Patents by Inventor Matthew Timothy Franer

Matthew Timothy Franer 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: 10378479
    Abstract: A turbofan engine is provided having a fan and a core in flow communication with the fan. The turbofan engine also includes a nacelle assembly enclosing the fan and at least a portion of the core to define a bypass passage with the core. The nacelle assembly includes a fan cowl extending around the fan and a thrust reverser system. The thrust reverser system is movable between a fully stowed position, a partially deployed position, and a fully deployed position. The thrust reverser system is configured to be held in the partially deployed position to allow an additional amount of airflow to exit from the bypass passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Matthew Timothy Franer, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • Publication number: 20170167438
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan and a core in flow communication with the fan. The core includes an aftmost turbine, and the aftmost turbine includes an aftmost stage of rotor blades. The gas turbine engine also includes a nacelle assembly having a translating and rotating thrust reverser system and enclosing the fan and at least a portion of the core. The nacelle assembly defines a nacelle assembly length between a forward lip and an aft edge. Additionally, the gas turbine engine defines an engine length between the forward lip of the nacelle assembly and the aftmost stage of rotor blades of the aftmost turbine. A ratio of the turbine length to the nacelle assembly length is greater than about 0.5 and less than about 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Publication date: June 15, 2017
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Matthew Timothy Franer, Alan Roy Stuart
  • Patent number: 9677424
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided defining a radial direction. The gas turbine engine generally includes a compressor section and a turbine section, the compressor section and turbine section together defining a core air flowpath. The gas turbine engine also includes a sump positioned inward of the core air flowpath along the radial direction. An air pump is positioned inward of the core air flowpath along the radial direction for providing a flow of air from the sump to lower an internal pressure of the sump and reduce a likelihood of lubrication leaking from the sump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Matthew Timothy Franer, Kyle Robert Snow
  • Publication number: 20170145956
    Abstract: A method for controlling a gas turbine engine includes receiving, with a controller, a thrust reverse command to activate a thrust reverse feature of the gas turbine engine. The method also includes determining the thrust reverse feature is in a starting position, confirming a gas turbine engine condition is at a first value, and moving the thrust reverse feature to a middle position. The method also includes confirming the gas turbine engine condition is at a second value in coordination with moving the thrust reverse feature to the middle position. Additionally, after moving the thrust reverse feature to the middle position and confirming the gas turbine engine condition is that a second value in coordination with such movement, the method includes moving the thrust reverse feature to a maximum position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne Miller, Matthew Timothy Franer, Manxue Lu
  • Publication number: 20170107943
    Abstract: A turbofan engine is provided having a fan and a core in flow communication with the fan. The turbofan engine also includes a nacelle assembly enclosing the fan and at least a portion of the core to define a bypass passage with the core. The nacelle assembly includes a fan cowl extending around the fan and a thrust reverser system. The thrust reverser system is movable between a fully stowed position, a partially deployed position, and a fully deployed position. The thrust reverser system is configured to be held in the partially deployed position to allow an additional amount of airflow to exit from the bypass passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Matthew Timothy Franer, Brandon Wayne Miller
  • Publication number: 20160376924
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided defining a radial direction. The gas turbine engine generally includes a compressor section and a turbine section, the compressor section and turbine section together defining a core air flowpath. The gas turbine engine also includes a sump positioned inward of the core air flowpath along the radial direction. An air pump is positioned inward of the core air flowpath along the radial direction for providing a flow of air from the sump to lower an internal pressure of the sump and reduce a likelihood of lubrication leaking from the sump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: Brandon Wayne MILLER, Matthew Timothy FRANER, Kyle Robert SNOW
  • Patent number: 8806849
    Abstract: A method of operating a turbine engine system and a turbine engine system are provided. The method comprises supplying a flow of oxygen to a combustion chamber defined within a plurality of turbines coupled serially together within the turbine engine system, supplying a flow of hydrocarbonaccous fuel to the combustion chambers of each of the plurality of turbines in the turbine engine system, and supplying a working fluid to an inlet of a first turbine engine coupled within the turbine engine system, wherein the working fluid is substantially nitrogen-free and wherein each of the turbines coupled within the turbine engine system is operable with the resulting fuel-oxygen-working fluid mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignees: The University of Wyoming, General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Frederick Ackerman, Matthew Timothy Franer, Randy Lee Lewis, David Allen Bell, Morris Dee Argyle, Brian Francis Towler
