Patents by Inventor John Carver Maters

John Carver Maters 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: 10443509
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a system including an actuation system of a gas turbine system including an actuator, a positioner including one or more sensors, a motor, and a controller communicably coupled to the positioner and the motor. The actuator is coupled to one or more inlet guide vanes (IGVs) or variable stator vanes (VSVs) and configured to move the IGVs or VSVs, the positioner is configured to position the actuator so that the actuator moves the IGVs or VSVs to a desired angle, the motor is configured to drive the actuator, and the controller is configured to establish one or more baselines for one or more types of data obtained by the sensors at initialization of the gas turbine system, derive a deviation from the baselines, and perform a preventative action if a deviation that meets or exceeds a threshold is derived.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Cyron Frank Kay, John Carver Maters
  • Patent number: 10125779
    Abstract: Systems and methods include an actuation system of turbomachinery includes a first actuator configured to control pitch of vanes of the turbomachinery and a first positioner configured to position the first actuator to control the pitch of the vanes. The actuation system also includes a second actuator configured to control the pitch of the vanes of the turbomachinery and a second positioner configured to position the second actuator to control the pitch. The actuation system also includes a controller system communicably coupled to the first and second positioners where the controller system is configured to drive the first positioner in an operation mode based at least in part on a set point. The controller system is also configured to set the second positioner in a diagnostic mode and obtain data from the first positioner and the second positioner where the data indicates operating conditions of the turbomachinery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Seth Harmon Chapman, John Carver Maters, David Terry Trayhan
  • Publication number: 20180156226
    Abstract: Systems and methods include an actuation system of turbomachinery includes a first actuator configured to control pitch of vanes of the turbomachinery and a first positioner configured to position the first actuator to control the pitch of the vanes. The actuation system also includes a second actuator configured to control the pitch of the vanes of the turbomachinery and a second positioner configured to position the second actuator to control the pitch. The actuation system also includes a controller system communicably coupled to the first and second positioners where the controller system is configured to drive the first positioner in an operation mode based at least in part on a set point. The controller system is also configured to set the second positioner in a diagnostic mode and obtain data from the first positioner and the second positioner where the data indicates operating conditions of the turbomachinery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Inventors: Seth Harmon Chapman, John Carver Maters, David Terry Trayhan
  • Publication number: 20180023485
    Abstract: A gas turbine system includes a compressor. The compressor has a plurality of inlet guide vanes disposed at an inlet of the compressor. Furthermore, the compressor may have at least one unison ring coupled to a plurality of variable stator vanes disposed between the inlet and an outlet of the compressor. The gas turbine system includes a first actuator that may adjust a first pitch of the plurality of inlet guide vanes and a second actuator that may adjust a second pitch of the plurality of variable stator vanes. A first electric motor may drive the first actuator, while a second electric motor may drive the second actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Cyron Frank Kay, John Carver Maters
  • Patent number: 9777641
    Abstract: A gas turbine system includes a compressor. The compressor has a plurality of inlet guide vanes disposed at an inlet of the compressor. Furthermore, the compressor may have at least one unison ring coupled to a plurality of variable stator vanes disposed between the inlet and an outlet of the compressor. The gas turbine system includes a first actuator that may adjust a first pitch of the plurality of inlet guide vanes and a second actuator that may adjust a second pitch of the plurality of variable stator vanes. A first electric motor may drive the first actuator, while a second electric motor may drive the second actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Cyron Frank Kay, John Carver Maters
  • Publication number: 20160123238
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a system including an actuation system of a gas turbine system including an actuator, a positioner including one or more sensors, a motor, and a controller communicably coupled to the positioner and the motor. The actuator is coupled to one or more inlet guide vanes (IGVs) or variable stator vanes (VSVs) and configured to move the IGVs or VSVs, the positioner is configured to position the actuator so that the actuator moves the IGVs or VSVs to a desired angle, the motor is configured to drive the actuator, and the controller is configured to establish one or more baselines for one or more types of data obtained by the sensors at initialization of the gas turbine system, derive a deviation from the baselines, and perform a preventative action if a deviation that meets or exceeds a threshold is derived.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Publication date: May 5, 2016
    Inventors: Cyron Frank Kay, John Carver Maters
  • Patent number: 9157406
    Abstract: A method for initializing a generator may include sending a field reference voltage to an exciter that may provide a direct current (DC) current and a DC voltage to a rotor of a generator based on a current set point that corresponds to the field reference voltage. The method may then include receiving a voltage feedback signal output by the generator, determining one or more locations of one or more poles of the generator based on the voltage feedback signal, and sending one or more firing signals to one or more switches of a starter after determining the locations of the poles, such that the switches couple the voltage to a stator of the generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sreedhar Desabhatla, William Robert Pearson, John Andrew Leonard, John Carver Maters, Shashidhar Nibhanupudi, Sudeep Pathak
  • Publication number: 20150219055
    Abstract: A method for initializing a generator may include sending a field reference voltage to an exciter that may provide a direct current (DC) current and a DC voltage to a rotor of a generator based on a current set point that corresponds to the field reference voltage. The method may then include receiving a voltage feedback signal output by the generator, determining one or more locations of one or more poles of the generator based on the voltage feedback signal, and sending one or more firing signals to one or more switches of a starter after determining the locations of the poles, such that the switches couple the voltage to a stator of the generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Sreedhar Desabhatla, William Robert Pearson, John Andrew Leonard, John Carver Maters, Shashidhar Nibhanupudi, Sudeep Pathak
  • Publication number: 20140169948
    Abstract: A gas turbine system includes a compressor. The compressor has a plurality of inlet guide vanes disposed at an inlet of the compressor. Furthermore, the compressor may have at least one unison ring coupled to a plurality of variable stator vanes disposed between the inlet and an outlet of the compressor. The gas turbine system includes a first actuator that may adjust a first pitch of the plurality of inlet guide vanes and a second actuator that may adjust a second pitch of the plurality of variable stator vanes. A first electric motor may drive the first actuator, while a second electric motor may drive the second actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2012
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Cyron Frank Kay, John Carver Maters
  • Patent number: 7620461
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention can provide systems and methods for using a combustion dynamics tuning algorithm with a multi-can combustor. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for controlling a gas turbine engine with an engine model can be implemented for an engine comprising multiple cans. The method can include obtaining operating frequency information associated with multiple cans of the engine. In addition, the method can include determining variation between operating frequency information of at least two cans. Furthermore, the method can include determining a median value based at least in part on the variation. Moreover, the method can include inputting the median value to an engine model, wherein based at least in part on the median value, the engine model determines an engine control action. In addition, the method can include outputting a control command to implement the engine control action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Garth Frederick, II, Thomas Raymond Farrell, Timothy Andrew Healy, John Carver Maters, Jonathan Carl Thatcher
  • Publication number: 20090005951
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention can provide systems and methods for using a combustion dynamics tuning algorithm with a multi-can combustor. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for controlling a gas turbine engine with an engine model can be implemented for an engine comprising multiple cans. The method can include obtaining operating frequency information associated with multiple cans of the engine. In addition, the method can include determining variation between operating frequency information of at least two cans. Furthermore, the method can include determining a median value based at least in part on the variation. Moreover, the method can include inputting the median value to an engine model, wherein based at least in part on the median value, the engine model determines an engine control action. In addition, the method can include outputting a control command to implement the engine control action.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Garth Frederick, Thomas Raymond Farrell, Timothy Andrew Healy, John Carver Maters, Jonathan Carl Thatcher