at a radially inward location the airfoil, a low solidity, or a low aspect ratio (AR).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignees: General Electric Company, GE AVIO S.r.l.
    Inventors: Ernesto Sozio, Francesco Bertini, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Jonathan Ong, Lyle Douglas Dailey, Paul Hadley Vitt, Matteo Renato Usseglio
  • Patent number: 11428160
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine having an interdigitated turbine assembly including a first turbine rotor and a second turbine rotor, wherein a total number of stages at the interdigitated turbine assembly is between 3 and 8, and an average stage pressure ratio at the interdigitated turbine assembly is between 1.3 and 1.9. A gear assembly is configured to receive power from the interdigitated turbine assembly, and a fan assembly is configured to receive power from the gear assembly. The interdigitated turbine assembly and the gear assembly are together configured to allow the second turbine rotor to rotate at a second rotational speed greater than a first rotational speed at the first turbine rotor. The fan assembly and the gear assembly are together configured to allow the fan assembly to rotate at a third rotational speed less than the first rotational speed and the second rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Pranav Kamat, Bhaskar Nanda Mondal, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Vaibhav Madhukar Deshmukh
  • Patent number: 11421627
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a radial direction, a longitudinal direction, and a circumferential direction, an upstream end and a downstream end along the longitudinal direction, and an axial centerline extended along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a fan assembly including a plurality of fan blades rotatably coupled to a fan rotor in which the fan blades define a maximum fan diameter and a fan pressure ratio. The gas turbine engine further includes a low pressure (LP) turbine defining a core flowpath therethrough generally along the longitudinal direction. The core flowpath defines a maximum outer flowpath diameter relative to the axial centerline. The gas turbine engine defines a fan to turbine diameter ratio of the maximum fan diameter to the maximum outer flowpath diameter. The fan to turbine diameter ratio over the fan pressure ratio is approximately 0.90 or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Randy M. Vondrell, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • Publication number: 20220205387
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine having an interdigitated turbine assembly including a first turbine rotor and a second turbine rotor, wherein a total number of stages at the interdigitated turbine assembly is between 3 and 8, and an average stage pressure ratio at the interdigitated turbine assembly is between 1.3 and 1.9. A gear assembly is configured to receive power from the interdigitated turbine assembly, and a fan assembly is configured to receive power from the gear assembly. The interdigitated turbine assembly and the gear assembly are together configured to allow the second turbine rotor to rotate at a second rotational speed greater than a first rotational speed at the first turbine rotor. The fan assembly and the gear assembly are together configured to allow the fan assembly to rotate at a third rotational speed less than the first rotational speed and the second rotational speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Publication date: June 30, 2022
    Inventors: Pranav Kamat, Bhaskar Nanda Mondal, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Vaibhav Madhukar Deshmukh
  • Publication number: 20210372327
    Abstract: A turbine engine including a core engine cowl including a compartment, and a cooling system positioned within the compartment. The cooling system includes a cooling fan configured to exhaust heat from the compartment, a temperature sensor configured to monitor a temperature within the compartment, and a controller coupled in communication with the cooling fan and the temperature sensor. The controller is configured to actuate the cooling fan when the temperature is greater than a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Jeff Glover, Joseph Rose, Jeffrey Donald Clements
  • Patent number: 11125089
    Abstract: A turbomachinery apparatus includes: a turbine, including: a turbine component defining an arcuate flowpath surface; an array of axial-flow turbine airfoils extending from the flowpath surface, the turbine airfoils defining spaces therebetween; and a plurality of fences extending from the flowpath surface, in the spaces between the turbine airfoils, each fence having opposed concave and convex sides extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein the fences have a nonzero camber and a constant thickness, are axially located near the leading edges of adjacent turbine airfoils, and wherein at least one of a chord dimension of the fences and a span dimension of the fences is less than the corresponding dimension of the turbine airfoils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignees: General Electric Company, GE Avio S.r.l.
    Inventors: Francesco Bertini, Aspi Rustom Wadia, Lyle D. Dailey, Andrea Arnone, Filippo Rubechini, Matteo Giovannini, Paul Hadley Vitt, Jeffrey Donald Clements
  • Patent number: 11111858
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a compressor section defining a compressor exit temperature, T3. The gas turbine engine also includes a combustion section and a turbine section, with the turbine section defining a turbine inlet temperature, T4. A ratio, T4:T3, of the turbine inlet temperature, T4, to compressor exit temperature, T3, during operation of the gas turbine engine at a rated speed is less than or equal to 1.85.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Randy M. Vondrell, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Kurt David Murrow
  • Publication number: 20210270137
    Abstract: A turbine engine with at least a compressor section, combustor section, turbine section and a set of airfoils. The airfoils include geometric characteristics to create a high contraction ratio (CR), a low blade turning (BT) at a radially inward location the airfoil, a low solidity, or a low aspect ratio (AR).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Ernesto Sozio, Francesco Bertini, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Jonathan Ong, Lyle Douglas Dailey, Paul Hadley Vitt, Matteo Renato Usseglio
  • Patent number: 11105200
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a turbine engine defining a longitudinal direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction. The turbine engine includes a power turbine including a first turbine rotor assembly interdigitated with a second turbine rotor assembly along the longitudinal direction; a gear assembly coupled to the first turbine rotor assembly and the second turbine rotor assembly, wherein the gear assembly includes a first input interface coupled to the first turbine rotor assembly, a second input interface coupled to the second turbine rotor assembly, and one or more third gears coupled to the first input interface and the second input interface therebetween; and a first output shaft and a second output shaft, wherein each of the first output shaft and the second output shaft are configured to couple to an electrical load device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Donald Clements, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Brandon Wayne Miller, Joseph Robert Dickman
  • Patent number: 11105269
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method of control of a gas turbine engine comprising a fan section coupled to a low turbine together defining a low spool, an intermediate compressor coupled to an intermediate turbine together defining an intermediate spool, and a high compressor coupled to a high turbine together defining a high spool. The method includes providing an intermediate spool speed to low spool speed characteristic curve to a controller; providing a commanded power output to the controller; providing one or more of an environmental condition to the controller; determining, via the controller, a commanded fuel flow rate; determining, via the controller, a commanded intermediate compressor loading; and generating an actual power output of the engine, wherein the actual power output is one or more of an actual low spool speed, an actual intermediate spool speed, an actual high spool speed, and an actual engine pressure ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Alan Roy Stuart, James William Simunek, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Brandon Wayne Miller, Sridhar Adibhatla
  • Patent number: 11053797
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a rotor thrust balanced turbine engine that may increase engine performance and efficiency while managing thrust mismatch or imbalance in a low pressure (LP) spool between a fan assembly and a turbine rotor assembly. The gas turbine engine defines a radial direction, a longitudinal direction, and a circumferential direction, an upstream end and a downstream end along the longitudinal direction, and an axial centerline extended along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a turbine rotor assembly and a turbine frame. The turbine rotor assembly defines a first flowpath radius and a second flowpath radius each extended from the axial centerline. The first flowpath radius is disposed at the upstream end of the turbine rotor assembly, and wherein the second flowpath radius is disposed at the downstream end of the turbine rotor assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Jeffrey Donald Clements