Patents by Inventor Douglas D. Dierksmeier
Douglas D. Dierksmeier 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: 11619170Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a centrifugal compressor, a combustor, a radial turbine, and a cooling air metering system. The centrifugal compressor is configured to rotate about an axis to produce compressed air. The combustor is fluidly connected downstream of the centrifugal compressor to receive the compressed air from the centrifugal compressor. The radial turbine is fluidly connected with the combustor and is axially spaced apart from the centrifugal compressor. The cooling air metering system is configured to selectively block or allow a portion of the compressed air flowing radially between the centrifugal compressor and the radial turbine, bypassing the combustor, and through a heat exchanger for cooling the radial turbine and other components.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2022Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventors: Douglas D. Dierksmeier, Michael A. Karam
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Patent number: 11338926Abstract: A propulsor includes an electric motor, a fan unit, and a thrust system positioned downstream of and coupled to the fan unit. The electric motor converts electrical power to mechanical rotation to rotationally drive the fan unit and create an air stream directed towards the thrust control system.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2018Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventor: Douglas D. Dierksmeier
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Patent number: 11286881Abstract: A gas turbine engine system includes a gas turbine engine having a fan bypass duct, a heat exchanger system, and a flow transfer unit configured to selectively allow or preclude flow between the fan bypass duct and the heat exchanger system. A controller is coupled to and configured to vary the state of one or more of a fan exit nozzle, a heat exchanger exit nozzle, and a flow control valve controlling flow between the fan bypass duct and the heat exchanger system.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2019Date of Patent: March 29, 2022Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventors: Douglas Boyd, Douglas D. Dierksmeier, Douglas J. Snyder, Graham Burkholder, William B. Bryan
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Patent number: 11198499Abstract: A door panel is included in a nacelle assembly for use with a gas turbine engine to block and allow access selectively to the gas turbine engine. The nacelle assembly includes a nacelle wall, a sleeve, and the door panel. The nacelle wall is arranged at least partway around the gas turbine engine and formed to define an opening that extends through the nacelle wall. The door panel is located in the opening and movable relative to the nacelle wall. The sleeve is coupled with one of the nacelle wall and the door panel and configured to move relative to the nacelle wall or the door panel toward and away from the other of the nacelle wall and door panel to adjust a size of a gap between the door panel and the nacelle wall.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2019Date of Patent: December 14, 2021Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventor: Douglas D. Dierksmeier
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Patent number: 11111855Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes an engine core, a propulsion unit, and a particle separator. The engine core is configured to combust fuel and air to drive rotation of the propulsion unit. The propulsion unit is driven to rotate by the engine core to provide thrust for the gas turbine engine. The particle separator is configured to separate unwanted particles from air being directed toward the engine core.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2019Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventor: Douglas D. Dierksmeier
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Patent number: 11085373Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes an engine unit and an inlet. The engine unit includes an engine core that includes a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine and a nacelle arranged circumferentially around at least a portion of the engine core. The inlet is removably coupled with the nacelle and configured to conduct fluid into the engine unit. The inlet includes a nose and an intake lip arranged circumferentially around the nose to define an intake passage that extends through the inlet.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2019Date of Patent: August 10, 2021Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventor: Douglas D. Dierksmeier
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Patent number: 10989060Abstract: A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) seal segment for use in a segmented turbine shroud for radially encasing a turbine in a gas turbine engine. The CMC seal segment comprises an arcuate flange having a surface facing the turbine and a portion defining a bore for receiving an elongated pin, with the bore having a length that is at least 70% of the length of the elongated pin received therein. The CMC seal segment is carried by the carrier by at least one of the elongated pins being received within the bore. The CMC seal segment portion defining a pin-receiving bore is radially spaced from the arcuate flange by a spacing flange extending radially outward from the arcuate flange.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2020Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc., Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites Inc.Inventors: Daniel K. Vetters, David J. Thomas, Ted Freeman, Joseph Lamusga, Rick Uskert, Douglas D. Dierksmeier, Jun Shi, Todd Engel, Matt Brandt
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Publication number: 20210115877Abstract: A gas turbine engine system includes a gas turbine engine having a fan bypass duct, a heat exchanger system, and a flow transfer unit configured to selectively allow or preclude flow between the fan bypass duct and the heat exchanger system. A controller is coupled to and configured to vary the state of one or more of a fan exit nozzle, a heat exchanger exit nozzle, and a flow control valve controlling flow between the fan bypass duct and the heat exchanger system.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2019Publication date: April 22, 2021Inventors: Douglas Boyd, Douglas D. Dierksmeier, Douglas J. Snyder, Graham Burkholder, William B. Bryan
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Patent number: 10982598Abstract: An improved system, apparatus and method may be configured for detecting coking in a gas turbine engine. The system may comprise one or more heatable collecting elements configured to be positioned in a fuel supply passage having an inlet and an outlet. The apparatus heatable collecting may be configured to generate heat at or over a fuel system temperature range to induce coking in at least one of the heatable collecting elements. The apparatus may also include a sensor configured to detect an indication of coking on the heatable collecting elements and, in response to the coking indication, communicate a coking condition signal to an engine control.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2018Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignees: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc., Rolls-Royce CorporationInventors: David Farnum, Douglas D. Dierksmeier, Ben Moloney, Patrick C. Sweeney
