Patents by Inventor Ray D. LICKFOLD

Ray D. LICKFOLD 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: 9157377
    Abstract: A control schedule incorporating a relationship between corrected torque and inlet pressure is selected or determined responsive to a power-level command representative of a level of power to be transmitted to a controllable load by a single-spool turboshaft engine. At least a substantial portion of the control schedule provides for a flat-rated power level by the single-spool turboshaft engine substantially independent of associated inlet air pressure and inlet air temperature, and for at least one selectable mode of operation, the control schedule provides for minimizing or nearly minimizing a measure of fuel consumption, and for at least one other selectable mode of operation, the control schedule provides for operation at a substantially fixed level of rotational speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: WILLIAMS INTERNATIONAL CO., L.L.C.
    Inventors: Ray D. Lickfold, Gregg G. Williams, Robert S. Thompson, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20150211422
    Abstract: A control schedule incorporating a relationship between corrected torque and inlet pressure is selected or determined responsive to a power-level command representative of a level of power to be transmitted to a controllable load by a single-spool turboshaft engine. At least a substantial portion of the control schedule provides for a flat-rated power level by the single-spool turboshaft engine substantially independent of associated inlet air pressure and inlet air temperature, and for at least one selectable mode of operation, the control schedule provides for minimizing or nearly minimizing a measure of fuel consumption, and for at least one other selectable mode of operation, the control schedule provides for operation at a substantially fixed level of rotational speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2015
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: Ray D. LICKFOLD, Gregg WILLIAMS, Robert S. THOMPSON, JR.
  • Patent number: 9008943
    Abstract: One of a controllable load and a fuel flow to a single-spool turboshaft engine is controlled so that a rotational speed of a single-spool turboshaft engine is substantially regulated to a level corresponding to a corrected rotational speed command, and the other of the fuel flow and the controllable load is controlled so that a torque transmitted from the single-spool turboshaft engine to the controllable load is substantially regulated to a level corresponding to a corrected torque command. Under at least one operating condition, the corrected rotational speed command is determined so as to minimize or nearly minimize a measure of fuel consumption by the single-spool turboshaft engine when operated so that the torque transmitted to the controllable load corresponds to the corrected torque command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Williams International Co., L.L.C.
    Inventors: Ray D. Lickfold, Gregg Williams, Robert S. Thompson, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20140039775
    Abstract: One of a controllable load and a fuel flow to a single-spool turboshaft engine is controlled so that a rotational speed of a single-spool turboshaft engine is substantially regulated to a level corresponding to a corrected rotational speed command, and the other of the fuel flow and the controllable load is controlled so that a torque transmitted from the single-spool turboshaft engine to the controllable load is substantially regulated to a level corresponding to a corrected torque command. Under at least one operating condition, the corrected rotational speed command is determined so as to minimize or nearly minimize a measure of fuel consumption by the single-spool turboshaft engine when operated so that the torque transmitted to the controllable load corresponds to the corrected torque command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: WILLIAMS INTERNATIONAL CO., L.L.C.
    Inventors: Ray D. LICKFOLD, Gregg WILLIAMS, Robert S. THOMPSON, JR.
  • Patent number: 8566000
    Abstract: A controller receives a power-level command representative of a level of power to be transmitted by a single-spool turboshaft engine to a controllable load. A torque command determined responsive to a measure of inlet pressure, from a control schedule responsive to the power-level command, is representative of a level of torque to be transmitted by an element to drive the controllable load. Under some operating conditions, a rotational speed command provides for at least nearly minimizing a measure of associated fuel consumption when the transmitted torque is regulated to the level corresponding to the torque command by controlling one of the controllable load and a fuel flow to the engine, and the other of the controllable load and the fuel flow to the engine is controlled so as to regulate an associated rotational speed to a level corresponding to the rotational speed command.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Williams International Co., L.L.C.
    Inventors: Ray D. Lickfold, Gregg Williams, Robert S. Thompson, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8459038
    Abstract: A load applied to a low pressure spool of a two-spool turboshaft engine is controlled responsive to inlet pressure and temperature so as to regulate a relationship between the rotational speeds of the low and high pressure spools of the two-spool turboshaft engine so as to provide for operating the low pressure compressor attached to the low pressure spool with sufficient surge margin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Williams International Co., L.L.C.
    Inventors: Ray D. Lickfold, Gregg Williams, Robert S. Thompson, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20110208400
    Abstract: A controller receives a power-level command representative of a level of power to be transmitted by a single-spool turboshaft engine to a controllable load. A torque command determined responsive to a measure of inlet pressure, from a control schedule responsive to the power-level command, is representative of a level of torque to be transmitted by an element to drive the controllable load. Under some operating conditions, a rotational speed command provides for at least nearly minimizing a measure of associated fuel consumption when the transmitted torque is regulated to the level corresponding to the torque command by controlling one of the controllable load and a fuel flow to the engine, and the other of the controllable load and the fuel flow to the engine is controlled so as to regulate an associated rotational speed to a level corresponding to the rotational speed command.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicant: WILLIAMS INTERNATIONAL CO., L.L.C.
    Inventors: Ray D. LICKFOLD, Gregg WILLIAMS, Robert S. THOMPSON, JR.