Patents by Inventor Kenneth Owen Smith

Kenneth Owen Smith 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).

  • Gas turbine fuel injector with a rich catalyst
    Patent number: 8381531
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine may include a pilot assembly extending along a longitudinal axis. The pilot assembly may be configured to direct a pilot fuel-air mixture to a combustor of the gas turbine engine. The fuel injector may also include a rich catalyst module circumferentially disposed about the pilot assembly. The catalyst module may be configured to simultaneously direct a stream of compressed air and a stream of first fuel-air mixture therethrough without intermixing. The fuel injector may also include a post mix zone disposed downstream of the catalyst module. The post mix zone may be configured to mix the compressed air and the first fuel air mixture to create a main fuel-air mixture. The fuel injector may further include an air swirler disposed downstream of the post mix zone. The air swirler may be configured to direct the main fuel-air mixture to the combustor without intermixing with the pilot fuel-air mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Inc.
    Inventors: Waseem Ahmad Nazeer, Kenneth Owen Smith, Frank John Ritz
  • Gas turbine fuel injector with a rich catalyst
    Publication number: 20100115954
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine may include a pilot assembly extending along a longitudinal axis. The pilot assembly may be configured to direct a pilot fuel-air mixture to a combustor of the gas turbine engine. The fuel injector may also include a rich catalyst module circumferentially disposed about the pilot assembly. The catalyst module may be configured to simultaneously direct a stream of compressed air and a stream of first fuel-air mixture therethrough without intermixing. The fuel injector may also include a post mix zone disposed downstream of the catalyst module. The post mix zone may be configured to mix the compressed air and the first fuel air mixture to create a main fuel-air mixture. The fuel injector may further include an air swirler disposed downstream of the post mix zone. The air swirler may be configured to direct the main fuel-air mixture to the combustor without intermixing with the pilot fuel-air mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventors: Waseem Ahmad Nazeer, Kenneth Owen Smith, Frank John Ritz