Patents by Inventor Owen GRAHAM

Owen GRAHAM 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: 12091981
    Abstract: An insertion tool is provided for an engine defining an access opening and including a component defining at least in part a cavity. The insertion tool includes: an insertion tool arm having a plurality of segments, the insertion tool arm configured for insertion through the access opening into the cavity and the plurality of segments configured to be in a fixed position relative to one another within the cavity; and a base coupled to the insertion tool arm and configured to be positioned outside the cavity and to move the insertion tool arm along at least two degrees of freedom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Julian Matthew Foxall, Trevor Owen Hawke, Andrew Crispin Graham, Chiara Mellucci, Todd William Danko, Ambarish Jayant Kulkarni, Michael Dean Fullington, Margeaux Wallace
  • Publication number: 20240280033
    Abstract: An insertion tool is provided for an engine defining an access opening and including a component defining at least in part a cavity. The insertion tool includes: an insertion tool arm having a plurality of segments, the insertion tool arm configured for insertion through the access opening into the cavity and the plurality of segments configured to be in a fixed position relative to one another within the cavity; and a base coupled to the insertion tool arm and configured to be positioned outside the cavity and to move the insertion tool arm along at least two degrees of freedom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2024
    Publication date: August 22, 2024
    Inventors: Julian Matthew Foxall, Trevor Owen Hawke, Andrew Crispin Graham, Chiara Mellucci, Todd William Danko, Ambarish Jayant Kulkarni, Michael Dean Fullington, Margeaux Wallace
  • Publication number: 20240218845
    Abstract: Systems and methods for subscale testing of rocket engine injector stability. The system includes a combustion chamber and a piston within the chamber that is continuously axially moveable via an actuator. An annular gap between the piston and a chamber sidewall provides a minimal cross-sectional flow area. A modular injector plate comprises one or more injector elements configured to inject a fuel and an oxidizer into the chamber. The piston is continuously translated, to thereby continuously vary a combustion volume of the chamber and to create a dynamically tunable downstream boundary. The injector elements are thus exposed to acoustic modes of varying frequency, covering the range of acoustic modes expected in a full scale rocket engine. The injector plate is removably attached to an upstream end of the chamber for replacement of the first injector elements with different, second injector elements for subsequent testing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2023
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Inventors: Owen Graham, Warren Lamont, James Sisco
  • Publication number: 20240218846
    Abstract: Systems and methods for subscale testing of rocket engine injector stability. The system includes a combustion chamber with telescoping throat that is continuously axially moveable via an actuator. A modular injector plate comprises one or more first rocket engine injector elements configured to inject one or more propellants, such as a fuel and an oxidizer, into the chamber. The injector plate and/or the telescoping throat may be continuously translated, to thereby continuously vary a combustion volume of the chamber and create a dynamically tunable downstream boundary. The injectors are thus exposed to acoustic modes of varying frequency, covering the range of acoustic modes expected in a full scale rocket engine. The injector plate is removably attached to an upstream end of the chamber for replacement of the first injectors with different, second injectors for subsequent testing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2023
    Publication date: July 4, 2024
    Inventors: Owen Graham, Warren Lamont, James Sisco
  • Publication number: 20230324048
    Abstract: The systems and methods described herein relate to a dome of a gas turbine assembly configured to suppress pressure pulsations. The systems and methods provide a dome having an aperture configured to surround an injector assembly of a combustor. The dome having a front panel extending radially from the aperture. The systems and methods couple a first cavity to the front panel. The first cavity includes a series of ducts. A first duct of the series of ducts is configured to receive airflow into the first cavity from a compressor and a second set of ducts of the series of ducts and a third duct of the series of ducts are configured to direct airflow to the combustor from the first cavity, wherein the third duct has a larger diameter than the second set of ducts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2022
    Publication date: October 12, 2023
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Owen Graham, Sharath Nagaraja, Nicholas Magina, Fei Han, Kwanwoo Kim
