Patents by Inventor Irene L. Nava

Irene L. Nava 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: 7165946
    Abstract: In order to minimize a clearance between a turbine and its housing, and thus, improve the efficiency of a turbine engine, an abradable coating can be applied to an inner surface of the turbine housing. However, there are no known abradable coatings that can be applied to a housing that is subjected to temperatures between 950–1500° F. for extended periods of time. The apparatus of the present disclosure includes a housing including a 950–1500° F. section in which at least one rotating blade row is positioned. The rotating blades and the 950–1500° F. section each includes a surface being comprised of a relatively non-abradable material. The surface of the housing comprised of the relatively non-abradable material is covered by a 950–1500° F. relatively abradable coating that includes a metallic matrix and at least one of a thermoplastic and dry lubricant. The metallic matrix is 55–85% of the coating by volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Solar Turbine Incorporated
    Inventors: Irene L. Nava, Michael A. Coe