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).
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Patent number: 11898518Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 22, 2022Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Randy M. Vondrell, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Brandon Wayne Miller
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Patent number: 11885233Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 28, 2022Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignees: 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
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Publication number: 20240003543Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2022Publication date: January 4, 2024Inventors: Ravikanth Avancha, Ravish Karve, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Hiranya Kumar Nath, Timothy Richard DePuy
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Publication number: 20230258134Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2023Publication date: August 17, 2023Inventors: Arthur William Sibbach, Brandon Wayne Miller, Christopher James Kroger, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Sean Christopher Binion, Tsuguji Nakano
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Patent number: 11655768Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 26, 2021Date of Patent: May 23, 2023Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Arthur William Sibbach, Brandon Wayne Miller, Christopher James Kroger, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Sean Christopher Binion, Tsuguji Nakano
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Publication number: 20230130213Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2022Publication date: April 27, 2023Inventors: Ernesto Sozio, Francesco Bertini, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Jonathan Ong, Lyle Douglas Dailey, Paul Hadley Vitt, Matteo Renato Usseglio
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Publication number: 20230028503Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 26, 2021Publication date: January 26, 2023Inventors: Arthur William Sibbach, Brandon Wayne Miller, Christopher James Kroger, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Sean Christopher Binion, Tsuguji Nakano
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Publication number: 20220403799Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2022Publication date: December 22, 2022Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Randy M. Vondrell, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Brandon Wayne Miller
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Publication number: 20220389862Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2021Publication date: December 8, 2022Inventors: Rudolf K. Selmeier, Jeffrey Donald Clements
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Patent number: 11434765Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 14, 2021Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignees: 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
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Patent number: 11428160Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 31, 2020Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Pranav Kamat, Bhaskar Nanda Mondal, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Vaibhav Madhukar Deshmukh
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Patent number: 11421627Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 22, 2017Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Randy M. Vondrell, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Brandon Wayne Miller
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Publication number: 20220205387Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2020Publication date: June 30, 2022Inventors: Pranav Kamat, Bhaskar Nanda Mondal, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Vaibhav Madhukar Deshmukh
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Publication number: 20210372327Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2021Publication date: December 2, 2021Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Jeff Glover, Joseph Rose, Jeffrey Donald Clements
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Patent number: 11125089Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 7, 2019Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignees: 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
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Patent number: 11111858Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 27, 2017Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Randy M. Vondrell, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Kurt David Murrow
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Publication number: 20210270137Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2021Publication date: September 2, 2021Inventors: Ernesto Sozio, Francesco Bertini, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Jonathan Ong, Lyle Douglas Dailey, Paul Hadley Vitt, Matteo Renato Usseglio
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Patent number: 11105200Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 13, 2017Date of Patent: August 31, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Jeffrey Donald Clements, Darek Tomasz Zatorski, Brandon Wayne Miller, Joseph Robert Dickman
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Patent number: 11105269Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 12, 2017Date of Patent: August 31, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Alan Roy Stuart, James William Simunek, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Brandon Wayne Miller, Sridhar Adibhatla
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Patent number: 11053797Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 23, 2017Date of Patent: July 6, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Jeffrey Donald Clements