  • Patent number: 7905084
    Abstract: A gas generator for providing continuous pressure rise combustion, including: a rotatable member including a forward end, an aft end, a circumferential wall and a longitudinal centerline axis extending therethrough; an outer circumferential wall, wherein the rotatable member is positioned therein so that the circumferential wall of the rotatable member is spaced radially inwardly from the outer circumferential wall; at least one helical channel formed by a plurality of helical sidewalls extending between the circumferential wall of the rotatable member and the outer circumferential wall, each helical channel being open at the forward end and the aft end of the rotatable member so as to provide flow communication therethrough; an air supply for providing air to each helical channel; and, a fuel supply for providing fuel to each helical channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: General Electronic Company
    Inventors: Kurt David Murrow, Matthew Timothy Franer, Rollin George Giffin, III
  • Publication number: 20100024378
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine system is provided. The gas turbine engine system includes a gas turbine engine and an exhaust gas conditioning system. The gas turbine engine includes at least one combustion chamber and at least one turbine downstream from the combustion chamber. The combustion chamber is coupled in flow communication to a source of hydrocarbonaceous fuel and to a source of oxygen. The gas turbine engine is operable with a working fluid that is substantially nitrogen-free. The exhaust gas conditioning system is coupled between a discharge outlet of the gas turbine engine and an inlet of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: John Frederick Ackermann, Matthew Timothy Franer, Randy Lee Lewis, David Allen Bell, Morris Dee Argyle, Brian Francis Towler
  • Publication number: 20100024381
    Abstract: A method of operating a turbine engine system and a turbine engine system are provided. The method comprises supplying a flow of oxygen to a combustion chamber defined within a plurality of turbines coupled serially together within the turbine engine system, supplying a flow of hydrocarbonaccous fuel to the combustion chambers of each of the plurality of turbines in the turbine engine system, and supplying a working fluid to an inlet of a first turbine engine coupled within the turbine engine system, wherein the working fluid is substantially nitrogen-free and wherein each of the turbines coupled within the turbine engine system is operable with the resulting fuel-oxygen-working fluid mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: John Frederick Ackermann, Matthew Timothy Franer, Randy Lee Lewis, David Allen Bell, Morris Dee Argyle, Brian Francis Towler
  • Publication number: 20100024433
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine system is provided. The gas turbine engine system includes a gas turbine engine, an exhaust gas conditioning system, and a sequestration chamber. The gas turbine engine includes at least one compressor, at least one combustion chamber downstream from the compressor, and at least one turbine downstream from the combustion chamber. The combustion chamber is coupled in flow communication to a source of hydrocarbonaceous fuel and to a source of oxygen. The gas turbine engine is operable with a working fluid that is substantially nitrogen-free. The exhaust gas conditioning system is coupled between a discharge outlet and an inlet of the gas turbine engine. The exhaust gas conditioning system receives all of the exhaust discharged from the gas turbine engine. The sequestration chamber stores carbon dioxide and is coupled to the gas turbine engine for receiving working fluid bled from the turbine upstream from combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: John Frederick Ackermann, Matthew Timothy Franer, Randy Lee Lewis, David Allen Bell, Morris Dee Argyle, Brian Francis Towler
  • Publication number: 20090196733
    Abstract: A gas generator for providing continuous pressure rise combustion, including: a rotatable member including a forward end, an aft end, a circumferential wall and a longitudinal centerline axis extending therethrough; an outer circumferential wall, wherein the rotatable member is positioned therein so that the circumferential wall of the rotatable member is spaced radially inwardly from the outer circumferential wall; at least one helical channel formed by a plurality of helical sidewalls extending between the circumferential wall of the rotatable member and the outer circumferential wall, each helical channel being open at the forward end and the aft end of the rotatable member so as to provide flow communication therethrough; an air supply for providing air to each helical channel; and, a fuel supply for providing fuel to each helical channel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2008
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kurt David Murrow, Matthew Timothy Franer, Rollin George Giffin, III