Patents by Inventor Douglas Rambo

Douglas Rambo 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: 11022037
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a turbomachine including a compressor section, a combustion section, a turbine section, and an exhaust section arranged in serial flow order and together defining at least in part a core air flowpath. The gas turbine engine also includes a thermal management system including a flowpath heat exchanger coupled to, or integrated into, one or more components of the compressor section, the combustion section, the turbine section, or the exhaust section such that the flowpath heat exchanger is directly thermally coupled to an airflow through the core air flowpath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Brandon Wayne Miller, Raymond Floyd Martell, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Ryan James Matthys, Joel Francis Kirk
  • Publication number: 20210102492
    Abstract: Heat exchangers, heat exchanger systems, and hypersonic vehicles are provided. For example, a heat exchanger is provided that comprises a first chamber for receipt of a flow of cool fluid and a second chamber for receipt of a flow of hot fluid. The heat exchanger further comprises a buffer fluid flowpath for circulation of a buffer fluid therethrough. The buffer fluid circulates within the buffer fluid flowpath disposed between the first chamber and the second chamber to transfer heat from the hot fluid to the cool fluid. In certain embodiments, a hypersonic vehicle comprises such a heat exchanger, and the cool fluid is cryogenic or near-cryogenic fuel of the hypersonic vehicle and the hot fluid is engine bleed air from a hypersonic propulsion engine of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2019
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Inventors: Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Thomas Kupiszewski
  • Publication number: 20210080195
    Abstract: Flow paths and boundary layer restart features are provided. For example, a flow path comprises a flow path wall defining an inner flow path surface and an asymmetric notch defined in the flow path wall. The asymmetric notch comprises a first surface and a second surface and is asymmetric about a first line extending through an intersection of the first and second surfaces. Further, a flow boundary layer restart feature comprises a first surface extending inward with respect to a flow path surface of a flow path and a second surface extending inward with respect to the flow path surface. The second surface is asymmetric with respect to the first surface such that the first and second surfaces define an asymmetric notch. Additionally, a flow path wall may comprise an asymmetric notch that includes a flow expansion angle and a flow contraction angle that are unequal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2019
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas Kupiszewski, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Emily Rosette Clark
  • Patent number: 10927761
    Abstract: A heat management system for a turbomachine may include a first heat exchanger configured and arranged to receive a first fluid stream from a first duct, a second heat exchanger configured and arranged to receive the first fluid stream after discharging from the first heat exchanger, and a hatch configured to provide fluid communication from a second duct to the first duct so as to introduce a second fluid stream from the second duct to the first duct. A method of cooling fluid streams may include directing a first fluid stream from a first duct across or through a first heat exchanger, directing the first fluid stream across or through a second heat exchanger after discharging from the first heat exchanger, and directing a second fluid stream from a second duct to the first duct, with the second fluid stream flowing through a hatch configured to provide fluid communication from the second duct to the first duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Jeffrey Douglas Rambo
  • Publication number: 20210031937
    Abstract: A vehicle is provided including a structure including a skin defining an outside surface exposed to ambient cooling flow and an inside surface. The structure includes a first structural member extending from the inside surface of the skin and a second structural member extending from the inside surface of the skin; and a thermal management system including a heat exchanger assembly positioned adjacent to, and in thermal communication with, the inside surface of the skin, the heat exchanger assembly positioned at least partially between the first and second structural members of the structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2020
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: Scott Alan Schimmels, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Thomas Kupiszewski, Paul Alexander Intemann, Robert Proctor
  • Publication number: 20200363133
    Abstract: A heat exchanger is provided that can include furcating unit cells coupled with each other. Each of the unit cells can be elongated along an axis and include a sidewall that defines annular ring openings on opposite ends of the unit cell along the axis. The sidewall also can define undulating annular rings between the annular ring openings and axially separated from each other along the axis. The sidewall can further define angled openings into the unit cell both above and below each of the undulating annular rings. At least a first opening of the annular ring openings and the angled openings can be configured to be an inlet to receive a first fluid into the unit cell and at least a second opening of the annular ring openings and the angled openings configured to be an outlet through which the first fluid exits the unit cell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2020
    Publication date: November 19, 2020
    Inventors: William Dwight Gerstler, Daniel Jason Erno, Michael Thomas Kenworthy, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Nicolas Kristopher Sabo
  • Patent number: 10821509
    Abstract: A heat exchanger is provided having an integrally and seamlessly formed return manifold connecting multiple supply tubes and return tubes. The heat exchanger may also include a return manifold having one or more structures providing a flow restriction within or proximate the return manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Alan Manteiga, Michael Thomas Kenworthy, Jared Matthew Wolfe, Thomas Kupiszewski, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, James Fitzgerald Bonar
