Patents by Inventor Ronald James Chila
Ronald James Chila 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: 20120167571Abstract: A method of assembling a combustor assembly for use in a turbine engine is provided. A combustor liner that defines a combustion chamber therein is provided. The liner includes a forward end and an aft end, wherein the aft end includes at least one channel extending therethrough. The channel is aligned obliquely with respect to a centerline extending through the aft end. A plurality of fuel nozzles are coupled to the forward end such that the fuel nozzles extend through the forward end. An annular sleeve that includes at least one opening extending radially therethrough is coupled to the aft end, wherein the sleeve substantially circumscribes the aft end such that a cavity is defined therebetween and such that a fluid channeled through the at least one opening impinges against a surface of the aft end prior to the fluid being channeled into the combustion chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2011Publication date: July 5, 2012Inventors: David William Cihlar, Ronald James Chila, Mert Enis Berkman
-
Publication number: 20120052451Abstract: According to one aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus for injecting fuel is provided, where the apparatus includes a cone structure that includes a passage to form a swirl of an air-fuel mixture in a combustion chamber. The apparatus also includes at least one adjustable vane positioned in the passage configured to control the swirl of the air-fuel mixture and control a flame stability.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2010Publication date: March 1, 2012Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Mahesh Bathina, Ronald James Chila, Senthamil Selvan
-
Patent number: 8082739Abstract: A gas turbine combustor includes a combustion chamber defined by a combustor liner, the combustor liner having an upstream end cover supporting one or more nozzles arranged to supply fuel to the combustion chamber where the fuel mixes with air supplied from a compressor. A transition duct is connected between an aft end of the combustion chamber liner and a first stage turbine casing, the transition duct supplying gaseous products of combustion to the first stage turbine nozzle. One or more additional fuel injection nozzles are arranged at an aft end of the transition duct for introducing additional fuel into the transition duct upstream of the first stage turbine nozzle.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2010Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ronald James Chila, Mark Hadley
-
Publication number: 20110289933Abstract: A dual fuel nozzle for a gas turbine combustor includes a hub defining a fuel inlet and a plurality of liquid fuel jets disposed at a downstream end of the hub. The fuel jets are oriented to eject liquid fuel radially outward from the hub. An annular air passage includes a swirler that imparts swirl to air flowing in the annular air passage, and a splitter ring is disposed in the annular air passage and surrounds the plurality of liquid fuel jets. The nozzle allows liquid fuels to be injected into a swirling annular airstream and then atomized, dispersed and vaporized inside a lean premixing dual fuel nozzle for a gas turbine combustor.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2010Publication date: December 1, 2011Inventors: Gregory Allen Boardman, Ronald James Chila, Michael John Hughes, Jason Thurman Stewart
-
Publication number: 20110283707Abstract: An air cooling hood offset from an exterior of the transition piece to define an air cooling passage between the air cooling hood and the exterior of the transition piece, wherein the air cooling hood comprises a plurality of air outlets disposed along the exterior of the transition piece, and the plurality of air outlets is configured to expel an airflow from the air cooling passage away from the exterior of the transition piece.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2010Publication date: November 24, 2011Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ronald James Chila, David William Cihlar
-
Publication number: 20110247339Abstract: A combustor is provided and includes a liner through which fluid fed from at least two injection points flows from a head end to an interior of a transition piece, a first one of the at least two injection points being axially proximate to a fluid impenetrable coupling between the liner and the transition piece and defining apertures disposed in fluid communication with a first passage leading to the head end, and a second one of the at least two injection points being disposed axially between the apertures and the head end and upstream from the apertures relative to a direction of fluid flow through the first passage, the second one of the at least two injection points being formed of openings disposed in fluid communication with a second passage leading to the head end.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2010Publication date: October 13, 2011Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Ronald James Chila, Martin Ronald Watts, Sheng-Yi Wu
-
Publication number: 20110247314Abstract: A gas turbine combustor includes a combustion chamber defined by a combustor liner, the combustor liner having an upstream end cover supporting one or more nozzles arranged to supply fuel to the combustion chamber where the fuel mixes with air supplied from a compressor. A transition duct is connected between an aft end of the combustion chamber liner and a first stage turbine casing, the transition duct supplying gaseous products of combustion to the first stage turbine nozzle. One or more additional fuel injection nozzles are arranged at an aft end of the transition duct for introducing additional fuel into the transition duct upstream of the first stage turbine nozzle.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2010Publication date: October 13, 2011Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Ronald James CHILA, Mark HADLEY
