Patents by Inventor Gareth W. Oskam

Gareth W. Oskam 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).

  • Publication number: 20230065831
    Abstract: Known micromixers for fuel injection (e.g., in a gas turbine engine) experience early burning or have limited operability. Accordingly, a micromixer is disclosed that utilizes an air nozzle, in combination with one or more fuel jets, to produce short flames that minimize the emission of nitrogen oxides, while providing additional benefits, such as mechanical robustness, aerodynamic efficiency, resistance to flame damage, suitability for additive manufacturing, wider operating ranges, operation with a variety of gaseous fuels, and/or amenability to control using conventional mechanisms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicant: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Gareth W. OSKAM, Georgina J. MCGEE, Yonduck SUNG, Gregory Michael BALOW, Rajeshriben PATEL, Nathan J. KIRKSEY
  • Publication number: 20210033028
    Abstract: This disclosure provides a seal assembly to provide a generally smooth transition from a combustion chamber to a turbine within a gas turbine engine. A seal body extends from the combustion chamber towards the turbine and is positioned to seal against unwanted flows between the combustion chamber and a compressed air chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Applicant: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Gareth W. Oskam, Paul Economo, Samantha Caldwell Rogers
  • Patent number: 9182124
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine may include an injector housing having a central cavity configured to be fluidly coupled to a combustor of the turbine engine. The central cavity may also be configured to direct a first fuel into the combustor substantially unmixed with air. The fuel injector may also include an annular air discharge outlet circumferentially disposed about the downstream end of the central cavity. The air discharge outlet may be configured to discharge compressed air into the combustor circumferentially about the first fuel from the central cavity. The fuel injector may also include an annular fuel discharge outlet circumferentially disposed about the air discharge outlet at the downstream end. The fuel discharge outlet may be configured to discharge a second fuel into the combustor circumferentially about the compressed air from the air discharge outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventor: Gareth W. Oskam
  • Patent number: 8919132
    Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine engine includes directing a stream of liquid fuel to the combustor through a nozzle of a dual fuel injector. The method may also include directing a first quantity of compressed air to the stream of liquid fuel proximate the nozzle, and directing a second quantity of compressed air to the stream of liquid fuel downstream of the nozzle. The second quantity of compressed air may be larger than the first quantity of compressed air. The method may further include delivering the compressed air and the stream of liquid fuel to the combustor in a substantially unmixed manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc.
    Inventor: Gareth W. Oskam
  • Patent number: 8893500
    Abstract: A dual fuel injector for a gas turbine engine includes a central cavity extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end, and a first fuel discharge outlet configured to direct a first fuel into the central cavity at the first end. The fuel injector may also include a first air discharge opening circumferentially disposed about the first fuel discharge outlet and configured to direct a first quantity of air into the central cavity, and a second air discharge opening circumferentially disposed about the central cavity and configured to discharge a second quantity of air into the central cavity downstream of the first air discharge outlet. The fuel injector may further include a second fuel discharge outlet circumferentially disposed about the central cavity and configured to discharge a second fuel therethrough. The second fuel may be different from the first fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc.
