Patents by Inventor Joseph B. Staubach

Joseph B. Staubach 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: 20240151179
    Abstract: An aircraft power system includes an internal combustion core engine where an inlet airflow is mixed with a fuel and ignited to generate shaft power and a primary gas flow, a boost combustor where a portion of the primary gas flow from the core engine is combined with fuel and ignited to generate a boosted gas flow, and a drive turbine that includes a drive output shaft wherein the boosted gas flow is expanded to generate shaft power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2022
    Publication date: May 9, 2024
    Inventors: Steven W. Burd, Joseph B. Staubach, David Lei Ma
  • Publication number: 20240141831
    Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a core engine generating an exhaust gas flow that is expanded through a turbine section, a hydrogen fuel system suppling hydrogen fuel to the combustor through a fuel flow path, a condenser extracting water from the exhaust gas flow, an evaporator receiving a portion of the water extracted by the condenser and generating a steam flow. The steam flow is injected into a core flow path upstream of the turbine section and a cooled cooling air system uses water extracted from the exhaust gas flow for cooling a cooling airflow communicated to the turbine section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Joseph B. Staubach, Jon Erik Sobanski
  • Publication number: 20240141837
    Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a gas generating core engine generates an exhaust gas flow that is expanded through a turbine section, a power turbine driven by the exhaust gas flow, a propulsor coupled to the power turbine, a hydrogen fuel system configured to supply hydrogen fuel to the combustor through a fuel flow path, a condenser arranged along the core flow path and configured to extract water from the exhaust gas flow, and an evaporator arranged along the core flow path receiving a portion of the water extracted by the condenser to generate a steam flow that is injected into the core flow path upstream of the turbine section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Jesse M Chandler, Marc J. Muldoon, Jon E. Sobanski, Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach
  • Patent number: 11970974
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine and engine mount structure includes a core engine including a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section mounted within a core engine housing. The fan, the compressor section and the turbine section rotate about an axis of rotation. An outer nacelle surrounds the fan, and is spaced from the core engine housing to define a bypass duct. The fan delivers air into the bypass duct and into the core engine housing. The nacelle is formed with camber so as to be curved in a first plane away from the axis of rotation in a first lateral direction. An engine mount structure extends from the nacelle at an angle that is non-parallel and non-perpendicular to the first plane, and has a component in a lateral direction that is opposed to the first lateral direction. An aircraft is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Robert E. Malecki, Andrew Hahn, Marc J. Muldoon, Jesse M. Chandler, Joseph B. Staubach
  • Publication number: 20240102416
    Abstract: A turbine engine assembly includes a turbine section including at plurality of turbine stages through which the gas flow expands to generate a mechanical power output. An inter-turbine burner between at least two of the plurality of turbine stages reheats the gas flow. A condenser extracts water from the gas flow exhausted from the turbine section, and an evaporator heats the water extracted by the condenser to generate a steam flow with the steam flow communicated to the inter-turbine burner and added to the gas flow expanded through the turbine section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2022
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventors: David Lei Ma, Joseph B. Staubach
  • Patent number: 11939925
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a core having a compressor section with a first compressor and a second compressor, a turbine section with a first turbine and a second turbine, and a primary flowpath fluidly connecting the compressor section and the turbine section. The first compressor is connected to the first turbine via a first shaft, the second compressor is connected to the second turbine via a second shaft, and a motor is connected to the first shaft such that rotational energy generated by the motor is translated to the first shaft. The gas turbine engine includes a takeoff mode of operation, a top of climb mode of operation, and at least one additional mode of operation. The gas turbine engine is undersized relative to a thrust requirement in at least one of the takeoff mode of operation and the top of climb mode of operation, and a controller is configured to control the mode of operation of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Charles E. Lents, Joseph B. Staubach, Larry W. Hardin, Jonathan Rheaume
  • Patent number: 11939913
    Abstract: An engine system includes a turbine engine including a compressor section, a combustor section having a burner, a turbine section, and a nozzle in an open-loop configuration. The engine system also includes a bottom-cycle apparatus and an exhaust heat exchanger downstream of the turbine section of the turbine engine configured to reject heat from the turbine engine to the bottoming-cycle apparatus and create a cooled turbine exhaust in the turbine engine. The engine system further includes an exhaust compressor arranged downstream of the exhaust heat exchanger and upstream of the nozzle of the turbine engine configured to compress the cooled turbine exhaust stream and increase a pressure of the cooled turbine exhaust stream prior to exiting the nozzle of the turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach
  • Patent number: 11920872
