Patents by Inventor Paul Lacy

Paul Lacy 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).

  • Publication number: 20140062034
    Abstract: A gas path leakage seal for a turbine includes a flexible manifold having opposed raised edges; at least one cloth seal layer on one side of the manifold between the opposed raised edges; and a filter material covering at least one end of the at least one cloth seal layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul LACY, Srikanth Chandrudu KOTTILINGAM, Victor John MORGAN, Neelesh SARAWATE
  • Patent number: 8651805
    Abstract: A cooling system for a hot gas path component is disclosed. The cooling system may include a component layer and a cover layer. The component layer may include a first inner surface and a second outer surface. The second outer surface may define a plurality of channels. The component layer may further define a plurality of passages extending generally between the first inner surface and the second outer surface. Each of the plurality of channels may be fluidly connected to at least one of the plurality of passages. The cover layer may be situated adjacent the second outer surface of the component layer. The plurality of passages may be configured to flow a cooling medium to the plurality of channels and provide impingement cooling to the cover layer. The plurality of channels may be configured to flow cooling medium therethrough, cooling the cover layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Ronald Scott Bunker, Gary Michael Itzel
  • Publication number: 20140037458
    Abstract: A rotor blade for a turbine of a combustion turbine engine having an airfoil that includes a pressure and a suction sidewall defining an outer periphery and a tip portion defining an outer radial end. The tip portion includes a rail that defines a tip cavity. The airfoil includes an interior cooling passage configured to circulate coolant. The rotor blade further includes: a slotted portion of the rail; and at least one film cooling outlet disposed within at least one of the pressure sidewall and the suction sidewall of the airfoil. The film cooling outlet includes a position that is adjacent to the tip portion and in proximity to the slotted portion of the rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Randall Richard Good, Brian Gene Brzek
  • Publication number: 20140030073
    Abstract: A system for removing heat from a gas turbine generally includes a plurality of stationary nozzles arranged in an annular array within the gas turbine. Each of the plurality of stationary nozzles may include a radially outer platform and a radially extending cooling passage. The radially extending cooling passage may have an inlet that extends generally axially and circumferentially across a portion of the radially outer platform. A closed loop cooling coil may extend continuously circumferentially around the radially outer platform of two or more of the plurality of stationary nozzles. The closed loop cooling coil may be disposed circumferentially across and outside of the inlet of the radially extending cooling passage of each of the two or more stationary nozzles, and a cooling medium may flow through the cooling coil and out of the gas turbine so as to remove heat from the gas turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Gregory Allan Crum, James William Vehr
  • Publication number: 20140003960
    Abstract: An airfoil includes an interior surface, an exterior surface opposed to the interior surface, a pressure side, a suction side opposed to the pressure side, a stagnation line between the pressure and suction sides, and a trailing edge between the pressure and suction sides and downstream from the stagnation line. A first column of overlapping stagnation trench segments is on the exterior surface, and the stagnation line passes through at least a portion of each of the overlapping stagnation trench segments. At least one cooling passage in each stagnation trench segment provides fluid communication from the interior surface to the exterior surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Stanley Frank Simpson, Benjamin Paul Lacy
  • Patent number: 8616002
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for premixing combustion fuel and air within gas turbines. In one embodiment, a combustor includes an upstream mixing panel configured to direct compressed air and combustion fuel through a premixing zone to form a fuel-air mixture. The combustor also includes a downstream mixing panel configured to mix additional combustion fuel with the fuel-air mixture to form a combustion mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gilbert Otto Kraemer, Balachandar Varatharajan, Andrei Tristan Evulet, Ertan Yilmaz, Benjamin Paul Lacy
  • Publication number: 20130336800
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the disclosure include a component, methods of forming components, and methods of cooling components. In some embodiments, a component is disclosed including: a body; a microchannel extending through a portion of the body; a thermal barrier coating (TBC) covering a portion of the microchannel; and a marker member extending from the microchannel through the TBC or from an end of the microchannel, the marker member indicating a location of the microchannel in the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam, David Edward Schick, Brian Lee Tollison
  • Patent number: 8607569
    Abstract: A method of assembling a gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes coupling a combustor in flow communication with a compressor such that the combustor receives at least some of the air discharged by the compressor. A fuel nozzle assembly is coupled to the combustor and includes at least one fuel nozzle that includes a plurality of interior surfaces, wherein a thermal barrier coating is applied across at least one of the plurality of interior surfaces to facilitate shielding the interior surfaces from combustion gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Andrew Helmick, Thomas Edward Johnson, William David York, Benjamin Paul Lacy
  • Publication number: 20130331080
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method are provided for connecting, configuring and testing new wireless devices and applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: Jasper Wireless, Inc.
