Patents by Inventor John Kirk Foundoulis

John Kirk Foundoulis 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: 9650912
    Abstract: A system and device to prevent damage during over-speed condition in a turbo-machine. In one embodiment, the system includes a fluid circuit with a header, which couples to the turbo-machine, and a hydraulic circuit through which fluid evacuates the header to a drain during the over-speed condition. The hydraulic circuit includes a trip header manifold with a pilot element in flow connection with a drain valve element having an actuator to regulate flow of fluid from the header. For example, the pilot element uses a pair of solenoid valves to change pressure of a fluid in the drain valve element and maintains the actuator in a first position to prevent fluid evacuation during normal operating conditions. When over-speed condition is detected, the solenoid valves change state, reducing the pressure of the fluid, permitting the actuator to move to a second position placing the header in flow connection with the drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brent Allan Dietrich, Ricardo Stack, John Kirk Foundoulis, Steven Jackson Foss
  • Publication number: 20160215650
    Abstract: A system and device to prevent damage during over-speed condition in a turbo-machine. In one embodiment, the system includes a fluid circuit with a header, which couples to the turbo-machine, and a hydraulic circuit through which fluid evacuates the header to a drain during the over-speed condition. The hydraulic circuit includes a trip header manifold with a pilot element in flow connection with a drain valve element having an actuator to regulate flow of fluid from the header. For example, the pilot element uses a pair of solenoid valves to change pressure of a fluid in the drain valve element and maintains the actuator in a first position to prevent fluid evacuation during normal operating conditions. When over-speed condition is detected, the solenoid valves change state, reducing the pressure of the fluid, permitting the actuator to move to a second position placing the header in flow connection with the drain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventors: Brent Allan Dietrich, Ricardo Stack, John Kirk Foundoulis, Steven Jackson Foss
  • Patent number: 9334752
    Abstract: This disclosure describes embodiments of a system and device to prevent damage that can occur during an over-speed condition in a turbo-machine. The embodiment includes a fluid circuit with a header, which couples to the turbo-machine, and a hydraulic circuit through which fluid can evacuate the header to a drain. The hydraulic circuit includes a trip header manifold with a pilot element in flow connection with a drain valve element that has an actuator to regulate the flow of fluid from the header. In one example, the pilot element uses solenoid valves to change the pressure of a fluid in the drain valve element and, in particular, maintains the actuator in a first position to prevent fluid to evacuate during normal operating conditions at the turbo-machine. When the over-speed condition occurs the actuator moves to a second position to place the header in flow connection with the drain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brent Allan Dietrich, Ricardo Stack, John Kirk Foundoulis, Steven Jackson Foss
  • Publication number: 20130233423
    Abstract: This disclosure describes embodiments of a system and device to prevent damage that can occur during an over-speed condition in a turbo-machine. The embodiment includes a fluid circuit with a header, which couples to the turbo-machine, and a hydraulic circuit through which fluid can evacuate the header to a drain. The hydraulic circuit includes a trip header manifold with a pilot element in flow connection with a drain valve element that has an actuator to regulate the flow of fluid from the header. In one example, the pilot element uses solenoid valves to change the pressure of a fluid in the drain valve element and, in particular, maintains the actuator in a first position to prevent fluid to evacuate during normal operating conditions at the turbo-machine. When the over-speed condition occurs the actuator moves to a second position to place the header in flow connection with the drain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Applicant: General Electronic Company
    Inventors: Brent Allan Dietrich, Ricardo Stack, John Kirk Foundoulis, Steven Jackson Foss