Patents by Inventor Stephen A. Ramier

Stephen A. Ramier 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).

  • Patent number: 11181273
    Abstract: A turbine engine has two combustion zones so as to operate in conditions where water scarcity is an issue. The secondary combustion zone is located downstream of the primary combustion zone. Fuel can be fed into an air scoop having air from a shell surrounding the primary and secondary combustion zone. The feeding of the fuel through the air scoop allows atomization of the fuel. The mixture can then enter the secondary combustion zone and mix with the products from the first combustion zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Krishna C. Miduturi, Stephen A. Ramier, Walter Ray Laster
  • Patent number: 10982853
    Abstract: An improved combustion section for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. A fuel nozzle includes new features which provide improved injection patterns of oil fuel and cooling water, resulting in better control of combustion gas temperature and NOx emissions, and eliminated impingement of cooling water on walls of the combustor. A new combustor includes a plate-fin design which provides improved cooling, while the combustor also makes more efficient use of available cooling air and has an improved component life. A new transition component has a smoother shape which reduces stagnation of combustion gas flow and impingement of combustion gas on transition component walls, improved materials and localized thickness increases for better durability, and improved cooling features for more efficient usage of cooling air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.
    Inventors: Charalambos Polyzopoulos, Richard L. Thackway, Stephen A. Ramier, Vinayak V. Barve, Khalil Farid Abou-Jaoude, Daniel W. Garan, David P. Holzapfel, Kevin J. Spence, Joseph Scott Markovitz, Blake R. Cotten, Urmi B. Dave, Vaidyanathan Krishnan, Michael C. Escandon
  • Patent number: 10533750
    Abstract: A cross-flame duct for connecting adjacent combustors together in a gas turbine to guard against flameout conditions within the combustors, whereby the cross-flame duct includes first and second ducts forming a slip joint to prevent stress from developing within the cross-flame duct is disclosed. The cross-flame duct remains flexible during turbine operation due to the slip joint, thereby preventing damaging thermal and mechanical stresses from developing within the cross-flame duct and enhancing the useful life of the cross-flame duct and associated components. The first and second ducts include cooling chambers positioned between outer sleeves and inner housings and maintained with one or more standoffs to reduce thermal stress and gradients or prevent material loss due to overheating or burning. The cooling chambers are supplied with cooling fluids via one or more fluid ports extending through the outer sleeves enabling air to flow through the cooling chambers and into the combustors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Daniel W. Garan, Richard L. Thackway, David P. Holzapfel, Stephen A. Ramier, Charalambos Polyzopoulos, Kevin J. Spence, Joseph Scott Markovitz
  • Publication number: 20190309952
    Abstract: A turbine engine has two combustion zones so as to operate in conditions where water scarcity is an issue. The secondary combustion zone is located downstream of the primary combustion zone. Fuel can be fed into an air scoop having air from a shell surrounding the primary and secondary combustion zone. The feeding of the fuel through the air scoop allows atomization of the fuel. The mixture can then enter the secondary combustion zone and mix with the products from the first combustion zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Krishna C. Miduturi, Stephen A. Ramier, Walter Ray Laster
  • Publication number: 20190178495
    Abstract: An improved combustion section for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. A fuel nozzle includes new features which provide improved injection patterns of oil fuel and cooling water, resulting in better control of combustion gas temperature and NOx emissions, and eliminated impingement of cooling water on walls of the combustor. A new combustor includes a plate-fin design which provides improved cooling, while the combustor also makes more efficient use of available cooling air and has an improved component life. A new transition component has a smoother shape which reduces stagnation of combustion gas flow and impingement of combustion gas on transition component walls, improved materials and localized thickness increases for better durability, and improved cooling features for more efficient usage of cooling air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2019
