Patents by Inventor Robert A. Putnam

Robert A. Putnam 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: 20140212265
    Abstract: A system for attenuating sound emissions from an inlet to a flow path for an air inducting machine including an inlet duct structure having inlet and outlet passages. A planar vortex generator is located adjacent to the outlet passage and creates vortices that interact with a specific tonal acoustic frequency emitted from the inlet of the machine to effect formation of a standing wave at the vortex generator. The standing wave has an upstream propagating component that reflects off an acoustic reflector wall to form a reflected component that interferes with the upstream propagating component to attenuate the specific tonal acoustic frequency from the inlet of the machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Publication date: July 31, 2014
    Inventor: Robert A. Putnam
  • Patent number: 7717229
    Abstract: The gas turbine exhaust sound suppressor, or exhaust silencer, and method are for a gas turbine and reduce low frequency exhaust flow noise while avoiding the creation of additional acoustical standing waves, e.g. from wake shedding at certain predictable frequencies. A plurality of elongated flow obstruction members, e.g. pipes or airfoils, extend within the exhaust passage to reduce acoustic waves within the exhaust flow, and at least some of the elongated flow obstruction members have different widths. Each of the elongated flow obstruction members is positioned at a respective angle within a predetermined angular range transverse to the flow direction, with the predetermined angular range being greater than or equal to 10 degrees from normal to the flow direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert A. Putnam
  • Patent number: 7640751
    Abstract: A fuel heating system for fuel usable in a turbine engine. The fuel heating system may include at least one fuel heating chamber in communication with an exhaust stack of a turbine engine. The fuel heating chamber may be configured to allow exhaust gases to flow through the at least one fuel heating chamber. The fuel heating system may also include at least one conduit positioned in the fuel heating chamber. The conduit may be configured to receive fuel from a fuel source at a first temperature, allow the fuel to flow through the conduit, and exhaust the fuel at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert A. Putnam
  • Publication number: 20090277714
    Abstract: The gas turbine exhaust sound suppressor, or exhaust silencer, and method are for a gas turbine and reduce low frequency exhaust flow noise while avoiding the creation of additional acoustical standing waves, e.g. from wake shedding at certain predictable frequencies. A plurality of elongated flow obstruction members, e.g. pipes or airfoils, extend within the exhaust passage to reduce acoustic waves within the exhaust flow, and at least some of the elongated flow obstruction members have different widths. Each of the elongated flow obstruction members is positioned at a respective angle within a predetermined angular range transverse to the flow direction, with the predetermined angular range being greater than or equal to 10 degrees from normal to the flow direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Publication date: November 12, 2009
    Applicant: Siemens Power Generations, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert A. Putnam
  • Publication number: 20070271928
    Abstract: A fuel heating system for fuel usable in a turbine engine. The fuel heating system may include at least one fuel heating chamber in communication with an exhaust stack of a turbine engine. The fuel heating chamber may be configured to allow exhaust gases to flow through the at least one fuel heating chamber. The fuel heating system may also include at least one conduit positioned in the fuel heating chamber. The conduit may be configured to receive fuel from a fuel source at a first temperature, allow the fuel to flow through the conduit, and exhaust the fuel at a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2006
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Inventor: Robert A. Putnam
  • Patent number: 4028884
    Abstract: A combined cycle electric power generating plant includes gas and steam turbines and a heat recovery steam generator recovering the heat in the exhaust gases exited from the gas turbine and for using the recovered heat to produce and supply steam to the steam turbine. The gas turbine includes a plurality of variably set guide vanes whose position may be set to determine the inlet flow to the gas turbine. Guide vane control apparatus is provided to limit the inlet guide vane position as a function of gas turbine compressor inlet temperature in accordance with a desired gas turbine exhaust flow, and to match the gas turbine exhaust flow to the steam requirements of the steam generator as in turn determined by the load placed upon its steam turbine. In addition, an afterburner is provided to supplementally heat the exhaust gas turbine gases before they are directed to the steam generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1974
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1977
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Lyle F. Martz, Jack R. Smith, Francis A. Lebonette, Robert A. Putnam, Paul A. Berman