Abstract: A system and method for assembling framing assemblies for use as ceiling or floor structures of modular building units using automation are disclosed. The framing assemblies include trusses that are attached at the lateral edges thereof by a joist including at least one layer of dimensional lumber to form a substantially rigid framework. Cover panels are positioned over and attached to an inner surface of the framing assembly.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are various systems, sub-system, and methods for the manufacture of a wall module for using in building a modular construction unit, e.g., for using in building residential homes, commercial offices, educational or service facilities, etc. using a substantially entirely automated modular construction technique. According to the disclosure herein, the resulting wall module includes an internal wall frame including wall studs attached between a top plate and a bottom plate, with, in some embodiment, one or more framing sub-assemblies attached therein to define openings through the wall module. The wall frame has suitable panel members the respective surfaces thereof corresponding to the interior and exterior surfaces of the modular construction unit. The wall frames, when completely assembled, can be transported to be assembled with other constituent components of the modular construction unit to complete the manufacture of the modular construction unit.

Abstract: A ducting arrangement (10) in a combustion stage downstream of a main combustion stage of a gas turbine engine is provided. A duct (18) is fluidly coupled to receive a cross-flow of combustion gases from the main combustion stage. Duct (18) includes a duct segment (23) with an expanding cross-sectional area (24) where one or more injector assemblies (26) are disposed. Injector assembly (26) includes one or more reactant-guiding structures (27) arranged to deliver a flow of reactants into the downstream combustion stage to be mixed with the cross-flow of combustion gases. Disclosed injector assemblies are arranged in expanding cross-sectional area (24) to reduce total pressure loss while providing an effective level of mixing of the injected reactants with the passing cross-flow. Respective duct components or the entire ducting arrangement may be formed as a unitized structure, such as a single piece using a rapid manufacturing technology, such as 3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies.

Abstract: Method and computer-readable model for additively manufacturing a ducting arrangement (10) for a gas turbine engine are provided. Ducting arrangement (10) may include a duct (18) to be fluidly coupled to receive a cross-flow of combustion gases from a main combustion stage. Duct (18) includes a duct segment (23) with an expanding cross-sectional area (24) where one or more injector assemblies (26) are disposed. Injector assembly (26) includes one or more reactant-guiding structures (27) arranged to deliver a flow of reactants to be mixed with the cross-flow of combustion gases. The ducting arrangement is effective to reduce total pressure loss while providing an effective level of mixing of the injected reactants with the passing cross-flow. Respective duct components or the entire ducting arrangement may be formed as a unitized structure, such as a single piece using a rapid manufacturing technology, such as 3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies.

Abstract: A fuel nozzle including vortex generating features for use in a combustion turbine engine is provided. An array of inner pre-mixing conduits (20) extends between an inlet end (14) and an outlet end (16) of the nozzle. An array of outer pre-mixing conduits (22) may be disposed radially outwardly relative to the inner pre-mixing conduits (20). A fuel-directing tube (24) includes fuel-directing arms (26) structured to direct fuel flow into the outer pre-mixing conduits (22) to be mixed with a flow of air. The fuel-directing arms include a bluff structural arrangement (30) that may be disposed upstream of fuel injection locations (32, 32?) into the outer pre-mixing conduits (22). The proposed nozzle is believed to provide superior micro-mixing capability, such as by increasing the depth of penetration of jets of fuel in a cross-flow of air, and/or formation of vortices in a wake zone downstream from the vortex generating features.

Abstract: A pre-mixing type of fuel nozzle (10) for use in a combustion turbine engine is provided. The nozzle includes an array of pre-mixing conduits (20) that extends between an inlet end (14) and an outlet end (16) of a body 12 of the nozzle. The nozzle may further include an array of air flow conduits (22) disposed radially inwardly relative to the array of pre-mixing conduits. The nozzle may include an inter-conduit passageway 24 arranged to aerodynamically reduce flow recirculation in the array of pre-mixing conduits. A fuel-directing structure (26) may include non-swirl elements (28) to direct fuel flow along a radial direction, each non-swirl element including at least one orifice (32) to inject the fuel flow directed along the radial direction into a respective pre-mixing conduit to pre-mix air and fuel.

Abstract: Method and computer-readable model for additively manufacturing a ducting arrangement (10) for a gas turbine engine are provided. Ducting arrangement (10) may include a duct (18) to be fluidly coupled to receive a cross-flow of combustion gases from a main combustion stage. Duct (18) includes a duct segment (23) with an expanding cross-sectional area (24) where one or more injector assemblies (26) are disposed. Injector assembly (26) includes one or more reactant-guiding structures (27) arranged to deliver a flow of reactants to be mixed with the cross-flow of combustion gases. The ducting arrangement is effective to reduce total pressure loss while providing an effective level of mixing of the injected reactants with the passing cross-flow. Respective duct components or the entire ducting arrangement may be formed as a unitized structure, such as a single piece using a rapid manufacturing technology, such as 3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies.

Abstract: A ducting arrangement (10) in a combustion stage downstream of a main combustion stage of a gas turbine engine is provided. A duct (18) is fluidly coupled to receive a cross-flow of combustion gases from the main combustion stage. Duct (18) includes a duct segment (23) with an expanding cross-sectional area (24) where one or more injector assemblies (26) are disposed. Injector assembly (26) includes one or more reactant-guiding structures (27) arranged to deliver a flow of reactants into the downstream combustion stage to be mixed with the cross-flow of combustion gases. Disclosed injector assemblies are arranged in expanding cross-sectional area (24) to reduce total pressure loss while providing an effective level of mixing of the injected reactants with the passing cross-flow. Respective duct components or the entire ducting arrangement may be formed as a unitized structure, such as a single piece using a rapid manufacturing technology, such as 3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies.

