Patents by Inventor James A. Yarbrough

James A. Yarbrough 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: 11982207
    Abstract: A method for repairing a tip portion of a turbine component having a structural defect is provided. The method includes removing a damaged section in turbine component with a structural defect in a tip portion of the turbine component. A pre-sintered preform is provided including a first portion having a first composition and a second portion having a second composition. The pre-sintered preform is configured to mate with an upper surface of a remaining portion of the turbine component. The method also includes applying the pre-sintered preform to the upper surface, wherein the PSP comprises a superalloy material and a braze material. The PSP and the remaining portion of the turbine component are subjected to a brazing process to melt the braze material and fill in the structural defect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2024
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Atul L. Navale, James A. Yarbrough, Somesh J. Ghunakikar, Ivan F. Oliver Vargas
  • Patent number: 11726831
    Abstract: A system and method for calculating worst case execution times for actions in a process that is partitioned into a number of sub-processes that perform certain ones of the actions and operate on their own partition schedule independent of the other partitions. The method includes providing a unified modeling language (UML) activity diagram including the actions in the process, identifying each action in the diagram, determining each possible processing path for the actions in the process, assigning each action in each path to one of the sub-processes in the partitions, determining the time that each action will take through each path based on the partition schedule, and integrating the times for performing the actions in each of the paths. The method reports a longest time for performing the process along each path based on the integration of the times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael C. Ikegami, James A. Yarbrough
  • Publication number: 20220171660
    Abstract: A system and method for calculating worst case execution times for actions in a process that is partitioned into a number of sub-processes that perform certain ones of the actions and operate on their own partition schedule independent of the other partitions. The method includes providing a unified modeling language (UML) activity diagram including the actions in the process, identifying each action in the diagram, determining each possible processing path for the actions in the process, assigning each action in each path to one of the sub-processes in the partitions, determining the time that each action will take through each path based on the partition schedule, and integrating the times for performing the actions in each of the paths. The method reports a longest time for performing the process along each path based on the integration of the times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2020
    Publication date: June 2, 2022
    Inventors: Michael C. Ikegami, James A. Yarbrough
  • Publication number: 20220145765
    Abstract: A method for repairing a tip portion of a turbine component having a structural defect is provided. The method includes removing a damaged section in turbine component with a structural defect in a tip portion of the turbine component. A pre-sintered preform is provided including a first portion having a first composition and a second portion having a second composition. The pre-sintered preform is configured to mate with an upper surface of a remaining portion of the turbine component. The method also includes applying the pre-sintered preform to the upper surface, wherein the PSP comprises a superalloy material and a braze material. The PSP and the remaining portion of the turbine component are subjected to a brazing process to melt the braze material and fill in the structural defect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Inventors: Atul L. Navale, James A. Yarbrough, Somesh J. Ghunakikar, Ivan F. Oliver Vargas
  • Patent number: 10760422
    Abstract: A pre-sintered preform (114) and a repair process (100) utilizing the pre-sintered preform (114) are disclosed, each of which result in a brazement (116) comprising a replacement protective coating (118) deposited on a component surface (110). The protective coating (118) exhibits excellent temperature and oxidation resistance, improved adhesion to superalloy surfaces, and reduced depletion over a service life of the associated component (102).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Somesh J. Ghunakikar, James A. Yarbrough, Mark A. Garcia
  • Publication number: 20200049012
    Abstract: A pre-sintered preform (114) and a repair process (100) utilizing the pre-sintered preform (114) are disclosed, each of which result in a brazement (116) comprising a replacement protective coating (118) deposited on a component surface (110). The protective coating (118) exhibits excellent temperature and oxidation resistance, improved adhesion to superalloy surfaces, and reduced depletion over a service life of the associated component (102).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Inventors: Somesh J. Ghunakikar, James A. Yarbrough, Mark A. Garcia
  • Patent number: 10392938
