Patents by Inventor Kevin R. Kirtley

Kevin R. Kirtley 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: 9297267
    Abstract: A system for removing heat from a turbine includes a component in the turbine having a supply plenum and a return plenum therein. A substrate that defines a shape of the component has an inner surface and an outer surface. A coating applied to the outer surface of the substrate has an interior surface facing the outer surface of the substrate and an exterior surface opposed to the interior surface. A first fluid channel is between the outer surface of the substrate and the exterior surface of the coating. A first fluid path is from the supply plenum, through the substrate, and into the first fluid channel, and a second fluid path is from the first fluid channel, through the substrate, and into the return plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Gary Michael Itzel, Kevin R. Kirtley, Christian Lee Vandervort, Ronald Scott Bunker
  • Publication number: 20140157792
    Abstract: A system for removing heat from a turbine includes a component in the turbine having a supply plenum and a return plenum therein. A substrate that defines a shape of the component has an inner surface and an outer surface. A coating applied to the outer surface of the substrate has an interior surface facing the outer surface of the substrate and an exterior surface opposed to the interior surface. A first fluid channel is between the outer surface of the substrate and the exterior surface of the coating. A first fluid path is from the supply plenum, through the substrate, and into the first fluid channel, and a second fluid path is from the first fluid channel, through the substrate, and into the return plenum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Gary Michael Itzel, Kevin R. Kirtley, Christian Lee Vandervort, Ronald Scott Bunker
  • Patent number: 8419371
    Abstract: A blade for a wind turbine includes a total backward twist of between approximately 6 degrees and approximately 15 degrees between an outer approximately 1 percent to approximately 10 percent of a rotor radius of the blade; and a total normalized chord change of between approximately one percent and approximately two percent between the outer approximately 1 percent to approximately 10 percent of the rotor radius of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stefan Herr, Kevin R. Kirtley, Kevin W. Kinzie, Brandon S. Gerber, Kevin J. Standish, Benoit P. Petitjean
  • Patent number: 8408877
    Abstract: A blade for a wind turbine includes a total backward twist of between approximately 6 degrees and approximately 15 degrees between an outer approximately 1 percent to approximately 10 percent of a rotor radius of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Stefan Herr, Kevin R. Kirtley, Kevin W. Kinzie, Brandon S. Gerber, Kevin J. Standish, Benoit P. Petitjean
  • Patent number: 8328513
    Abstract: A row of stator blades in a compressor of a combustion turbine engine, the combustion turbine engine including a diffuser located downstream of the compressor, and the row of stator blades disposed in close proximity to the diffuser; the row of stator blades comprising: a plurality of stator blades that include at least one of an inboard forward notch and an outboard forward notch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Kevin R. Kirtley
  • Publication number: 20110158798
    Abstract: A row of stator blades in a compressor of a combustion turbine engine, the combustion turbine engine including a diffuser located downstream of the compressor, and the row of stator blades disposed in close proximity to the diffuser; the row of stator blades comprising: a plurality of stator blades that include at least one of an inboard forward notch and an outboard forward notch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Inventor: Kevin R. Kirtley
  • Publication number: 20110103950
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade system having a blade rotatably attached to a rotor of a wind turbine. The system further includes a controller and one or more openings disposed along at least one surface of the blade and a fluid moving device arranged and disposed to provide a fluid to or from the one or more openings. A controlled amount of the fluid is provided to the one or more openings. The amount of fluid is determined by the controller. A wind turbine and a method for operating a wind turbine are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: David S. PESETSKY, Jing WANG, Wouter HAANS, Kevin R. KIRTLEY
  • Patent number: 7837442
    Abstract: A sleeve for a wind turbine blade includes an opening for receiving a root end of the wind turbine blade; and an inboard edge for substantially abutting a hub of a wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kevin R. Kirtley, Stefan Herr, William F. Heinze
  • Publication number: 20100166556
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade includes an arcuate partial annulus arc shroud secured to a tip of the blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventor: Kevin R. Kirtley
