Patents by Inventor Stephen G. Pixton
Stephen G. Pixton 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: 11814968Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure may include, among other things, a fan section including a fan having a plurality of fan blades and including an outer housing surrounding the fan blades to establish a bypass duct, a geared architecture, a first spool including a first shaft that interconnects a first compressor and a fan drive turbine, the fan drive turbine driving the fan through the geared architecture. The gas turbine engine is rated to provide an amount of thrust at ground idle, and the gas turbine engine is rated to provide an amount of thrust at maximum takeoff. A thrust ratio is defined as a ratio of the amount of thrust at ground idle divided by the amount of thrust at maximum takeoff. The thrust ratio can be less than or equal to 0.050.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2021Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: Stephen G. Pixton, Gary Collopy, Ozhan Turgut
-
Patent number: 11808154Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a flow path component assembly includes a support structure having an axial portion and a radial portion and an outer portion arranged between the support structure. The outer portion defines a gap between the outer portion and the axial portion of the support structure. A flange is positioned relative to the gap.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2022Date of Patent: November 7, 2023Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventors: San Quach, Bryan P. Dube, Erik R. Granstand, Michael G. McCaffrey, Stephen G. Pixton
-
Publication number: 20230323818Abstract: A fan section includes a fan with fan blades. The fan section drives air along a bypass flow path in a bypass duct. A gear reduction is in driving engagement with the fan and has a gear reduction ratio of greater than 3.0 and less than 4.0. A low spool includes a low pressure turbine that drives a low pressure compressor and drives the gear reduction to drive the fan at a speed slower than the low pressure turbine. The low pressure compressor is a four-stage low pressure compressor. The low pressure turbine is a three-stage low pressure turbine. A high spool including a high pressure turbine that drives a high pressure compressor. The high pressure compressor is a nine-stage high pressure compressor. The high pressure turbine is a two-stage high pressure turbine. An exhaust gas exit temperature of greater than 900 degrees Fahrenheit and less than 1000 degrees Fahrenheit at maximum take-off.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2023Publication date: October 12, 2023Inventors: Stephen G. Pixton, Matthew R. Feulner, Marc J. Muldoon, Xinwen Xiao
-
Patent number: 11754000Abstract: A fan section includes a fan with fan blades. The fan section drives air along a bypass flow path in a bypass duct. A gear reduction is in driving engagement with the fan and has a gear reduction ratio of greater than 3.0 and less than 4.0. A low spool includes a low pressure turbine that drives a low pressure compressor and drives the gear reduction to drive the fan at a speed slower than the low pressure turbine. The low pressure compressor is a four-stage low pressure compressor. The low pressure turbine is a three-stage low pressure turbine. A high spool including a high pressure turbine that drives a high pressure compressor. The high pressure compressor is a nine-stage high pressure compressor. The high pressure turbine is a two-stage high pressure turbine. An exhaust gas exit temperature of greater than 900 degrees Fahrenheit and less than 1000 degrees Fahrenheit at maximum take-off.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2021Date of Patent: September 12, 2023Assignee: RTX CorporationInventors: Stephen G. Pixton, Matthew R. Feulner, Marc J. Muldoon, Xinwen Xiao
-
Publication number: 20230258192Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan section that includes a fan with fan blades. The fan section drives air along a bypass flow path in a bypass duct. A gear reduction is in driving engagement with the fan and has a gear reduction ratio of greater than 3.0 and less than 4.0. A low spool includes a low pressure turbine that drives a low pressure compressor and drives the gear reduction to drive the fan at a speed slower than the low pressure turbine. The low pressure compressor includes a greater number of stages than the low pressure turbine. A high spool includes a high pressure turbine that drives a high pressure compressor. The high pressure compressor is a nine stage high pressure compressor and includes a pressure ratio per stage of greater than or equal to 1.20 and less than or equal to 1.33.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2023Publication date: August 17, 2023Inventors: Stephen G. Pixton, Matthew R. Feulner, Marc J. Muldoon, Xinwen Xiao
-