    Abstract: A pre-sintered preform (114) and a repair process (100) utilizing the pre-sintered preform (114) are disclosed, each of which result in a brazement (116) comprising a replacement protective coating (118) deposited on a component surface (110). The protective coating (118) exhibits excellent temperature and oxidation resistance, improved adhesion to superalloy surfaces, and reduced depletion over a service life of the associated component (102).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Somesh J. Ghunakikar, James A. Yarbrough, Mark A. Garcia
  • Patent number: 9863249
    Abstract: A process is provided for repairing a damaged portion of a gas turbine blade comprising: providing a preform comprising a low-melt alloy material and a base alloy material; locating the preform on the gas turbine engine blade damaged portion; and heat treating the preform and the blade such that the preform is brazed to the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Brandon W. Shinn, Atul L. Navale, James A. Yarbrough
  • Publication number: 20170157721
    Abstract: A multi-component braze filler alloy comprising 60-70% by weight CM247 superalloy and BRB braze alloy is diffusion brazed to a CM247 alloy base substrate, such as a gas turbine blade or vane. The substrate/braze interface may be subsequently weld-repaired without de-melting and migrating the braze alloy from the interface. The weld zone and surrounding area are solidification crack resistant. After the alloy composition is brazed to the base substrate the component may be returned to service. Thereafter the component remains repairable by welding or re-brazing, if needed to correct future in-service defects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Petya M. Georgieva Fernlund, James A. Yarbrough
  • Patent number: 9664049
    Abstract: A multi-component braze filler alloy comprising at least 70% by weight MarM509A superalloy with the remainder MarM509B superalloy is diffusion brazed to a CM247 alloy base substrate, such as a gas turbine blade or vane. It is shown that generally higher braze temperatures lead to improved results including the possibility of re-welding such a brazed component, resulting in a re-repaired brazed component capable of continued commercial service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Petya M. Georgieva, James A. Yarbrough
  • Patent number: 9611741
    Abstract: A multi-component braze filler alloy comprising 60-70% by weight CM247 superalloy and BRB braze alloy is diffusion brazed to a CM247 alloy base substrate, such as a gas turbine blade or vane. The substrate/braze interface may be subsequently weld-repaired without de-melting and migrating the braze alloy from the interface. The weld zone and surrounding area are solidification crack resistant. After the alloy composition is brazed to the base substrate the component may be returned to service. Thereafter the component remains repairable by welding or re-brazing, if needed to correct future in-service defects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Petya M. Georgieva, James A. Yarbrough
  • Publication number: 20160199930
    Abstract: A method disclosed herein involves disposing (125) a pre-sintered preform (50) onto a machined component surface (44) to form a pre-braze assembly. The pre-braze assembly is then heated (130) in order the melt the preform at a temperature less than a liquidus temperature of the component surface to form a multi-layer component (52) having a protective surface (56). The preform may be formed by sintering a first powder including a protective alloy and a second powder including a composition of the protective alloy that is supplemented with an additional element such that a solidus temperature of the second powder is lower than a solidus temperature of the first powder. The method allows a service run gas turbine ring segment (30) to be repaired without chemical stripping or welding.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2015
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventor: James A. Yarbrough
  • Publication number: 20150125282
    Abstract: A multi-component braze filler alloy comprising 60-70% by weight CM247 superalloy and BRB braze alloy is diffusion brazed to a CM247 alloy base substrate, such as a gas turbine blade or vane. The substrate/braze interface may be subsequently weld-repaired without de-melting and migrating the braze alloy from the interface. The weld zone and surrounding area are solidification crack resistant. After the alloy composition is brazed to the base substrate the component may be returned to service. Thereafter the component remains repairable by welding or re-brazing, if needed to correct future in-service defects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Petya M. Georgieva, James A. Yarbrough
  • Publication number: 20150125281
    Abstract: A multi-component braze filler alloy comprising at least 70% by weight MarM509A superalloy with the remainder MarM509B superalloy is diffusion brazed to a CM247 alloy base substrate, such as a gas turbine blade or vane. It is shown that generally higher braze temperatures lead to improved results including the possibility of re-welding such a brazed component, resulting in a re-repaired brazed component capable of continued commercial service.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Petya M. Georgieva, James A. Yarbrough
  • Publication number: 20140154082
    Abstract: A process is provided for repairing a damaged portion of a gas turbine blade comprising: providing a preform comprising a low-melt alloy material and a base alloy material; locating the preform on the gas turbine engine blade damaged portion; and heat treating the preform and the blade such that the preform is brazed to the blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Inventors: Brandon W. Shinn, Atul L. Navale, James A. Yarbrough