    Inventors: Terrence Poon, Scott Potter, Curtis Govan, Macario Namie, Paul Lacy, Amit Gupta
  • Publication number: 20130313307
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a cooling passage in a component of a machine is described. The method may include: forming a channel in a surface of the component, the channel having a predetermined configuration; forming a cover wire, the cover wire having a predetermined configuration based on the predetermined configuration of the channel; nesting the cover wire in the channel; and welding the nested cover wire to the component such that the channel is enclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam, Brian Lee Tollison
  • Publication number: 20130315749
    Abstract: A turbine rotor blade for a gas turbine engine is described. The turbine rotor blade includes an airfoil that includes a tip at an outer radial end. The tip includes a rail that defines a tip cavity; and the rail includes a circumscribing rail microchannel. The circumscribing rail microchannel is a microchannel that extends around at least a majority of the length of the inner rail surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Inventors: Xiuzhang James Zhang, Aaron Ezekiel Smith, Anthony Louis Giglio, Brian Peter Arness, Benjamin Paul Lacy
  • Publication number: 20130315748
    Abstract: A turbine rotor blade used in a gas turbine engine, which includes an airfoil having a tip at an outer radial edge, is described. The airfoil includes a pressure sidewall and a suction sidewall that join together at a leading edge and a trailing edge of the airfoil, the pressure sidewall and the suction sidewall extending from a root to the tip. The tip includes a tip plate and, disposed along a periphery of the tip plate, a rail. The rail includes a microchannel connected to a coolant source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Brian Peter Arness, Xiuzhang James Zhang
  • Publication number: 20130287546
    Abstract: A turbine shroud cooling assembly for a gas turbine system includes an outer shroud component disposed within a turbine section of the gas turbine system and proximate a turbine section casing, wherein the outer shroud component includes at least one airway for ingesting an airstream. Also included is an inner shroud component disposed radially inward of, and fixedly connected to, the outer shroud component, wherein the inner shroud component includes a plurality of microchannels extending in at least one of a circumferential direction and an axial direction for cooling the inner shroud component with the airstream from the at least one airway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2012
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, David Edward Schick, David Wayne Weber
  • Patent number: 8539773
    Abstract: A fuel/air mixing tube for use in a fuel/air mixing tube bundle is provided. The fuel/air mixing tube includes an outer tube wall extending axially along a tube axis between an inlet end and an exit end, the outer tube wall having a thickness extending between an inner tube surface having a inner diameter and an outer tube surface having an outer tube diameter. The tube further includes at least one fuel injection hole having a fuel injection hole diameter extending through the outer tube wall, the fuel injection hole having an injection angle relative to the tube axis. The invention provides good fuel air mixing with low combustion generated NOx and low flow pressure loss translating to a high gas turbine efficiency, that is durable, and resistant to flame holding and flash back.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Willy Steve Ziminsky, Thomas Edward Johnson, Benjamin Paul Lacy, William David York, Jong Ho Uhm, Baifang Zuo
  • Patent number: 8531972
    Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method are provided for connecting, configuring and testing new wireless devices and applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Jasper Wireless, Inc.
    Inventors: Terrence Poon, Scott Potter, Curtis Govan, Macario Namie, Paul Lacy, Amit Gupta
  • Patent number: 8523527
    Abstract: The present subject matter discloses a turbine component including a platform and an airfoil extending radially upward from the platform. A plurality of curved cooling passages may be defined in the platform. Each of the curved cooling passages may have at least one end disposed at an exterior surface of the platform. Additionally, each of the cooling passages may be configured to direct a cooling medium through the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Gary Michael Itzel, Bin Wei
  • Patent number: 8499566
    Abstract: A combustor liner is disclosed. The combustor liner includes an upstream portion, a downstream end portion extending from the upstream portion along a generally longitudinal axis, and a cover layer associated with an inner surface of the downstream end portion. The downstream end portion includes the inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface defining a plurality of microchannels. The downstream end portion further defines a plurality of passages extending between the inner surface and the outer surface. The plurality of microchannels are fluidly connected to the plurality of passages, and are configured to flow a cooling medium therethrough, cooling the combustor liner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Mert Enis Berkman
  • Publication number: 20130183165
    Abstract: An airfoil includes a platform and an exterior surface connected to the platform. A plurality of trench segments are on the exterior surface, and a single cooling passage in each trench segment supplies a cooling media to the exterior surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Benjamin Paul Lacy
  • Publication number: 20130183166
    Abstract: An airfoil includes a platform and an exterior surface connected to the platform. A plurality of trench segments are on the exterior surface, and each trench segment extends less than 50% of a length of the exterior surface. A cooling passage in each trench segment supplies a cooling media to the exterior surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Publication date: July 18, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Benjamin Paul Lacy
  • Publication number: 20130139510
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, a method for manufacturing a hot gas path component of a turbine is provided, the method including forming cooling channels in a surface of a member. The method also includes disposing a layer on the surface of the member to enclose the cooling channels, the layer being disposed on a portion of the member to be cooled and bonding the layer to the surface, wherein bonding comprises heating the member and the layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2011
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Srikanth Chandrudu Kottilingam, David Vincent Bucci, Benjamin Paul Lacy, Kathleen Blanche Morey, Brian Lee Tollison, Patrick Thomas Walsh