Patents by Inventor Kenneth W. Winston

Kenneth W. Winston 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).

  • Patent number: 10451509
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to a method for determining a failure of a flow divider within a fuel system, the method being performed by a controller and comprising the steps of: delivering a fuel command, calculating an expected fill time, wherein the expected fill time is indicative of the time required to fill a known fuel manifold volume, determining whether the actual fill time is greater than or equal to an expected fill time; and determining whether an actual fuel pressure value is less than or equal to an expect fuel pressure value based at least in part on at least one environmental signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael E. Mehrer, Kenneth W. Winston
  • Patent number: 9926848
    Abstract: An example method of fuel delivery to a turbomachine includes reaching a light-off speed of a turbomachine and delivering fuel to a combustor of the turbomachine at a first rate. The method also increases the rate of the delivery. The combustor achieves light-off at a fuel flow rate on or in-between the first rate and a second rate that is greater than the first rate. An example turbomachine fuel delivery assembly includes a fuel delivery component and a controller configured to adjust the fuel pump to increase a rate of fuel delivery from a fuel supply to a combustor of a turbomachine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstand Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth W. Winston, Andre M. Ajami, David Lloyd Ripley
  • Publication number: 20160195025
    Abstract: A method includes receiving an indication of exhaust gas temperature (EGT) for a gas turbine engine, and determining, by at least one processor, based on the received indication of the EGT, a representation of a second derivative with respect to time of the EGT. The method further includes comparing the representation of the second derivative of the EGT to a threshold value, and determining, based on the comparing, an engine flameout condition of the gas turbine engine. In some embodiments, the at least one processor can determine a representation of a first derivative with respect to time of the EGT. The representation of the first derivative of the EGT can be compared to a threshold value, determined based on the received indication of the EGT, to determine the engine flameout condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Inventors: Andre M. Ajami, Jason Eric Turner, Kenneth W. Winston
  • Publication number: 20160091381
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to a method for determining a failure of a flow divider within a fuel system, the method being performed by a controller and comprising the steps of: delivering a fuel command, calculating an expected fill time, wherein the expected fill time is indicative of the time required to fill a known fuel manifold volume, determining whether the actual fill time is greater than or equal to an expected fill time; and determining whether an actual fuel pressure value is less than or equal to an expect fuel pressure value based at least in part on at least one environmental signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Michael E. Mehrer, Kenneth W. Winston
  • Publication number: 20160090915
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine inlet door control system includes an actuator, an engine controller and a door controller. The actuator opens and closes an inlet door of a gas turbine engine. The engine controller determines an intermediate door position based upon one or more engine start factors. The door controller operates the actuator to open the inlet door to the intermediate door position based on the one or more engine start factors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2014
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Eric L. Wolff, Brent L. Sherill, Andre M. Ajami, Kenneth W. Winston, Victor Pascu, Phillip Vessa, Nelson DaCunha
  • Patent number: 9267439
    Abstract: A system for starting a gas turbine engine includes an engine controller and a fuel controller. The engine controller varies the engine speed between a minimum start speed and a maximum start speed until light-off of the engine occurs. The fuel controller operates a fuel command to vary fuel provided to a combustion chamber of the engine until light-off of the engine occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Corson, Kenneth W. Winston
  • Patent number: 9086018
    Abstract: A method of starting a gas turbine engine includes maintaining the gas turbine engine at the dwelling speed after light-off until a predetermined magnitude of combustor warm-up is determined then increasing the speed of the starter motor to accelerate the gas turbine engine after the predetermined magnitude of combustor warm-up is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth W. Winston, Andre M. Ajami
  • Patent number: 8915088
    Abstract: A method for controlling a flow of fuel to a starting gas turbine engine includes controlling the flow of fuel to the engine by controlling fuel pressure to the engine, and modulating the flow of fuel to the engine if engine exhaust gas temperature approaches a given exhaust gas temperature to lower the engine exhaust gas temperature below the given exhaust gas temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Andre M. Ajami, Kenneth W. Winston, Xiaolan Hu
  • Publication number: 20130239580
    Abstract: A system for starting a gas turbine engine includes an engine controller and a fuel controller. The engine controller varies the engine speed between a minimum start speed and a maximum start speed until light-off of the engine occurs. The fuel controller operates a fuel command to vary fuel provided to a combustion chamber of the engine until light-off of the engine occurs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2012
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Corson, Kenneth W. Winston
  • Publication number: 20120174594
    Abstract: An example method of fuel delivery to a turbomachine includes reaching a light-off speed of a turbomachine and delivering fuel to a combustor of the turbomachine at a first rate. The method also increases the rate of the delivery. The combustor achieves light-off at a fuel flow rate on or in-between the first rate and a second rate that is greater than the first rate. An example turbomachine fuel delivery assembly includes a fuel delivery component and a controller configured to adjust the fuel pump to increase a rate of fuel delivery from a fuel supply to a combustor of a turbomachine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventors: Kenneth W. Winston, Andre M. Ajami, David Lloyd Ripley
  • Publication number: 20110302927
    Abstract: A method for controlling a flow of fuel to a starting gas turbine engine includes controlling the flow of fuel to the engine by controlling fuel pressure to the engine, and modulating the flow of fuel to the engine if engine exhaust gas temperature approaches a given exhaust gas temperature to lower the engine exhaust gas temperature below the given exhaust gas temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Inventors: Andre M. Ajami, Kenneth W. Winston, Xiaolan Hu
  • Publication number: 20110259016
    Abstract: A method of starting a gas turbine engine includes maintaining the gas turbine engine at the dwelling speed after light-off until a predetermined magnitude of combustor warm-up is determined then increasing the speed of the starter motor to accelerate the gas turbine engine after the predetermined magnitude of combustor warm-up is achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Inventors: Kenneth W. Winston, Andre M. Ajami
  • Patent number: 6035629
    Abstract: A system and method of controlling the acceleration of a load driven by a gas turbine engine detects the existence of an overload condition and reduces an acceleration setpoint when such condition arises.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Hamilton Sunstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Paul E. Hilgeman, Kenneth W. Winston, Ronald I. Vicente