Patents by Inventor Nnawuihe A. Okpara

Nnawuihe A. Okpara 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: 11002138
    Abstract: A turbine blade having a base and an airfoil, the base including cooling air inlets and an internal cooling air passageway, and the airfoil including an internal multi-bend heat exchange path beginning at the base and ending at a cooling air outlet at the trailing edge of the airfoil. The airfoil also includes a “skin” that encompasses a tip wall, an inner spar, and a tip flag cooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Andrew T. Meier, Nnawuihe Okpara, Stephen Edward Pointon, Hans D. Hamm, Kevin Hirako
  • Patent number: 10920597
    Abstract: A turbine blade having a base and an airfoil, the base including cooling air inlets and an internal cooling air passageway, and the airfoil including an internal multi-bend heat exchange path beginning at the base and ending at a cooling air outlet at the trailing edge of the airfoil. The airfoil also includes a “skin” that encompasses a tip wall, an inner spar, and a tip flag cooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Andrew T. Meier, Nnawuihe Okpara, Stephen Edward Pointon
  • Patent number: 10830059
    Abstract: A turbine blade having a base and an airfoil, the base including cooling air inlets and an internal cooling air passageway, and the airfoil including an internal multi-bend heat exchange path beginning at the base and ending at a cooling air outlet at the trailing edge of the airfoil. The airfoil also includes a “skin” that encompasses a tip wall, an inner spar, and a tip flag cooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Andrew T. Meier, Nnawuihe Okpara, Stephen Edward Pointon, Jeffrey S. Carullo
  • Patent number: 10815791
    Abstract: A turbine blade having a base and an airfoil, the base including cooling air inlets and an internal cooling air passageway, and the airfoil including an internal multi-bend heat exchange path beginning at the base and ending at a cooling air outlet at the trailing edge of the airfoil. The airfoil also includes a “skin” that encompasses a tip wall, an inner spar, and a tip flag cooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Andrew T. Meier, Nnawuihe Okpara, Stephen Edward Pointon, Hans D. Hamm, Kevin Hirako
  • Patent number: 10718219
    Abstract: A turbine blade having a base and an airfoil, the base including cooling air inlets and an internal cooling air passageway, and the airfoil including an internal multi-bend heat exchange path beginning at the base and ending at a cooling air outlet at the trailing edge of the airfoil. The airfoil also includes a “skin” that encompasses a tip wall, an inner spar, and a tip flag cooling system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Andrew T. Meier, Nnawuihe Okpara, Stephen Edward Pointon, Kevin Hirako
  • Publication number: 20200024968
    Abstract: A turbine blade having a base and an airfoil, the base including cooling air inlets and an internal cooling air passageway, and the airfoil including an internal multi-bend heat exchange path beginning at the base and ending at a cooling air outlet at the trailing edge of the airfoil. The airfoil also includes a “skin” that encompasses a tip wall, an inner spar, and a tip flag cooling system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Applicant: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Andrew T. Meier, Nnawuihe Okpara, Stephen Edward Pointon
  • Publication number: 20190178087
    Abstract: A turbine blade having a base and an airfoil, the base including cooling air inlets and an internal cooling air passageway, and the airfoil including an internal multi-bend heat exchange path beginning at the base and ending at a cooling air outlet at the trailing edge of the airfoil. The airfoil also includes a “skin” that encompasses a tip wall, an inner spar, and a tip flag cooling system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Applicant: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Andrew T. Meier, Nnawuihe Okpara, Stephen Edward Pointon, Hans D. Hamm, Kevin Hirako
  • Publication number: 20190178090
    Abstract: A turbine blade having a base and an airfoil, the base including cooling air inlets and an internal cooling air passageway, and the airfoil including an internal multi-bend heat exchange path beginning at the base and ending at a cooling air outlet at the trailing edge of the airfoil. The airfoil also includes a “skin” that encompasses a tip wall, an inner spar, and a tip flag cooling system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Applicant: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Andrew T. Meier, Nnawuihe Okpara, Stephen Edward Pointon, Jeffrey S. Carullo
  • Publication number: 20190178089
    Abstract: A turbine blade having a base and an airfoil, the base including cooling air inlets and an internal cooling air passageway, and the airfoil including an internal multi-bend heat exchange path beginning at the base and ending at a cooling air outlet at the trailing edge of the airfoil. The airfoil also includes a “skin” that encompasses a tip wall, an inner spar, and a tip flag cooling system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Applicant: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Andrew T. Meier, Nnawuihe Okpara, Stephen Edward Pointon, Kevin Hirako
  • Publication number: 20190178088
