Patents by Inventor Frank J. Cunha

Frank J. Cunha 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).

  • Combustor wall assembly for a turbine engine
    Patent number: 9909761
    Abstract: A wall assembly of a combustor for a turbine engine includes a shell and a liner and a sealing interface structure. A cooling cavity is defined between the shell and liner and the sealing interface structure functions to minimize leakage out of the cooling cavity. The sealing interface structure may have a sealing width that is equal to or greater than twice the thickness of the liner and/or may include a chamber located between longitudinal segments of the sealing interface structure that inhibits leakage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frank J. Cunha, Stanislav Kostka, Timothy S. Snyder
  • Eliminatin of unfavorable outflow margin
    Patent number: 9816394
    Abstract: A panel for use in a gas turbine engine exhaust case is disclosed. The panel has an airfoil section and a flow diverting structure adjacent a leading edge, wherein the flow diverting structure directs fluid flow into an area of the airfoil that lacks sufficient internal pressure for cooling fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frank J. Cunha, Timothy S. Snyder
  • GAS TURBINE ENGINE WALL ASSEMBLY WITH CIRCUMFERENTIAL RAIL STUD ARCHITECTURE
    Publication number: 20170159935
    Abstract: A liner panel for use in a gas turbine engine. The liner panel has a hot side and a cold side. The liner panel includes a rail extending from the cold side and a multiple of studs extending from the cold side. At least one of the multiple of studs extends from, in part, the rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Christopher Drake, Stanislav Kostka, JR., Frank J. Cunha
  • GAS TURBINE ENGINE WALL ASSEMBLY WITH ENHANCED FLOW ARCHITECTURE
    Publication number: 20170159936
    Abstract: A liner panel is provided for use in a gas turbine engine. The liner panel includes an intermediate rail that extends from a cold side of a liner panel. The liner panel also includes a multiple of heat transfer augmentors, which generally decrease in height with respect to a distance from the intermediate rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Frank J. Cunha, Stanislav Kostka
  • COOLING AN APERTURE BODY OF A COMBUSTOR WALL
    Publication number: 20170108220
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for a turbine engine. This turbine engine assembly includes a combustor wall, which includes a shell, a heat shield and an annular body. The body at least partially defines a first aperture through the shell and the heat shield. The body also defines one or more second apertures through which air is directed into the first aperture and provides non-uniform cooling to the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Stanislav Kostka, JR., Frank J. Cunha
  • STEPPED HEAT SHIELD FOR A TURBINE ENGINE COMBUSTOR
    Publication number: 20170009987
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for a turbine engine. This turbine engine assembly includes a combustor wall with a shell and a heat shield. The combustor wall defines a quench aperture therethrough. The combustor wall also defines a cavity between the shell and the heat shield. The shell defines a first aperture through which air is directed into the cavity. The heat shield includes a rail that at least partially defines a second aperture configured to direct at least some of the air within the cavity out of the combustor wall and towards the quench aperture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: Randal G. McKinney, Frank J. Cunha, Stanislav Kostka, JR.
  • FILM COOLING A COMBUSTOR WALL OF A TURBINE ENGINE
    Publication number: 20170009988
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for a turbine engine. This turbine engine assembly includes a combustor wall including a shell and a heat shield. The combustor wall defines first and second cavities between the shell and the heat shield. The heat shield defines a first outlet and an elongated second outlet. The first outlet is fluidly coupled with the first cavity. The second outlet is fluidly coupled with the second cavity. The combustor wall defines one of the cavities with a tapered geometry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2015
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: Frank J. Cunha, Stanislav Kostka, JR.
  • GAS TURBINE ENGINE COMBUSTOR LINER PANEL WITH SYNERGISTIC COOLING FEATURES
    Publication number: 20170003027
    Abstract: A liner panel for a combustor of a gas turbine engine includes a multiple of heat transfer augmentors. At least one of the multiple of heat transfer augmentors includes a cone shaped pin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Stanislav Kostka, Frank J. Cunha, James B. Hoke, Timothy S. Snyder, Albert K. Cheung, Christos Adamopoulos
  • COOLING A QUENCH APERTURE BODY OF A COMBUSTOR WALL
    Publication number: 20160377289
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for a turbine engine. A combustor wall of the turbine engine assembly includes a shell, a heat shield and an annular body. The annular body extends through the combustor wall. The annular body at least partially defines a quench aperture along a centerline through the combustor wall. The annular body defines a first cooling aperture fluidly coupled between a cooling cavity and the quench aperture. The cooling cavity is between the shell and the heat shield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: Stanislav Kostka, JR., Frank J. Cunha
  • Cooling Flow for Leading Panel in a Gas Turbine Engine Combustor
    Publication number: 20160327273
    Abstract: A heat resistant panel has a bulkhead and a swirler adjacent a combustion chamber. The heat resistant panel comprises an inner panel for facing the combustion chamber and defining a first exit port at an upstream end thereof configured to direct cooling air into the combustor chamber in a first direction adjacent the bulkhead. A second exit port at a downstream end thereof is configured to direct cooling air into the combustor chamber in a second direction with an axial direction defined between the upstream and downstream ends. The first and second directions have opposed axial components. A heat resistant structure and a combustor are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Frank J. Cunha, Timothy S. Snyder
  • Gas turbine engine combustor with integrated combustor vane having swirler
    Patent number: 9482432
    Abstract: A combustor section is provided for a gas turbine engine. The combustor section may include an outer liner panel, an inner liner panel and a bulkhead, which is arranged with the outer and the inner liner panels to form an annular combustion chamber. The combustor section may also include a swirler assembly and a combustor vane. The swirler assembly may be configured with the bulkhead. The combustor vane may extend at least partially into said combustion chamber, wherein the combustor vane is circumferentially aligned with the swirler assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frank J. Cunha, Nurhak Erbas-Sen
  • COOLING AN IGNITER BODY OF A COMBUSTOR WALL
    Publication number: 20160305325
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for a turbine engine. This turbine engine assembly includes a combustor wall. The combustor wall includes a shell, a heat shield and an annular body. The body extends laterally between an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface defines an igniter aperture in the combustor wall. The outer surface is vertically between the heat shield and the shell. The shell defines a first cooling aperture through which air is directed to impinge against the outer surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: Frank J. Cunha, Stanislav Kostka, Jr.