  • Publication number: 20200332718
    Abstract: Provided are fluid exchange apparatuses and methods of exchanging fluids between streams. Exemplary fluid exchange apparatus includes a first interleaved pathway with a plurality of first passages, and a second interleaved pathway with a plurality of second passages, in which the plurality of first passages and the plurality of second passages interleave with one another. Exemplary methods include directing a first fluid through a first interleaved pathway of a fluid exchange apparatus and directing a second fluid through a second interleaved pathway of a fluid exchange apparatus. The first fluid may flow from an upstream portion of a first duct into the first interleaved pathway and may discharge into a downstream portion of the second duct. The second fluid may flow from an upstream portion of the second duct into the second interleaved pathway and may discharge into a downstream portion of the first duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventor: Jeffrey Douglas Rambo
  • Publication number: 20200332717
    Abstract: A heat management system for a turbomachine may include a first heat exchanger configured and arranged to receive a first fluid stream from a first duct, a second heat exchanger configured and arranged to receive the first fluid stream after discharging from the first heat exchanger, and a hatch configured to provide fluid communication from a second duct to the first duct so as to introduce a second fluid stream from the second duct to the first duct. A method of cooling fluid streams may include directing a first fluid stream from a first duct across or through a first heat exchanger, directing the first fluid stream across or through a second heat exchanger after discharging from the first heat exchanger, and directing a second fluid stream from a second duct to the first duct, with the second fluid stream flowing through a hatch configured to provide fluid communication from the second duct to the first duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2019
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventor: Jeffrey Douglas Rambo
  • Patent number: 10809007
    Abstract: A heat exchanger and heat exchanger core are provided. The heat exchanger core includes a plurality of columnar passages extending between an inlet plenum of the heat exchanger core and an outlet plenum of the heat exchanger core, the columnar passages formed monolithically in a single fabrication process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ramon Martinez, Nicolas Kristopher Sabo, Curt Edward Hogan, Michael Stephen Popp, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Jared Matthew Wolfe
  • Patent number: 10794402
    Abstract: An ejector is presented. The ejector includes a primary fluid inlet to receive a primary fluid. The ejector further includes a secondary fluid inlet to receive a secondary fluid. Furthermore, the ejector includes a nozzle fluidly coupled to the primary fluid inlet and the secondary fluid inlet. The nozzle includes a secondary pilot inlet to receive at least a portion of the secondary fluid from the secondary fluid inlet, and a nozzle outlet including a plurality of primary openings for discharging the primary fluid and a secondary opening for discharging the secondary fluid. A turbo-machine having the ejector is also presented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Sridhara Rao Venkata Mittapalli, Paul Alexander Intemann, Tarun Sharma, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo
  • Patent number: 10781709
    Abstract: A turbine engine includes an engine core defining a higher pressure region and a lower pressure region. A seal can fluidly separate the higher pressure region from the lower pressure region and be movably mounted to a component within the turbine engine, where a side of the seal can confront the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Arnab Sen, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Rajesh Kumar, Nathan Evan McCurdy Gibson, Robert Proctor, Bhaskar Nanda Mondal, Steven Douglas Johnson
  • Patent number: 10739077
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a core defining a first passageway configured for a first fluid to flow through and a second passageway configured for a second fluid to flow through. The core includes a plurality of unit cells coupled together. Each unit cell of the plurality of unit cells includes a sidewall at least partly defining a first passageway portion, a second passageway portion, a plurality of first openings for the first fluid to flow through, and a plurality of second openings for the second fluid to flow through. Each unit cell of the plurality of unit cells is configured to enable the first fluid to combine and divide in the first passageway portion. Each unit cell is further configured to enable the second fluid to combine and divide in the second passageway portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: William Dwight Gerstler, Daniel Jason Erno, Michael Thomas Kenworthy, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Nicolas Kristopher Sabo
  • Publication number: 20200182059
    Abstract: An aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a rotor assembly for a turbine engine. The rotor assembly includes an airfoil assembly and a hub to which the airfoil assembly is attached. A wall assembly defines a first cavity and a second cavity between the airfoil assembly and the hub. The first cavity and the second cavity are at least partially fluidly separated by the wall assembly. The first cavity is in fluid communication with a flow of first cooling fluid and the second cavity is in fluid communication with a flow of second cooling fluid different from the first cooling fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Kirk Douglas Gallier, Brandon Wayne Miller, Craig Alan Gonyou, Kevin Robert Feldmann, Justin Paul Smith
  • Patent number: 10673639
    Abstract: Systems and methods that facilitate dynamic directory service object creation and certificate management are discussed. One such method can include discovering a device deployed on a network, creating and deploying a corresponding directory services object, automatically creating and deploying a certificate to the device and updating attributes associated with the device. The disclosed system and method reduce the time involved in deploying and configuring directory services and public key infrastructure (PKI), increase efficiency, improve network availability and lessen the chances for errors associated with manual configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.