    Abstract: A turbine blade having a base and an airfoil, the base including cooling air inlets and an internal cooling air passageway, and the airfoil including an internal multi-bend heat exchange path beginning at the base and ending at a cooling air outlet at the trailing edge of the airfoil. The airfoil also includes a “skin” that encompasses a tip wall, an inner spar, and a tip flag cooling system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2018
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Applicant: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Andrew T. Meier, Nnawuihe Okpara, Stephen Edward Pointon, Hans D. Hamm, Kevin Hirako
  • Patent number: 6481959
    Abstract: A supplemental air cooling system for use in gas turbine engines to inhibit the ingestion of hot flow path gases into circumferential locations of turbine disk cavities is provided. The supplemental air cooling is provided through a simple set of cooling air holes located on each side of the turbine nozzle airfoil trailing edges, and proximately placed to be below the turbine nozzle structural element flow discouragers. Turbine disk cavity cooling purge air entering the disk cavity through the cooling air holes produces dynamic pressure cooling air jets which force the incoming hot ingestion air to turn circumferentially and go back out in the flow path before it enters the turbine disk cavity. The result is a decrease in hot gas ingestion, a reduction in disk rotor and static structural metal temperatures, a reduction in the amount of required cooling air flow, and enhanced performance of the gas turbine engine by virtue of improved specific fuel consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark C. Morris, William J. Howe, Carl D. Wright, Douglas P. Freiberg, Nnawuihe A. Okpara
  • Publication number: 20020159880
    Abstract: A supplemental air cooling system for use in gas turbine engines to inhibit the ingestion of hot flow path gases into circumferential locations of turbine disk cavities is provided. The supplemental air cooling is provided through a simple set of cooling air holes located on each side of the turbine nozzle airfoil trailing edges, and proximately placed to be below the turbine nozzle structural element flow discouragers. Turbine disk cavity cooling purge air entering the disk cavity through the cooling air holes produces dynamic pressure cooling air jets which force the incoming hot ingestion air to turn circumferentially and go back out in the flow path before it enters the turbine disk cavity. The result is a decrease in hot gas ingestion, a reduction in disk rotor and static structural metal temperatures, a reduction in the amount of required cooling air flow, and enhanced performance of the gas turbine engine by virtue of improved specific fuel consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2001
    Publication date: October 31, 2002
    Applicant: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark C. Morris, William J. Howe, Carl D. Wright, Douglas P. Freiberg, Nnawuihe A. Okpara
  • Patent number: 5772397
    Abstract: A gas turbine vane or blade having a novel internal structure that allows for cooling under diverse pressure ratios. The vane has an air inlet passage that communicates with an inner cooling cavity positioned between the air passage and the vane's trailing edge. Disposed within this cavity are deflectors, turning members, ribs, and deflecting pins arranged so as to direct the cooling air through the cavity in a manner that minimizes pressure loss. Thus maintaining the velocity and flow of the cooling air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 30, 1998
    Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.
    Inventors: Mark C. Morris, Nnawuihe A. Okpara, Michael K. Bischoff
  • Patent number: 5601399
    Abstract: A gas turbine vane or blade having a novel internal structure that allows for cooling under low pressure ratios. The vane has an air inlet passage that communicates with an inner cooling cavity positioned between the air passage and the vane's trailing edge. Disposed within this cavity are deflectors, turning members, ribs, and deflecting pins arranged so as to direct the cooling air through the cavity in a manner that minimizes pressure loss. Thus maintaining the velocity and flow of the cooling air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.
    Inventors: Nnawuihe A. Okpara, Chester L. Henry, Michael K. Bischoff
  • Patent number: 5468125
    Abstract: A turbine blade such as a rotor blade or stator vane in a gas turbine engine is provided of the type having an internal flow path for flow-through passage of a cooling gas stream, wherein the turbine blade includes a heat transfer surface designed for improved heat transfer with the cooling gas. The heat transfer surface comprises a regular pattern of turbulator vanes which extend generally transversely to the flow direction of the cooling gas stream, in combination with comparatively shorter heat transfer ribs which extend generally parallel to the gas stream flow direction. The pattern of turbulator vanes and heat transfer ribs provides significantly improved heat transfer between the turbine blade and the cooling gas stream, such that the cooling flow requirement is reduced to result in increased engine efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 21, 1995
    Assignee: AlliedSignal Inc.
    Inventors: Nnawuihe Okpara, Chester L. Henry