Patents by Inventor Donald William Bairley

Donald William Bairley 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: 11655737
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a sensor grid with sensor leads extending through tube restraints for heat exchange tubes in the heat exchanger. The tube restraint includes a body having a plurality of tube openings defined therein with each tube opening receiving one heat exchange tube of the set of heat exchange tubes therethrough. The body also includes a sensor lead opening defined therein to receive a sensor lead therethrough. Each tube opening has a larger dimension than the sensor lead opening. The sensor grid is installed during manufacture rather than in the field, allowing the sensor grid to be on outermost and inner sets of heat exchange tubes in the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Donald William Bairley, Scott William Herman, Robert William Moore, Kwangsuk Jin, Patrick Neil Gallagher
  • Publication number: 20220034241
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a sensor grid with sensor leads extending through tube restraints for heat exchange tubes in the heat exchanger. The tube restraint includes a body having a plurality of tube openings defined therein with each tube opening receiving one heat exchange tube of the set of heat exchange tubes therethrough. The body also includes a sensor lead opening defined therein to receive a sensor lead therethrough. Each tube opening has a larger dimension than the sensor lead opening. The sensor grid is installed during manufacture rather than in the field, allowing the sensor grid to be on outermost and inner sets of hea exchange tubes in the heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2020
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Donald William Bairley, Scott William Herman, Robert William Moore, Kwangsuk Jin, Patrick Neil Gallagher
  • Patent number: 11047266
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a plurality of heat exchange tubes arranged into a first row of tubes and a second row of tubes. A fixed mount fixedly positions the first row of tubes, and a movable mount makes the second row of tubes movable between an aligned position in which tubes in the second row are aligned with tubes in the first row, creating a linear flow path for the fluid through the tubes, and a non-aligned position in which tubes in the second row are not aligned with tubes in the first row, creating a curvilinear flow path for the fluid through the plurality of tubes. Heat is exchanged between the first fluid and a second fluid passing through the plurality of heat exchange tubes. The heat exchanger may be employed as an HRSG in a combined cycle plant, among other applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Donald William Bairley, Jeffrey Frederick Magee, James Pschirer
  • Publication number: 20210131314
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a plurality of heat exchange tubes arranged into a first row of tubes and a second row of tubes. A fixed mount fixedly positions the first row of tubes, and a movable mount makes the second row of tubes movable between an aligned position in which tubes in the second row are aligned with tubes in the first row, creating a linear flow path for the fluid through the tubes, and a non-aligned position in which tubes in the second row are not aligned with tubes in the first row, creating a curvilinear flow path for the fluid through the plurality of tubes. Heat is exchanged between the first fluid and a second fluid passing through the plurality of heat exchange tubes. The heat exchanger may be employed as an HRSG in a combined cycle plant, among other applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2019
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Inventors: Donald William Bairley, Jeffrey Frederick Magee, James Pschirer
  • Publication number: 20200191502
    Abstract: A tube includes a center tube comprising a steel material, a fluid flowing through the center tube; and at least one disk disposed around the center tube, the disk including a thermally conductive material and exposed to an external heat source. The disk conducts heat from the external heat source into the center tube. The center tube transfers the heat from the external heat source into the fluid. The thermal conductivity of the at least one disk is higher than the thermal conductivity of the center tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott William Herman, Donald William Bairley, Robert William Moore
  • Patent number: 10669897
    Abstract: Heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs) including components and systems for reducing thermal stress experienced by manifolds within the HRSGs are disclosed. The HRSG may include a manifold receiving a working fluid of the HRSG, a plurality of piping links in fluid communication with the manifold, and an enclosure surrounding the manifold and the plurality of piping links. The HRSG may also include at least one thermal element positioned within the enclosure. The thermal element(s) may surround the manifold. Additionally, or alternatively, the HRSG may include a supplemental heating system in fluid communication with an interior of the enclosure. The supplemental heating system may include a heater for heating fluid (e.g., air), and an inlet conduit in fluid communication with and positioned downstream of the heater. The inlet conduit may be formed through the enclosure to provide the heated fluid to the interior of the enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Alessandro Matarrese, Donald William Bairley, Wesley Paul Bauver, II, Van Dang
