Patents by Inventor Neil J. Terwilliger

Neil J. Terwilliger 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: 12286907
    Abstract: A turbine engine assembly includes a core engine that generates an exhaust gas flow, a condenser where water is extracted from the exhaust gas flow, an evaporator where heat is input into the water that is extracted by the condenser into a first steam flow, a steam turbine where the first steam flow is expanded and cooled, and a superheater where additional heat is input into the first steam flow that is exhausted from the steam turbine to generate a second steam flow. The second steam flow is injected into a core flow path of the core engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2025
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach
  • Patent number: 12270333
    Abstract: A turbine engine assembly generates an exhaust gas flow that is communicated through a core flow path. The exhaust gas flow is split into a first exhaust gas flow and a second exhaust gas flow. Water is extracted in a condenser from the second exhaust gas flow. The extracted water is transformed into a steam flow in an evaporator system utilizing thermal energy from at least the second exhaust gas flow. An exit flow from the condenser is communicated through an exhaust compressor and compressed to a higher pressure exit flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Lance L. Smith
  • Patent number: 12264609
    Abstract: A turbine engine assembly generates an exhaust gas flow that is communicated through a core flow path. The exhaust gas flow is split into a first exhaust gas flow and a second exhaust gas flow. Water from the second exhaust gas flow is condensed and extracted by a condenser. The extracted water is transformed into a steam flow within an evaporator system utilizing thermal energy from at least the second exhaust gas flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventor: Neil J. Terwilliger
  • Publication number: 20250101917
    Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a core engine that includes a core flow path where air is compressed in a compressor section, communicated to a combustor section, mixed with a gaseous fuel and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow that is expanded through a turbine section. A fuel system supplies a fuel to the combustor through a fuel flow path, a first heat exchanger thermally communicates a first heat load into a cooling flow, a turboexpander where a heated cooling flow from the first heat exchanger is expanded to generate shaft power and cooled to provide a cooled cooling flow, and a second heat exchanger thermally communicates a second heat load to the cooled cooling flow that is communicated from the turboexpander, cooling flow from the second heat exchanger is communicated to the combustor section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2024
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach
  • Publication number: 20250084786
    Abstract: A turbine engine assembly generates an exhaust gas flow that is divided into a first exhaust gas flow and a second exhaust gas flow. A desiccation system transfers water vapor from the first exhaust gas flow into the second exhaust gas flow. A condenser extracts water from the second exhaust gas flow and an evaporator system uses thermal energy from the exhaust gas flow to generate a steam flow from at least a portion of water that is extracted by the condenser for injection into the core flow path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Publication date: March 13, 2025
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Abbas A. Alahyari
  • Publication number: 20250075641
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system includes a condenser at least partially disposed within the core flow path where water is extracted from the exhaust gas flow, an evaporator system that is at least partially disposed within the core flow path upstream of the condenser where thermal energy from the exhaust gas flow is utilized to generate a steam flow from at least a portion of water that is extracted by the condenser. Steam within the exhaust gas flow is concentrated into a portion of the exhaust gas flow that is communicated through the condenser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2023
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Andressa L. Johnson
  • Publication number: 20250075655
    Abstract: A turbine engine assembly generates an exhaust gas flow that is communicated through a core flow path. The exhaust gas flow is split into a first exhaust gas flow and a second exhaust gas flow. Water is extracted in a condenser from the second exhaust gas flow. The extracted water is transformed into a steam flow in an evaporator system utilizing thermal energy from at least the second exhaust gas flow. An exit flow from the condenser is communicated through an exhaust compressor and compressed to a higher pressure exit flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2023
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Lance L. Smith
  • Publication number: 20250075649
    Abstract: A turbine engine assembly generates an exhaust gas flow that is communicated through a core flow path. The exhaust gas flow is split into a first exhaust gas flow and a second exhaust gas flow. Water from the second exhaust gas flow is condensed and extracted by a condenser. The extracted water is transformed into a steam flow within an evaporator system utilizing thermal energy from at least the second exhaust gas flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2023
