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).
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Patent number: 12286907Abstract: A turbine engine assembly includes a core engine that generates an exhaust gas flow, a condenser where water is extracted from the exhaust gas flow, an evaporator where heat is input into the water that is extracted by the condenser into a first steam flow, a steam turbine where the first steam flow is expanded and cooled, and a superheater where additional heat is input into the first steam flow that is exhausted from the steam turbine to generate a second steam flow. The second steam flow is injected into a core flow path of the core engine.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2024Date of Patent: April 29, 2025Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach
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Publication number: 20250101917Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a core engine that includes a core flow path where air is compressed in a compressor section, communicated to a combustor section, mixed with a gaseous fuel and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow that is expanded through a turbine section. A fuel system supplies a fuel to the combustor through a fuel flow path, a first heat exchanger thermally communicates a first heat load into a cooling flow, a turboexpander where a heated cooling flow from the first heat exchanger is expanded to generate shaft power and cooled to provide a cooled cooling flow, and a second heat exchanger thermally communicates a second heat load to the cooled cooling flow that is communicated from the turboexpander, cooling flow from the second heat exchanger is communicated to the combustor section.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2024Publication date: March 27, 2025Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach
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Publication number: 20250051028Abstract: A powertrain system of an aircraft includes one or more electrical components to provide electrical power to one or more electrical loads of the aircraft. The system further includes a rechargeable cryogenic heat sink containing a volume of cryogenic cooling material. The cryogenic heat sink is configured to cool the one or more electrical components. A method of operating a powertrain system of an aircraft includes generating thermal energy at one or more electrical components of the powertrain system, fluidly connecting a cryogenic heat sink to the one or more electrical components, and cooling the one or more electrical components via a volume of cryogenic cooling material of the cryogenic heat sink.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2024Publication date: February 13, 2025Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Charles E. Lents, Zubair A. Baig, Haralambos Cordatos, Joseph B. Staubach, Malcolm P. MacDonald
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Patent number: 12215608Abstract: A powerplant is provided that includes an engine and a water recovery system. The engine includes an engine combustor, an engine turbine, a flowpath and a fluid delivery system. The flowpath extends out of the engine combustor and through the engine turbine. The fluid delivery system includes a hydrogen reservoir and an oxygen reservoir. The hydrogen reservoir is configured to store fluid hydrogen as liquid hydrogen. The oxygen reservoir is configured to store fluid oxygen as liquid oxygen. The fluid delivery system is configured to provide the fluid hydrogen and the fluid oxygen for combustion within the engine combustor to produce combustion products within the flowpath. The water recovery system is configured to extract water from the combustion products. The water recovery system is configured to provide the water to a component of the powerplant.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 2023Date of Patent: February 4, 2025Assignee: RTX CorporationInventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Walter A. Ledwith, Jr., Joseph B. Staubach, David L. Ma
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Publication number: 20250027443Abstract: A turbine engine assembly an inter-turbine burner that is disposed between at least two of a plurality of turbine stages where an additional amount of fuel is mixed with an exhaust gas flow to generate a reheated gas flow. A condenser extracts water from the reheated gas flow and an evaporator system generates a steam flow from at least a portion of water that is extracted by the condenser for injection into the core airflow.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 3, 2024Publication date: January 23, 2025Inventors: Joseph B. Staubach, Joseph E. Turney, Neil J. Terwilliger
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Patent number: 12195191Abstract: A propulsor includes a propulsor body and a prop assembly in rotational communication with the propulsor body. The prop assembly includes a plurality of prop blades configured for rotation about an axial centerline of the propulsor. The plurality of prop blades are rotatable between a deployed position and a stowed position. The propulsor further includes at least one linkage having a first linkage end and a second linkage end. The first linkage end of the at least one linkage is rotatably mounted to the propulsor body and the second linkage end is configured to be rotatably mounted to an aircraft body. The propulsor further includes a first motor coupled to the at least one linkage and configured to rotate the at least one linkage relative to the propulsor body between a first rotational position and a second rotational position.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2021Date of Patent: January 14, 2025Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Jon E. Sobanski, Paul R. Hanrahan, Joseph B. Staubach, Jill Klinowski
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Patent number: 12180893Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a core engine that includes a core flow path where air is compressed in a compressor section, communicated to a combustor section, mixed with a gaseous fuel and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow that is expanded through a turbine section. A fuel system supplies a fuel to the combustor through a fuel flow path, a first heat exchanger thermally communicates a first heat load into a cooling flow, a turboexpander where a heated cooling flow from the first heat exchanger is expanded to generate shaft power and cooled to provide a cooled cooling flow, and a second heat exchanger thermally communicates a second heat load to the cooled cooling flow that is communicated from the turboexpander, cooling flow from the second heat exchanger is communicated to the combustor section.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2023Date of Patent: December 31, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach
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Publication number: 20240426242Abstract: A turbine engine assembly includes a compressor section where an inlet airflow is compressed, a cryogenic fuel system for generating flow of cryogenic fuel, an air separation system where an airflow is placed in thermal communication with a portion of the flow of cryogenic fuel for generating an enhanced oxygen flow. In a combustor section, the compressed inlet airflow and a portion of the enhanced oxygen flow is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow that is communicated through a core flow path to a turbine section where expansion of the exhaust gas flow is utilized to generate a mechanical power output. Water is extracted from the exhaust gas flow in condenser transformed into a steam flow for injection into the core flow path in an evaporator system.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2023Publication date: December 26, 2024Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach
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Publication number: 20240410320Abstract: 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 low pressure compressor and a high pressure compressor. A turbine section includes a high pressure turbine and a low pressure turbine. An overall pressure ratio is provided by the combination of a pressure ratio across the low pressure compressor and a pressure ratio across the high pressure compressor, and greater than 40. The pressure ratio across the high pressure compressor is between 7 and 15, and the pressure ratio across the low pressure compressor is between 4 and 8.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2024Publication date: December 12, 2024Inventors: Karl L. Hasel, Joseph B. Staubach, Brian D. Merry, Gabriel L. Suciu, Christopher M. Dye
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Patent number: 12162619Abstract: A powertrain system of an aircraft includes one or more electrical components to provide electrical power to one or more electrical loads of the aircraft. The system further includes a rechargeable cryogenic heat sink containing a volume of cryogenic cooling material. The cryogenic heat sink is configured to cool the one or more electrical components. A method of operating a powertrain system of an aircraft includes generating thermal energy at one or more electrical components of the powertrain system, fluidly connecting a cryogenic heat sink to the one or more electrical components, and cooling the one or more electrical components via a volume of cryogenic cooling material of the cryogenic heat sink.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2022Date of Patent: December 10, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Charles E. Lents, Zubair A. Baig, Haralambos Cordatos, Joseph B. Staubach, Malcolm P. MacDonald
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Patent number: 12152532Abstract: A turbine engine assembly includes a condenser assembly arranged along the core flow path to extract water from the exhaust gas flow, and an evaporator assembly where thermal energy from the exhaust gas flow is communicated to the water extracted by the condenser assembly to generate a steam flow for injection into the core flow path. The evaporator assembly splits steam generation and cooling functions to increase efficiencies of each function.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2023Date of Patent: November 26, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Joseph B. Staubach, Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph E. Turney
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Patent number: 12129774Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a gas generating core engine that generates an exhaust gas flow that is expanded through a turbine section. A power turbine engine is forward of the core engine and is coupled to drive a propulsor. A hydrogen fuel system supplies hydrogen fuel to the combustor through a fuel flow path. A condenser extracts water from the exhaust gas flow. A water separator is in communication with the condenser and directs the extracted water to a water storage tank. An evaporator receives a portion of the water that is extracted by the condenser and generates a steam flow. The steam flow is injected into the core flow path upstream of the turbine section.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2023Date of Patent: October 29, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventor: Joseph B. Staubach
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Patent number: 12129787Abstract: A turbine engine assembly an inter-turbine burner that is disposed between at least two of a plurality of turbine stages where an additional amount of fuel is mixed with an exhaust gas flow to generate a reheated gas flow. A condenser extracts water from the reheated gas flow and an evaporator system generates a steam flow from at least a portion of water that is extracted by the condenser for injection into the core airflow.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2023Date of Patent: October 29, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Joseph B. Staubach, Joseph E. Turney, Neil J. Terwilliger
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Patent number: 12103699Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 8, 2022Date of Patent: October 1, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Brian M. Holley, Joseph B. Staubach, Marc J. Muldoon, Charles E. Lents
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Patent number: 12098645Abstract: A turbine engine assembly includes a core engine generating a high energy gas flow that is expanded through a turbine section, a hydrogen fuel system supplying hydrogen fuel to a combustor through a fuel flow path, a condenser extracting water from the high energy gas flow, an evaporator inputting thermal energy into the water extracted by the condenser to generate a steam flow, and at least one superheater receiving the steam flow from the evaporator and input thermal energy for heating the steam flow. The steam flow from the at least one superheater is injected into the core flow path upstream of the turbine section.Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2023Date of Patent: September 24, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach
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Patent number: 12085025Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: November 7, 2023Date of Patent: September 10, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Karl L. Hasel, Joseph B. Staubach, Brian D. Merry, Gabriel L. Suciu, Christopher M. Dye
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Patent number: 12078104Abstract: A propulsion system includes a core engine generating a high energy gas flow, a condenser configured to extract water from the high energy gas flow and an evaporator transforming the extracted water into a steam flow. The steam flow is injected into a core flow path of the core engine increase mass flow.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2023Date of Patent: September 3, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach, Charles E. Lents
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Patent number: 12078084Abstract: A turbine engine assembly includes a core engine that generates an exhaust gas flow, a condenser where water is extracted from the exhaust gas flow, an evaporator where heat is input into the water that is extracted by the condenser into a first steam flow, a steam turbine where the first steam flow is expanded and cooled, and a superheater where additional heat is input into the first steam flow that is exhausted from the steam turbine to generate a second steam flow. The second steam flow is injected into a core flow path of the core engine.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2023Date of Patent: September 3, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach
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Publication number: 20240287931Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 6, 2024Publication date: August 29, 2024Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach
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Patent number: 12071257Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 8, 2022Date of Patent: August 27, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach