Patents by Inventor Richard C. Whalen

Richard C. Whalen 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).

  • Online estimation of specific gravity of gas fuel
    Patent number: 9732961
    Abstract: A method for determining an estimate of the specific gravity of a fuel for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The gas turbine engine includes a fuel control valve and one or more fuel injectors. The method includes determining a first estimate of the specific gravity based on an orifice flow model of the fuel control valve. The method also includes determining a second estimate of the specific gravity based on a combined orifice flow model of the one or more fuel injectors. The method further includes recursively filtering the first estimate and the second estimate to determine a third estimate of the specific gravity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Chad M. Holcomb, Richard C. Whalen, Robert Hiroshi Moroto
  • ONLINE ESTIMATION OF SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF GAS FUEL
    Publication number: 20160320061
    Abstract: A method for determining an estimate of the specific gravity of a fuel for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The gas turbine engine includes a fuel control valve and one or more fuel injectors. The method includes determining a first estimate of the specific gravity based on an orifice flow model of the fuel control valve. The method also includes determining a second estimate of the specific gravity based on a combined orifice flow model of the one or more fuel injectors. The method further includes recursively filtering the first estimate and the second estimate to determine a third estimate of the specific gravity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 30, 2015
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Applicant: SOLAR TURBINES INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Chad M. Holcomb, Richard C. Whalen, Robert Hiroshi Moroto