Patents by Inventor Mark Wayne McWaters

Mark Wayne McWaters 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: 11280270
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine system includes a combustor casing having an interior-establishing wall, and a chamber extending to the interior-establishing wall. In addition, the combustor includes an igniter assembly disposed within the chamber such that a tip of the igniter assembly is positioned radially outwardly from the interior-establishing wall. The igniter assembly includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an insulator. In addition, the first electrode, the second electrode, and the insulator form a cavity, the second electrode forms an outlet passage extending from the cavity, a maximum cross-sectional area of the cavity is greater than a minimum cross-sectional area of the outlet passage, and the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to ionize gas within the cavity in response to an electrical current applied to the first electrode or to the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Badri Narayan Ramamurthi, Svetlana Selezneva, Mohamed Rahmane, Andrey Meshkov, Karim Younsi, Mark Wayne McWaters, Philip Nose Alberti
  • Patent number: 10995672
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to gas turbine engine operation in which an igniter assembly is provided with an electrical energy input (e.g., an electrical waveform) that is configured to increase a likelihood of igniting a fuel-air mixture surrounding the igniter assembly. In certain embodiments, the igniter assembly is supplied with an augmented electrical waveform that may reduce a quantity of sparks generated by the igniter assembly before successful light-off (e.g., ignition) of the fuel-air mixture is achieved (e.g., as compared to a quantity of sparks generated to achieve ignition by an igniter assembly that receives an electrical energy input in the form of a conventional electrical waveform). Accordingly, the augmented electrical waveform may reduce wear (e.g., via oxidation) on electrodes of the igniter assembly, such as a primary electrode (e.g., a center electrode) and a secondary electrode (e.g., an outer shell electrode) disposed about the primary electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Badri Narayan Ramamurthi, Karim Younsi, Andrey Meshkov, Jason Fredrick Trotter, Timothy John Sommerer, Ramanujam Ramabhadran, Alvaro Alexander Briceno, Charles Cook, Mark Wayne McWaters
  • Publication number: 20210040890
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine system includes a combustor casing having an interior-establishing wall, and a chamber extending to the interior-establishing wall. In addition, the combustor includes an igniter assembly disposed within the chamber such that a tip of the igniter assembly is positioned radially outwardly from the interior-establishing wall. The igniter assembly includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an insulator. In addition, the first electrode, the second electrode, and the insulator form a cavity, the second electrode forms an outlet passage extending from the cavity, a maximum cross-sectional area of the cavity is greater than a minimum cross-sectional area of the outlet passage, and the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to ionize gas within the cavity in response to an electrical current applied to the first electrode or to the second electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Badri Narayan Ramamurthi, Svetlana Selezneva, Mohamed Rahmane, Andrey Meshkov, Karim Younsi, Mark Wayne McWaters, Philip Nose Alberti
  • Patent number: 10837369
    Abstract: An igniter assembly for a gas turbine combustor includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an insulator. The first electrode, the second electrode, and the insulator form a cavity, the second electrode forms an outlet passage extending from the cavity, a maximum cross-sectional area of the cavity is greater than a cross-sectional area of the outlet passage, and the cross-sectional area of the outlet passage is substantially constant along a longitudinal extent of the outlet passage. In addition, the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to ionize gas within the cavity in response to an electrical current applied to the first electrode or to the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Badri Narayan Ramamurthi, Svetlana Selezneva, Mohamed Rahmane, Andrey Meshkov, Karim Younsi, Mark Wayne McWaters, Philip Nose Alberti
  • Publication number: 20200018239
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to gas turbine engine operation in which an igniter assembly is provided with an electrical energy input (e.g., an electrical waveform) that is configured to increase a likelihood of igniting a fuel-air mixture surrounding the igniter assembly. In certain embodiments, the igniter assembly is supplied with an augmented electrical waveform that may reduce a quantity of sparks generated by the igniter assembly before successful light-off (e.g., ignition) of the fuel-air mixture is achieved (e.g., as compared to a quantity of sparks generated to achieve ignition by an igniter assembly that receives an electrical energy input in the form of a conventional electrical waveform). Accordingly, the augmented electrical waveform may reduce wear (e.g., via oxidation) on electrodes of the igniter assembly, such as a primary electrode (e.g., a center electrode) and a secondary electrode (e.g., an outer shell electrode) disposed about the primary electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventors: Badri Narayan Ramamurthi, Karim Younsi, Andrey Meshkov, Jason Fredrick Trotter, Timothy John Sommerer, Ramanujam Ramabhadran, Alvaro Alexander Briceno, Charles Cook, Mark Wayne McWaters
  • Publication number: 20190063329
    Abstract: An igniter assembly for a gas turbine combustor includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an insulator. The first electrode, the second electrode, and the insulator form a cavity, the second electrode forms an outlet passage extending from the cavity, a maximum cross-sectional area of the cavity is greater than a cross-sectional area of the outlet passage, and the cross-sectional area of the outlet passage is substantially constant along a longitudinal extent of the outlet passage. In addition, the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to ionize gas within the cavity in response to an electrical current applied to the first electrode or to the second electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Badri Narayan Ramamurthi, Svetlana Selezneva, Mohamed Rahmane, Andrey Meshkov, Karim Younsi, Mark Wayne McWaters, Philip Nose Alberti
  • Patent number: 10112722
    Abstract: A method of controlling an engine for a propeller-driven aircraft, including setting an initial maximum power limit, wherein the initial maximum power limit is associated with a maximum allowable thrust for an aircraft, receiving an indication that a predetermined aircraft condition is satisfied, and setting an updated maximum power limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: Unison Industries LLC
    Inventors: Mark Wayne McWaters, Scott Richard Nielsen
  • Publication number: 20160207633
    Abstract: A method of controlling an engine for a propeller-driven aircraft, including setting an initial maximum power limit, wherein the initial maximum power limit is associated with a maximum allowable thrust for an aircraft, receiving an indication that a predetermined aircraft condition is satisfied, and setting an updated maximum power limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2016
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: Mark Wayne McWaters, Scott Richard Nielsen