Patents by Inventor Nigel Wilbraham

Nigel Wilbraham 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: 8984889
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas-turbine engine including a burner head, a combustion chamber disposed downstream of the burner head, a swirler for creating a swirling flow of air in the combustion chamber, and a fuel nozzle disposed in the burner head. The fuel nozzle is disposed giving rise to a first angle of exit of the fuel from a downstream face of the burner head of >±0° with respect to a longitudinal axis of the combustor, this first angle lying in a first plane passing through the longitudinal axis. The fuel also exits at a second angle from the downstream face of >±0° with respect to the first plane, the second angle lying in a second plane orthogonal to the first plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham
  • Patent number: 8662423
    Abstract: A nozzle for a fuel injector, in particular for a gas-turbine engine, is provided comprising a planar conductive electrode with a sharp edge forming an aperture, an upper insulation layer above the electrode and a lower insulation layer below the electrode, both insulation layers having apertures, and a swirler arrangement for creating a swirling action in liquid fuel introduced into the nozzle. The axis of swirl is generally perpendicular to the plane of the electrode. In use, the swirling fuel passes through the aperture of the lower insulation layer, the aperture of the conductive electrode and the aperture of the upper insulation layer. As the fuel passes through the aperture of the electrode, the electrode charges the swirling fuel, so that the nozzle supplies charged droplets of atomized fuel from an outlet orifice. The swirler arrangement may be a radial or axial swirler arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham
  • Patent number: 8375721
    Abstract: A burner for a gas-turbine engine including a swirler and a combustion chamber is provided. The swirler includes a plurality of vanes arranged in a circle, each adjacent pair of vanes defining a flow slot for the flow of air and fuel into the swirler, the air and fuel is mixed and supplied in swirling form to the combustion chamber. The swirler can also include a partitioning device which divides the flow of air along each flow slot into two air flows. One side of the partitioning device has a fuel-supply port for supplying fuel to one of the two air flows. The relevant air flow causes fuel supplied to the fuel-supply port to form a film of fuel over the relevant side of the partitioning device. The film leaves the relevant side of the partitioning device in a region of high shear between adjacent flows in the burner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham
  • Patent number: 8316644
    Abstract: The invention relates to a burner, in particular a gas turbine burner, comprises: at least one swirler, the swirler having at least one air inlet opening, at least one air outlet opening positioned downstream to the air inlet opening and at least one swirler air passage extending from the at least one air inlet opening to the at least one air outlet opening which is delimited by swirler air passage walls, the air passage walls comprising downstream wall sections adjoining the at least one air outlet opening; and a fuel injection system which comprises fuel injection openings arranged in at least one swirler air passage wall so as to inject fuel into the swirler air passage; in which at least the downstream section of one air passage wall is corrugated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham
  • Patent number: 8302404
    Abstract: Disclosed is a swirler for use in a burner of a gas turbine engine, the swirler comprising a plurality of vanes arranged in a circle, flow slots being defined between adjacent vanes in the circle, each flow slot having an inlet end and an outlet end, in use of the swirler a flow of fuel and air travelling along each flow slot from its inlet end to its outlet end such that the swirler provides a swirling mix of the fuel and air, at least one vane having an edge adjacent an inlet end of a flow slot configured to generate within the flow slot one or more flow vortices that extend along the slot thereby to enhance mixing of the fuel and air travelling along the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ulf Nilsson, Nigel Wilbraham
  • Patent number: 8196411
    Abstract: Disclosed is a swirler for use in a burner of a gas turbine engine, the swirler comprising a pluralkity of vanes arranged in a circle, flow slots being defined between adjacent vanes in a circle, each flow slot having an inlet end and an outlet end, in use of the swirler a flow of air and fuel traveling along each flow slot fom its inlet end to its outlet end such that the swirler provides a swirling mix of the air and fuel, at least one vane being configured to generate a flow vortex that extends from an edge of the vane adjacent an outlet end of a flow slot to within the swirling mix thereby to improve the mix of air and fuel in the swirling mix.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham
  • Patent number: 8181464