  • Patent number: 11536457
    Abstract: The systems and methods described herein relate to a dome of a gas turbine assembly configured to suppress pressure pulsations. The systems and methods provide a dome having an aperture configured to surround an injector assembly of a combustor. The dome having a front panel extending radially from the aperture. The systems and methods couple a first cavity to the front panel. The first cavity includes a series of ducts. A first duct of the series of ducts is configured to receive airflow into the first cavity from a compressor and a second set of ducts of the series of ducts and a third duct of the series of ducts are configured to direct airflow to the combustor from the first cavity, wherein the third duct has a larger diameter than the second set of ducts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Owen Graham, Kwanwoo Kim, Nicholas Magina, Sharath Nagaraja, Fei Han
  • Publication number: 20210302020
    Abstract: The systems and methods described herein relate to a dome of a gas turbine assembly configured to suppress pressure pulsations. The systems and methods provide a dome having an aperture configured to surround an injector assembly of a combustor. The dome having a front panel extending radially from the aperture. The systems and methods couple a first cavity to the front panel. The first cavity includes a series of ducts. A first duct of the series of ducts is configured to receive airflow into the first cavity from a compressor and a second set of ducts of the series of ducts and a third duct of the series of ducts are configured to direct airflow to the combustor from the first cavity, wherein the third duct has a larger diameter than the second set of ducts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Owen Graham, Kwanwoo Kim, Nicholas Magina, Sharath Nagaraja, Fei Han
  • Patent number: 10941939
    Abstract: The systems and methods described herein relate to a dome of a gas turbine assembly configured to suppress pressure pulsations. The systems and methods provide a dome having an aperture configured to surround an injector assembly of a combustor. The dome having a front panel extending radially from the aperture. The systems and methods couple a first cavity to the front panel. The first cavity includes a series of ducts. A first duct of the series of ducts is configured to receive airflow into the first cavity from a compressor and a second set of ducts of the series of ducts and a third duct of the series of ducts are configured to direct airflow to the combustor from the first cavity, wherein the third duct has a larger diameter than the second set of ducts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2021
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Owen Graham, Kwanwoo Kim, Nicholas Magina, Sharath Nagaraja, Fei Han
  • Patent number: 10724739
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a combustor assembly for a gas turbine engine. The combustor assembly includes an annular bulkhead adjacent to a diffuser cavity; a deflector downstream of the bulkhead and adjacent to a combustion chamber; a bulkhead support coupled to an upstream side of the deflector; a first walled enclosure coupled to the bulkhead support; and a second walled enclosure coupled to the first walled enclosure. The deflector and the bulkhead support together define a bulkhead conduit therethrough to the combustion chamber. The first walled enclosure defines a first cavity and a hot side orifice. The hot side orifice is adjacent to and in fluid communication with the bulkhead conduit. The second walled enclosure defines a second cavity and a second opening adjacent to a diffuser cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kwanwoo Kim, Owen Graham, Clayton Stuart Cooper
  • Patent number: 10513984
    Abstract: In one aspect the present subject matter is directed to a system for suppressing acoustic noise within a combustion section of a gas turbine. The system includes at least one static structure disposed forward of a combustion chamber defined within the combustion section. The static structure at least partially defines a diffuser cavity upstream of the combustion chamber. A baffle plate is coupled to the static structure. The baffle plate and the static structure at least partially define an air plenum within the combustion section forward of the combustion chamber. The baffle plate includes an aperture that provides for fluid communication between the diffuser cavity and the air plenum. The at least one static structure and the baffle plate define a Helmholtz resonator within the combustion section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kwanwoo Kim, Fei Han, Owen Graham
  • Patent number: 10352567
