Patents by Inventor Gregory James Hampson

Gregory James Hampson 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: 12071906
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method performed in connection with an internal combustion engine, and the method including receiving a pressure signal from a combustion chamber pressure sensor during a first range of volumes, the first range corresponding to a portion of a compression phase, the received pressure being a first pressure, providing, based on the received pressure signal, a first pulse of fuel at a first position of the body during the compression phase, and providing, based on the received pressure signal a second pulse of fuel at a second position of the body during the compression phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Domenico Chiera, Gregory James Hampson
  • Publication number: 20240222666
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a hydrogen fuel cell anode control system including a hydrogen inlet configured to receive pressurized hydrogen, a hydrogen outlet configured to be fluidically coupled to an anode manifold of a hydrogen fuel cell, a recirculation inlet configured to receive overflow hydrogen from the anode manifold, a hydrogen pressure regulator configured to receive pressurized hydrogen from the hydrogen inlet, a hydrogen recirculation module configured to mix hydrogen received from the hydrogen pressure regulator and the recirculation inlet, and provide a hydrogen mixture to the hydrogen outlet, a differential pressure measurement module configured to measure a differential pressure between the anode manifold and a cathode manifold of the hydrogen fuel cell, and a controller configured to control at least one of the hydrogen pressure regulator or the hydrogen recirculation module based on the measured differential pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2024
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Inventors: Yi Han, Nolan Polley, Domenico Chiera, Gregory James Hampson
  • Publication number: 20240186547
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes determining an electrical current output of a fuel cell stack configured to generate electrical current from hydrogen provided in a hydrogen recirculation loop, determining an efficiency level of the fuel cell stack, determining a nitrogen diffusion rate based on the determined electrical current output and the determined efficiency level, and determining a nitrogen concentration in the hydrogen recirculation loop based on the determined nitrogen diffusion rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2023
    Publication date: June 6, 2024
    Inventors: Yi Han, Gregory James Hampson
  • Patent number: 11965455
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method of igniting an air/fuel mixture in an internal combustion engine includes receiving an air/fuel mixture into a pre-combustion chamber, the pre-combustion chamber enclosing a portion of an igniter, igniting the air/fuel mixture in in the pre-combustion chamber with the igniter to produce a flame, directing the flame to eject the pre-combustion chamber through a collection of passages in a wall of the pre-combustion chamber, toward a peripheral wall of a main combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, igniting, by the flame, air/fuel mixture in the main combustion chamber adjacent the peripheral wall, and then igniting air/fuel mixture in the main combustion chamber in a central region of the main combustion chamber with a propagating flame front of the ignited air/fuel mixture or a portion of the directed flame adjacent the peripheral wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Domenico Chiera, Charles Brennecke, Samuel James McCreery, Jeffrey Carlson, Suraj Nair, Gregory James Hampson
  • Patent number: 11955672
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a hydrogen fuel cell anode control system including a hydrogen inlet configured to receive pressurized hydrogen, a hydrogen outlet configured to be fluidically coupled to an anode manifold of a hydrogen fuel cell, a recirculation inlet configured to receive overflow hydrogen from the anode manifold, a hydrogen pressure regulator configured to receive pressurized hydrogen from the hydrogen inlet, a hydrogen recirculation module configured to mix hydrogen received from the hydrogen pressure regulator and the recirculation inlet, and provide a hydrogen mixture to the hydrogen outlet, a differential pressure measurement module configured to measure a differential pressure between the anode manifold and a cathode manifold of the hydrogen fuel cell, and a controller configured to control at least one of the hydrogen pressure regulator or the hydrogen recirculation module based on the measured differential pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi Han, Nolan Polley, Domenico Chiera, Gregory James Hampson
  • Patent number: 11686278
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a gas mixer that includes a convergent-divergent nozzle comprising a convergent portion and a divergent portion and defining a first gas flow path, an air housing comprising an air inlet configured to supply air to the first gas flow path upstream of the convergent-divergent nozzle, a gas housing defining a second gas flow path and including a first gas inlet configured to receive a secondary gas and allow the secondary gas into a second gas flow path, and a gas nozzle positioned parallel to and centrally within the first gas flow path in a convergent portion of the convergent-divergent nozzle, the gas nozzle configured to supply the secondary gas to the first gas flow path upstream of the divergent portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Domenico Chiera, Gregory James Hampson, Rohit Deepak Vaidya
  • Patent number: 11674494
    Abstract: A pre-chamber spark plug that includes a shell, and an end cap attached to the shell. Additionally, the pre-chamber spark plug includes an insulator disposed within the shell. In a particular embodiment, a center electrode has a first portion surrounded by the insulator, and a second portion that extends from the insulator into a pre-chamber. The pre-chamber defined by the shell and end cap. In a further embodiment, a ground electrode is attached to the shell. In particular embodiments, the ground electrode is tubular in shape and includes an inner spark surface ring spaced in surrounding relation to the center electrode to create a spark gap, an outer ring attached to the shell, and a plurality of rounded spokes connecting the inner and outer rings. In a particular embodiment, the ground and center electrodes accommodate attachment of precious metal alloys to increase electrode surface life.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory James Hampson, Domenico Chiera