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Inventors: Charalambos Polyzopoulos, Richard L. Thackway, Stephen A. Ramier, Vinayak V. Barve, Khalil Farid Abou-Jaoude, Daniel W. Garan, David P. Holzapfel, Kevin J. Spence, Joseph Scott Markovitz, Blake R. Cotten, Urmi B. Dave, Vaidyanathan Krishnan, Michael C. Escandon
  • Patent number: 10132240
    Abstract: A multi-functional fuel nozzle (10) for a combustion turbine engine is provided. An annular fuel-injecting lance (12) may include a first fluid circuit (14) and a second fluid circuit (16). One of the first and second fluid circuits during a liquid fuel operating mode of the combustion turbine engine may convey a liquid fuel. The other of the first and second fluid circuits may convey a selectable non-fuel fluid. An atomizer (30) is disposed at the downstream end of the lance. The atomizer may have a first ejection orifice (32) responsive to the first fluid circuit to form a first atomized ejection cone (34), and a second ejection orifice (36) responsive to the second fluid circuit to form a second atomized ejection cone (38). The first and second ejection cones (34, 38) formed with the atomizer may be concentric cones that intersect with one another over a predefined angular range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Stephen A. Ramier, Vinayak V. Barve, Richard L. Thackway, Charalambos Polyzopoulos, Khalil Farid Abou-Jaoude
  • Patent number: 10125991
    Abstract: A multi-functional fuel nozzle (10) for a combustion turbine engine is provided. A nozzle cap (50) may be disposed at a downstream end of the nozzle. A heat shield (60) is mounted onto the nozzle cap. A plurality of cooling channels (62) is arranged between a forward face of the nozzle cap and a corresponding back side of the heat shield. The plurality of cooling channels may be arranged to discharge cooling air over a forward face of an atomizer assembly in the multi-functional fuel nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Stephen A. Ramier, Vinayak V. Barve, Richard L. Thackway, Charalambos Polyzopoulos
  • Publication number: 20180306440
    Abstract: A cooling ring (102) of a combustor basket system (110) has a transition zone 108 that extends to a cooling channel (106) at a cooling channel entrance (104). The transition zone (108) has the substantially the same material strength throughout the length of the transition zone (108). By having the same material strength throughout the length of the transition zone (108), the cooling ring (102) is able to withstand greater stresses than previously used cooling rings. One way in which this is accomplished is by having a uniform thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2015
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Inventors: Kevin J. Spence, Domenico Gambacorta, Stephen A. Ramier
  • Patent number: 9958152
    Abstract: A nozzle cap (82) is disposed at a downstream end of the nozzle. The nozzle cap includes a bore arranged to accommodate a downstream portion of a fluid-injecting lance that extends along a longitudinal axis (18) of the nozzle. The downstream portion of the fluid-injecting lance includes a centrally-located atomizer (80) to form a first atomized ejection cone. An array of atomizers (84) is disposed in the nozzle cap. The array of atomizers is circumferentially disposed about the longitudinal axis of the lance. The array of atomizers may be positioned radially outwardly relative to the centrally-located atomizer to form an array of respective second atomized ejection cones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Stephen A. Ramier, Vinayak V. Barve, Richard L. Thackway, Charalambos Polyzopoulos, Khalil Farid Abou-Jaoude
  • Publication number: 20170227228
    Abstract: A cross-flame duct (100) for connecting adjacent combustors (1, 2) together in a gas turbine to guard against flameout conditions within the combustors (1, 2), whereby the cross-flame duct (100) may include first and second ducts (102, 106) forming a slip joint to prevent stress from developing within the cross-flame duct (100) is disclosed. The cross-flame duct (100) remains flexible during turbine operation due to the slip joint, thereby preventing damaging thermal and mechanical stresses from developing within the cross-flame duct (100) and enhancing the useful life of the cross-flame duct (100) and associated components. The first and second ducts (102, 106) may also include cooling chambers (138, 156, 174) positioned between outer sleeves (122, 140) and inner housings (128, 146) and maintained with one or more standoffs (134, 152, 170) to reduce thermal stress and gradients or prevent material loss due to overheating or burning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Daniel W. Garan, Richard L. Thackway, David P. Holzapfel, Stephen A. Ramier, Charalambos Polyzopoulos, Kevin J. Spence, Joseph Scott Markovitz
