Patents by Inventor Elwin C. Bigelow

Elwin C. Bigelow 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: 5129226
    Abstract: A V-shaped afterburner flameholder for a gas turbine engine has a plurality of rectangular tabs coextensive with and lying in the planes of the flameholder sidewalls. The tabs on opposing sidewalls alternate so as to introduce streamwise and spanwise (transverse) vortices in the flowing gas. The resultant streamwise vortices tend to reduce resonating vortex oscillations (screech) and the need for an acoustic liner to suppress such screech.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1992
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Elwin C. Bigelow, Anil Gulati
  • Patent number: 5095696
    Abstract: An afterburner flameholder for a gas turbine engine having a central diffuser cone, a generally cylindrical outer shell and fuel spray bars between the shell and cone defining an afterburner region is provided, which comprise an annular member with an asymmetric V-shaped cross section. The annular member is adapted to be secured to the engine in the afterburner region with the apex of the V facing upstream in the axial direction toward the fuel spray bars. The annular member has a first and second circular sidewall member each joined at one end forming an apex, the annular member in cross section has unequal length sidewall members. The difference in length between the distal ends of the first and second circular sidewall members is sufficient to cause spanwise vortices shed at the distal ends of the sidewall members to be out of phase when they meet downstream from the flameholder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1992
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Anil Gulati, Elwin C. Bigelow