-
Publication number: 20110247341Abstract: A combustor liner is provided. The combustor liner may include an upstream portion and a downstream end portion. The upstream portion may have a radius and a length along a generally longitudinal axis. The downstream end portion may have a radius and a length along the generally longitudinal axis. The downstream end portion may define a plurality of channels. Each of the plurality of channels may extend helically through the length of the downstream end portion. Each of the plurality of channels may be configured to flow an air flow therethrough, cooling the downstream end portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2010Publication date: October 13, 2011Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Kevin Weston McMahan, Ronald James Chila
-
Publication number: 20110203287Abstract: A combustor liner for a combustor of a turbine engine includes a single-walled generally cylindrical liner that extends from a head end to an aft end. A venturi is formed on the combustor liner at a location between the head and aft ends. The venturi is formed by first and second straight portions of the combustor liner that angle inward to form a reduced diameter portion. The combustor liner may also include an air deflector to deflect air down onto the exterior of the reduced diameter portion of the single-walled combustor liner. The combustor liner may also include dilution holes, and turbulator rings.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2010Publication date: August 25, 2011Inventors: Ronald James CHILA, Donald Timothy LEMON
-
Publication number: 20110162378Abstract: A tunable transition piece aft-frame is disclosed for tuning the exit profile of combustion products as such products flow from a transition piece to a combustion product receiving apparatus. The aft-frame includes a generally rectilinear shaped body which has a laterally extending flange. Dilution holes are formed in the flange and are configured to allow dilution air to penetrate into the flow of the combustion products to shape the exit temperature profile of the combustion products.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 6, 2010Publication date: July 7, 2011Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: RONALD JAMES CHILA, WEI CHEN, GREGORY A. BOARDMAN
-
Publication number: 20110113783Abstract: In one embodiment, a system includes a fuel nozzle that includes a fuel injector that includes a fuel port and a premixer tube. The premixer tube includes a wall disposed about a central passage, multiple air ports extending through the wall into the central passage, and a catalytic region. The catalytic region includes a catalyst, disposed inside the wall along the central passage, configured to increase a reaction of fuel and air.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2009Publication date: May 19, 2011Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Gregory Allen Boardman, David Martin Johnson, Ronald James Chila, Nishant Govindbhai Parsania, Hasan Karim, Joseph Citeno
-
Publication number: 20110107766Abstract: A combustor assembly for a turbine engine includes a combustor liner and a flow sleeve which surrounds the combustor liner. Compressed air flows through an annular space located between an outer surface of the combustor liner and an inner surface of the flow sleeve. A plurality of cooling holes are formed through the flow sleeve to allow compressed air to flow from a position outside the flow sleeve, through the cooling holes, and into the annular space. The height of the annular space may vary along the length of the combustor assembly. Thus, the flow sleeve may have reduced diameter portions which result in the height of the annular space being smaller in certain locations than at other locations along the length of the combustor assembly.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2009Publication date: May 12, 2011Inventors: Lewis Berkley DAVIS, JR., Ronald James Chila
-
Publication number: 20100263384Abstract: A combustor cap assembly for a gas turbine includes a plurality of effusion cooling apertures that allow air to pass through the cooling apertures to cool the combustor cap assembly. An inner diameter of the cooling apertures expands along at least a portion of the total length of the apertures so that cooling air passing through the cooling aperture will slow as it approaches the outlet.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2009Publication date: October 21, 2010Inventor: Ronald James CHILA
-
Publication number: 20100257863Abstract: An industrial turbine engine comprises a combustion section, an air discharge section downstream of the combustion section, a transition region between the combustion and air discharge section, a combustion transition piece and a sleeve. The transition piece defines an interior space for combusted gas flow. The sleeve surrounds the combustor transition piece so as to form a flow annulus between the sleeve and the transition piece. The sleeve includes a first set of apertures for directing cooling air from compressor discharge air into the flow annulus. The transition piece includes an outer surface bounding the flow annulus and an inner surface bounding the interior surface, and includes a second set of apertures for directing cooling air in the flow annulus to the interior space. Each of the second set of apertures extends from an entry portion on the outer surface to an exit portion on the inner surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2009Publication date: October 14, 2010Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ronald James Chila, Kevin Weston McMahan
