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: 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
  • Patent number: 10823086
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a first bypass flow path housing configured within the engine, radially exterior to an engine core housing, and a second bypass flow path housing configured within the engine, radially exterior to the first bypass flow path housing. An axially downstream portion of the first bypass flow path housing includes a stepwise increase in area compared with an axially adjacent upstream portion of the first bypass flow path housing, thereby defining a component placement cavity in the axially downstream portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael R. Thomas, Nathan Snape
  • Patent number: 10823462
    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: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan Snape, Joseph Brent Staubach
  • Patent number: 10808608
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes an engine static structure housing that includes a compressor section and a turbine section. A combustor section is arranged axially between the compressor section and the turbine section. A core nacelle encloses the engine static structure to provide a core compartment. An oil tank is arranged in the core compartment and is axially aligned with the compressor section. A heat exchanger is secured to the oil tank and arranged in the core compartment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Nathan Snape, Christopher M. Dye
  • Patent number: 10794290
    Abstract: A first cooling stage is fluidly coupled to a bleed port of a compressor to receive and cool bleed air with the air stream to produce a cool bleed air. A cooling pump receives and increases a pressure of the cool bleed air to produce a pressurized cool bleed air. A second cooling stage is fluidly coupled to the pump to receive and cool the pressurized cool bleed air to produce an intercooled cooling air. A valve is downstream of the first cooling stage, the valve selectively delivering air into a mixing chamber where it is mixed with air from a tap that is compressed to a higher pressure than the air from the bleed port, and the valve also selectively supplying air from the first cooling stage to a use on an aircraft associated with the gas turbine engine. A method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan Snape, Joseph Brent Staubach, Frederick M. Schwarz
  • Publication number: 20200291858
    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: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Vito Guardi, Christopher B. Lyons, Nathan Snape
  • Patent number: 10753218
    Abstract: An example turbomachine assembly includes, among other things, a nose cone of a turbomachine, and a pump at least partially within an interior of the nose cone. The pump is selectively rotated by a motor to communicate air to the interior.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Simon Pickford, William K. Ackermann, Nathan Snape
  • Patent number: 10738703
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a plurality of rotating components housed within a main compressor section and a turbine section. A first tap is connected to the main compressor section and configured to deliver air at a first pressure. A heat exchanger is connected downstream of the first tap. A cooling air valve is configured to selectively block flow of cooling air across the heat exchanger. A cooling compressor is connected downstream of the heat exchanger. A shut off valve stops flow between the heat exchanger and the cooling compressor. A second tap is configured to deliver air at a second pressure which is higher than the first pressure. A mixing chamber is connected downstream of the cooling compressor and the second tap. The mixing chamber is configured to deliver air to at least one of the plurality of rotating components. A system stops flow between the cooling compressor and the plurality of rotating components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Nathan Snape
  • Patent number: 10731560
    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 and configured to deliver air to an aircraft fuselage. A cooling compressor is connected downstream of the heat exchanger. A high pressure feed is configured to deliver air at a second pressure which is higher than the first pressure. The cooling compressor is configured to deliver air to at least one of the plurality of rotating components. A valve assembly that can select whether air from the first tap or air from the high pressure feed is delivered to the aircraft pneumatic system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan Snape, Gabriel L. Suciu, Brian Merry, Jesse M. Chandler, Frederick M. Schwarz
  • Publication number: 20200224592
    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: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventor: Nathan Snape
  • Patent number: 10669940
    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: September 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Nathan Snape
  • Publication number: 20200141270
    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: April 5, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Nathan Snape
  • Patent number: 10641128
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan case radially outwardly of a core compartment. A compressor section is located within an engine core compartment and includes a front mount flange and an aft mount flange. An oil tank is mounted to at least one of the fan case or the front and aft mount flanges. The oil tank has a cooling structure integrated into an outer surface such that the oil tank is subjected to cooling air flow from a plurality of air sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan Snape, Gabriel L. Suciu, Simon Pickford
  • Patent number: 10633998
    Abstract: An active clearance control assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a firewall, a fluid intake and an active clearance control manifold. A conduit is configured to direct a fluid from the fluid intake on a first axial side of the firewall through the firewall to at least one active clearance control manifold on a second axial side of the firewall. A valve is located on the first axial side of the firewall and is configured to regulate the flow of the fluid through the conduit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Jesse M. Chandler, Nathan Snape
  • Patent number: 10612469
    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: August 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Vito Guardi, Christopher B. Lyons, Nathan Snape