Patents by Inventor Robert Joseph Rohrssen

Robert Joseph Rohrssen 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: 20130269350
    Abstract: Present embodiments are directed toward reducing low flow or no flow situations in a head end of a turbine combustor. Embodiments include a system having a turbine combustor. The turbine combustor includes a fuel nozzle having an inner shell and an outer shell, and a feed cap disposed about the fuel nozzle and having an outer wall and a back plate. The back plate joins respective upstream ends of the outer shell of the fuel nozzle and the outer wall of the feed cap. The turbine combustor is configured to flow a first pressurized air via an air path extending along the outer wall of the feed cap, the back plate of the feed cap, and into the fuel nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Abdul Rafey Khan, Bradley Donald Crawley, Robert Joseph Rohrssen, Mohan Krishna Bobba
  • Publication number: 20130205799
    Abstract: An interface between an inlet flow conditioner and a compressor discharge air passage in a gas turbine includes a cap back plate including a curved exterior surface, and an inlet flow conditioner (IFC) cooperable with the cap back plate. An end of the IFC includes a curved exterior surface that is continued from the curved exterior surface of the cap back plate. The interface provides for more uniform and higher pressure air as well as more air supply, resulting in more uniform combustion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Inventors: Donald Mark Bailey, Abdul Rafey Khan, Robert Joseph Rohrssen, Mohan Krishna Bobba
  • Publication number: 20130081400
    Abstract: The present application and the resulting patent provide a pre-nozzle mixing cap assembly positioned about a cap member of a combustor for mixing a flow of air and a flow of fuel. The pre-nozzle mixing cap assembly may include a fuel plenum in communication with the flow of fuel and a number of tubes in communication with the flow of air and extending through the fuel plenum. Each of the tubes may include a number of fuel holes therein such that the flow of fuel in the fuel plenum passes through the fuel holes and mixes with the flow of air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Robert Joseph Rohrssen, Patrick Benedict Melton
  • Publication number: 20130074503
    Abstract: A system for supplying pressurized fluid to a combustor of a gas turbine is disclosed. The system may include an end cover and a fuel nozzle extending from the end cover. The fuel nozzle may include a downstream end. Additionally, the system may include a cap assembly configured to receive at least a portion of the fuel nozzle. The cap assembly may include an upstream wall spaced apart from the downstream end, a downstream wall disposed proximate to the downstream end and a cap chamber defined between the upstream and downstream walls. Moreover, a conduit may extend through the end cover and the upstream wall such that a discharge end of the conduit is in flow communication with the cap chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Joseph Rohrssen, Patrick Benedict Melton
  • Publication number: 20120304657
    Abstract: A flexible annular seal for insertion between concentrically assembled turbine combustor components includes an annular inner seal portion having a first solid annular edge and first plurality of spring fingers extending axially from the first solid annular edge; and an annular outer seal portion having a second solid annular edge and a second plurality of spring fingers extending axially from the second solid edge and overlying the first plurality of spring fingers such that the inner and outer seal portions are substantially fully engaged along an entire length dimension of the flexible annular seal. The second plurality of spring fingers are circumferentially offset from the first plurality of spring fingers, and free ends of the first plurality of spring fingers are bent around and over free ends of the second plurality of spring fingers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Patrick Benedict MELTON, Keith Cletus Belsom, Thomas Edward Johnson, William Lawrence Byrne, Robert Joseph Rohrssen
  • Publication number: 20120308947
    Abstract: A combustor having a pressure feed is provided and includes an outer vessel, an intermediate vessel disposed within the outer vessel to form an outer annulus, an inner vessel disposed within the intermediate vessel to form an inner annulus between the intermediate and inner vessels, by which upstream portions of fuel nozzles disposed within the inner vessel are fed, and an internal volume within the inner vessel about downstream portions of the fuel nozzles and a tubular assembly by which the outer annulus and the internal volume are communicative.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Patrick Benedict Melton, David Leach, Robert Joseph Rohrssen, Roy Marshall Washam
  • Publication number: 20120304655
    Abstract: A turbomachine combustor assembly includes a combustor housing and a combustor body. The combustor body defines a combustor liner having a first end portion that extends to a second end portion through a combustion chamber. A cap assembly is mounted at the combustor housing. The cap assembly includes an endcover, a plurality of fuel nozzles supported by the end cover, and an outer barrel member. The outer barrel member extends about the plurality of fuel nozzles. A liner stop is arranged on one of the outer barrel member and the first end portion of the combustor liner. The liner stop includes a stepped lip portion that receives the other of the outer barrel member and the first end portion of the combustor liner to form substantially smooth liner to outer barrel interface. The liner stop restricts axial movement of the combustor liner relative to the outer barrel member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Robert Joseph Rohrssen, David William Cihlar