    Publication date: March 6, 2025
    Inventor: Neil J. Terwilliger
  • Patent number: 12228071
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system includes a core engine including a compressor, combustor, and turbine section. An inlet airflow is compressed communicated to the combustor, mixed with fuel, and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow that is expanded through the turbine section. A water recovery system includes a series of condensers that include a series of passages for water containing exhaust gas flow. The series of passages are defined circumferentially about the propulsor axis such that recovered water drains downward in a direction of gravity through the series of passages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2024
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2025
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Abbas A. Alahyari, Neil J. Terwilliger
  • Publication number: 20250051028
    Abstract: A powertrain system of an aircraft includes one or more electrical components to provide electrical power to one or more electrical loads of the aircraft. The system further includes a rechargeable cryogenic heat sink containing a volume of cryogenic cooling material. The cryogenic heat sink is configured to cool the one or more electrical components. A method of operating a powertrain system of an aircraft includes generating thermal energy at one or more electrical components of the powertrain system, fluidly connecting a cryogenic heat sink to the one or more electrical components, and cooling the one or more electrical components via a volume of cryogenic cooling material of the cryogenic heat sink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2024
    Publication date: February 13, 2025
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Charles E. Lents, Zubair A. Baig, Haralambos Cordatos, Joseph B. Staubach, Malcolm P. MacDonald
  • Patent number: 12215620
    Abstract: A turbine engine with an axis is provided. This turbine engine includes a fan section, a turbine engine core, a bypass flowpath, a recovery system and a core flowpath. The turbine engine core is configured to power the fan section. The turbine engine core includes a core compressor section, a core combustor section and a core turbine section. The bypass flowpath is fluidly coupled with and downstream of the fan section. The recovery system includes an evaporator module and a condenser module. The condenser module is arranged radially outboard of and axially overlaps the bypass flowpath. The core flowpath extends sequentially through the core compressor section, the core combustor section, the core turbine section, the evaporator module and the condenser module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Jon E. Sobanski, Jacob C. Snyder, Neil J. Terwilliger
  • Patent number: 12215622
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system includes a compressor section where an inlet airflow is compressed, a combustor section where the compressed inlet airflow is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow that is communicated through a core flow path, a turbine section through which the exhaust gas flow expands to generate a mechanical power output, the exhaust gas flow is split into at least a first exhaust gas flow and a second exhaust gas flow, and a condenser where water is extracted from the second exhaust gas flow, and a first heat exchanger where at least a portion of the extracted water is utilized for cooling a core flow along the core flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Lance L. Smith
  • Patent number: 12215623
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system includes a compressor section where an inlet airflow is compressed, a combustor section where the compressed inlet airflow is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow that is communicated through a core flow path, a turbine section through which the exhaust gas flow expands to generate a mechanical power output, the exhaust gas flow is split into at least a first exhaust gas flow and a second exhaust gas flow, and a condenser where water is extracted from the second exhaust gas flow, and a bottoming cycle where extracted water is transformed into a steam flow and injected into the core flow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Lance L Smith
  • Patent number: 12215608
    Abstract: A powerplant is provided that includes an engine and a water recovery system. The engine includes an engine combustor, an engine turbine, a flowpath and a fluid delivery system. The flowpath extends out of the engine combustor and through the engine turbine. The fluid delivery system includes a hydrogen reservoir and an oxygen reservoir. The hydrogen reservoir is configured to store fluid hydrogen as liquid hydrogen. The oxygen reservoir is configured to store fluid oxygen as liquid oxygen. The fluid delivery system is configured to provide the fluid hydrogen and the fluid oxygen for combustion within the engine combustor to produce combustion products within the flowpath. The water recovery system is configured to extract water from the combustion products. The water recovery system is configured to provide the water to a component of the powerplant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignee: RTX Corporation
