Patents by Inventor Jeffrey Donald Clements

Jeffrey Donald Clements 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: 20180209273
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a rotor thrust balanced turbine engine that may increase engine performance and efficiency while managing thrust mismatch or imbalance in a low pressure (LP) spool between a fan assembly and a turbine rotor assembly. The gas turbine engine defines a radial direction, a longitudinal direction, and a circumferential direction, an upstream end and a downstream end along the longitudinal direction, and an axial centerline extended along the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a turbine rotor assembly and a turbine frame. The turbine rotor assembly defines a first flowpath radius and a second flowpath radius each extended from the axial centerline. The first flowpath radius is disposed at the upstream end of the turbine rotor assembly, and wherein the second flowpath radius is disposed at the downstream end of the turbine rotor assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Jeffrey Donald Clements
  • Publication number: 20180209335
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method of operating a gas turbine engine with an interdigitated turbine section. The engine includes a fan rotor, an intermediate pressure compressor, a high pressure compressor, a combustion section, and a turbine section in serial flow arrangement. The turbine section includes, in serial flow arrangement, a first stage of a low speed turbine rotor, a high speed turbine rotor, a second stage of the low speed turbine rotor, an intermediate speed turbine rotor, and one or more additional stages of the low speed turbine rotor. The low speed turbine rotor is coupled to the fan rotor via a low pressure shaft. The intermediate speed turbine rotor is coupled to the intermediate pressure compressor via an intermediate pressure shaft. The high speed turbine rotor is coupled to the high pressure compressor via a high pressure shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Alan Roy Stuart, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Richard Schmidt, Thomas Ory Moniz
  • Publication number: 20180209336
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine defining a radial direction, a circumferential direction, an axial centerline along a longitudinal direction, and wherein the gas turbine engine defines an upstream end and a downstream end long the longitudinal direction. The gas turbine engine includes a turbine section including a low speed turbine rotor, a high speed turbine rotor, and an intermediate speed turbine rotor. The low speed turbine rotor includes an inner shroud and an outer shroud outward of the inner shroud in the radial direction. The outer shroud defines a plurality of outer shroud airfoils extended inward of the outer shroud along the radial direction. The low speed turbine rotor further includes at least one connecting airfoil coupling the inner shroud to the outer shroud. The high speed turbine rotor is disposed upstream of the one or more connecting airfoils of the low speed turbine rotor along the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: Alan Roy Stuart, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Richard Schmidt, Thomas Ory Moniz
  • Publication number: 20180171816
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan section having a fan rotatable with a fan shaft and a turbomachinery section having a turbine and a turbomachine shaft rotatable with the turbine. A power gearbox is also provided mechanically coupled to both the fan shaft and the turbomachine shaft such that the fan shaft is rotatable by the turbomachine shaft across the power gearbox. A torque monitoring system includes a gearbox sensor operable with a gear of the power gearbox and a shaft sensor operable with at least one of the turbomachine shaft or the fan shaft. The torque monitoring system determines an angular position of the gear of the gearbox relative to at least one of the fan shaft or the turbomachine shaft using the gearbox sensor and the shaft sensor to determine a torque within the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Joseph George Rose, Robert Harold Weisgerber, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • Publication number: 20180156124
    Abstract: A frame apparatus for a turbine engine includes: a turbomachinery stage discharging into a downstream flowpath, the stage including a rotor carrying an array of axial-flow rotor airfoils; and a frame disposed downstream of the turbomachinery stage, the frame including: a support structure comprising at least one of a hub and an annular casing; an annular array of stationary struts carried by the support structure, each strut having an airfoil shape with spaced-apart pressure and suction sides extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge thereof, the stationary struts defining spaces therebetween; and the stationary struts defining spaces therebetween; and a plurality of splitters carried by the support structure, the splitters positioned in the spaces between the stationary struts, wherein at least one of a chord dimension of the splitters and a span dimension of the splitters is less than the corresponding dimension of the stationary struts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2016
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Jeffrey Donald Clements, Ganesh Seshadri, Mahendran Manoharan, Ravikanth Avancha, Aspi Rustom Wadia
  • Publication number: 20180149093