  • Publication number: 20190170022
    Abstract: Heat recovery steam generators (HRSGs) including components and systems for reducing thermal stress experienced by manifolds within the HRSGs are disclosed. The HRSG may include a manifold receiving a working fluid of the HRSG, a plurality of piping links in fluid communication with the manifold, and an enclosure surrounding the manifold and the plurality of piping links. The HRSG may also include at least one thermal element positioned within the enclosure. The thermal element(s) may surround the manifold. Additionally, or alternatively, the HRSG may include a supplemental heating system in fluid communication with an interior of the enclosure. The supplemental heating system may include a heater for heating fluid (e.g., air), and an inlet conduit in fluid communication with and positioned downstream of the heater. The inlet conduit may be formed through the enclosure to provide the heated fluid to the interior of the enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Alessandro Matarrese, Donald William Bairley, Wesley Paul Bauver, II, Van Dang
  • Patent number: 9995170
    Abstract: A system for heating one or more components of a heat recovery steam generator that includes a heat-transferring conduit that fluidly connects a high-pressure section of a flow path to a low-pressure section of the flow path. The flow path is defined by a housing of the heat recovery steam generator and configured to direct a heat-containing medium. The heat-transferring conduit is configured to receive the heat-containing medium from the flow path such that the heat-containing medium flows through the heat-transferring conduit via a pressure differential between a first pressure of the heat-containing medium at the high-pressure section and a second pressure of the heat-containing medium at the low-pressure section. The heat-transferring conduit is further configured to heat the one or more components of the heat recovery steam generator via directing the heat-containing medium to be in heating contact with the one or more components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Jeffrey Fred Magee, Donald William Bairley
  • Publication number: 20170268379
    Abstract: A system for heating one or more components of a heat recovery steam generator that includes a heat-transferring conduit that fluidly connects a high-pressure section of a flow path to a low-pressure section of the flow path. The flow path is defined by a housing of the heat recovery steam generator and configured to direct a heat-containing medium. The heat-transferring conduit is configured to receive the heat-containing medium from the flow path such that the heat-containing medium flows through the heat-transferring conduit via a pressure differential between a first pressure of the heat-containing medium at the high-pressure section and a second pressure of the heat-containing medium at the low-pressure section. The heat-transferring conduit is further configured to heat the one or more components of the heat recovery steam generator via directing the heat-containing medium to be in heating contact with the one or more components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Jeffrey Fred Magee, Donald William Bairley
  • Patent number: 9739476
    Abstract: A heat exchanger apparatus for receiving water from a steam drum (1) and providing steam and heated unevaporated liquid water to the steam drum includes a first evaporator (EVAP-1) and a second evaporator (EVAP-2). The first evaporator can receive water from a steam drum via a first feed conduit (9) and the second evaporator can receive water from a second feed conduit (11). Both evaporators can output heated fluid to the steam drum via a combined evaporator output conduit (13). Each first evaporator passageway (14) only makes a single pass through a gas duct (15) having a heated gas flow (7) passing therethrough while each second evaporator passageways (24) can make one or more passes through the gas duct for transferring heat from the gas to the fluid within the evaporators. A portion of the first feed conduit can also have a pre-specified volume a pre-specified height below the first inlet (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Suresh K. Shenoy, Jay Brian Anderson, Rahul J. Terdalkar, Donald William Bairley
  • Publication number: 20150136045
    Abstract: A heat exchanger apparatus for receiving water from a steam drum (1) and providing steam and heated unevaporated liquid water to the steam drum includes a first evaporator (EVAP-1) and a second evaporator (EVAP-2). The first evaporator can receive water from a steam drum via a first feed conduit (9) and the second evaporator can receive water from a second feed conduit (11). Both evaporators can output heated fluid to the steam drum via a combined evaporator output conduit (13). Each first evaporator passageway (14) only makes a single pass through a gas duct (15) having a heated gas flow (7) passing therethrough while each second evaporator passageways (24) can make one or more passes through the gas duct for transferring heat from the gas to the fluid within the evaporators. A portion of the first feed conduit can also have a pre-specified volume a pre-specified height below the first inlet (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Suresh K. Shenoy, Jay Brian Anderson, Rahul J. Terdalkar, Donald William Bairley