Patent number: 11719245Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan section that includes a fan with fan blades. The fan section drives air along a bypass flow path in a bypass duct. A gear reduction is in driving engagement with the fan and has a gear reduction ratio of greater than 3.0 and less than 4.0. A low spool includes a low pressure turbine that drives a low pressure compressor and drives the gear reduction to drive the fan at a speed slower than the low pressure turbine. The low pressure compressor includes a greater number of stages than the low pressure turbine. A high spool includes a high pressure turbine that drives a high pressure compressor. The high pressure compressor is a nine stage high pressure compressor and includes a pressure ratio per stage of greater than or equal to 1.20 and less than or equal to 1.33.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2021Date of Patent: August 8, 2023Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Stephen G. Pixton, Matthew R. Feulner, Marc J. Muldoon, Xinwen Xiao
-
Publication number: 20230036836Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a flow path component assembly includes a support structure having an axial portion and a radial portion and an outer portion arranged between the support structure. The outer portion defines a gap between the outer portion and the axial portion of the support structure. A flange is positioned relative to the gap.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2022Publication date: February 2, 2023Inventors: San Quach, Bryan P. Dube, Erik R. Granstand, Michael G. McCaffrey, Stephen G. Pixton
-
Publication number: 20230028763Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan section that includes a fan with fan blades. The fan section drives air along a bypass flow path in a bypass duct. A gear reduction is in driving engagement with the fan and has a gear reduction ratio of greater than 3.0 and less than 4.0. A low spool includes a low pressure turbine that drives a low pressure compressor and drives the gear reduction to drive the fan at a speed slower than the low pressure turbine. The low pressure compressor includes a greater number of stages than the low pressure turbine. A high spool includes a high pressure turbine that drives a high pressure compressor. The high pressure compressor is a nine stage high pressure compressor and includes a pressure ratio per stage of greater than or equal to 1.20 and less than or equal to 1.33.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2021Publication date: January 26, 2023Inventors: Stephen G. Pixton, Matthew R. Feulner, Marc J. Muldoon, Xinwen Xiao
-
Publication number: 20230024792Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan drive turbine driving a low pressure compressor, and driving a gear reduction to in turn drive a fan rotor at a speed slower than the fan drive turbine. The turbine section further includes a high pressure turbine driving the high pressure compressor. The fan drive turbine and low pressure compressor are connected by a shaft and the fan drive turbine, the shaft and the low pressure compressor define a low pressure spool. The gas turbine engine is rated to provide an amount of thrust at maximum takeoff, and a low spool thrust ratio defined as a ratio of a torque on the low pressure spool at maximum takeoff in ft-lbs and the maximum takeoff thrust being defined in lbf, with the low spool torque ratio being greater than or equal to 0.70 ft-lb/lbf, and less than or equal to 1.2 ft-lb/lbf.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2021Publication date: January 26, 2023Inventors: Stephen G. Pixton, Karl L. Hasel
-
Publication number: 20230022122Abstract: A fan section includes a fan with fan blades. The fan section drives air along a bypass flow path in a bypass duct. A gear reduction is in driving engagement with the fan and has a gear reduction ratio of greater than 3.0 and less than 4.0. A low spool includes a low pressure turbine that drives a low pressure compressor and drives the gear reduction to drive the fan at a speed slower than the low pressure turbine. The low pressure compressor is a four-stage low pressure compressor. The low pressure turbine is a three-stage low pressure turbine. A high spool including a high pressure turbine that drives a high pressure compressor. The high pressure compressor is a nine-stage high pressure compressor. The high pressure turbine is a two-stage high pressure turbine. An exhaust gas exit temperature of greater than 900 degrees Fahrenheit and less than 1000 degrees Fahrenheit at maximum take-off.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2021Publication date: January 26, 2023Inventors: Stephen G. Pixton, Matthew R. Feulner, Marc J. Muldoon, Xinwen Xiao
-
Publication number: 20230029308Abstract: A gear reduction drives a fan rotor at a speed slower than a fan drive turbine. The turbine section further includes a high pressure turbine driving a high pressure compressor. The fan drive turbine and low pressure compressor are connected by a shaft and the low pressure turbine. The shaft and the low pressure compressor define a low pressure spool, the low pressure spool has a torque at maximum takeoff defined in ft-lbs and also having a low pressure spool power defined in horsepower and at maximum takeoff, and a ratio of the low pressure spool torque to the low pressure spool power being defined, with the low pressure spool power being defined in horsepower, and the ratio of the low pressure spool torque to the low pressure spool power being greater than or equal to 0.6 ft-lb/hp and less than or equal to 1.2 ft-lb/hp.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2021Publication date: January 26, 2023Inventors: Stephen G. Pixton, Karl L. Hasel
