Patents by Inventor Michael C. WILLMOT

Michael C. WILLMOT 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: 12365477
    Abstract: A fuel system for a hydrogen fueled aircraft propulsion system comprises first and second hydrogen fuel tanks configured to store liquid hydrogen, first fuel line and second fuel lines configured to supply hydrogen from the first hydrogen fuel tank to a combustor of a first gas turbine engine and from the second hydrogen fuel tank to a combustor of a second gas turbine engine respectively. First and second fuel pumps are provided, each being configured to pump fuel in a respective first and second fuel line. First and second fuel heaters are provided, each being configured to heat fuel in a respective first and second fuel line. A fuel cross-feed fuel line is provided, which is configured to transfer fuel between the first and second fuel lines. The fuel cross-feed line is provided downstream in fuel flow of the first and second fuel heaters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2025
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2025
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Michael C. Willmot, William J. Hunt
  • Publication number: 20250154894
    Abstract: A propulsion system comprises a propulsive hydrogen-burning gas turbine engine, a fuel cell stack auxiliary power unit (APU) and a first tank arranged to store liquid hydrogen with an ullage. A first fuel line includes a first pump and a first vaporiser and transports hydrogen from the first tank to combustion apparatus of the engine during operation of the propulsion system. A second fuel line includes a second fuel pump and a second vaporiser and transports hydrogen from the first tank to the fuel cell stack APU. A duct connects the second fuel line at a position thereon between the second vaporiser and the fuel cell stack to the ullage of the first tank, providing for pressure in the first tank to be maintained therein as liquid hydrogen within the first tank is depleted, thus avoiding cavitation of liquid hydrogen within the first fuel pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2024
    Publication date: May 15, 2025
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Michael C. WILLMOT, Gergana Yanakieva DIMITROVA
  • Publication number: 20250154902
    Abstract: A propulsion system comprises a propulsive hydrogen-burning gas turbine engine, a first tank storing liquid hydrogen with an ullage and a first fuel line including a fuel pump and a vaporiser, the first fuel line providing gaseous hydrogen to the engine during operation of the system. A second tank storing gaseous hydrogen is coupled by a second fuel line to the first fuel line at a position thereon between the vaporiser and the engine, providing for engine start-up (when the vaporiser is inoperative) and power-boosting during operation of the system. A duct connects gaseous hydrogen within the second tank to the ullage in the first tank in order maintain pressure in the first tank as liquid hydrogen within it is depleted, preventing cavitation of liquid hydrogen within the fuel pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2024
    Publication date: May 15, 2025
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Michael C WILLMOT, Richard PEACE
  • Publication number: 20250035037
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine (10) for an aircraft comprises an engine core (11) comprising a turbine (19), a compressor (14), a core shaft (26), and a core exhaust nozzle (20), the core exhaust nozzle (20) having a core exhaust nozzle pressure ratio calculated using total pressure at the core nozzle exit (56); a fan (23) comprising a plurality of fan blades; and a nacelle (21) surrounding the fan (23) and the engine core (11) and defining a bypass duct (22), the bypass duct (22) comprising a bypass exhaust nozzle (18), the bypass exhaust nozzle (18) having a bypass exhaust nozzle pressure ratio calculated using total pressure at the bypass nozzle exit; wherein a bypass to core ratio of: bypass ? exhaust ? nozzle ? pressure ? ratio core ? exhaust ? nozzle ? pressure ? ratio is configured to be in the range from 1.1 to 2.0 under aircraft cruise conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2024
    Publication date: January 30, 2025
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Richard G. Stretton, Michael C. Willmot, Nicholas Grech
  • Patent number: 12163464
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine (10) for an aircraft comprises an engine core (11) comprising a turbine (19), a compressor (14), a core shaft (26), and a core exhaust nozzle (20), the core exhaust nozzle (20) having a core exhaust nozzle pressure ratio calculated using total pressure at the core nozzle exit (56); a fan (23) comprising a plurality of fan blades; and a nacelle (21) surrounding the fan (23) and the engine core (11) and defining a bypass duct (22), the bypass duct (22) comprising a bypass exhaust nozzle (18), the bypass exhaust nozzle (18) having a bypass exhaust nozzle pressure ratio calculated using total pressure at the bypass nozzle exit; wherein a bypass to core ratio of: bypass ? exhaust ? nozzle ? pressure ? ratio core ? exhaust ? nozzle ? pressure ? ratio is configured to be in the range from 1.1 to 1.4 under aircraft cruise conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Richard G Stretton, Michael C Willmot, Nicholas Grech
  • Publication number: 20240376847
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine (10) for an aircraft comprises an engine core (11) comprising a turbine (19), a compressor (14), and a core shaft (26) connecting the turbine to the compressor; a fan (23) located upstream of the engine core (11), the fan comprising a plurality of fan blades (64) extending from a hub (66); and a gearbox (30) that receives an input from the core shaft (26) and outputs drive to the fan (23) so as to drive the fan at a lower rotational speed than the core shaft. The gas turbine engine (10) has an engine length (110) and a gearbox location (112) relative to a forward region of the fan (23), and a gearbox location ratio of: gearbox location/engine length is in a range from 0.19 to 0.45.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2024