  • Publication number: 20170211810
    Abstract: A multi-functional fuel nozzle (10) for a combustion turbine engine is provided. A nozzle cap (50) may be disposed at a downstream end of the nozzle. A heat shield (60) is mounted onto the nozzle cap. A plurality of cooling channels (62) is arranged between a forward face of the nozzle cap and a corresponding back side of the heat shield. The plurality of cooling channels may be arranged to discharge cooling air over a forward face of an atomizer assembly in the multi-functional fuel nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Inventors: Stephen A. Ramier, Vinayak V. Barve, Richard L. Thackway, Charalambos Polyzopoulos
  • Publication number: 20170211805
    Abstract: A nozzle cap (82) is disposed at a downstream end of the nozzle. The nozzle cap includes a bore arranged to accommodate a downstream portion of a fluid-injecting lance that extends along a longitudinal axis (18) of the nozzle. The downstream portion of the fluid-injecting lance includes a centrally-located atomizer (80) to form a first atomized ejection cone. An array of atomizers (84) is disposed in the nozzle cap. The array of atomizers is circumferentially disposed about the longitudinal axis of the lance. The array of atomizers may be positioned radially outwardly relative to the centrally-located atomizer to form an array of respective second atomized ejection cones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicant: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephen A. Ramier, Vinayak V. Barve, Richard L. Thackway, Charalambos Polyzopoulos, Khalil Farid Abou-Jaoude
  • Publication number: 20170204785
    Abstract: A multi-functional fuel nozzle (10) for a combustion turbine engine is provided. An annular fuel-injecting lance (12) may include a first fluid circuit (14) and a second fluid circuit (16). One of the first and second fluid circuits during a liquid fuel operating mode of the combustion turbine engine may convey a liquid fuel. The other of the first and second fluid circuits may convey a selectable non-fuel fluid. An atomizer (30) is disposed at the downstream end of the lance. The atomizer may have a first ejection orifice (32) responsive to the first fluid circuit to form a first atomized ejection cone (34), and a second ejection orifice (36) responsive to the second fluid circuit to form a second atomized ejection cone (38). The first and second ejection cones (34, 38) formed with the atomizer may be concentric cones that intersect with one another over a predefined angular range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Stephen A. Ramier, Vinayak V. Barve, Richard L. Thackway, Charalambos Polyzopoulos, Khalil Farid Abou-Jaoude
  • Publication number: 20160348911
    Abstract: An improved combustion section for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. A fuel nozzle includes new features which provide improved injection patterns of oil fuel and cooling water, resulting in better control of combustion gas temperature and NOx emissions, and eliminated impingement of cooling water on walls of the combustor. A new combustor includes a plate-fin design which provides improved cooling, while the combustor also makes more efficient use of available cooling air and has an improved component life. A new transition component has a smoother shape which reduces stagnation of combustion gas flow and impingement of combustion gas on transition component walls, improved materials and localized thickness increases for better durability, and improved cooling features for more efficient usage of cooling air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Charalambos Polyzopoulos, Richard L. Thackway, Stephen A. Ramier, Vinayak V. Barve, Khalil Farid Abou-Jaoude, Daniel W. Garan, David P. Holzapfel, Kevin J. Spence, Joseph Scott Markovitz, Blake R. Cotten, Urmi B. Dave, Vaidyanathan Krishnan, Michael C. Escandon
  • Patent number: 9488105
    Abstract: An assembly for a gas turbine is presented. The assembly includes a gas supply pipe passing through a bore in a flange of the gas turbine for supplying gas to a combustion chamber of the gas turbine and a sleeve surrounding the gas supply pipe, having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is sealingly coupled to the gas supply pipe, and wherein the sleeve is adapted to be sealingly coupled to the flange at the second end such that the sleeve extends along a thickness of the flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Andreas Böttcher, Timothy A. Fox, Daniel W. Garan, Thomas Grieb, Jens Kleinfeld, Tobias Krieger, Stephen A. Ramier, David M. Ritland, Marcus Zurhorst
  • Patent number: 9395082