    Inventors: Lawrence T. Belton, Lynn A. Smith, Nathan T. Suri, Joseph R. Kaluzny, Douglas Rambo, Marci J. Alley, Timothy H. Morris, Marcos Bilbao, Ryan Benskin, Scott Hinzman
  • Patent number: 10670349
    Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a heat exchanger core, a header defining a header manifold, and a transition portion that provides fluid communication between the heat exchanger core and the header manifold. The transition portion includes a transition tube extending between the header and the heat exchanger core, a header junction where the transition tube joins the header, and a splitting junction that splits the transition tube into the plurality of heat exchange tubes. The header junction may define elliptical inlet apertures, a large filleted joint, and a junction thickness that is greater than a header wall thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas Allan Wilson, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Donald Michael Corsmeier
  • Publication number: 20200088037
    Abstract: An apparatus for a turbine engine comprising an outer casing, an engine core provided within outer casing and having a at least one set of blades, and through which gasses flow in a forward to aft direction, an outer drum located within the outer casing to define an annular cavity. A set of seals extending between the first surface and the second surface to define at least one cooled cavity within the annular cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Arnab Sen, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Rajesh Kumar, Bhaskar Nanda Mondal, Alan Roy Stuart, Robert Proctor, Christopher Charles Glynn
  • Publication number: 20190390925
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides fluid eductors, systems that utilize fluid eductors, and methods of entraining a suction fluid flow using a fluid eductor. Exemplary fluid eductors include a concentric eductor space or a plurality of annular eductor spaces. Exemplary methods include ejecting a volume of motive fluid out of a concentric eductor space of a fluid eductor, accelerating a peripheral region of the suction fluid flow with the motive fluid ejecting out of the first annular eductor space, and accelerating a core region of the suction fluid flow with the motive fluid ejecting out of the second annular eductor space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Pradeep Hemant Sangli, Vinod S. Chaudhari, Santosh Kumar Potnuru, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Michal Starzynski
  • Publication number: 20190383564
    Abstract: A system for heat exchange and leak detection is generally provided, the system including a heat exchanger including a first wall defining a first passage containing a first fluid. A leak detection enclosure containing a leak detection medium is defined between the first wall and a second wall surrounding the first wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Nicholas Taylor Moore, Daniel Alan Niergarth, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Hendrik Pieter Jacobus de Bock, William Dwight Gerstler
  • Patent number: 10494949
    Abstract: A heat exchanger assembly for a gas turbine engine that includes an outer engine case. The heat exchanger assembly includes at least one cooling channel, the at least one cooling channel is configured to receive a flow of fluid to be cooled. At least one first coolant flow duct that is configured to receive a flow of a first coolant, wherein the at least one cooling channel is disposed between a first inlet and a first outlet. The heat exchanger assembly further include at least one second coolant flow duct that is configured to receive a flow of a second coolant, wherein the at least one cooling channel is disposed between a second inlet and a second outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Andrew Martin, Curtis Walton Stover, Jared Matthew Wolfe, Mohammed El Hacin Sennoun