Patents by Inventor Neil Ristau

Neil Ristau 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: 10697308
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention include turbine buckets and systems employing such buckets. Various particular embodiments include a turbine bucket having: an airfoil having: a suction side; a pressure side opposing the suction side; a leading edge spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; and a trailing edge opposing the leading edge and spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; a base connected with a first end of the airfoil along the suction side, pressure side, trailing edge and the leading edge; and a tip shroud connected with a second end of the airfoil along the suction side, the pressure side, the trailing edge and the leading edge, the tip shroud including a tip shroud fillet connecting the airfoil and the tip shroud and having a non-uniform thickness across an axial length of the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Neil Ristau, Zachary James Taylor, David Wayne Weber
  • Patent number: 10415406
    Abstract: The present application provides a turbine nozzle including an airfoil shape. The airfoil shape may have a nominal profile substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in Table I. The Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z are non-dimensional values from 0% to 100% convertible to dimensional distances in inches by multiplying the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z by a height of the airfoil in inches. The X and Y values, when connected by smooth continuing arcs, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z. The airfoil profile sections at Z distances may be joined smoothly with one another to form a complete airfoil shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Neil Ristau, Russell DeForest, Frederic Woodrow Roberts, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10247007
    Abstract: A turbine rotor blade is provided including an airfoil having an airfoil shape. The airfoil shape having a nominal profile substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in Table I wherein the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z are non-dimensional values from 0% to 100% convertible to dimensional distances in inches by multiplying the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z by a height of the airfoil in inches, and wherein X and Y are distances in inches which, when connected by smooth continuing arcs, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z, the airfoil profile sections at Z distances being joined smoothly with one another to form a complete airfoil shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Neil Ristau, Mehmet Suleyman Ciray, Jason Douglas Herzlinger
  • Publication number: 20190063231
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention include turbine buckets and systems employing such buckets. Various particular embodiments include a turbine bucket having: an airfoil having: a suction side; a pressure side opposing the suction side; a leading edge spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; and a trailing edge opposing the leading edge and spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; a base connected with a first end of the airfoil along the suction side, pressure side, trailing edge and the leading edge; and a tip shroud connected with a second end of the airfoil along the suction side, the pressure side, the trailing edge and the leading edge, the tip shroud including a tip shroud fillet connecting the airfoil and the tip shroud and having a non-uniform thickness across an axial length of the airfoil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Neil Ristau, Zachary James Taylor, David Wayne Weber
  • Patent number: 10190421
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention include turbine buckets and systems employing such buckets. Various particular embodiments include a turbine bucket having: an airfoil having: a suction side; a pressure side opposing the suction side; a leading edge spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; and a trailing edge opposing the leading edge and spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; a base connected with a first end of the airfoil along the suction side, pressure side, trailing edge and the leading edge; and a tip shroud connected with a second end of the airfoil along the suction side, pressure side, trailing edge and the leading edge, the tip shroud including a tip shroud fillet connecting the airfoil and the tip shroud and having a non-uniform thickness across an axial length of the airfoil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Neil Ristau, Zachary James Taylor, David Wayne Weber
  • Patent number: 10156149
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention include turbine nozzles and systems employing such nozzles. Various particular embodiments include a turbine nozzle having: an airfoil having: a suction side; a pressure side opposing the suction side; a leading edge spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; and a trailing edge opposing the leading edge and spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; and at least one endwall connected with the airfoil along the suction side, pressure side, trailing edge and the leading edge, the airfoil having a fillet at the trailing edge proximate the at least one endwall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Neil Ristau, Russell Pierson DeForest, William Ladd Rutherford
  • Publication number: 20180320537
    Abstract: The present application provides a turbine nozzle including an airfoil shape. The airfoil shape may have a nominal profile substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in Table I. The Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z are non-dimensional values from 0% to 100% convertible to dimensional distances in inches by multiplying the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z by a height of the airfoil in inches. The X and Y values, when connected by smooth continuing arcs, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z. The airfoil profile sections at Z distances may be joined smoothly with one another to form a complete airfoil shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2017
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Neil Ristau, Russell DeForest, Frederic Woodrow Roberts, JR.
  • Publication number: 20180320527
    Abstract: A turbine rotor blade is provided including an airfoil having an airfoil shape. The airfoil shape having a nominal profile substantially in accordance with Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z set forth in Table I wherein the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z are non-dimensional values from 0% to 100% convertible to dimensional distances in inches by multiplying the Cartesian coordinate values of X, Y and Z by a height of the airfoil in inches, and wherein X and Y are distances in inches which, when connected by smooth continuing arcs, define airfoil profile sections at each distance Z, the airfoil profile sections at Z distances being joined smoothly with one another to form a complete airfoil shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Publication date: November 8, 2018
    Inventors: Neil Ristau, Mehmet Suleyman Ciray, Jason Douglas Herzlinger
  • Publication number: 20170226870
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention include turbine buckets and systems employing such buckets. Various particular embodiments include a turbine bucket having: an airfoil having: a suction side; a pressure side opposing the suction side; a leading edge spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; and a trailing edge opposing the leading edge and spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; a base connected with a first end of the airfoil along the suction side, pressure side, trailing edge and the leading edge; and a tip shroud connected with a second end of the airfoil along the suction side, pressure side, trailing edge and the leading edge, the tip shroud including a tip shroud fillet connecting the airfoil and the tip shroud and having a non-uniform thickness across an axial length of the airfoil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Neil Ristau, Zachary James Taylor, David Wayne Weber
  • Publication number: 20170226879
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention include turbine nozzles and systems employing such nozzles. Various particular embodiments include a turbine nozzle having: an airfoil having: a suction side; a pressure side opposing the suction side; a leading edge spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; and a trailing edge opposing the leading edge and spanning between the pressure side and the suction side; and at least one endwall connected with the airfoil along the suction side, pressure side, trailing edge and the leading edge, the airfoil having a fillet at the trailing edge proximate the at least one endwall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2016
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Neil Ristau, Russell Pierson DeForest, William Ladd Rutherford
  • Publication number: 20150275675
    Abstract: A turbomachine bucket airfoil includes a root end, a tip end spaced from the root end, and an airfoil surface extending between the root end and the tip end. The airfoil surface includes an upstream edge, a downstream edge, a pressure side and a suction side defining a natural blade profile. The airfoil surface includes a blade span zone having a part span shroud zone. A first part span shroud projects outwardly of the pressure side in the part span shroud zone, and a second part span shroud projects outwardly of the suction side in the part span shroud zone. The turbomachine bucket airfoil includes an interruption of the natural blade profile in the part span shroud zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Neil Ristau, Adam John Fredmonski
  • Patent number: 9121285
    Abstract: A turbine includes a rotor and a casing that circumferentially surrounds at least a portion of the rotor. The rotor and the casing at least partially define a gas path through the turbine. A last stage of rotating blades is circumferentially arranged around the rotor and includes a downstream swept portion radially outward from the rotor. A method for reducing shock losses in a turbine includes removing a last stage of rotating blades circumferentially arranged around a rotor and replacing the last stage of rotating blades with rotating blades having a downstream swept portion radially outward from the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Neil Ristau
  • Patent number: 9085984
    Abstract: An airfoil includes a leading edge, a trailing edge downstream from the leading edge, a pressure surface between the leading and trailing edges, and a suction surface between the leading and trailing edges and opposite the pressure surface. A first convex section on the suction surface decreases in curvature downstream from the leading edge, and a throat on the suction surface is downstream from the first convex section. A second convex section is on the suction surface downstream from the throat, and a first convex segment of the second convex section increases in curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Neil Ristau, Gunnar Leif Siden
  • Publication number: 20150167979
    Abstract: The present application and the resultant patent provide a disruptive surface on a trailing edge of a stage one nozzle or transition nozzle to promote mixing of respective combustion streams downstream thereof before entry into a first stage bucket of a turbine. For example, in one embodiment, a gas turbine engine may include a combustor having a combustion flow. The gas turbine engine also may include one or more airfoils forming a first stage nozzle or s transition nozzle disposed downstream of the combustor. Moreover, the gas turbine engine may include a flow disruption surface positioned about a trailing edge of the one or more airfoils to promote mixing of the combustion flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gunnar Leif Siden, Scott Matthew Sparks, Clint L. Ingram, Sylvain Pierre, Neil Ristau
  • Publication number: 20140017089
    Abstract: An airfoil includes a leading edge, a trailing edge downstream from the leading edge, a pressure surface between the leading and trailing edges, and a suction surface between the leading and trailing edges and opposite the pressure surface. A first convex section on the suction surface decreases in curvature downstream from the leading edge, and a throat on the suction surface is downstream from the first convex section. A second convex section is on the suction surface downstream from the throat, and a first convex segment of the second convex section increases in curvature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Neil Ristau, Gunnar Leif Siden
  • Publication number: 20130315726
    Abstract: A turbine includes a rotor and a casing that circumferentially surrounds at least a portion of the rotor. The rotor and the casing at least partially define a gas path through the turbine. A last stage of rotating blades is circumferentially arranged around the rotor and includes a downstream swept portion radially outward from the rotor. A method for reducing shock losses in a turbine includes removing a last stage of rotating blades circumferentially arranged around a rotor and replacing the last stage of rotating blades with rotating blades having a downstream swept portion radially outward from the rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Neil Ristau