  • Publication number: 20100135811
    Abstract: A sleeve for a wind turbine blade includes an opening for receiving a root end of the wind turbine blade; and an inboard edge for substantially abutting a hub of a wind turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Publication date: June 3, 2010
    Inventors: Kevin R. Kirtley, Stefan Herr, William F. Heinze
  • Publication number: 20090297354
    Abstract: A blade for a wind turbine includes a total backward twist of between approximately 6 degrees and approximately 15 degrees between an outer approximately 1 percent to approximately 10 percent of a rotor radius of the blade; and a total normalized chord change of between approximately one percent and approximately two percent between the outer approximately 1 percent to approximately 10 percent of the rotor radius of the blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Stefan Herr, Kevin R. Kirtley, Kevin W. Kinzie, Brandon S. Gerber, Kevin J. Standish, Benoit P. Petitjean
  • Publication number: 20090297353
    Abstract: A blade for a wind turbine includes a total backward twist of between approximately 6 degrees and approximately 15 degrees between an outer approximately 1 percent to approximately 10 percent of a rotor radius of the blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2008
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Inventors: Stefan Herr, Kevin R. Kirtley, Kevin W. Kinzie, Brandon S. Gerber, Kevin J. Standish, Benoit P. Petitjean
  • Patent number: 7320575
    Abstract: An airfoil having a root, a tip, and an outer surface for pressuring air flowable thereover. The outer surface includes one or more slots elongate in a direction selected to preclude or reduce circulation within the slots, and the one or more slots are configured to bleed a boundary layer from the outer surface to the tip utilizing one or more passageways within the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Aspi Rustom Wadia, Peter Nicholas Szucs, Syed Arif Khalid, Peter John Wood, Kevin R. Kirtley, Xiaoyue Liu
  • Patent number: 6575719
    Abstract: Apertures through each face of a planetary rotor, volutes for low loss delivery and collection of fluid to and from the working volumes of a planetary rotary pump, compressor, or turbine, and zero clearance seals by using continuous carbon fiber reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) or other self-lubricating materials significantly improve the volumetric flow rate of such rotary pumps compressors or turbines. By establishing a means to vent each working volume to an intake or exhaust port at arbitrary rotor positions, apertures linking working volumes to intake or exhaust ports allows each working volume of a multilobe planetary rotary pump to function independently near peak volumetric efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Inventors: David B. Manner, Kevin R. Kirtley, Brooke Schumm, III
  • Publication number: 20020141894
    Abstract: A rotary paddle pump with sliding vanes and stationary side plates fabricated from a continuous carbon-fiber reinforced polymeric material, particularly polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherketoneketone (PEKK), or polyphenylene sulphides (PPS) material yields characteristics of self-lubrication for dry operation, low wear for long life, and high flexural and tensile strength for superior resistance to foreign object damage. Other parts manufactured from continuous carbon-fiber reinforced polymeric composite may be alternately substituted to provide self-lubrication and low wear on surfaces moving relative to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Inventors: Kevin R. Kirtley, Brooke Schumm, David B. Manner
  • Patent number: 6364646
    Abstract: A rotary paddle pump with sliding vanes and stationary side plates fabricated from a continuous carbon-fiber reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) material yields characteristics of self-lubrication for dry operation, low wear for long life, and high flexural and tensile strength for superior resistance to foreign object damage. Other parts manufactured from PEEK may be alternately substituted to provide self-lubrication and low wear on surfaces moving relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2002
    Inventors: Kevin R. Kirtley, David B. Manner
  • Publication number: 20020028151
    Abstract: Apertures through each face of a planetary rotor, volutes for low loss delivery and collection of fluid to and from the working volumes of a planetary rotary pump, compressor, or turbine, and zero clearance seals by using continuous carbon fiber reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) or other self-lubricating materials significantly improve the volumetric flow rate of such rotary pumps compressors or turbines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2001
    Publication date: March 7, 2002
    Inventors: David B. Manner, Kevin R. Kirtley, Brooke Schumm