Patents by Inventor Laurent BORNARD

Laurent BORNARD 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: 11719214
    Abstract: A hydraulic turbine includes a runner having a shaft, a runner crown, and a runner tip. Blades are fixed to the runner crown and are rotatable around an axis of rotation in operation of the hydraulic turbine, each blade including a leading edge and a trailing edge. A first chamber is located between the runner crown and a stationary head cover, or within head cover. A second chamber is located in the runner tip. A passage for water is defined between the first chamber and the second chamber. The runner crown has an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion having a larger diameter than the lower portion such that a channel is defined between the upper and lower portions. The channel has a circular shape and a circular symmetry around the axis of rotation and leads to a discharge region below the runner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: GE Renewable Technologies
    Inventors: Laurent Bornard, David Allan Scott, Guillaume Boutet-Blais
  • Patent number: 11692445
    Abstract: The invention concerns an inter-blade profile (14) for a turbine runner blade, said inter-blade profile (14) comprising a profile (16), and a plug (18), forming a basis of the profile (16) and intended for being inserted into a corresponding hole (21) made in a blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: GE Renewable Technologies
    Inventors: Benoît Papillon, Carl-Anthony Beaubien, David Allan Scott, Laurent Bornard, Louis Mathieu
  • Publication number: 20230030140
    Abstract: The invention concerns an inter-blade profile (14) for a turbine runner blade, said inter-blade profile (14) comprising a profile (16), and a plug (18), forming a basis of the profile (16) and intended for being inserted into a corresponding hole (21) made in a blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Inventors: Benoît Papillon, Carl-Anthony Beaubien, David Allan Scott, Laurent Bornard, Louis Mathieu
  • Patent number: 11454122
    Abstract: The invention concerns an inter-blade profile (14) for a turbine runner blade, said inter-blade profile (14) comprising a profile (16), and a plug (18), forming a basis of the profile (16) and intended for being inserted into a corresponding hole (21) made in a blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: GE Renewable Technologies
    Inventors: Benoît Papillon, Carl-Anthony Beaubien, David Allan Scott, Laurent Bornard, Louis Mathieu
  • Publication number: 20220120253
    Abstract: The invention concerns a hydraulic turbine comprising a runner crown or a hub (1), possibly a band (2), and blades (3) fixed to said crown or hub, or between said band and said crown, and to be actuated in rotation around an axis of rotation, each blade comprising: a leading edge (8) and a trailing edge (10), at least one local extension (20) having a first contact surface fixed to the trailing edge of the blade (2), a second contact surface fixed to either said band (6) or said crown (4) and two lateral sides (241, 242) joining at a ridge line (22).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Laurent Bornard, Frédéric Debeissat
  • Publication number: 20210388808
    Abstract: The invention concerns a hydraulic turbine comprising blades (2) fixed to a runner crown (12) and to be actuated in rotation around an axis of rotation, each blade being comprised between a leading edge (8) and a trailing edge (10), a stationary head cover (14) and a chamber (16) being located between said runner crown (12) and said head cover (14) or within the head cover, said runner further comprising: means (22) forming at least one passage for water between said chamber and a chamber (28) in the runner tip; an upper portion (121) and a lower portion (122) of the said runner crown, said upper portion (121) having a larger diameter than said lower portion (122) so as to define a channel (24) between them, said channel leading to an exhaust volume (3) of the runner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Publication date: December 16, 2021
    Inventors: Laurent Bornard, David Allan Scott, Guillaume Boutet-Blais
  • Publication number: 20200040740
    Abstract: The invention concerns an inter-blade profile (14) for a turbine runner blade, said inter-blade profile (14) comprising a profile (16), and a plug (18), forming a basis of the profile (16) and intended for being inserted into a corresponding hole (21) made in a blade.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Benoît Papillon, Carl-Anthony Beaubien, David Allan Scott, Laurent Bornard, Louis Mathieu
  • Publication number: 20200040744
    Abstract: The invention concerns a removable cover plate (160) for an inter-blade profile (14, 14a) of a turbine runner blade, said cover plate comprising at least one aeration passage (30) and securing means (161) for securing said removable cover plate onto said inter-blade profile (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Laurent Bornard, David Allan Scott, Carl-Anthony Beaubien, Tan Seyla, Bernard Di Maria
  • Patent number: 10400740
    Abstract: When traversed by a flow of water, a hydraulic machine rotating part rotates around an axis of rotation. It includes runners which are distributed around the axis of rotation and each extend between a leading edge and a trailing edge. Each runner can include a first part which defines its leading edge and a second part which is attached to the first part and defines the trailing edge at least in part. The second part can be elastically deformable or displaceable in a reversible manner with respect to the first part, under the action of the flow of water, the second part defining, when the machine operates, the direction of the flow of water downstream of the runner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: GE RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Laurent Bornard, Michel Sabourin
  • Patent number: 10323620
    Abstract: Said hydraulic turbine includes a wheel which is made to rotate about a rotational axis (X2) by a main water stream (F1) going from a penstock to a suction tube along a flow path that passes through the wheel. Said turbine also includes first means that are placed outside the flow path of the main water stream (F1) and enable the mixing of a secondary water stream (F2), taken from the flow path and located upstream from the wheel, and an oxygen-containing gas (A2). Said turbine also includes second means for injection, downstream from the wheel of the turbine, a water/gas mixture (F3) produced in the first means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: GE RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Michel Sabourin, Laurent Bornard, Sébastien Beaulieu
  • Patent number: 10215151
    Abstract: Aerating system for the runner of a hydraulic turbine, the runner comprising a plurality of blades, such that inter-blade canals are configured between each pair of blades for the admission of air in the water flow circulating through the hydraulic turbine, such that the aerating system comprises at least one hydrofoil located in the inter-blade canal of the runner contacting the pair of blades configuring the inter-blade canal where the hydrofoil is located, such that the hydrofoil has a non-axis symmetrical profile, and such that at least one of the blades in contact with the hydrofoil comprises an aerating canal delivering air to the hydrofoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: GE RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Sebastien Beaulieu, Michel Sabourin, Laurent Bornard, Guillaume Boutet-Blais
  • Patent number: 10138863
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for manufacturing a rotating part which belongs to a hydraulic machine of an installation for converting hydraulic energy into electrical or mechanical energy. This rotating part includes blades distributed about an axis of rotation of the rotating part and extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge. This method can include manufacturing, in steel, a first part of each blade, which defines the leading edge thereof, manufacturing a second part of the blade in a material other than steel and attaching this to the first part of the blade so as to form a trailing edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: GE RENEWABLE TECHNOLOGIES
    Inventors: Laurent Bornard, Michel Sabourin
  • Publication number: 20170226983
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are related to a shrouded Kaplan and shrouded propeller-type hydraulic turbine. More in particular, the embodiments relate to a blade for such shrouded turbines. An object of the embodiments of the present invention is to add a winglet on the pressure side of a blade to eliminate a large gap between the blade and the shroud, in order to improve performances, decrease marginal cavitation, and improve fish friendliness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Kristopher TOUSSAINT, Michel SABOURIN, Laurent BORNARD
  • Publication number: 20160327012
    Abstract: Aerating system for the runner of a hydraulic turbine, the runner comprising a plurality of blades, such that inter-blade canals are configured between each pair of blades for the admission of air in the water flow circulating through the hydraulic turbine, such that the aerating system comprises at least one hydrofoil located in the inter-blade canal of the runner contacting the pair of blades configuring the inter-blade canal where the hydrofoil is located, such that the hydrofoil has a non-axis symmetrical profile, and such that at least one of the blades in contact with the hydrofoil comprises an aerating canal delivering air to the hydrofoil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2014
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Sebastien BEAULIEU, Michel SABOURIN, Laurent BORNARD, Guillaume BOUTET-BLAIS
  • Publication number: 20160084216
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for manufacturing a rotating part which belongs to a hydraulic machine of an installation for converting hydraulic energy into electrical or mechanical energy. This rotating part includes blades distributed about an axis of rotation of the rotating part and extending from a leading edge to a trailing edge. This method can include manufacturing, in steel, a first part of each blade, which defines the leading edge thereof, manufacturing a second part of the blade in a material other than steel and attaching this to the first part of the blade so as to form a trailing edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Applicant: ALSTOM Renewable Technologies
    Inventors: Laurent BORNARD, Michel SABOURIN
  • Publication number: 20160076508
    Abstract: When traversed by a flow of water, a hydraulic machine rotating part rotates around an axis of rotation. It includes runners which are distributed around the axis of rotation and each extend between a leading edge and a trailing edge. Each runner can include a first part which defines its leading edge and a second part which is attached to the first part and defines the trailing edge at least in part. The second part can be elastically deformable or displaceable in a reversible manner with respect to the first part, under the action of the flow of water, the second part defining, when the machine operates, the direction of the flow of water downstream of the runner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Applicant: ALSTOM Renewable Technologies
    Inventors: Laurent BORNARD, Michel SABOURIN
  • Publication number: 20160010618
    Abstract: Said hydraulic turbine includes a wheel which is made to rotate about a rotational axis (X2) by a main water stream (F1) going from a penstock to a suction tube along a flow path that passes through the wheel. Said turbine also includes first means that are placed outside the flow path of the main water stream (F1) and enable the mixing of a secondary water stream (F2), taken from the flow path and located upstream from the wheel, and an oxygen-containing gas (A2). Said turbine also includes second means for injection, downstream from the wheel of the turbine, a water/gas mixture (F3) produced in the first means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Michel SABOURIN, Laurent BORNARD, Sébastien BEAULIEU