    Abstract: A heat exchanger has arcuate inlet and outlet manifolds and a plurality of tube banks, each tube bank coupling one of the inlet manifold outlets to an associated one of the outlet manifold inlets. Each tube bank partially nests with one or more others of the tube banks and has: a first header coupled to the associated inlet manifold outlet and the associated the outlet manifold inlet; a second header; and a plurality of tube bundles each having a first end coupled to the associated first header and a second end coupled to the associated second header. A flowpath from the each inlet manifold outlet passes sequentially through flowpath legs formed by each of the tube bundles in the associated tube bank to exit the tube bank to the associated outlet manifold inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph B. Staubach, Amanda Jean Learned Boucher, Jesse M. Chandler
  • Patent number: 11920526
    Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a core engine that includes a core flow path where a core flow is compressed in a compressor section, communicated to a combustor section, mixed with a hydrogen-based fuel and ignited to generate a gas flow that is expanded through a turbine section. A fuel system is configured to supply a hydrogen based fuel to the combustor through a fuel flow path. A condenser is arranged along the core flow path and configured to extract water from the gas flow. An intercooling system receives a portion of water from the condenser for cooling a portion of the core flow at a first location within the compressor section. Heated water from the intercooling system is exhausted to a second location within the core flow path downstream of the first location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Nathan A. Snape, Joseph B. Staubach
  • Publication number: 20240068411
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes, among other things, a propulsor section including a propulsor, a core engine, a gear arrangement that drives the propulsor. A compressor section includes a first compressor section and a second compressor section. A turbine section includes a first turbine and a second turbine. An overall pressure ratio is provided by the combination of a pressure ratio across the first compressor section and a pressure ratio across the second compressor section, and greater than 40. The pressure ratio across the second compressor section is between 7 and 15, and the pressure ratio across the first compressor section is between 4 and 8.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Karl L. Hasel, Joseph B. Staubach, Brian D. Merry, Gabriel L. Suciu, Christopher M. Dye
  • Patent number: 11912423
    Abstract: Propulsion systems for aircraft include a fan and a low pressure turbine operably coupled to a first shaft, a low pressure compressor and an intermediate pressure turbine operably coupled to a second shaft, and a high pressure compressor and a high pressure turbine operably coupled to a third shaft. A burner is arranged between the high pressure compressor and the high pressure turbine, with a main flow path defined through the propulsion system. A hydrogen fuel system is configured to supply hydrogen fuel to the burner. A condenser is arranged along the main flow path and configured to extract water from exhaust from the burner. An evaporator is arranged along the main flow path and configured to receive a portion of the water to generate steam which is injected into the main flow path upstream from the evaporator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joseph B. Staubach, Amanda Jean Learned Boucher, David Lei Ma
  • Publication number: 20240060448
    Abstract: A heat exchanger for heat transfer between an external first flow along a first flowpath and a second flow along an internal second flowpath, has: a first manifold; a second manifold; and a plurality of tubes extending from the first manifold to the second manifold and having respective interiors bounding respective legs of the second flowpath. The plurality of tubes comprises a plurality groups of tubes. For each of the groups of the tubes: the tubes of the group have first ends mounted to the first manifold at respective first locations; and the tubes of the group have second ends mounted to the second manifold at respective second locations. From the first manifold to the second manifold, each tube has: a upstream concave first turn; an upstream convex second turn; and an upstream concave third turn; and the second locations are offset downstream along the first flowpath from the respective first locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2023
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Jon Erik SOBANSKI, Joseph B. STAUBACH
  • Publication number: 20240052792
    Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a core engine that includes a core flow path where a core flow is compressed in a compressor section, communicated to a combustor section, mixed with a hydrogen-based fuel and ignited to generate a gas flow that is expanded through a turbine section. A fuel system is configured to supply a hydrogen based fuel to the combustor through a fuel flow path. A condenser is arranged along the core flow path and configured to extract water from the gas flow. An intercooling system receives a portion of water from the condenser for cooling a portion of the core flow at a first location within the compressor section. Heated water from the intercooling system is exhausted to a second location within the core flow path downstream of the first location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2022
    Publication date: February 15, 2024
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Nathan A. Snape, Joseph B. Staubach
  • Patent number: 11892250
