Patents by Inventor Keith Anthony Lauria

Keith Anthony Lauria 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: 20180313225
    Abstract: A method of cleaning a component within a turbine that includes disassembling the turbine engine to provide a flow path to an interior passageway of the component from an access point. The component has coked hydrocarbons formed thereon. The method further includes discharging a flow of cleaning solution towards the interior passageway from the access point, wherein the cleaning solution is configured to remove the coked hydrocarbons from the component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Michael Robert Millhaem, Nicole Jessica Tibbetts, Byron Andrew Pritchard, JR., Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Keith Anthony Lauria, Ambarish Jayant Kulkarni, Mark Rosenzweig, Martin Matthew Morra, Timothy Mark Sambor, Andrew Jenkins
  • Publication number: 20180298781
    Abstract: A turbine engine cleaning system includes a foam generator configured to generate foam, from a liquid detergent, to clean a turbine engine. The turbine engine cleaning system also includes an effluent capture and detergent regeneration sub-system having an inlet configured to receive an effluent from the turbine engine, processing components configured to process the effluent to regenerate a liquid detergent, and an outlet fluidly coupled with the foam generator to enable transport of the liquid detergent from the effluent capture and detergent regeneration sub-system to the foam generator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2017
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: Nicole Jessica Tibbetts, Rob Ray Anthony, Brian William Pfeiffer, Michael Edward Eriksen, Keith Anthony Lauria, Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Ambarish Jayant Kulkarni
  • Publication number: 20180283209
    Abstract: A wash system for a gas turbine engine includes a foam generating device configured for receiving and aerating a flow of wash fluid to generate a flow of foamed wash fluid having particular foam characteristics. The flow of foamed wash fluid passes through a distribution manifold where it is selectively directed through a plurality of wash lines to desired portions of the gas turbine engine. The wash system further includes a controller configured for manipulating the foam characteristics of the flow of foamed wash fluid and using the distribution manifold to selectively direct the flow of foamed wash fluid to desired portions of the gas turbine engine for optimal cleaning and improved engine efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventors: Michael Edward Eriksen, Keith Anthony Lauria, Ambarish Jayant Kulkarni, Byron Andrew Pritchard, JR., David Geoffrey Dauenhauer, Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Nicole Jessica Tibbetts
  • Publication number: 20180258787
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems of generating flows of detergent through a turbine engine to effectuate cleaning of components thereof. The methods include introducing a foamed, acid-including detergent with a pH range of between 2 and 7 into a gas flowpath of the turbine engine. The methods also include creating a pressure differential in an aft portion of the gas flowpath with respect to a forward portion of the gas flowpath to generate a flow of the detergent therethrough. The methods further include creating a pressure differential in a forward portion of the gas flowpath with respect to an aft portion of the gas flowpath to generate a counterflow of the detergent therethrough. The flow and counterflow of the detergent through the gas flowpath interact with components of the turbine engine having foreign material thereon to at least partially remove the foreign material therefrom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nicole Jessica TIBBETTS, Bernard Patrick BEWLAY, Ambarish Jayant KULKARNI, Byron Andrew PRITCHARD, JR., Keith Anthony LAURIA, Michael Edward ERIKSEN
  • Publication number: 20180094538
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for in situ cleaning of hot gas flowpath components of a turbine engine that form portions of a hot gas flowpath extending through the turbine. The hot gas flowpath components may include a layer of accumulated contaminants on first portions thereof that form a respective portion of the hot gas flowpath. The first portions may include a thermal battier coating (TBC), and the layer of accumulated contaminants may overlie the TBC and at least partially infiltrate into the TBC. The accumulated contaminants may include CaO—MgO—Al2O3-SiO2 (CMAS) partial melt. The methods may include introducing an acid-including detergent into the hot gas flowpath of the turbine engine and onto the hot gas flowpath components to clean the accumulated contaminants from the first surfaces of the components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nicole Jessica TIBBETTS, Bernard Patrick BEWLAY, Byron Andrew PRITCHARD, JR., Brian Michael ELLIS, Michael Edward ERIKSEN, Keith Anthony LAURIA
  • Patent number: 9932854
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and systems for in situ cleaning of hot gas flowpath components of a turbine engine that form portions of a hot gas flowpath extending through the turbine. The hot gas flowpath components may include a layer of accumulated contaminants on first portions thereof that form a respective portion of the hot gas flowpath. The first portions may include a thermal battier coating (TBC), and the layer of accumulated contaminants may overlie the TBC and at least partially infiltrate into the TBC. The accumulated contaminants may include CaO—MgO—Al2O3-SiO2 (CMAS) partial melt. The methods may include introducing an acid-including detergent into the hot gas flowpath of the turbine engine and onto the hot gas flowpath components to clean the accumulated contaminants from the first surfaces of the components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Nicole Jessica Tibbetts, Bernard Patrick Bewlay, Byron Andrew Pritchard, Brian Michael Ellis, Michael Edward Eriksen, Keith Anthony Lauria
  • Patent number: 9649659
    Abstract: A method for joining a filler material to a substrate material includes melting the filler material within a melting chamber of a crucible such that the filler material is molten. The crucible has an outlet fluidly connected to the melting chamber. The method also includes holding the filler material within the melting chamber of the crucible by applying a first pressure differential across the outlet of the crucible, and releasing the filler material from the melting chamber of the crucible by applying a second pressure differential across the outlet of the crucible to deliver the filler material to a target site of the substrate material. The second pressure differential has a different value than the first pressure differential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Qi Zhao, Robert John Zabala, Laurent Cretegny, Jeffrey Jon Schoonover, Mark Kevin Meyer, Keith Anthony Lauria, William R Catlin
  • Publication number: 20160016196
    Abstract: A method for joining a filler material to a substrate material includes melting the filler material within a melting chamber of a crucible such that the filler material is molten. The crucible has an outlet fluidly connected to the melting chamber. The method also includes holding the filler material within the melting chamber of the crucible by applying a first pressure differential across the outlet of the crucible, and releasing the filler material from the melting chamber of the crucible by applying a second pressure differential across the outlet of the crucible to deliver the filler material to a target site of the substrate material. The second pressure differential has a different value than the first pressure differential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Inventors: Qi ZHAO, Robert John ZABALA, Laurent CRETEGNY, Jeffrey Jon SCHOONOVER, Mark Kevin MEYER, Keith Anthony LAURIA, William R. CATLIN
  • Patent number: 9144822
    Abstract: A method is provided for joining a filler material to a substrate material. The method includes melting the filler material within a melting chamber of a crucible such that the filler material is molten. The crucible has an outlet fluidly connected to the melting chamber. The method also includes holding the filler material within the melting chamber of the crucible by applying a first pressure differential across the outlet of the crucible, and releasing the filler material from the melting chamber of the crucible by applying a second pressure differential across the outlet of the crucible to deliver the filler material to a target site of the substrate material. The second pressure differential has a different value than the first pressure differential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Qi Zhao, Robert John Zabala, Laurent Cretegny, Jeffrey Jon Schoonover, Mark Kevin Meyer, Keith Anthony Lauria, William R Catlin
  • Publication number: 20140093658
    Abstract: A method is provided for joining a filler material to a substrate material. The method includes melting the filler material within a melting chamber of a crucible such that the filler material is molten, holding the filler material within the melting chamber of the crucible by electromagnetically levitating the filler material within the melting chamber, and releasing the filler material from the melting chamber of the crucible to deliver the filler material to a target site of the substrate material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Qi Zhao, Robert John Zabala, Laurent Cretegny, Jeffrey Jon Schoonover, Mark Kevin Meyer, Keith Anthony Lauria, William R. Catlin
  • Publication number: 20140093657
    Abstract: A method is provided for joining a filler material to a substrate material. The method includes melting the filler material within a melting chamber of a crucible such that the filler material is molten. The crucible has an outlet fluidly connected to the melting chamber. The method also includes holding the filler material within the melting chamber of the crucible by applying a first pressure differential across the outlet of the crucible, and releasing the filler material from the melting chamber of the crucible by applying a second pressure differential across the outlet of the crucible to deliver the filler material to a target site of the substrate material. The second pressure differential has a different value than the first pressure differential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Qi Zhao, Robert John Zabala, Laurent Cretegny, Jeffrey Jon Schoonover, Mark Kevin Meyer, Keith Anthony Lauria, William R. Catlin