    Abstract: A combustor (100) for a gas turbine engine (30) has a circumferentially extending liner (109) defining at least a portion of an interior combustion chamber (107) and a hot gas path (115). The liner includes a resonator section (112) including at least one resonator (116A, 116B) having a resonator chamber (125A, 125B) formed on an exterior of the liner. A thermal barrier coating (118) is disposed along an inner surface of the liner including an inner surface (130) of the resonator section. The resonator further includes a plurality of apertures (117) and each aperture extends through the liner and the thermal barrier coating at the resonator section and there is fluid flow communication between the combustion chamber and the resonator chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Abhijeet Tiwary, Stephen A. Ramier, Timothy A. Fox, James Bertoncello, Steven Williams
  • Patent number: 9341374
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle assembly (10) is presented for a gas turbine engine (12). The fuel nozzle assembly (10) includes a rocket unit (14) and a swirler (16) with an aft end (18) in threaded engagement with a forward end (20) of the rocket unit (14). The fuel nozzle assembly (10) may include an oil tip (36) including a clocking feature with a mechanical constraint to orient the oil tip (36) at a predetermined angular orientation (42) relative to the swirler (16). The fuel nozzle assembly (10) may include one or more gas stage inlets (13, 15), one or more oil stage inlets (17, 19), and a flexible hose (26) to direct the oil to a plurality of rocket units (14).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen A. Ramier, Thomas Hauser, Jürgen Buchheim
  • Patent number: 9322558
    Abstract: A combustor apparatus defining a combustion zone where air and fuel are burned to create high temperature combustion products. The combustor apparatus comprises an outer wall including a fuel inlet opening for receiving a fuel feed pipe. A coupling assembly is engaged with the fuel feed pipe at the fuel inlet opening to attach the fuel feed pipe to the outer wall. A fuel injection system is located in the interior volume of the outer wall and comprises fuel supply structure including a fuel feed block having a fuel intake passage aligned with the outlet portion of the fuel feed pipe. A coupling fastener is engaged against an exterior outer face of the fuel feed block to create a sealed coupling for containing fuel passing from the fuel feed pipe into the fuel feed block, and to secure the fuel feed block relative to the coupling assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Stephen A. Ramier, David J. Wiebe, Lawrence P. Budnick, Mark L. Adamson, Daniel W. Garan, Robert H. Bartley, Yadollah Naghian
  • Patent number: 9267689
    Abstract: A combustor apparatus defines a combustion zone where air and fuel are burned to create high temperature combustion products. The combustor apparatus includes an outer wall, coupling structure on the outer wall adjacent to a fuel inlet opening thereof, a fuel injection system, a fuel feed assembly, and a fitting member. The fuel injection system provides fuel to be burned in the combustion zone. The fuel supply structure includes a threaded inner surface formed from a first material. The fuel feed assembly includes a fuel feed pipe that extends through the fuel inlet opening in the outer wall and has an outlet portion formed from the first material and that is threadedly engaged with the fuel supply structure, and an inlet portion affixed to the outlet portion and formed from a second material. The fitting member secures the fuel feed assembly relative to the outer wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: David J. Wiebe, Stephen A. Ramier, Robert H. Bartley, Daniel W. Garan, Erick J. Deane, Mark L. Adamson, Yadollah Naghian
  • Publication number: 20150345793
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle assembly (10) for a gas turbine engine (12) is provided. The fuel nozzle assembly (10) includes a rocket unit (14) and a flow-guiding element, such as may include swirler elements, non-swirler elements, or a combination of swirler elements and non-swirler elements, with an aft end (18) in threaded engagement with a forward end (20) of the rocket unit (14). The fuel nozzle assembly (10) may include an oil tip (36) including a clocking feature with a mechanical constraint to orient the oil tip (36) at a predetermined angular orientation (42) relative to the swirler (16). The fuel nozzle assembly (10) may include one or more gas stage inlets (13, 15), one or more oil stage inlets (17, 19), and a flexible hose (26) to direct the oil to a plurality of rocket units (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2015
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Inventors: Stephen A. Ramier, Thomas Hauser, Jürgen Buchheim