  • Publication number: 20230118048
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a hydrogen fuel cell anode control system including a hydrogen inlet configured to receive pressurized hydrogen, a hydrogen outlet configured to be fluidically coupled to an anode manifold of a hydrogen fuel cell, a recirculation inlet configured to receive overflow hydrogen from the anode manifold, a hydrogen pressure regulator configured to receive pressurized hydrogen from the hydrogen inlet, a hydrogen recirculation module configured to mix hydrogen received from the hydrogen pressure regulator and the recirculation inlet, and provide a hydrogen mixture to the hydrogen outlet, a differential pressure measurement module configured to measure a differential pressure between the anode manifold and a cathode manifold of the hydrogen fuel cell, and a controller configured to control at least one of the hydrogen pressure regulator or the hydrogen recirculation module based on the measured differential pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Inventors: Yi Han, Nolan Polley, Domenico Chiera, Gregory James Hampson
  • Publication number: 20230101071
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method performed in connection with an internal combustion engine, and the method including receiving a pressure signal from a combustion chamber pressure sensor during a first range of volumes, the first range corresponding to a portion of a compression phase, the received pressure being a first pressure, providing, based on the received pressure signal, a first pulse of fuel at a first position of the body during the compression phase, and providing, based on the received pressure signal a second pulse of fuel at a second position of the body during the compression phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2022
    Publication date: March 30, 2023
    Inventors: Domenico Chiera, Gregory James Hampson
  • Publication number: 20220389858
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method of igniting an air/fuel mixture in an internal combustion engine includes receiving an air/fuel mixture into a pre-combustion chamber, the pre-combustion chamber enclosing a portion of an igniter, igniting the air/fuel mixture in in the pre-combustion chamber with the igniter to produce a flame, directing the flame to eject the pre-combustion chamber through a collection of passages in a wall of the pre-combustion chamber, toward a peripheral wall of a main combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, igniting, by the flame, air/fuel mixture in the main o combustion chamber adjacent the peripheral wall, and then igniting air/fuel mixture in the main combustion chamber in a central region of the main combustion chamber with a propagating flame front of the ignited air/fuel mixture or a portion of the directed flame adjacent the peripheral wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Domenico Chiera, Charles Brennecke, Samuel James McCreery, Jeffrey Carlson, Suraj Nair, Gregory James Hampson
  • Patent number: 11415041
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method of igniting an air/fuel mixture in an internal combustion engine includes receiving an air/fuel mixture into a pre-combustion chamber, the pre-combustion chamber enclosing a portion of an igniter, igniting the air/fuel mixture in in the pre-combustion chamber with the igniter to produce a flame, directing the flame to eject the pre-combustion chamber through a collection of passages in a wall of the pre-combustion chamber, toward a peripheral wall of a main combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, igniting, by the flame, air/fuel mixture in the main combustion chamber adjacent the peripheral wall, and then igniting air/fuel mixture in the main combustion chamber in a central region of the main combustion chamber with a propagating flame front of the ignited air/fuel mixture or a portion of the directed flame adjacent the peripheral wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Domenico Chiera, Charles Brennecke, Samuel James McCreery, Jeffrey Carlson, Suraj Nair, Gregory James Hampson
  • Publication number: 20220136465
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a gas mixer that includes a convergent-divergent nozzle comprising a convergent portion and a divergent portion and defining a first gas flow path, an air housing comprising an air inlet configured to supply air to the first gas flow path upstream of the convergent-divergent nozzle, a gas housing defining a second gas flow path and including a first gas inlet configured to receive a secondary gas and allow the secondary gas into a second gas flow path, and a gas nozzle positioned parallel to and centrally within the first gas flow path in a convergent portion of the convergent-divergent nozzle, the gas nozzle configured to supply the secondary gas to the first gas flow path upstream of the divergent portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2021
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Domenico Chiera, Gregory James Hampson, Rohit Deepak Vaidya
  • Patent number: 11174809
    Abstract: The method includes the following features. A first pressure upstream of a throttle is received. A temperature upstream of the throttle is received. A second pressure within an intake manifold is received. An engine speed is received. An air flow is estimated based on the received first pressure, the received temperature, the received second pressure, and the received engine speed. Estimating the air flow includes determining one or more models to use for calculating air flow based on the received first pressure and the received second pressure. The models include a throttle flow model, a port flow model, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi Han, David O. Richards, Jason Barta, Michael Ryan Buehner, Gregory James Hampson
  • Patent number: 11125180