    Abstract: A heat exchanger for heat exchange between a first fluid and a second fluid has a plurality of tube sections, each comprising; an interior for passing the first fluid; an exterior for exposure to the second fluid; a first leg; a second leg; a turn joining the first leg to the second leg; and a first face and a second face. A support has at least one carbon member engaging the plurality of tube sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph B. Staubach, Marc J. Muldoon, James F. Wiedenhoefer
  • Patent number: 11885260
    Abstract: Turbine engine systems are described. The turbine engine systems include a combustor arranged along a core flow path of the turbine engine, a cryogenic fuel tank configured to supply a fuel to the combustor, a fuel supply line having a first flow supply line and a second flow supply line, the first flow supply line fluidly connecting the cryogenic fuel tank to the combustor through a first core flow path heat exchanger, and the second flow supply line fluidly connecting the cryogenic fuel tank to the combustor through a second core flow path heat exchanger, and a flow controller arranged along the fuel supply line and configured to respectively control a flow of fuel into the first flow supply line and the second flow supply line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Amanda J. L. Boucher, Joseph B. Staubach
  • Publication number: 20240026816
    Abstract: An energy supply system includes a source of gas which is at a pressure that is equal to or greater than an atmospheric pressure. The source of gas is configured to deliver the gas into a combustor where it is mixed with a fuel. The combustor is also connected to receive a source of steam. The combustor is operable to provide combustion. Products of the combustion downstream of the combustor are connected to be delivered across a turbine rotor. The turbine rotor is provided with a shaft. The turbine shaft drives a generator. An evaporator downstream of the turbine receives the products of the combustion. The evaporator is operable to heat a source of water. The source of water downstream of the evaporator is the source of steam delivered into the combustor. The gas includes greater than 80% oxygen and the fuel includes hydrogen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Publication date: January 25, 2024
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Walter A. Ledwith, JR., Joseph B. Staubach, David Lei Ma
  • Publication number: 20240010352
    Abstract: Aircraft propulsion systems have aircraft systems including at least one hydrogen tank and an aircraft-systems heat exchanger and engine systems includes at least a main engine core, a high pressure pump, a hydrogen-air heat exchanger, and a turbo expander. The main engine core includes a compressor section, a combustor section having a burner, and a turbine section arranged along an engine shaft. Hydrogen is supplied from the at least one hydrogen tank through a hydrogen flow path, passing through the aircraft-systems heat exchanger, the high pressure pump, the hydrogen-air heat exchanger, and the turbo expander, prior to being injected into the burner for combustion. The turbo expander is configured to impart power to the engine shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Brian M. Holley, Joseph B. Staubach, Marc J. Muldoon, Charles E. Lents
  • Publication number: 20240011436
    Abstract: Turbine engine systems include a core assembly having a compressor section, a burner section, and a turbine section arranged along a shaft, with a core flow path through the turbine engine such that exhaust from the burner section passes through the turbine section and exits through a nozzle. A core condenser is arranged downstream of the turbine section and upstream of the nozzle and configured to condense water from the core flow path. A fuel cell is operably connected to the core assembly. A fuel source is configured to supply a fuel to each of the burner section for combustion and the fuel cell for reaction to generate electricity. At least one electric motor is operably coupled to the core assembly and configured to impart power to a portion of the core assembly and the fuel cell is configured to supply electrical power to the at least one electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach
  • Publication number: 20240010351
    Abstract: Aircraft propulsion systems include aircraft systems having at least one hydrogen tank and an aircraft-systems heat exchanger and engine systems having at least a main engine core, a high pressure pump, a hydrogen-air heat exchanger, and a turbo expander. The main engine core includes a compressor section, a combustor section having a burner, and a turbine section. Hydrogen is supplied from the at least one hydrogen tank through a hydrogen flow path, passing through the aircraft-systems heat exchanger, the high pressure pump, the hydrogen-air heat exchanger, and the turbo expander, prior to being injected into the burner for combustion. The turbo expander includes a rotor separated into a first expander portion and a second expander portion arranged about an output shaft and the output shaft is operably connected to a generator configured to generate electrical power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Brian M. Holley, Joseph B. Staubach, Marc J. Muldoon, Charles E. Lents
  • Publication number: 20240010350
    Abstract: Aircraft engine systems include a core assembly having at least a burner section and a fuel cell configured to generate electrical power. A cryogenic fuel source is configured to supply a fuel through a fuel supply line to each of the burner section and the fuel cell for reaction to generate the electrical power. A system controller is configured to direct fuel to each of the combustor section and the fuel cell. The controller determines if an amount of fuel in the fuel supply line is in excess of that necessary for operation of the core assembly and, based on a determination that excess fuel is present, the controller is configured to direct at least a portion of the excess fuel from the fuel supply line to the fuel cell to generate the electrical power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2022
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach