Patents by Inventor Nathan Snape

Nathan Snape 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: 11976863
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a compressor section, a combustor, and a turbine section. An associated fluid is to be cooled and an associated fluid is to be heated. A transcritical vapor cycle heats the fluid to be heated, and cools the fluid to be cooled. The transcritical vapor cycle includes a gas cooler in which the fluid to be heated is heated by a refrigerant in the transcritical vapor cycle. An evaporator heat exchanger at which the fluid to be cooled is cooled by the refrigerant in the transcritical vapor cycle. A compressor upstream of the gas cooler compresses the refrigerant to a pressure above a critical point for the refrigerant. An expansion device expands the refrigerant downstream of the gas cooler, with the evaporator heat exchanger being downstream of the expansion device, and such that the refrigerant passing through the gas cooler to heat the fluid to be heated is generally above the critical point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan Snape, Joseph Brent Staubach
  • Publication number: 20240076999
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a plurality of rotating components housed within a compressor section and a turbine section. A first tap is connected to the compressor section and configured to deliver air at a first pressure. A heat exchanger is connected downstream of the first tap. A flowpath is defined between a rotating surface and a non-rotating surface. The flowpath is connected downstream of the heat exchanger and is configured to deliver air to at least one of the plurality of rotating components. At least a portion of the non-rotating surface and the rotating surface includes a base metal. An insulation material is disposed on a surface along the flowpath.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Nathan Snape
  • Patent number: 11920485
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a plurality of rotating components housed within a compressor section and a turbine section. A first tap is connected to the compressor section and configured to deliver air at a first pressure. A heat exchanger is connected downstream of the first tap. A flowpath is defined between a rotating surface and a non-rotating surface. The flowpath is connected downstream of the heat exchanger and is configured to deliver air to at least one of the plurality of rotating components. At least a portion of the non-rotating surface and the rotating surface includes a base metal. An insulation material is disposed on a surface along the flowpath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2024
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Nathan Snape
  • Patent number: 11808210
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a plurality of rotating components housed within a compressor section and a turbine section. A tap connects to the compressor section. A heat exchanger connects downstream of the tap. A cooling compressor connects downstream of the heat exchanger, and the cooling compressor connects to deliver air to at least one of the rotating components. A core housing has an outer peripheral surface and a fan housing defines an inner peripheral surface. At least one bifurcation duct extends between the outer peripheral surface to the inner peripheral surface. The heat exchanger is disposed within the at least one bifurcation duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Jesse M. Chandler, Brian D. Merry, Nathan Snape
  • Publication number: 20230303254
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a compressor section and a turbine section operably coupled to the compressor section. The gas turbine engine further includes a means for selectively releasing a cooling fluid flow produced at a cryogenic temperature and a plumbing system in fluid communication with the means for selectively releasing the cooling fluid flow. The plumbing system is configured to route the cooling fluid flow to one or more of the compressor section and the turbine section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Michael Winter, Charles E. Lents, Nathan Snape, Alan H. Epstein
  • Publication number: 20230122852
    Abstract: An engine-driven cryogenic cooling system for an aircraft includes a first air cycle machine, a second air cycle machine, and a means for condensing a chilled air stream into liquid air for an aircraft use. The first air cycle machine includes a plurality of components operably coupled to a gearbox of a gas turbine engine and configured to produce a cooling air stream based on a first engine bleed source of the gas turbine engine. The second air cycle machine is operable to output the chilled air stream at a cryogenic temperature based on a second engine bleed source cooled by the cooling air stream of the first air cycle machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Publication date: April 20, 2023
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Michael Winter, Charles E. Lents, Nathan Snape, Alan H. Epstein
  • Publication number: 20230041007
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a compressor section, a combustor, and a turbine section. An associated fluid is to be cooled and an associated fluid is to be heated. A transcritical vapor cycle heats the fluid to be heated, and cools the fluid to be cooled. The transcritical vapor cycle includes a gas cooler in which the fluid to be heated is heated by a refrigerant in the transcritical vapor cycle. An evaporator heat exchanger at which the fluid to be cooled is cooled by the refrigerant in the transcritical vapor cycle. A compressor upstream of the gas cooler compresses the refrigerant to a pressure above a critical point for the refrigerant. An expansion device expands the refrigerant downstream of the gas cooler, with the evaporator heat exchanger being downstream of the expansion device, and such that the refrigerant passing through the gas cooler to heat the fluid to be heated is generally above the critical point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2022
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventors: Nathan Snape, Joseph Brent Staubach
  • Patent number: 11549728
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a compressor section, a combustor, and a turbine section. An associated fluid is to be cooled and an associated fluid is to be heated. A transcritical vapor cycle heats the fluid to be heated, and cools the fluid to be cooled. The transcritical vapor cycle includes a gas cooler in which the fluid to be heated is heated by a refrigerant in the transcritical vapor cycle. An evaporator heat exchanger at which the fluid to be cooled is cooled by the refrigerant in the transcritical vapor cycle. A compressor upstream of the gas cooler compresses the refrigerant to a pressure above a critical point for the refrigerant. An expansion device expands the refrigerant downstream of the gas cooler, with the evaporator heat exchanger being downstream of the expansion device, and such that the refrigerant passing through the gas cooler to heat the fluid to be heated is generally above the critical point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan Snape, Joseph Brent Staubach
  • Patent number: 11542016
    Abstract: A cryogenic cooling system for an aircraft includes a first air cycle machine, a second air cycle machine, and a means for collecting liquid air. The first air cycle machine is operable to output a cooling air stream based on a first air source. The second air cycle machine is operable to output a chilled air stream at a cryogenic temperature based on a second air source cooled by the cooling air stream of the first air cycle machine. An output of the second air cycle machine is provided to the means for collecting liquid air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Michael Winter, Charles E. Lents, Nathan Snape, Alan H. Epstein
  • Publication number: 20220389836
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a plurality of rotating components housed within a compressor section and a turbine section. A first tap is connected to the compressor section and configured to deliver air at a first pressure. A heat exchanger is connected downstream of the first tap. A flowpath is defined between a rotating surface and a non-rotating surface. The flowpath is connected downstream of the heat exchanger and is configured to deliver air to at least one of the plurality of rotating components. At least a portion of the non-rotating surface and the rotating surface includes a base metal. An insulation material is disposed on a surface along the flowpath.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Nathan Snape
  • Patent number: 11428121
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a plurality of rotating components housed within a compressor section and a turbine section. A first tap is connected to the compressor section and configured to deliver air at a first pressure. A heat exchanger is connected downstream of the first tap. A flowpath is defined between a rotating surface and a non-rotating surface. The flowpath is connected downstream of the heat exchanger and is configured to deliver air to at least one of the plurality of rotating components. At least a portion of the non-rotating surface and the rotating surface includes a base metal. An insulation material is disposed on a surface along the flowpath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Nathan Snape
  • Patent number: 11346288
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a compressor section and a turbine section. A secondary cooling air includes a first fluid connection to tap cooling air and pass the cooling air through a plurality of tubes, and a second fluid connection for returning air from the tubes back to at least one of the compressor and turbine for cooling. A sensor senses a condition of the cooling air downstream of the tubes and a control compares the sensed condition of the cooling air to an expected condition, and to identify a potential concern in the cooling air system should the sensed condition differ from the expected condition by more than a predetermined amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Nathan Snape
  • Patent number: 11236675
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a compressor section with a downstream most end and a cooling air tap at a location spaced upstream from the downstream most end. The cooling air tap is passed through at least one boost compressor and at least one heat exchanger, and then passed to a turbine section to cool the turbine section. The boost compressor is driven by a driveshaft which is driven by the turbine section. A boost turbine selectively drives the boost compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Nathan Snape
  • Patent number: 11203976
    Abstract: A turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustor in fluid communication with the compressor section, and a turbine section in fluid communication with the combustor. Also included in the turbine engine is a mixing chamber. The mixing chamber is located between the compressor section and the combustor section and the mixing chamber is radially outward of a primary fluid flow path connecting the compressor section, the combustor section, and the turbine section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Vito Guardi, Christopher B. Lyons, Nathan Snape