-
Publication number: 20100242485Abstract: A combustor within which a combustion zone is defined is provided and includes an annular liner having a first mixing hole defined therein at a first axial position, a flow sleeve, having a second mixing hole defined therein at a second axial position, the flow sleeve surrounding the liner to form a first flow space at an exterior of the liner, a port, coupled to the flow sleeve at the second axial position, which is configured to remove air from the first flow space via the second mixing hole, and a shield, having a third mixing hole defined therein at the second axial position, the shield being disposed to shield the liner and to form a second flow space within the liner, which is communicable with the combustion zone via the third mixing hole and with the first flow space via the first mixing hole.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2009Publication date: September 30, 2010Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Lewis Berkley Davis, JR., Ronald James Chila
-
Publication number: 20100242487Abstract: A turbomachine includes a plurality of injection nozzles arranged in a can-annular array and a transition piece including at least one wall that defines a combustion flow passage. A dilution orifice is formed in the at least one wall of the transition piece. The dilution orifice guides dilution gases to the combustion flow passage. A heat shield member is mounted to the at least one wall of the transition piece in the combustion flow passage. The heat shield member includes a body having a first surface and an opposing second surface through which extends a dilution passage. The dilution passage is off-set from the dilution orifice. The heat shield member is spaced from the at least one wall of the transition piece defining a flow region between the at least one wall and the second surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2009Publication date: September 30, 2010Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Lewis Berkley Davis, JR., Ronald James Chila
-
Publication number: 20100229564Abstract: A system, in one embodiment, includes a turbine engine. The turbine engine includes a combustor that includes a hollow annular wall having a combustor liner. The turbine engine also includes first flow path in a first direction through the hollow annular wall. The turbine engine further includes a second flow path in a second direction that is opposite the first direction through the hollow annular wall. The second flow path may include one or more film holes configured to supply a cooling film to a downstream end portion of the combustor liner.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2009Publication date: September 16, 2010Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventor: Ronald James Chila
-
Publication number: 20100223930Abstract: A turbomachine includes a compressor, a combustor including a first end operatively connected to the compressor and a second end, a transition piece mounted to the second end of the combustor, and at least one injection device mounted to one of the combustor and the transition piece. The at least one injection device includes a first end portion that extends to a second end portion through an intermediate portion. The intermediate portion includes a flow conditioning mechanism. Combustion air from the compressor enters the first end portion passes through the flow conditioning mechanism and into the one of the combustion liner and transition piece. The flow conditioning mechanism creates an air flow disturbance in the combustion air to promote mixing of combustion gases.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2009Publication date: September 9, 2010Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventor: Ronald James Chila
-
Publication number: 20100223931Abstract: A system, in one embodiment, includes a turbine combustor liner. The combustor liner includes a patterned surface at a downstream end portion relative to a downstream direction of combustion along a longitudinal axis of the turbine combustor liner. The patterned surface includes a plurality of discrete protrusions in both axial and circumferential directions about the downstream end portion relative to the longitudinal axis of the turbine combustion liner.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2009Publication date: September 9, 2010Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Ronald James Chila, Sheng-Yi Wu
-
Publication number: 20100218502Abstract: A combustor for an industrial turbine includes a single transition piece transitioning directly from a combustor head-end to a turbine inlet. The transition piece includes an inner surface and an outer surface. The inner surface bounds an interior space for combusted gas flow from the combustor head-end to the turbine inlet. The outer surface at least partially defines an area for compressor discharge air flow. The transition piece includes a plurality of apertures configured to allow compressor discharge air flow into the interior space. Each of the plurality of apertures extends from an entry portion on the outer surface to an exit portion on the inner surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2009Publication date: September 2, 2010Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Ronald James Chila, Kevin Weston McMahan