Patents by Inventor Robert Sze

Robert Sze 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: 20170363295
    Abstract: The described reverse flow combustor of a gas turbine engine includes inner and outer combustor liners defining a combustor chamber therewithin. A large exit duct and a small exit duct are disposed at downstream ends of the outer and inner liner respectively. The small exit duct includes an annular ring removably mounted to a support element of the gas turbine engine and includes a plurality of cooling elements integrally formed with the annular ring and projecting therefrom into impingement airflow. The cooling elements increase the effective surface area of the inner surface of the annular ring, which is adapted to be cooled by the impingement airflow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: HONZA STASTNY, ROBERT SZE
  • Patent number: 9746184
    Abstract: A combustor heat shield comprises a heat shield body adapted to be mounted to a combustor wall with a back side of the heat shield body in spaced-apart facing relationship with the combustor wall to define an air gap between the heat shield body and the combustor wall. At least one nozzle opening is defined in the heat shield bod. The opening is bordered by a nozzle opening boss. The boss extends from the back side of the heat shield body across the air gap for sealing engagement with an adjacent part of the combustor. An annular array of effusion holes is provided adjacent the nozzle opening boss. The effusion holes extend through the heat shield body for passing cooling air from the back side to a front side of the heat shield body. Fins are interspersed between the effusion holes on the back side of the heat shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Michael Papple, Robert Sze
  • Patent number: 9657949
    Abstract: A combustor assembly includes a hot skin of a combustion chamber wall having an inner face exposed to the combustion chamber and an opposite outer face, a receiving skin having a securing portion affixed to the hot skin outer face in an air-tight manner and a receiving flange, extending from the securing portion, that is offset from the hot skin outer face to form a female recess, a cold skin having a cold wall portion spaced from the hot skin and forming a cooling cavity therebetween, a securing portion extending from a first end of the cold wall portion affixed to the hot skin outer face in an air-tight manner and a male flange extending from a second end of the cold wall portion opposite the first end, the male flange snugly received in the female recess and forming a sliding engagement therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Honza Stastny, Robert Sze
  • Patent number: 9625152
    Abstract: A heat shield for a combustor of a gas turbine engine has a heat shield adapted to be mounted to a combustor wall with a back face of the heat shield in spaced-apart facing relationship with an inner surface of the combustor wall to define an air gap. Rails extend from the back face of the heat shield across the air gap. Grooves are defined in at least one of the rails. The rail grooves are in fluid flow communication with the air gap when the heat shield is mounted to the combustor wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Michael Papple, Robert Sze
  • Publication number: 20170051918
    Abstract: The build-up of carbon deposition on the front face of a combustor heat shield is discouraged by jetting air out from the front face of the heat shield with sufficient momentum to push approaching fuel droplets or rich fuel-air mixture way from the heat shield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2016
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Inventors: TIN CHEUNG JOHN HU, Robert SZE, Honza STASTNY
  • Patent number: 9557060
    Abstract: A heat shield for a combustor of a gas turbine engine has a heat shield adapted to be mounted to a combustor wall with a back face of the heat shield in spaced-apart facing relationship with an inner surface of the combustor wall to define an air space. Concentric rails extend from the back face of the heat shield across the air space surrounding a nozzle opening in the heat shield. Effusion holes are provided between the concentric rails and extend between the back and front faces. Fins may be placed between the effusion holes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Michael Papple, Robert Sze
  • Patent number: 9534786
    Abstract: There is provided a combustor comprising a dome and a shell extending from the dome defining a combustion chamber. A dome heat shield is mounted to the dome inside the combustion chamber. A front heat shield is mounted to the shell and spaced therefrom. The dome heat shield has a lip extending generally away from the dome heat shield and generally parallel to the shell and spaced inwardly of the front heat shield to define a gap between the lip and the front heat shield. The front heat shield has a leading edge opposite the lip. The combustor has impingement holes extending through the shell and disposed to direct impingement cooling jets to the upstream portion of the front heat shield. The leading edge, of the front heat shield has at least one scallop defining an opening and disposed to allow the impingement cooling jets to impinge directly on a portion of the peripheral lip adjacent the scallop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Sri Sreekanth, Michael Papple, Robert Sze
  • Patent number: 9518739
    Abstract: The build-up of carbon deposition on the front face of a combustor heat shield is discouraged by jetting air out from the front face of the heat shield with sufficient momentum to push approaching fuel droplets or rich fuel-air mixture way from the heat shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Tin Cheung John Hu, Robert Sze, Honza Stastny
  • Publication number: 20160298841
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustor has a dome and a shell extending axially from the dome. The dome and the shell cooperates to define a combustion chamber. A dome heat shield is mounted to the dome inside the combustion chamber. A front heat shield is mounted to the shell inside the combustion chamber. The dome heat shield and the front heat shield have axially overlapping portions cooperating to define a flow guiding channel. The flow guiding channel has a length (L) and a height (h). The length (L) is at least equal to the height (h).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Michael PAPPLE, Robert SZE
  • Publication number: 20160298846
    Abstract: A combustor heat shield comprises a heat shield body adapted to be mounted to a combustor wall with a back side of the heat shield body in spaced-apart facing relationship with the combustor wall to define an air gap between the heat shield body and the combustor wall. At least one nozzle opening is defined in the heat shield bod. The opening is bordered by a nozzle opening boss. The boss extends from the back side of the heat shield body across the air gap for sealing engagement with an adjacent part of the combustor. An annular array of effusion holes is provided adjacent the nozzle opening boss. The effusion holes extend through the heat shield body for passing cooling air from the back side to a front side of the heat shield body. Fins are interspersed between the effusion holes on the back side of the heat shield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2015