    Publication date: November 14, 2024
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Richard G STRETTON, Michael C WILLMOT
  • Patent number: 11988169
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft having an engine core configured with a turbine, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor. A fan located upstream of the engine core, the fan comprising a plurality of fan blades, with a nacelle surrounding the gas turbine engine, and a bypass duct outlet guide vane extending radially across the bypass duct between an outer surface of the engine core and the inner surface of the nacelle. An outer wall axis is defined joining the radially outer tip of the trailing edge of the bypass duct outlet guide vane and the rearmost tip of the inner surface of the nacelle. An outer bypass duct wall angle is defined as the angle between the outer wall axis and the centreline, and the outer bypass duct wall angle is in a range from ?15 to ?2.5 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Richard G Stretton, Michael C Willmot
  • Publication number: 20230028367
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine (10) for an aircraft comprises an engine core (11) comprising a turbine (19), a compressor (14), a core shaft (26), and a core exhaust nozzle (20), the core exhaust nozzle (20) having a core exhaust nozzle pressure ratio calculated using total pressure at the core nozzle exit (56); a fan (23) comprising a plurality of fan blades; and a nacelle (21) surrounding the fan (23) and the engine core (11) and defining a bypass duct (22), the bypass duct (22) comprising a bypass exhaust nozzle (18), the bypass exhaust nozzle (18) having a bypass exhaust nozzle pressure ratio calculated using total pressure at the bypass nozzle exit; wherein a bypass to core ratio of: bypass ? exhaust ? nozzle ? pressure ? ratio core ? exhaust ? nozzle ? pressure ? ratio is configured to be in the range from 1.1 to 1.4 under aircraft cruise conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Richard G STRETTON, Michael C WILLMOT, Nicholas GRECH
  • Patent number: 11408428
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft includes an engine core including a turbine, compressor, and core shaft connecting turbine to compressor; a fan located upstream of the engine core and including a plurality of fan blades each having a leading and trailing edge. The turbine includes a lowest pressure turbine stage having a row of rotor blades, each rotor blades extending radially and having a leading and trailing edge. The engine has a fan tip axis that joins a radially outer tip of the leading edge of a fan blade and the radially outer tip of the trailing edge of a rotor blade of the lowest pressure stage. The fan tip axis lies in a longitudinal plane which contains a centreline of engine. A fan axis angle is defined as the angle between fan tip axis and centreline, and is in a range between 10 and 20 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Richard G Stretton, Michael C Willmot
  • Patent number: 11339713
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft includes an engine core including a turbine, a compressor, a core shaft, and a core exhaust nozzle, the core exhaust nozzle having a core exhaust nozzle pressure ratio calculated using total pressure at the core nozzle exit; a fan including a plurality of fan blades; and a nacelle surrounding the fan and the engine core and defining a bypass duct, the bypass duct including a bypass exhaust nozzle, the bypass exhaust nozzle having a bypass exhaust nozzle pressure ratio calculated using total pressure at the bypass nozzle exit; wherein a bypass to core ratio of: bypass ? ? exhaust ? ? nozzle ? ? pressure ? ? ratio core ? ? exhaust ? ? nozzle ? ? pressure ? ? ratio is configured to be in the range from 1.1 to 2.0 under aircraft cruise conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Richard G Stretton, Michael C Willmot, Nicholas Grech
  • Patent number: 11293346
    Abstract: There is provided an air intake system for providing air to a tip clearance control system. The air intake system comprises a ram-air intake having a scoop portion and a body portion. The body portion of the ram-air intake houses a heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Michael I. Elliott, Peter Banister, Michael C. Willmot, Silvia Fernandez Arranz
  • Publication number: 20220056916
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft includes an engine core having a core length and comprising a turbine, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor, the turbine comprising a lowest pressure rotor stage, the turbine having a turbine diameter at the lowest pressure rotor stage; and a fan located upstream of the engine core, the fan comprising a plurality of fan blades extending from a hub, the hub and fan blades together defining a fan face having a fan face area and a fan tip radius, wherein a ratio of the fan tip radius to the turbine diameter at the lowest pressure rotor stage is in a range from 1.2 to 2.0; and wherein the engine core length is in a range from 150 cm to 320 cm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Richard G. STRETTON, Michael C. WILLMOT
  • Patent number: 11204037
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft includes an engine core including an engine core, a turbine, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor, the turbine comprising a lowest pressure rotor stage, the turbine having a turbine diameter at the lowest pressure rotor stage. A fan located upstream of the engine core, the fan comprising a plurality of fan blades extending from a hub, the hub and fan blades together defining a fan face having a fan face area and a fan tip radius. A ratio of the fan tip radius to the turbine diameter at the lowest pressure rotor stage is in the range from 1.2 to 2.0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Richard G Stretton, Michael C Willmot
  • Publication number: 20210301827