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a fuel-air premixer for a turbine system. The fuel-air premixer includes a swirler and a centerbody. The swirler is configured to direct a flow of air through the premixer, and the centerbody is configured to inject fuel into the flow of air. Additionally, the centerbody includes an airfoil shape that reduces and/or substantially eliminates recirculation pockets to prevent autoignition and/or flame holding in a combustion chamber. Accordingly, the turbine system may produce fewer NOx emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Liangyu Wang, Anthony John Dean, Keith Robert McManus, Kapil Kumar Singh, Suhui Li, Sravan Kumar Dheeraj Kapilavai, Mathew Paul Thariyan, Owen Graham
  • Publication number: 20190093891
    Abstract: The systems and methods described herein relate to a dome of a gas turbine assembly configured to suppress pressure pulsations. The systems and methods provide a dome having an aperture configured to surround an injector assembly of a combustor. The dome having a front panel extending radially from the aperture. The systems and methods couple a first cavity to the front panel. The first cavity includes a series of ducts. A first duct of the series of ducts is configured to receive airflow into the first cavity from a compressor and a second set of ducts of the series of ducts and a third duct of the series of ducts are configured to direct airflow to the combustor from the first cavity, wherein the third duct has a larger diameter than the second set of ducts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Owen Graham, Kwanwoo Kim, Nicholas Magina, Sharath Nagaraja, Fei Han
  • Publication number: 20180313540
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a combustor assembly for a gas turbine engine. The combustor assembly defines a combustion chamber and a diffuser cavity disposed upstream of the combustion chamber. The combustor assembly includes an acoustic damper that includes an aft wall adjacent to the combustion chamber and a forward wall adjacent to the diffuser cavity. A connecting wall is extended at least along the longitudinal direction and coupled to the aft wall and the forward wall. A damper cavity is defined by the connecting wall, the aft wall, and the forward wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2017
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Sharath Bangalore Nagaraja, Owen Graham, Kwankoo Kim, Manampathy Gangadharan Giridharan, Gregory Allen Boardman
  • Publication number: 20180274780
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a combustor assembly for a gas turbine engine. The combustor assembly includes an annular bulkhead adjacent to a diffuser cavity; a deflector downstream of the bulkhead and adjacent to a combustion chamber; a bulkhead support coupled to an upstream side of the deflector; a first walled enclosure coupled to the bulkhead support; and a second walled enclosure coupled to the first walled enclosure. The deflector and the bulkhead support together define a bulkhead conduit therethrough to the combustion chamber. The first walled enclosure defines a first cavity and a hot side orifice. The hot side orifice is adjacent to and in fluid communication with the bulkhead conduit. The second walled enclosure defines a second cavity and a second opening adjacent to a diffuser cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Publication date: September 27, 2018
    Inventors: Kwanwoo Kim, Owen Graham, Clayton Stuart Cooper
  • Publication number: 20170102147
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a fuel-air premixer for a turbine system. The fuel-air premixer includes a swirler and a centerbody. The swirler is configured to direct a flow of air through the premixer, and the centerbody is configured to inject fuel into the flow of air. Additionally, the centerbody includes an airfoil shape that reduces and/or substantially eliminates recirculation pockets to prevent autoignition and/or flame holding in a combustion chamber. Accordingly, the turbine system may produce fewer NOx emissions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2015
    Publication date: April 13, 2017
    Inventors: Liangyu Wang, Anthony John Dean, Keith Robert McManus, Kapil Kumar Singh, Suhui Li, Sravan Kumar Dheeraj Kapilavai, Mathew Paul Thariyan, Owen Graham
  • Publication number: 20170058780
    Abstract: In one aspect the present subject matter is directed to a system for suppressing acoustic noise within a combustion section of a gas turbine. The system includes at least one static structure disposed forward of a combustion chamber defined within the combustion section. The static structure at least partially defines a diffuser cavity upstream of the combustion chamber. A baffle plate is coupled to the static structure. The baffle plate and the static structure at least partially define an air plenum within the combustion section forward of the combustion chamber. The baffle plate includes an aperture that provides for fluid communication between the diffuser cavity and the air plenum. The at least one static structure and the baffle plate define a Helmholtz resonator within the combustion section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Inventors: Kwankoo KIM, Fei HAN, Owen GRAHAM