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Walter A. Ledwith, Jr., Joseph B. Staubach, David L. Ma
  • Publication number: 20250027443
    Abstract: A turbine engine assembly an inter-turbine burner that is disposed between at least two of a plurality of turbine stages where an additional amount of fuel is mixed with an exhaust gas flow to generate a reheated gas flow. A condenser extracts water from the reheated gas flow and an evaporator system generates a steam flow from at least a portion of water that is extracted by the condenser for injection into the core airflow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2024
    Publication date: January 23, 2025
    Inventors: Joseph B. Staubach, Joseph E. Turney, Neil J. Terwilliger
  • Patent number: 12180893
    Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft includes a core engine that includes a core flow path where air is compressed in a compressor section, communicated to a combustor section, mixed with a gaseous fuel and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow that is expanded through a turbine section. A fuel system supplies a fuel to the combustor through a fuel flow path, a first heat exchanger thermally communicates a first heat load into a cooling flow, a turboexpander where a heated cooling flow from the first heat exchanger is expanded to generate shaft power and cooled to provide a cooled cooling flow, and a second heat exchanger thermally communicates a second heat load to the cooled cooling flow that is communicated from the turboexpander, cooling flow from the second heat exchanger is communicated to the combustor section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach
  • Publication number: 20240426242
    Abstract: A turbine engine assembly includes a compressor section where an inlet airflow is compressed, a cryogenic fuel system for generating flow of cryogenic fuel, an air separation system where an airflow is placed in thermal communication with a portion of the flow of cryogenic fuel for generating an enhanced oxygen flow. In a combustor section, the compressed inlet airflow and a portion of the enhanced oxygen flow is mixed with fuel and ignited to generate an exhaust gas flow that is communicated through a core flow path to a turbine section where expansion of the exhaust gas flow is utilized to generate a mechanical power output. Water is extracted from the exhaust gas flow in condenser transformed into a steam flow for injection into the core flow path in an evaporator system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2023
    Publication date: December 26, 2024
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach
  • Patent number: 12173651
    Abstract: A propulsion system is provided for an aircraft. This propulsion system includes a turbine engine, and the turbine engine includes a propulsor rotor, an engine core and a heat exchanger. The propulsor rotor is configured to rotate about an axis and direct a first air stream along a primary flowpath that bypasses the engine core. The propulsor rotor is configured to direct a second air stream along a secondary flowpath with a geometry extending at least eighty degrees about the axis. The turbine engine is configured such that the first air stream enters the primary flowpath at a first pressure and the second air stream enters the secondary flowpath at a second pressure that is different than the first pressure. The engine core is configured to drive rotation of the propulsor rotor. The heat exchanger is disposed within the secondary flowpath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Simon W. Evans
  • Patent number: 12173624
    Abstract: A turbine engine is provided that includes a bypass flowpath, a plurality of upstream vanes and a plurality of downstream vanes. The bypass flowpath is fluidly coupled with and downstream of a fan section. The bypass flowpath bypasses a turbine engine core. The upstream vanes are arranged circumferentially about an axis in an upstream vane array. Each of the upstream vanes extends radially across the bypass flowpath. The downstream vanes are arranged circumferentially about the axis in a downstream vane array. The downstream vanes are circumferentially interspersed with the upstream vanes. Each of the downstream vanes extends radially across the bypass flowpath. A first of the downstream vanes is axially offset from a first of the upstream vanes along the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jon E. Sobanski, Neil J. Terwilliger
  • Patent number: 12162619
    Abstract: A powertrain system of an aircraft includes one or more electrical components to provide electrical power to one or more electrical loads of the aircraft. The system further includes a rechargeable cryogenic heat sink containing a volume of cryogenic cooling material. The cryogenic heat sink is configured to cool the one or more electrical components. A method of operating a powertrain system of an aircraft includes generating thermal energy at one or more electrical components of the powertrain system, fluidly connecting a cryogenic heat sink to the one or more electrical components, and cooling the one or more electrical components via a volume of cryogenic cooling material of the cryogenic heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Charles E. Lents, Zubair A. Baig, Haralambos Cordatos, Joseph B. Staubach, Malcolm P. MacDonald