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft includes an engine core including an engine core, a turbine, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor, the turbine comprising a lowest pressure rotor stage, the turbine having a turbine diameter at the lowest pressure rotor stage. A fan located upstream of the engine core, the fan comprising a plurality of fan blades extending from a hub, the hub and fan blades together defining a fan face having a fan face area and a fan tip radius. A ratio of the fan tip radius to the turbine diameter at the lowest pressure rotor stage is in the range from 1.2 to 2.0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Richard G. STRETTON, Michael C. WILLMOT
  • Patent number: 11053947
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft includes an engine core including a turbine, compressor, and core shaft connecting turbine to compressor; a fan located upstream of the engine core and including a plurality of fan blades each having a leading and trailing edge. The turbine includes a lowest pressure turbine stage having a row of rotor blades, each rotor blades extending radially and having a leading and trailing edge. The engine has a fan tip axis that joins a radially outer tip of the leading edge of a fan blade and the radially outer tip of the trailing edge of a rotor blade of the lowest pressure stage. The fan tip axis lies in a longitudinal plane which contains a centreline of engine. A fan axis angle is defined as the angle between fan tip axis and centreline, and is in a range between 10 and 20 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Richard G Stretton, Michael C Willmot
  • Publication number: 20210164478
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft includes an engine core including a turbine, compressor, and core shaft connecting turbine to compressor; a fan located upstream of the engine core and including a plurality of fan blades each having a leading and trailing edge. The turbine includes a lowest pressure turbine stage having a row of rotor blades, each rotor blades extending radially and having a leading and trailing edge. The engine has a fan tip axis that joins a radially outer tip of the leading edge of a fan blade and the radially outer tip of the trailing edge of a rotor blade of the lowest pressure stage. The fan tip axis lies in a longitudinal plane which contains a centreline of engine. A fan axis angle is defined as the angle between fan tip axis and centreline, and is in a range between 10 and 20 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Richard G. STRETTON, Michael C. WILLMOT
  • Publication number: 20210164417
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft including: engine core including a turbine; and fan including a plurality of fan blades extending radially from a hub, each fan blade having a leading and trailing edge. Turbine includes a lowest pressure turbine stage having a row of rotor blades each extending radially and having a leading and trailing edge. A fan-turbine radius difference is measured as radial distance between: a point on a circle swept by a radially outer tip of the trailing edge of each of the rotor blades of the lowest pressure stage of the turbine; and a point on a circle swept by a radially outer tip of the leading edge of each of fan blades; and a fan speed to fan-turbine radius ratio defined as: the ? ? maximum ? ? take - off ? ? rotational ? ? speed ? ? of ? ? the ? ? fan fan - turbine ? ? radius ? ? difference ? ? ( 120 ) is in a range between 0.8 rpm/mm to 5 rpm/mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Richard G STRETTON, Michael C WILLMOT
  • Publication number: 20210148306
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft including: engine core including a turbine; and fan including a plurality of fan blades extending radially from a hub, each fan blade having a leading and trailing edge. Turbine includes a lowest pressure turbine stage having a row of rotor blades each extending radially and having a leading and trailing edge. A fan-turbine radius difference is measured as radial distance between: a point on a circle swept by a radially outer tip of the trailing edge of each of the rotor blades of the lowest pressure stage of the turbine; and a point on a circle swept by a radially outer tip of the leading edge of each of fan blades; and a fan speed to fan-turbine radius ratio defined as: the ? ? maximum ? ? take ? - ? off ? ? rotational ? ? speed ? ? of ? ? the ? ? fan fan ? - ? turbine ? ? radius ? ? difference ? ? ( 120 ) is in a range between 0.8 rpm/mm to 5 rpm/mm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2021
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Richard G. STRETTON, Michael C WILLMOT
  • Patent number: 10981663
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine of an aircraft includes: an engine core having a turbine including a lowest pressure rotor stage, a turbine diameter, a fan including a plurality of fan blades extending from a hub, an annular fan face at a leading edge of the fan defining a fan tip radius at the fan face; wherein a downstream blockage ratio is defined as: the ? ? turbine ? ? diameter ? ? at ? ? an ? ? axial ? ? location of ? ? the ? ? lowest ? ? pressure ? ? rotor ? ? stage a ? ? distance ? ? f ? rom ? ? a ? ? ground ? ? plane ? ? to ? ? the ? ? wing ? and wherein an engine blockage ratio of: ( 2 × the fan tip radius/the engine length ) the ? ? downstream ? ? blockage ? ? ratio is in the range from 2.5 to 4.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Richard G Stretton, Michael C Willmot
  • Patent number: 10882633
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine of an aircraft includes: an engine core having a turbine including a lowest pressure rotor stage, a turbine diameter, a fan including a plurality of fan blades extending from a hub, an annular fan face at a leading edge of the fan; wherein a downstream blockage ratio of: the ? ? turbine ? ? diameter ? ? at ? ? an ? ? axial location ? ? of ? ? the ? ? lowest ? ? pressure ? ? rotor ? ? stage a ? ? distance ? ? from ? ? a ? ? ground ? ? plane ? ? to ? ? the ? ? wing is in the range from 0.2 to 0.3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Richard G. Stretton, Michael C. Willmot