    Abstract: A method of controlling combustion in an internal combustion engine includes measuring parameters of combustion in a cylinder of the engine during a combustion phase of the cylinder, after igniting an air/fuel charge in the cylinder, and calculating the heat release of combustion in the cylinder based on the measured parameters. An auto-ignition event of the air/fuel charge is identified based on the calculated heat release, and, based at least in part on the identified auto-ignition event, at least one of ignition timing in the cylinder for the next combustion phase of the cylinder or an amount of exhaust gas supplied to the cylinder for the next combustion phase of the cylinder is controlled to cause an auto-ignition event of the air/fuel charge in the next combustion phase to shift toward a specified crank angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory James Hampson, Samuel James McCreery, Jeffrey Carlson, Suraj Nair, Domenico Chiera
  • Patent number: 11092091
    Abstract: Embodiments of a gaseous or dual fuel electronic pressure regulation system (EPRS) for a multipoint fuel injection engine are described herein. Additionally, embodiments of a method for controlling the EPRS are provided. In particular, the EPRS employs an electronic pressure regulator (EPR) capable of accurately determining and controlling the mass flow of gaseous fuel into a fuel rail so as to avoid pressure droop and over- and under-pressurization of the gas admission valves (GAVs). By using the EPRS described above, mass flow is able to be distributed to the downstream manifold or engine cylinders very accurately, and the GAVs are able to be driven simultaneously in a pressure/pulse duration that is optimal for accurate and repeatable operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy J. Farrow, Michael Ryan Buehner, Gregory James Hampson, John Karspeck
  • Publication number: 20210180537
    Abstract: A method of controlling combustion in an internal combustion engine includes measuring parameters of combustion in a cylinder of the engine during a combustion phase of the cylinder, after igniting an air/fuel charge in the cylinder, and calculating the heat release of combustion in the cylinder based on the measured parameters. An auto-ignition event of the air/fuel charge is identified based on the calculated heat release, and, based at least in part on the identified auto-ignition event, at least one of ignition timing in the cylinder for the next combustion phase of the cylinder or an amount of exhaust gas supplied to the cylinder for the next combustion phase of the cylinder is controlled to cause an auto-ignition event of the air/fuel charge in the next combustion phase to shift toward a specified crank angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2021
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory James Hampson, Samuel James McCreery, Jeffrey Carlson, Suraj Nair, Domenico Chiera
  • Patent number: 10995705
    Abstract: A convergent nozzle is in a mixer housing and in a flow path from an air inlet of the mixer to an outlet of the mixer. A convergent-divergent nozzle is in the mixer housing and includes an air-exhaust gas inlet in fluid communication to receive fluid flow from the convergent nozzle and from the interior of the exhaust gas housing. A first nozzle module is configured to be received in the mixer housing and, when received in the mixer housing, define at least a portion of the convergent nozzle or the convergent-divergent nozzle. A second nozzle module is configured to be received in the mixer housing separate from the first nozzle module. The second nozzle module, when received in the mixer housing, is configured to define at least a portion of the convergent or the convergent-divergent nozzle. The second nozzle module has a different flow characteristic than the first nozzle module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel B. Mastbergen, Domenico Chiera, Gregory James Hampson, Yi Han, James Po-Chang Chiu, Doug Leone, Henry David Gemmill Knutzen, Samuel James McCreery
  • Publication number: 20210079835
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method of igniting an air/fuel mixture in an internal combustion engine includes receiving an air/fuel mixture into a pre-combustion chamber, the pre-combustion chamber enclosing a portion of an igniter, igniting the air/fuel mixture in in the pre-combustion chamber with the igniter to produce a flame, directing the flame to eject the pre-combustion chamber through a collection of passages in a wall of the pre-combustion chamber, toward a peripheral wall of a main combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine, igniting, by the flame, air/fuel mixture in the main combustion chamber adjacent the peripheral wall, and then igniting air/fuel mixture in the main combustion chamber in a central region of the main combustion chamber with a propagating flame front of the ignited air/fuel mixture or a portion of the directed flame adjacent the peripheral wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Applicant: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Domenico Chiera, Charles Brennecke, Samuel James McCreery, Jeffrey Carlson, Suraj Nair, Gregory James Hampson
  • Patent number: 10934965
    Abstract: A method of controlling combustion in an internal combustion engine includes measuring parameters of combustion in a cylinder of the engine during a combustion phase of the cylinder, after igniting an air/fuel charge in the cylinder, and calculating the heat release of combustion in the cylinder based on the measured parameters. An auto-ignition event of the air/fuel charge is identified based on the calculated heat release, and, based at least in part on the identified auto-ignition event, at least one of ignition timing in the cylinder for the next combustion phase of the cylinder or an amount of exhaust gas supplied to the cylinder for the next combustion phase of the cylinder is controlled to cause an auto-ignition event of the air/fuel charge in the next combustion phase to shift toward a specified crank angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory James Hampson, Samuel James McCreery, Jeffrey Carlson, Suraj Nair, Domenico Chiera
  • Patent number: 10935449
    Abstract: A method of detecting uncontrolled combustion in an internal combustion engine includes sampling in-cylinder pressure sensor configured to measure pressure in a cylinder of the engine and generate a pressure signal, calculating a combustion intensity metric based on the pressure signal, determining a parameter describing how close the engine is to an uncontrolled combustion condition based on the combustion intensity metric, and controlling a substitution rate of a first fuel and a second fuel based on one or more of the parameter and the combustion intensity metric.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Barta, Gregory James Hampson, Suraj Nair, Jeffrey Carlson