Abstract: Injector assembly and ducting arrangement including such assemblies for a combustor system in a gas turbine engine are provided. A reactant-guiding structure (42) may be configured to define a curvilinear flow path (47) to route a flow of reactants from a first flow direction (50) to a second flow direction (52) toward a cross-flow of combustion gases (60). A cross-flow guiding structure (54) may further define a flow path (58) to route a portion of the cross-flow of combustion gases toward an outlet side of the cross-flow guiding structure. Disclosed injector assemblies can be configured to reduce pressure loss while providing an effective level of mixing of the injected reactants with the passing cross-flow. Respective injector assemblies or the entire ducting arrangement may be formed as a unitized structure, such as a single piece using a rapid manufacturing technology, such as 3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology.

Abstract: Method and computer-readable model for additively manufacturing an injector assembly or a ducting arrangement including such assembles, as may be used in a combustion system of a gas turbine engine. The injector assembly may include a reactant-guiding structure (42) that may be configured to define a curvilinear flow path (47) to route a flow of reactants from a first flow direction (50) to a second flow direction (52) toward a cross-flow of combustion gases (60). A cross-flow guiding structure (54) may further define a flow path (58) to route a portion of the cross-flow of combustion gases toward an outlet side of the cross-flow guiding structure. Disclosed injector assemblies can be configured to reduce pressure loss while providing an effective level of mixing of the injected reactants with the passing cross-flow.

Abstract: Method and computer-readable model for additively manufacturing a ducting arrangement in a combustion system of a gas turbine engine are provided. The ducting arrangement may be formed by duct segments (32) circumferentially adjoined with one another to form a flow duct structure (e.g., a flow-accelerating structure (34)) and a pre-mixing structure (35). The flow duct structure may be fluidly coupled to pass a cross-flow of combustion gases. The pre-mixing structure (35) may include an array of pre-mixing tubes (48) fluidly coupled to receive air and fuel conveyed by a manifold (42) to inject a mixture of air and fuel into the cross-flow of combustion gases that passes through the flow duct structure. The duct segments or the entire ducting arrangement may be formed as a unitized structure, such as a single piece using a rapid manufacturing technology, such as 3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology.

Abstract: A ducting arrangement (30) in a combustion system of a gas turbine engine is provided. The ducting arrangement may be formed by duct segments (32) circumferentially adjoined with one another to form a flow duct structure (e.g., a flow-accelerating structure (34)) and a pre-mixing structure (35). The flow duct structure is fluidly coupled to pass a cross-flow of combustion gases. The pre-mixing structure (35) may include an array of pre-mixing tubes (48) fluidly coupled to receive air and fuel conveyed by a manifold (42) to inject a mixture of air and fuel into the cross-flow of combustion gases that passes through the flow duct structure. The duct segments or the entire ducting arrangement may be formed as a unitized structure, such as a single piece using a rapid manufacturing technology, such as 3D Printing/Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology.

Abstract: A fuel nozzle including vortex generating features for use in a combustion turbine engine is provided. An array of inner pre-mixing conduits (20) extends between an inlet end (14) and an outlet end (16) of the nozzle. An array of outer pre-mixing conduits (22) may be disposed radially outwardly relative to the inner pre-mixing conduits (20). A fuel-directing tube (24) includes fuel-directing arms (26) structured to direct fuel flow into the outer pre-mixing conduits (22) to be mixed with a flow of air. The fuel-directing arms include a bluff structural arrangement (30) that may be disposed upstream of fuel injection locations (32, 32?) into the outer pre-mixing conduits (22). The proposed nozzle is believed to provide superior micro-mixing capability, such as by increasing the depth of penetration of jets of fuel in a cross-flow of air, and/or formation of vortices in a wake zone downstream from the vortex generating features.

Abstract: A high tier storage area stores a stub file and a lower tier cloud storage area stores the file corresponding to the stub file. When a client apparatus requests segments of the file from the high tier storage area, reference is made to the stub file to determine a predicted non-sequential pattern of requests to the segments by the client apparatus. The high tier storage area follows the predicted non-sequential pattern of requests to retrieve the segments of the file from the cloud prior to the client apparatus actually requesting the segments. As such, the file may be efficiently provided to the client apparatus while also efficiently storing the file on the lower tier cloud storage area.

Abstract: A high tier storage area stores a stub file and a lower tier cloud storage area stores the file corresponding to the stub file. When a client apparatus requests segments of the file from the high tier storage area, reference is made to the stub file to determine a predicted non-sequential pattern of requests to the segments by the client apparatus. The high tier storage area follows the predicted non-sequential pattern of requests to retrieve the segments of the file from the cloud prior to the client apparatus actually requesting the segments. As such, the file may be efficiently provided to the client apparatus while also efficiently storing the file on the lower tier cloud storage area.

Abstract: The present invention comprises an inflatable balloon of sufficient volume and buoyancy to allow a human pilot to float above the ground and to glide over the ground within an enclosed area. The balloon incorporates several safety features that permit it to be used for recreation, including a prop-bike to enable the user to propel the balloon. Various structures, including a portable structure and a retaining structure in a stadium are described for use with the inflatable balloon.