Patents by Inventor Nicholas Vachon

Nicholas Vachon 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: 11492909
    Abstract: A platform seal and damper assembly for turbomachinery (100), such as fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) expanders or gas turbine engines; and methodologies for forming such assembly are provided. An axially-extending groove (160) is arranged on a side (162) of a respective platform. Groove (160) is defined by a radially-outward surface (168) at an underside of the platform and a surface (170) extending with a tangential component (T) toward radially-outward surface (168). A seal and damper member (152) is disposed in groove (160), where the body of seal and damper member has adjoining surfaces (190, 188) configured to respectively engage, in response to a camming action, with the surfaces (168, 170) that define the axially-extending groove. The camming action being effective to produce an interference fit of the seal and damper member (152) with the side of the respective platform (162) and an opposed side (163) of an adjacent platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: DRESSER-RAND COMPANY
    Inventor: Nicholas Vachon
  • Publication number: 20220018256
    Abstract: A platform seal and damper assembly for turbomachinery (100), such as fluidized catalytic cracking (FCC) expanders or gas turbine engines; and methodologies for forming such assembly are provided. An axially-extending groove (160) is arranged on a side (162) of a respective platform. Groove (160) is defined by a radially-outward surface (168) at an underside of the platform and a surface (170) extending with a tangential component (T) toward radially-outward surface (168). A seal and damper member (152) is disposed in groove (160), where the body of seal and damper member has adjoining surfaces (190, 188) configured to respectively engage, in response to a camming action, with the surfaces (168, 170) that define the axially-extending groove. The camming action being effective to produce an interference fit of the seal and damper member (152) with the side of the respective platform (162) and an opposed side (163) of an adjacent platform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventor: Nicholas Vachon
  • Patent number: 10683756
    Abstract: Systems and methods for cooling a rotor assembly disposed within a cavity of an expander fluidly coupled with a cooling source are provided. The system may include an annular body disposed on a rotor disc of the rotor assembly. The rotor disc may also include a plurality of rotor blades mounted thereto via respective roots. The annular body may define at least one fluid passageway fluidly coupling the roots and the cooling source. The annular ring may be configured to substantially prevent mixing of the flue gas with a coolant provided by the cooling source and flowing through the at least one fluid passageway and contacting at least one root. The system may also include a plurality of seal members, each disposed between respective platforms of adjacent rotor blades and configured to substantially prevent the flue gas flowing though the expander from mixing with the coolant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: DRESSER-RAND COMPANY
    Inventors: Timothy R. Griffin, George H Seamon, Nicholas Vachon
  • Publication number: 20170218770
    Abstract: Systems and methods for cooling a rotor assembly disposed within a cavity of an expander fluidly coupled with a cooling source are provided. The system may include an annular body disposed on a rotor disc of the rotor assembly. The rotor disc may also include a plurality of rotor blades mounted thereto via respective roots. The annular body may define at least one fluid passageway fluidly coupling the roots and the cooling source. The annular ring may be configured to substantially prevent mixing of the flue gas with a coolant provided by the cooling source and flowing through the at least one fluid passageway and contacting at least one root. The system may also include a plurality of seal members, each disposed between respective platforms of adjacent rotor blades and configured to substantially prevent the flue gas flowing though the expander from mixing with the coolant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Timothy R. Griffin, George H Seamon, Nicholas Vachon
  • Patent number: D605667
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Neuton, Inc.
    Inventors: James Peterson, Nicholas Vachon
  • Patent number: D924136
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: DRESSER-RAND COMPANY
    Inventors: Atif Muhammad Aliuddin, Nicholas Vachon, Graham D. Sherlock, Timothy R. Griffin