    Abstract: A turbine engine including a core engine cowl including a compartment, a cooling airflow source positioned within the compartment, and a full authority digital engine control (FADEC) system coupled in communication with the cooling airflow source. The FADEC system is configured to determine a flight status of the turbine engine, and actuate the cooling airflow source when the turbine engine is not in flight, and before the turbine engine has been shut down, such that heat is exhausted from the compartment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Jeff Glover, Joseph Rose, Jeffrey Donald Clements
  • Publication number: 20180149086
    Abstract: A turbine engine including a core engine cowl including a compartment, and a cooling system positioned within the compartment. The cooling system includes a cooling fan configured to exhaust heat from the compartment, a temperature sensor configured to monitor a temperature within the compartment, and a controller coupled in communication with the cooling fan and the temperature sensor. The controller is configured to actuate the cooling fan when the temperature is greater than a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Jeff Glover, Joseph Rose, Jeffrey Donald Clements
  • Publication number: 20180128206
    Abstract: A turbofan engine is provided having a fan and a nacelle assembly enclosing the fan. The nacelle assembly includes a thrust reverser system having one or more cascade segments configured to translate at least partially along an axial direction of the turbofan engine. The turbofan engine further includes a core operable with the fan and at least partially enclosed by the nacelle. The core includes a turbine section having a low pressure turbine defining an exit diameter. A ratio of the exit diameter of the low pressure turbine to a fan diameter of the fan is less than 0.5, providing for a more compact turbofan engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2016
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Inventors: Richard David Cedar, David Baker Riddle, Alan Roy Stuart, Jeffrey Donald Clements
  • Publication number: 20180106274
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan section having a single-stage fan, a core turbine engine, and a nacelle at least partially surrounding the fan of the fan section and the core turbine engine. The gas turbine engine also includes an outlet guide vane extending between a casing of the core turbine engine and the nacelle. The gas turbine engine is configured to define an acoustic ratio greater than or equal to 2.3, with the acoustic ratio being a ratio of an axial spacing between the trailing edge of the fan blade and the leading edge of the outlet guide vane at a radial location seventy-five percent (75%) along the span of the fan blade to the axial width of the fan blade also at the radial location seventy-five percent (75%) along the span of the fan blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2016
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Daniel Robert Dwyer, Mark John Laricchiuta, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • Publication number: 20180100435
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a low pressure compressor and a low pressure turbine, with a low pressure shaft coupled to the low pressure turbine through a turbine extension and coupled to the low pressure compressor through a compressor extension. A forward bearing assembly supports the low pressure shaft within a compressor section and at a location aft of the compressor extension and an aft LP bearing assembly supports the low pressure shaft within a turbine section at a location aft of the turbine extension.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Joseph George Rose, Jeffrey Donald Clements
  • Publication number: 20180100441
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a first compressor, a casing surrounding the first compressor, and a liner extending forward from the first compressor. The gas turbine engine also includes a core turbine frame assembly extending between the liner and the casing and a bleed air assembly. The bleed air assembly includes a bleed valve positioned in the liner, and a duct in airflow communication with the bleed valve and defining in outlet. The duct is positioned within the core turbine frame assembly and extends to the casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Joseph George Rose, Patrick Sean Sage, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Jeffrey Glover
  • Publication number: 20180100440
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a casing surrounding a first compressor, as well as a liner extending forward from the first compressor. Additionally, the gas turbine engine includes a bleed air assembly having a plurality of bleed valves positioned in the liner and spaced along a circumferential direction of the gas turbine engine. The bleed air assembly also includes a duct in airflow communication with the plurality of bleed valves and defining an outlet at the casing. The duct provides a flow bleed air from the plurality bleed valves to the outlet during operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2016
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Joseph George Rose, Patrick Sean Sage, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Jeffrey Glover
  • Publication number: 20180100410
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan section and a core turbine engine operable with the fan section. The gas turbine engine also includes a sump pressurization assembly including a valve, a first duct in airflow communication with the valve and a first pressurized air source, and a second duct in airflow communication with the valve and a second pressurized air source. Further, the sump pressurization assembly includes a supply duct selectively in airflow communication with the first duct and the second duct through the valve. The supply duct is located at least partially inward of a core air flowpath of the core turbine engine for pressurizing a sump of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Publication date: April 12, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Daniel Robert Dwyer, Mark John Laricchiuta, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • Publication number: 20170342839