  • Publication number: 20120297783
    Abstract: A system includes a gas turbine combustor, which includes a combustion liner disposed about a combustion region, a flow sleeve disposed about the combustion liner, an air passage between the combustion liner and the flow sleeve, and a structure extending between the combustion liner and the flow sleeve. The structure obstructs an airflow path through the air passage. The gas turbine combustor also includes an aerodynamic wake reducer configured to redirect an airflow around the structure to reduce a wake region downstream of the structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Patrick Benedict Melton, Bradley Donald Crawley, David William Cihlar, Robert Joseph Rohrssen, Ronald James Chila
  • Publication number: 20120297784
    Abstract: A system includes a gas turbine combustor, which includes a combustion liner disposed about a combustion region, a flow sleeve disposed about the combustion liner, an air passage between the combustion liner and the flow sleeve, and an airflow guide vane disposed in the air passage. The airflow guide vane includes an upstream vane portion and a downstream vane portion. The upstream vane portion is oriented at an angle from an axial axis of the gas turbine combustor. The downstream vane portion is aligned with the axial axis. The airflow guide vane is configured to remove a circumferential swirl of an airflow upstream of the airflow guide vane to straighten the airflow downstream of the airflow guide vane along the axial axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Patrick Benedict Melton, David William Cihlar, Robert Joseph Rohrssen, Abdul Rafey Khan
  • Publication number: 20120297782
    Abstract: A system includes a gas turbine combustor, which includes a combustion liner disposed about a combustion region, a flow sleeve disposed about the combustion liner, an air passage between the combustion liner and the flow sleeve, and an aerodynamic mounting assembly disposed in the air passage. The aerodynamic mounting assembly is configured to retain the combustion liner within the flow sleeve. The aerodynamic mounting assembly includes a flow sleeve mount coupled to the flow sleeve and a liner stop coupled to the combustion liner. The flow sleeve mount includes a first portion of an aerodynamic shape and the liner stop includes a second portion of the aerodynamic shape, which is configured to direct an airflow into a wake region downstream of the aerodynamic mounting assembly. The flow sleeve mount and the liner stop couple with one another to define the aerodynamic shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David William Cihlar, Patrick Benedict Melton, Robert Joseph Rohrssen
  • Publication number: 20120279224
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustor is provided and includes an array of fuel nozzles, a combustion casing assembly disposed about the array of fuel nozzles and an end cap assembly disposed within the combustion casing assembly to define with the combustion casing assembly an axis-symmetric annulus through which fluid travels into each of the fuel nozzles, at least one of the combustion casing assembly and the end cap assembly being formed with lobed, three-dimensional contouring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Donald Mark Bailey, Jonathan Dwight Berry, Luis Manuel Flamand, Kwanwoo Kim, Patrick Benedict Melton, Robert Joseph Rohrssen, John Drake Vanselow
  • Patent number: 8281596
    Abstract: A combustor assembly for a turbomachine includes combustor housing and a flow sleeve arranged between the combustor housing and a combustor liner. The flow sleeve defines a first annular fluid passage, and a second annular fluid passage. A quaternary cap is mounted to the combustor housing. The quaternary cap includes a first fluid plenum fluidly connected to the first annular fluid passage, a second fluid plenum fluidly connected to the second annular fluid passage, and a plurality of vanes fluidly connected to each of the first and second fluid plenums. Each of the plurality of vanes includes a body portion having a first fluid channel coupled to the first fluid plenum, and a second fluid channel coupled to the second fluid plenum. The first fluid channel extends completely through the body portion and the second fluid channel extends partially into the body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Joseph Rohrssen, Erich Daniel Charters, Abdul Rafey Khan, Patrick Benedict Melton, John Drake Vanselow
  • Publication number: 20100092896
    Abstract: Disclosed is a combustor including a baffle plate having at least one through baffle hole and at least one fuel nozzle extending through the at least one baffle hole. At least one shroud is secured to the baffle plate and includes at least one piston ring disposed at the shroud. The at least one piston ring is configured to meter a flow of diluent between the at least one shroud and the at least one fuel nozzle. Further disclosed is a method for providing diluent to a combustor including providing a piston ring gap defined by at least one piston ring disposed at a baffle plate and a fuel nozzle extending through a through hole in the baffle plate. The diluent is flowed through the piston ring gap toward at least one airflow hole in the fuel nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2008
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jesse Ellis Barton, Jonathan Dwight Berry, Mark Allan Hadley, Glenn David Nelson, Robert Joseph Rohrssen, John Drake Vanselow