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Michael PAPPLE, Robert SZE
  • Publication number: 20160169515
    Abstract: A combustor panel an increased cooling holes provided at at least one of a pair of circumferential edges, a leading edge, a trailing edge or a hole circumference. The increase may be defined as a reduction in spacing or an increase in density. In another feature, holes at the circumferential edges may extend outwardly to an outlet in alignment with rails.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Inventors: John S. Tu, James P. Bangerter, Robert Sze, James B. Hoke, Monica Pacheco-Tougas
  • Publication number: 20160054001
    Abstract: A heat shield for a combustor of a gas turbine engine includes an outer edge surface with an outlet of an edge cooling passage, the edge cooling passage oriented to direct cooling air generally upstream relative to a combustion gas flow.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2014
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: James P. BANGERTER, Robert SZE
  • Publication number: 20160040543
    Abstract: A sliding joint in a gas turbine engine between a large exit duct of a combustor and a turbine vane assembly having a leading edge lug. The sliding joint has an elongated flexible arm extending between a first end joined to the outer surface of the large entry duct, and an opposed free second end disposed radially inward of the outer surface of the large entry duct. A spacer is joined to the second end of the arm and projects radially away therefrom toward the outer surface of the large entry duct. The spacer is spaced apart from the outer surface and defines a gap therebetween. The spacer, the arm, and the sliding joint axially displace with respect to the lug upon thermal expansion of the large entry duct.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Honza Stastny, Robert Sze
  • Publication number: 20160040880
    Abstract: There is provided a combustor comprising a dome and a shell extending from the dome defining a combustion chamber. A dome heat shield is mounted to the dome inside the combustion chamber. A front heat shield is mounted to the shell and spaced therefrom. The dome heat shield has a lip extending generally away from the dome heat shield and generally parallel to the shell and spaced inwardly of the front heat shield to define a gap between the lip and the front heat shield. The front heat shield has a leading edge opposite the lip. The combustor has impingement holes extending through the shell and disposed to direct impingement cooling jets to the upstream portion of the front heat shield. The leading edge, of the front heat shield has at least one scallop defining an opening and disposed to allow the impingement cooling jets to impinge directly on a portion of the peripheral lip adjacent the scallop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Sri SREEKANTH, Michael Papple, Robert Sze
  • Publication number: 20150362191
    Abstract: A heat shield for a combustor of a gas turbine engine has a heat shield adapted to be mounted to a combustor wall with a back face of the heat shield in spaced-apart facing relationship with an inner surface of the combustor wall to define an air space. Concentric rails extend from the back face of the heat shield across the air space surrounding a nozzle opening in the heat shield. Effusion holes are provided between the concentric rails and extend between the back and front faces. Fins may be placed between the effusion holes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventors: MICHAEL PAPPLE, ROBERT SZE
  • Publication number: 20150345789
    Abstract: A heat shield for a combustor of a gas turbine engine has a heat shield adapted to be mounted to a combustor wall with a back face of the heat shield in spaced-apart facing relationship with an inner surface of the combustor wall to define an air gap. Rails extend from the back face of the heat shield across the air gap. Grooves are defined in at least one of the rails. The rail grooves are in fluid flow communication with the air gap when the heat shield is mounted to the combustor wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Applicant: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: MICHAEL PAPPLE, ROBERT SZE
  • Publication number: 20150211420
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprising a combustor having a combustor liner assembly and a mounting bracket provided on the combustor liner assembly, a floating collar being slidingly received on the mounting bracket for relative sliding movement in a plane normal to an axis of an igniter opening in the liner assembly. The floating collar includes an annular surface defining a collar opening, and an igniter having an axis concentric with the axis of the collar opening is sealingly engages the annular surface. A plurality of purge openings defined in at least one of the igniter and the floating collar form cooling airflow passages communicating from the plenum to the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Robert Sze, Kian McCaldon, Honza Stastny
  • Patent number: 9089933
    Abstract: A method for making or repairing a laser drilled hole in a component of gas turbine engines, to meet requirements of air flow through the hole, includes deformation of an excess material melted during the laser drilling process and remaining around an opening end of the hole, thereby causing a marginal reduction in an effective diameter of the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Alan Terence Shaw, Robert Sze
  • Publication number: 20150135720
    Abstract: A combustor heat shield has lips with fins distributed on the lips. The lip-fins have an extended end portion projecting rearwardly from the back face of the heat shield. Impingement jets may be directed against the rearwardly extended end portions of the lip-fins to enhance cooling. The heat shield may define a fuel nozzle opening surrounded by a rail on the back side of the heat shield. Impingement holes or slots may be defined in the rail for allowing cooling air passing therethrough to impinge upon the lip-fins.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: MICHAEL PAPPLE, ROBERT SZE, SRI SREEKANTH
  • Publication number: 20140366544
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustor includes an exit duct having annular first and second exit duct walls radially spaced apart to define therebetween the combustor exit opening. The first and/or second exit duct walls has a double-skin wall section which includes an inner hot wall facing the combustor exit opening and an outer cold wall fastened to the inner hot wall and radially spaced away therefrom to define a radial gap therebetween. The outer cold wall has a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than that of the inner hot wall. This helps reduce thermal growth mismatch between the outer cold wall and the inner hot wall during operation of the combustor, and reduces thermal stress at the joint between the hot and cold walls.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Inventors: Douglas MACCAUL, Si-Man Lao, Jason Herborth, Ion Dinu, Robert Sze