    Abstract: The low pressure turbine includes a rotor, an outer casing, a plurality of stages of rotor blades, and a plurality of stages of stator vanes. The rotor includes a longitudinal centerline. The outer casing circumscribes the rotor. The plurality of stages of rotor blades is disposed on a radially outer surface of the rotor in a serial flow arrangement. The plurality of stages of stator vanes is disposed on a radially inner surface of the outer casing in a serial flow arrangement. Each stage of the plurality of stages of stator vanes precedes a stage of rotor blades. The last stage of rotor blades of the plurality of stages of rotor blades includes a low swirl outlet rotor blade stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Thomas Ory Moniz, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Joseph George Rose
  • Patent number: 8727716
    Abstract: A turbine nozzle includes an array of turbine vanes between inner and outer bands. Each vane includes opposed pressure and suction sides extending between opposed leading and trailing edges. The vanes define a plurality of flow passages each of which is bounded between the inner band, the outer band, and adjacent first and second vanes. A surface of the inner band in each of the passages is contoured in a non-axisymmetric shape including a peak of relatively higher radial height adjoining the pressure side of the first vane adjacent its leading edge, and a trough of relatively lower radial height is disposed parallel to and spaced-away from the suction side of the second vane aft of its leading edge. The peak and trough define cooperatively define an arcuate channel extending axially along the inner band between the first and second vanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Donald Clements, Vidhu Skekhar Pandey, Ching-Pang Lee
  • Patent number: 8684684
    Abstract: A turbine apparatus includes: A first nozzle comprising an array of first vanes each including a concave pressure side, a convex suction side, and leading and trailing edges; A rotor downstream from the first nozzle comprising a plurality of blades carried by a rotatable disk; and a second nozzle disposed downstream from the rotor comprising an array of second vanes each including a concave pressure side, a convex suction side, and leading and trailing edges; wherein the first and second vanes of the first and second nozzles are circumferentially clocked relative to each other such that, in a predetermined operating condition, wakes discharged from the first vanes are aligned in a circumferential direction with the leading edges of the second vanes, wherein a stacking axis of the first vanes is nonlinear. An inner band of the first nozzle is contoured in a non-axisymmetric shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Donald Clements, Vidhu Shekhar Pandey, Ching-Pang Lee
  • Patent number: 8647067
    Abstract: A turbine blade includes an airfoil and integral platform at the root thereof. The platform is contoured in elevation from a bank adjacent the pressure side of the airfoil to a trough commencing behind the airfoil leading edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric company
    Inventors: Vidhu Shekhar Pandey, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Ching-Pang Lee
  • Patent number: 8459956
    Abstract: A turbine blade includes an airfoil and integral platform at the root thereof. The platform is contoured in elevation from a ridge to a trough, and is curved axially to complement the next adjacent curved platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Vidhu Shekhar Pandey, Ching-Pang Lee, Jan Christopher Schilling, Aspi Rustom Wadia, Brian David Keith, Jeffrey Donald Clements
  • Publication number: 20120051930
    Abstract: A turbine blade includes an airfoil having a root, a tip, a concave pressure side, and a laterally opposite convex suction side, the pressure and suction sides extending in chord between opposite leading and trailing edges; an outer platform disposed at the tip of the airfoil, the outer platform having spaced-apart lateral edges which each define an interlocking element; an inner platform with two spaced-apart curved lateral edges disposed at the root of the airfoil, the inner platform having a hot side facing the airfoil which is contoured in a non-axisymmetric shape; and a dovetail extending radially inward from the opposite side of the inner platform, wherein the dovetail is axially straight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Vidhu Shekhar Pandey, Ching-Pang Lee, Aspi Rustom Wadia, Jeffrey Donald Clements
  • Publication number: 20120051894
    Abstract: A turbine apparatus includes: A first nozzle comprising an array of first vanes each including a concave pressure side, a convex suction side, and leading and trailing edges; A rotor downstream from the first nozzle comprising a plurality of blades carried by a rotatable disk; and a second nozzle disposed downstream from the rotor comprising an array of second vanes each including a concave pressure side, a convex suction side, and leading and trailing edges; wherein the first and second vanes of the first and second nozzles are circumferentially clocked relative to each other such that, in a predetermined operating condition, wakes discharged from the first vanes are aligned in a circumferential direction with the leading edges of the second vanes, wherein a stacking axis of the first vanes is nonlinear. An inner band of the first nozzle is contoured in a non-axisymmetric shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jeffrey Donald Clements, Vidhu Shekhar Pandey, Ching-Pang Lee