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Publication number: 20210070417Abstract: A door panel is included in a nacelle assembly for use with a gas turbine engine to block and allow access selectively to the gas turbine engine. The nacelle assembly includes a nacelle wall and the door panel. The nacelle wall is arranged at least partway around the gas turbine engine and formed to define an opening that extends through the nacelle wall. The door panel is located in the opening and movable relative to the nacelle wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2019Publication date: March 11, 2021Inventor: Douglas D. Dierksmeier
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Patent number: 10934942Abstract: A high-Mach engine includes a gas turbine core, an inlet assembly, and a transmission. The inlet assembly including an inlet turbine and the transmission configured to couple the inlet turbine and a core turbine of the gas turbine core cooperate to control air moving through the high-Mach engine.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2017Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventors: Douglas D. Dierksmeier, Edward C. Rice, Steven W. Tomlinson, Bradley E. Auker, Donald Klemen
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Publication number: 20210003024Abstract: A ceramic matrix composite (CMC) seal segment for use in a segmented turbine shroud for radially encasing a turbine in a gas turbine engine. The CMC seal segment comprises an arcuate flange having a surface facing the turbine and a portion defining a bore for receiving an elongated pin, with the bore having a length that is at least 70% of the length of the elongated pin received therein. The CMC seal segment is carried by the carrier by at least one of the elongated pins being received within the bore. The CMC seal segment portion defining a pin-receiving bore is radially spaced from the arcuate flange by a spacing flange extending radially outward from the arcuate flange.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2020Publication date: January 7, 2021Inventors: Daniel K. Vetters, David J. Thomas, Ted Freeman, Joseph Lamusga, Rick Uskert, Douglas D. Dierksmeier, Jun Shi, Todd Engel, Matt Brandt
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Publication number: 20200370475Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes an engine core, a propulsion unit, and a particle separator. The engine core is configured to combust fuel and air to drive rotation of the propulsion unit. The propulsion unit is driven to rotate by the engine core to provide thrust for the gas turbine engine. The particle separator is configured to separate unwanted particles from air being directed toward the engine core.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2019Publication date: November 26, 2020Inventor: Douglas D. Dierksmeier
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Patent number: 10808720Abstract: An axial flow compressor comprises a tubular casing which encases a rotatable shaft, a pair of rotor segments coupled to the rotatable shaft and each comprising a bladed disc, and a banded stator segment disposed between the pair of rotor segments and comprising a plurality of stator vanes extending between an outer flowpath ring and an inner flowpath ring. A method of assembling an axial flow compressor comprises installing a rotor segment inside a tubular compressor casing, installing a vane segment adjacent the installed rotor segment, and repeating the steps of installing a rotor segment and vane segment until a desired number of rotor segment and vane segment pairs are installed.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2016Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventors: Douglas D. Dierksmeier, Edward C. Rice, Ryan C. Humes
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Patent number: 10801408Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a lubrication system, fuel system and thermoelectric heat exchanger adapted for selective operation in response to operational states of the gas turbine engine.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2017Date of Patent: October 13, 2020Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventors: Douglas D. Dierksmeier, Daniel K. Vetters, Michael A. Karam
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Patent number: 10794282Abstract: An inlet assembly for a high-mach engine includes a gas turbine core, an inlet turbine, and a core-flow director. When in a closed position, the core-flow director forces air to interact with the inlet turbine before entering the gas turbine core.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2017Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventors: Douglas D. Dierksmeier, Edward C. Rice, Steven W. Tomlinson, Bradley E. Auker, Donald Klemen
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Patent number: 10794213Abstract: A compressor shroud assembly in a turbine engine having a dynamically moveable shroud for encasing a rotor segment. The rotor segment comprises a bladed disc. The compressor shroud assembly maintains a clearance gap between the shroud and the blade tips of the bladed disc. The assembly comprises a static compressor casing, a shroud mounted to the casing, and an actuator mounted to the casing. The shroud comprises a flowpath boundary member spaced radially inward from the casing, the flowpath boundary member being moveable relative to the casing in a radial direction. The actuator is coupled to the shroud for effecting the movement of the flowpath boundary member.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2017Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventors: Douglas D. Dierksmeier, Edward C. Rice, Ryan C. Humes
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Publication number: 20200248621Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes an engine unit and an inlet. The engine unit includes an engine core that includes a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine and a nacelle arranged circumferentially around at least a portion of the engine core. The inlet is removably coupled with the nacelle and configured to conduct fluid into the engine unit. The inlet includes a nose and an intake lip arranged circumferentially around the nose to define an intake passage that extends through the inlet.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 31, 2019Publication date: August 6, 2020Inventor: Douglas D. Dierksmeier
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Patent number: 10731663Abstract: An axial compressor comprises a plurality of compressor stages positioned axially adjacent each other within a casing. Each of the plurality of compressor stages includes a rotor segment and a banded stator segment. An annulus is formed between the casing and an outer flowpath ring of the banded stator segment. A pathway may be provided that establishes an air flowpath between the annulus and another annulus formed by an adjacent stage.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2016Date of Patent: August 4, 2020Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventors: Douglas D. Dierksmeier, Edward C. Rice, Ryan C. Humes
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Patent number: 10718218Abstract: A blisk for a turbine engine is provided, the blisk includes a hub, a rim positioned radially outward from the hub, and a blade. The rim an outer surface facing radially outward from the hub and an inner surface. The blade is integral to the rim and includes a leading end, a trailing end, an interior surface, and a radially inward end. A cooling passage extends from an inlet in the inner surface of the rim, from the inlet through a channel enclosed within the rim and extending along the outer surface of the rim, and from the channel through an opening at the trailing end of the blade into a chamber defined by the interior surface of the blade.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2018Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.Inventor: Douglas D. Dierksmeier