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).
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Patent number: 12071906Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 26, 2022Date of Patent: August 27, 2024Assignee: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Domenico Chiera, Gregory James Hampson
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Publication number: 20240222666Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2024Publication date: July 4, 2024Inventors: Yi Han, Nolan Polley, Domenico Chiera, Gregory James Hampson
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Publication number: 20240186547Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2023Publication date: June 6, 2024Inventors: Yi Han, Gregory James Hampson
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Patent number: 11965455Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 15, 2022Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Domenico Chiera, Charles Brennecke, Samuel James McCreery, Jeffrey Carlson, Suraj Nair, Gregory James Hampson
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Patent number: 11955672Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 19, 2022Date of Patent: April 9, 2024Assignee: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Yi Han, Nolan Polley, Domenico Chiera, Gregory James Hampson
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Patent number: 11686278Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 27, 2021Date of Patent: June 27, 2023Assignee: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Domenico Chiera, Gregory James Hampson, Rohit Deepak Vaidya
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Patent number: 11674494Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 24, 2015Date of Patent: June 13, 2023Assignee: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Gregory James Hampson, Domenico Chiera
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Publication number: 20230118048Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2022Publication date: April 20, 2023Inventors: Yi Han, Nolan Polley, Domenico Chiera, Gregory James Hampson
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Publication number: 20230101071Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2022Publication date: March 30, 2023Inventors: Domenico Chiera, Gregory James Hampson
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Publication number: 20220389858Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: August 15, 2022Publication date: December 8, 2022Inventors: Domenico Chiera, Charles Brennecke, Samuel James McCreery, Jeffrey Carlson, Suraj Nair, Gregory James Hampson
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Patent number: 11415041Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 16, 2019Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Assignee: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Domenico Chiera, Charles Brennecke, Samuel James McCreery, Jeffrey Carlson, Suraj Nair, Gregory James Hampson
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Publication number: 20220136465Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2021Publication date: May 5, 2022Inventors: Domenico Chiera, Gregory James Hampson, Rohit Deepak Vaidya
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Patent number: 11174809Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: December 15, 2020Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Yi Han, David O. Richards, Jason Barta, Michael Ryan Buehner, Gregory James Hampson
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Patent number: 11125180Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 1, 2021Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Gregory James Hampson, Samuel James McCreery, Jeffrey Carlson, Suraj Nair, Domenico Chiera
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Patent number: 11092091Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 19, 2018Date of Patent: August 17, 2021Assignee: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Timothy J. Farrow, Michael Ryan Buehner, Gregory James Hampson, John Karspeck
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Publication number: 20210180537Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2021Publication date: June 17, 2021Applicant: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Gregory James Hampson, Samuel James McCreery, Jeffrey Carlson, Suraj Nair, Domenico Chiera
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Patent number: 10995705Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: February 7, 2019Date of Patent: May 4, 2021Assignee: 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
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Publication number: 20210079835Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 16, 2019Publication date: March 18, 2021Applicant: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Domenico Chiera, Charles Brennecke, Samuel James McCreery, Jeffrey Carlson, Suraj Nair, Gregory James Hampson
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Patent number: 10934965Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 5, 2019Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Gregory James Hampson, Samuel James McCreery, Jeffrey Carlson, Suraj Nair, Domenico Chiera
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Patent number: 10935449Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 4, 2018Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: Woodward, Inc.Inventors: Jason Barta, Gregory James Hampson, Suraj Nair, Jeffrey Carlson