    Inventor: Gareth W. Oskam
  • Publication number: 20130192237
    Abstract: A fuel injector system for a turbine engine may include a center body disposed about a longitudinal axis and a barrel housing positioned radially outwardly from the center body to define an annular passageway therebetween. The fuel injector may also include one or more fuel discharge outlets positioned in the annular passageway. The one or more fuel discharge outlets may be configured to discharge pulses of a fuel into the annular passageway. The fuel injector may further include one or more fluidic oscillators fluidly coupled to the one or more fuel discharge outlets. The one or more fluidic oscillators may be configured to induce pulsations in the fuel discharged by the one or more fuel discharge outlets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Inventor: Gareth W. Oskam
  • Publication number: 20130197855
    Abstract: A method for determining a location of a temperature measurement at a flow plane of a gas turbine engine. The method may include using a camera to capture at least one image of a temperature sensor disposed in the flow plane. The method may further include analyzing the image in a processing unit to obtain location data indicating a location of the temperature sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Publication date: August 1, 2013
    Inventor: Gareth W. Oskam
  • Publication number: 20130152593
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine may include an injector housing having a central cavity configured to be fluidly coupled to a combustor of the turbine engine. The central cavity may also be configured to direct a first fuel into the combustor substantially unmixed with air. The fuel injector may also include an annular air discharge outlet circumferentially disposed about the downstream end of the central cavity. The air discharge outlet may be configured to discharge compressed air into the combustor circumferentially about the first fuel from the central cavity. The fuel injector may also include an annular fuel discharge outlet circumferentially disposed about the air discharge outlet at the downstream end. The fuel discharge outlet may be configured to discharge a second fuel into the combustor circumferentially about the compressed air from the air discharge outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Inventor: Gareth W. Oskam
  • Publication number: 20130152594
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine includes an injector housing having a central cavity configured to fluidly couple with a combustor of the gas turbine engine. The fuel injector may include a fuel nozzle at the upstream end of the central cavity. The fuel nozzle may be configured to direct a first fuel into the central cavity. The fuel injector may also include an annular air inlet disposed circumferentially about the fuel nozzle at the upstream end of the central cavity, and an annular air discharge outlet circumferentially disposed about the exit opening of the central cavity. The fuel injector may further include an annular fuel discharge outlet circumferentially disposed about the air discharge outlet. The fuel discharge outlet may be configured to discharge a second fuel into the combustor circumferentially around the air discharge outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Inventor: Gareth W. Oskam
  • Publication number: 20120291444
    Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine engine includes directing a stream of liquid fuel to the combustor through a nozzle of a dual fuel injector. The method may also include directing a first quantity of compressed air to the stream of liquid fuel proximate the nozzle, and directing a second quantity of compressed air to the stream of liquid fuel downstream of the nozzle. The second quantity of compressed air may be larger than the first quantity of compressed air. The method may further include delivering the compressed air and the stream of liquid fuel to the combustor in a substantially unmixed manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Inventor: GARETH W. OSKAM
  • Publication number: 20120291439
    Abstract: A dual fuel injector for a gas turbine engine includes a central cavity extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end, and a first fuel discharge outlet configured to direct a first fuel into the central cavity at the first end. The fuel injector may also include a first air discharge opening circumferentially disposed about the first fuel discharge outlet and configured to direct a first quantity of air into the central cavity, and a second air discharge opening circumferentially disposed about the central cavity and configured to discharge a second quantity of air into the central cavity downstream of the first air discharge outlet. The fuel injector may further include a second fuel discharge outlet circumferentially disposed about the central cavity and configured to discharge a second fuel therethrough. The second fuel may be different from the first fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Inventor: GARETH W. OSKAM
  • Patent number: 5836163
    Abstract: A dual fuel injector includes an apparatus for injecting liquid pilot fuel into a gas turbine engine. The injector includes a liquid pilot fuel feedline having an outlet that sprays fuel on the conically-shaped pintle swirler that causes the fuel to form a cylindrically-shaped film on the interior of a pilot fuel-air mixing passage. The film of fuel is broken up into droplets at a downstream end of the pilot fuel-air mixing passage by shearing forces exerted on the film by separate streams of air flowing within and externally of the pilot fuel-air mixing passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: John F. Lockyer, Gareth W. Oskam
  • Patent number: 5826423
    Abstract: A dual fuel injector for injecting liquid and/or gaseous fuel into a gas turbine engine includes a plurality of hollow spoke members for injecting gaseous fuel that are located upstream of a plurality of main air swirling vanes that are in turn upstream of a plurality of air-blast atomizers for injecting main liquid fuel. A pilot fueling arrangement is provided that is capable of starting the gas turbine engine using either gaseous or liquid fuel. The injector includes a labyrinth-shaped cooling passage capable of providing cooling air to cylindrical walls of an injector centerbody.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: John F. Lockyer, Gareth W. Oskam, Douglas C. Rawlins