    Abstract: A swirler passage is provided for mixing fuel and compressor air with at least two side walls; at least first and second conduits arranged inside at least one of the at least two side walls, the first conduit forming a fuel gas conduit and the second conduit forming an air conduit, the fuel gas conduit connected to a gas fuel supply and the air conduit connected to an air supply; a tube connected to the fuel gas conduit and entirely traversing the air conduit inside the side wall; a fluid passage connected to the air conduit and surrounding the tube; at least one fuel outlet opening of the tube arranged on the side wall; and at least one air outlet opening of the fluid passage arranged on the side wall and surrounding the fuel outlet opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham
  • Patent number: 8138774
    Abstract: A method of determining the diameter of a hole extending from a surface of an electrically conducting workpiece into or through the workpiece 1 is provided. The hole is defied at the workpiece's surface by an edge of diameter to be determined. For determining the diameter, the workpiece is electrically charged so that discharge occurs at the edges. The discharge current is measured and the diameter of the hole is determined from the measured discharge current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham
  • Patent number: 8117846
    Abstract: A gas turbine burner, comprising at least one swirler, the swirler having at least one air inlet opening, at least one air outlet opening positioned downstream to the air inlet opening and at least one swirler air passage extending from the at least one air inlet opening to the at least one air outlet opening which is delimited by swirler air passage walls; a fuel injection system which comprises fuel injection openings arranged in at least one swirler air passage wall so as to inject fuel into the swirler air passage; and an air injection system which comprises air injection openings arranged in at least one swirler air passage wall and positioned downstream of the fuel injection openings for injecting air into the swirler air passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham
  • Publication number: 20110248726
    Abstract: A method of determining the diameter of a hole extending from a surface of an electrically conducting workpiece into or through the workpiece 1 is provided. The hole is defied at the workpiece's surface by an edge of diameter to be determined. For determining the diameter, the workpiece is electrically charged so that discharge occurs at the edges. The discharge current is measured and the diameter of the hole is determined from the measured discharge current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham
  • Publication number: 20100293953
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas-turbine engine including a burner head, a combustion chamber disposed downstream of the burner head, a swirler for creating a swirling flow of air in the combustion chamber, and a fuel nozzle disposed in the burner head. The fuel nozzle is disposed giving rise to a first angle of exit of the fuel from a downstream face of the burner head of >±0° with respect to a longitudinal axis of the combustor, this first angle lying in a first plane passing through the longitudinal axis. The fuel also exits at a second angle from the downstream face of >±0° with respect to the first plane, the second angle lying in a second plane orthogonal to the first plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham
  • Publication number: 20100223932
    Abstract: A gas turbine burner, comprising at least one swirler, the swirler having at least one air inlet opening, at least one air outlet opening positioned downstream to the air inlet opening and at least one swirler air passage extending from the at least one air inlet opening to the at least one air outlet opening which is delimited by swirler air passage walls; a fuel injection system which comprises fuel injection openings arranged in at least one swirler air passage wall so as to inject fuel into the swirler air passage; and an air injection system which comprises air injection openings arranged in at least one swirler air passage wall and positioned downstream of the fuel injection openings for injecting air into the swirler air passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2006
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham
  • Patent number: 7765856
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a flame in a combustion chamber comprising a wall with an outer side is provided, wherein the radiation which is emitted from a part of the outer side of the wall is optically detected by a sensor. Furthermore, a burner is provided, especially for use in a gas turbine. The burner comprises a wall section with an inner side, which shows towards a combustion zone, and an outer side. The burner further comprises a sensor for optically detecting the radiation emitted from the outer side of said wall section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham
  • Publication number: 20100175381
    Abstract: A swirler including a plate normal to a central axis of the swirler, a plurality of vane cross-sections arranged on the plate and radially positioned about the central axis and a plurality of twisted vanes is provided. The twisted part of each vane is twisted around the central axis wherein the cross section of the twisting vane is normal to the central axis. In one aspect, each vane has an essentially triangular cross section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham
  • Publication number: 20100162710
    Abstract: The invention is related to a gas turbine pre-mix combustion system comprising: at least one combustor with a combustor wall partly surrounding a combustion zone; at least one mixing duct including an air passage leading to an outlet opening being open towards the combustion zone; and one or more fuel injection openings leading into the air passage and connecting it to one or more fuel supply passages so as to allow the injection of fuel into air flowing through the air passage. The locations of at least two outlet openings or at least two sections of a single outlet opening and the orientation of downstream sections of the respective air passages or air passage are chosen such that fuel/air mixtures flowing out of the outlet openings or said sections of a single outlet opening show opposed flow paths so as to impinge on each other in the combustion zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Peter Senior, Nigel Wilbraham
  • Publication number: 20100107644
    Abstract: A combustion pre-chamber including an upstream end and a downstream end is provided. The combustion pre-chamber includes a transition channel formed by a wall, the wall extending between the upstream end and the downstream end, and at least one flow trip arranged on the wall and tapering in height and width to the downstream end. Also provided are a burner assembly including a combustion pre-chamber, and a gas turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham
  • Publication number: 20100065663
    Abstract: A nozzle for a fuel injector, in particular for a gas-turbine engine, is provided comprising a planar conductive electrode with a sharp edge forming an aperture, an upper insulation layer above the electrode and a lower insulation layer below the electrode, both insulation layers having apertures, and a swirler arrangement for creating a swirling action in liquid fuel introduced into the nozzle. The axis of swirl is generally perpendicular to the plane of the electrode. In use, the swirling fuel passes through the aperture of the lower insulation layer, the aperture of the conductive electrode and the aperture of the upper insulation layer. As the fuel passes through the aperture of the electrode, the electrode charges the swirling fuel, so that the nozzle supplies charged droplets of atomised fuel from an outlet orifice. The swirler arrangement may be a radial or axial swirler arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2007
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham
  • Publication number: 20090320485
    Abstract: Disclosed is a swirler for use in a burner of a gas turbine engine, the swirler comprising a pluralkity of vanes arranged in a circle, flow slots being defined between adjacent vanes in a circle, each flow slot having an inlet end and an outlet end, in use of the swirler a flow of air and fuel traveling along each flow slot fom its inlet end to its outlet end such that the swirler provides a swirling mix of the air and fuel, at least one vane being configured to generate a flow vortex that extends from an edge of the vane adjacent an outlet end of a flow slot to within the swirling mix thereby to improve the mix of air and fuel in the swirling mix.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham
  • Publication number: 20090301092
    Abstract: A burner for a gas-turbine engine including a swirler and a combustion chamber is provided. The swirler includes a plurality of vanes arranged in a circle, each adjacent pair of vanes defining a flow slot for the flow of air and fuel into the swirler, the air and fuel is mixed and supplied in swirling form to the combustion chamber. The swirler can also include a partitioning device which divides the flow of air along each flow slot into two air flows. One side of the partitioning device has a fuel-supply port for supplying fuel to one of the two air flows. The relevant air flow causes fuel supplied to the fuel-supply port to form a film of fuel over the relevant side of the partitioning device. The film leaves the relevant side of the partitioning device in a region of high shear between adjacent flows in the burner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham
  • Publication number: 20090277179
    Abstract: A swirler passage is provided for mixing fuel and compressor air with at least two side walls; at least first and second conduits arranged inside at least one of the at least two side walls, the first conduit forming a fuel gas conduit and the second conduit forming an air conduit, the fuel gas conduit connected to a gas fuel supply and the air conduit connected to an air supply; a tube connected to the fuel gas conduit and entirely traversing the air conduit inside the side wall; a fluid passage connected to the air conduit and surrounding the tube; at least one fuel outlet opening of the tube arranged on the side wall; and at least one air outlet opening of the fluid passage arranged on the side wall and surrounding the fuel outlet opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Inventor: Nigel Wilbraham