Patents by Inventor Lauren Jeanne Buchalter

Lauren Jeanne Buchalter 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: 8126629
    Abstract: Methods and systems for operating a gas turbine engine system are provided. The system includes a gas turbine engine that includes at least one combustor configured to receive a flow of fuel from a flow control device and a fuel control system. The fuel control system includes a piping system configured to channel the flow of fuel from a fuel source to the flow control device, a sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a property of the flow of fuel wherein the property of the flow of fuel is variable over time, and a controller including a processor. The processor is programmed to receive the generated signal, using a flow model of the piping system and the received signal, iteratively track the progress of a plurality of discrete volumes flowing through the piping system, and control the flow of fuel using the flow control devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lauren Jeanne Buchalter, Bryan Edward Sweet, Scott William Szepek, Michael John Mariani
  • Patent number: 7966802
    Abstract: Methods and systems for operating a gas turbine engine system are provided. The system includes a fuel control system. The fuel control system includes a plurality of sensors positioned about the gas turbine engine system and configured to measure at least one parameter associated with the sensor, and a processor programmed to receive a signal from at least one of the plurality of sensors indicative of a composition of the fuel. The processor is further programmed to determine the physical properties of a fuel at an inlet to the flow control devices using a flow model and the at least one signal, determine a corresponding correction to a gas fuel flow gain using the determined physical properties, and automatically control fuel delivery as well as fuel split between the fuel injection points on the combustor using the adjusted flow gain to facilitate permitting a relatively large variation in the fuel composition for use in the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Scott William Szepek, Bryan Edward Sweet, Lauren Jeanne Buchalter, David Andrew Stats, Michael John Mariani
  • Publication number: 20090271085
    Abstract: Methods and systems for operating a gas turbine engine system are provided. The system includes a gas turbine engine that includes at least one combustor configured to receive a flow of fuel from a flow control device and a fuel control system. The fuel control system includes a piping system configured to channel the flow of fuel from a fuel source to the flow control device, a sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a property of the flow of fuel wherein the property of the flow of fuel is variable over time, and a controller including a processor. The processor is programmed to receive the generated signal, using a flow model of the piping system and the received signal, iteratively track the progress of a plurality of discrete volumes flowing through the piping system, and control the flow of fuel using the flow control devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Inventors: Lauren Jeanne Buchalter, Bryan Edward Sweet, Scott William Szepek, Michael John Mariani
  • Publication number: 20090193788
    Abstract: Methods and systems for operating a gas turbine engine system are provided. The system includes a fuel control system. The fuel control system includes a plurality of sensors positioned about the gas turbine engine system and configured to measure at least one parameter associated with the sensor, and a processor programmed to receive a signal from at least one of the plurality of sensors indicative of a composition of the fuel. The processor is further programmed to determine the physical properties of a fuel at an inlet to the flow control devices using a flow model and the at least one signal, determine a corresponding correction to a gas fuel flow gain using the determined physical properties, and automatically control fuel delivery as well as fuel split between the fuel injection points on the combustor using the adjusted flow gain to facilitate permitting a relatively large variation in the fuel composition for use in the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2008
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Inventors: Scott William Szepek, Bryan Edward Sweet, Lauren Jeanne Buchalter, David Andrew Stats, Michael John Mariani