  • COOLING A COMBUSTOR HEAT SHIELD PROXIMATE A QUENCH APERTURE
    Publication number: 20160298843
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for a turbine engine. A combustor wall of the turbine engine assembly includes a shell and a heat shield. The combustor wall defines a quench aperture through the shell and the heat shield. The heat shield defines an effusion outlet a distance from the quench aperture equal to between about twenty-five times and about seventy-five times a width of the effusion outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frank J. Cunha, Stanislav Kostka, Jr., Randal G. McKinney
  • COOLING A QUENCH APERTURE BODY OF A COMBUSTOR WALL
    Publication number: 20160290643
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for a turbine engine. A combustor wall of the turbine engine assembly includes a shell, a heat shield and an annular body engaged with the shell and the heat shield. The annular body extends through the combustor wall. The annular body at least partially defines a quench aperture along a centerline through the combustor wall. The annular body also at least partially defines a cooling aperture in fluid communication with the quench aperture. At least a portion of the cooling aperture extends radially outward from the quench aperture relative to the centerline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Frank J. Cunha, Stanislav Kostka, Jr.
  • COMBUSTOR QUENCH APERTURE COOLING
    Publication number: 20160290644
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for a turbine engine. This turbine engine assembly includes a combustor wall. The combustor wall includes a shell, a heat shield and an annular body. The annular body extends through the combustor wall and at least partially defines a quench aperture along a centerline through the combustor wall. The shell defines a first cooling aperture radially outwards of the annular body relative to the centerline and is configured to direct air to impinge against a portion of the annular body between the heat shield and the shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventors: Frank J. CUNHA, Stanislav KOSTKA, JR.
  • COOLING A MULTI-WALLED STRUCTURE OF A TURBINE ENGINE
    Publication number: 20160273772
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for a turbine engine. This turbine engine assembly includes a body, a shell and a heat shield panel. The panel is attached to the shell with a tapered cooling cavity between the shell and the panel. The panel defines a cooling aperture configured to direct air out of the cooling cavity to impinge against the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Frank J. Cunha, Stanislav Kostka, JR.
  • FILM COOLED MULTI-WALLED STRUCTURE WITH ONE OR MORE INDENTATIONS
    Publication number: 20160273771
    Abstract: An assembly for a turbine engine is provided. This turbine engine assembly includes a shell and a heat shield with a cooling cavity between the shell and the heat shield. The heat shield defines a plurality of cooling apertures and an indentation in a side of the heat shield opposite the cooling cavity. The cooling apertures are fluidly coupled with the cooling cavity. The indentation is configured such that cooling air, directed from a first of the cooling apertures, at least partially circulates against the side of the heat shield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2014
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Frank J. Cunha, Stanislav Kostka, JR.
  • TURBINE ENGINE MULTI-WALLED STRUCTURE WITH INTERNAL COOLING ELEMENT(S)
    Publication number: 20160265775
    Abstract: A structure is provided for a turbine engine. The structure includes a shell with a first surface, and a heat shield with a textured second surface and a textured third surface. The texture of a portion of the second surface is different than the texture of a portion of the third surface. The first surface and the second surface define a first cooling cavity between the shell and the heat shield. The first surface and the third surface define a second cooling cavity between the shell and the heat shield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Frank J. Cunha, Stanislav Kostka, JR.
  • TURBINE ENGINE MULTI-WALLED STRUCTURE WITH COOLING ELEMENT(S)
    Publication number: 20160265774
    Abstract: A multi-walled structure is provided for a turbine engine. This structure includes a shell with a textured first surface, and a heat shield with a second surface. The heat shield is attached to the shell. The first and the second surfaces vertically define a cooling cavity between the shell and the heat shield. The cooling cavity fluidly couples a plurality of cooling apertures defined in the shell with a plurality of cooling apertures defined in the heat shield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: Frank J. Cunha, Stanislav Kostka, Jr.
  • COMBUSTOR WALL WITH TAPERED COOLING CAVITY
    Publication number: 20160252249
    Abstract: A combustor wall is provided for a turbine engine and includes a combustor shell and a heat shield. The heat shield is attached to the shell with first and second cavities extending between the shell and the heat shield. The first cavity fluidly couples apertures defined in the shell with the second cavity. The second cavity fluidly couples the first cavity with apertures defined in the heat shield. The shell and the heat shield converge toward one another about the second cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Nurhak Erbas-Sen, Frank J. Cunha