  • Patent number: 11156161
    Abstract: An aircraft thermal management system includes a first fluid system containing a first fluid, a fluid loop containing a thermally neutral heat transfer fluid, a second fluid system containing a second fluid, a first heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the first fluid to the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid, and a second heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid to the second fluid. The fluid loop is configured to provide the thermally neutral heat transfer fluid to the first heat exchanger at a pressure that matches the pressure of the first fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan Snape, James D. Hill, Gabriel L. Suciu, Brian Merry
  • Patent number: 11149643
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a fan rotor delivering air into a bypass duct defined between an outer fan case and an outer interior housing. The fan rotor also delivers air into a compressor section, a combustor, a turbine section. A chamber is defined between the outer interior housing and an inner housing. The inner housing contains the compressor section, the combustor and the turbine section. A first conduit taps hot compressed air to be cooled and passes the air to at least one heat exchanger. The air is cooled in the heat exchanger and returned to a return conduit. The return conduit passes the cooled air to at least one of the turbine section and the compressor section. The heat exchanger has a core exhaust plane. The turbine section has at least a first and a downstream second rotor blade row, with the core exhaust plane located downstream of a center plane of the second blade row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Nathan Snape
  • Patent number: 11073085
    Abstract: An intercooled cooling system for a gas turbine engine is provided. The intercooled cooling system includes a plurality of cooling stages in fluid communication with an air stream utilized for cooling. A first cooling stage of the plurality of cooling stages is fluidly coupled to a bleed port of a compressor of the gas turbine engine to receive and cool bleed air with the air stream to produce a cool bleed air. The intercooled cooling system also includes a pump fluidly coupled to the first cooling stage to receive the cool bleed air and increase a pressure of the cool bleed air to produce a pressurized cool bleed air. A second cooling stage of the plurality of cooling stages is fluidly coupled to the pump to receive and cool the pressurized cool bleed air to produce an intercooled cooling air, which is provided to the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Joseph B. Staubach, Nathan Snape
  • Patent number: 10914242
    Abstract: A lower pressure tap is connected to a first heat exchanger to be cooled by cooling air, and then to a selection valve. The selection valve selectively delivers the lower pressure tap air to a boost compressor. The lower pressure tap air downstream of the boost compressor is connected to cool the at least one turbine. The selection valve also selectively delivers a portion of the lower pressure tap air across a first cooling turbine, and to a line associated with an air delivery system for a cabin on an associated aircraft. A portion of the air downstream of the first cooling turbine is connected to a second cooling turbine, and air downstream of the second cooling turbine is connected for use in a cold loop A method of operating an air supply system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph Brent Staubach, Nathan Snape, Frederick M. Schwarz, Charles E. Lents, Michael K. Ikeda
  • Publication number: 20210018228
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a compressor section, a combustor, and a turbine section. An associated fluid is to be cooled and an associated fluid is to be heated. A transcritical vapor cycle heats the fluid to be heated, and cools the fluid to be cooled. The transcritical vapor cycle includes a gas cooler in which the fluid to be heated is heated by a refrigerant in the transcritical vapor cycle. An evaporator heat exchanger at which the fluid to be cooled is cooled by the refrigerant in the transcritical vapor cycle. A compressor upstream of the gas cooler compresses the refrigerant to a pressure above a critical point for the refrigerant. An expansion device expands the refrigerant downstream of the gas cooler, with the evaporator heat exchanger being downstream of the expansion device, and such that the refrigerant passing through the gas cooler to heat the fluid to be heated is generally above the critical point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Nathan Snape, Joseph Brent Staubach
  • Patent number: 10830149
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a main compressor section having a high pressure compressor with a downstream discharge, and more upstream locations. A turbine section has a high pressure turbine. A tap taps air from at least one of the more upstream locations in the compressor section, passes the tapped air through a heat exchanger and then to a cooling compressor. The cooling compressor compresses air downstream of the heat exchanger, and delivers air into the high pressure turbine. The cooling compressor is connected to be driven with at least one rotor in the main compressor section. A source of pressurized air is selectively sent to the cooling compressor to drive a rotor of the cooling compressor to rotate, and to in turn drive the at least one rotor of the main compressor section at start-up of the gas turbine engine. An intercooling system is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan Snape, Gabriel L. Suciu, Brian D. Merry