-
Publication number: 20230026997Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan section that includes a fan with fan blades. The fan section drives air along a bypass flow path in a bypass duct. A gear reduction is in driving engagement with the fan and has a gear reduction ratio of greater than 3.0 and less than 4.0. A low spool includes a low pressure turbine that drives a low pressure compressor and drives the gear reduction to drive the fan at a speed slower than the low pressure turbine. A high spool includes a high pressure turbine that drives a high pressure compressor. The high pressure compressor includes a pressure ratio of greater than 6.5 and less than 11.5. A ratio of a product of a pressure ratio of the fan with a pressure ratio of the low pressure compressor pressure to the pressure ratio of the high pressure compressor is greater than 0.35 and less than 0.90. An exhaust gas exit temperature is greater than 900 degrees Fahrenheit and less than 1000 degrees Fahrenheit at maximum take-off.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2021Publication date: January 26, 2023Inventors: Stephen G. Pixton, Ronald S. Walther, Matthew R. Feulner, Fuhua Ma, Ozhan Turgut
-
Publication number: 20230027726Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan section that includes a fan with fan blades. The fan section drives air along a bypass flow path in a bypass duct. A gear reduction is in driving engagement with the fan and has a gear reduction ratio of greater than 3.0 and less than 4.0. A low spool includes a low pressure turbine that drives a low pressure compressor and drives the gear reduction to drive the fan at a speed slower than the low pressure turbine. The low pressure compressor is a five-stage low pressure compressor. The low pressure turbine is four-stage low pressure turbine. A high spool includes a high pressure turbine that drives a high pressure compressor. The high pressure compressor is a nine-stage high pressure compressor. The high pressure turbine is a two-stage high pressure turbine.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2021Publication date: January 26, 2023Inventors: Stephen G. Pixton, Matthew R. Feulner, Marc J. Muldoon, Xinwen Xiao
-
Publication number: 20230028552Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an example of the present disclosure may include, among other things, a fan section including a fan having a plurality of fan blades and including an outer housing surrounding the fan blades to establish a bypass duct, a geared architecture, a first spool including a first shaft that interconnects a first compressor and a fan drive turbine, the fan drive turbine driving the fan through the geared architecture. The gas turbine engine is rated to provide an amount of thrust at ground idle, and the gas turbine engine is rated to provide an amount of thrust at maximum takeoff. A thrust ratio is defined as a ratio of the amount of thrust at ground idle divided by the amount of thrust at maximum takeoff. The thrust ratio can be less than or equal to 0.050.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2021Publication date: January 26, 2023Inventors: Stephen G. Pixton, Gary Collopy, Ozhan Turgut
-
Publication number: 20220316353Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a flow path component assembly includes a support structure that is a unitary component having an axial portion and a radial portion and an outer portion arranged between the support structure and a flow path. The outer portion defines a gap between the outer portion and the support structure axial portion. A flange extends into the gap.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2021Publication date: October 6, 2022Inventors: San Quach, Bryan P. Dube, Erik R. Granstand, Michael G. McCaffrey, Stephen G. Pixton
-
Patent number: 11454129Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a flow path component assembly includes a support structure that is a unitary component having an axial portion and a radial portion and an outer portion arranged between the support structure and a flow path. The outer portion defines a gap between the outer portion and the support structure axial portion. A flange extends into the gap.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2021Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATIONInventors: San Quach, Bryan P. Dube, Erik R. Granstand, Michael G. McCaffrey, Stephen G. Pixton
-
Patent number: 10472071Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises at least two compressor rotors, including a first lower pressure compressor rotor and a second higher pressure compressor rotor. At least two corresponding air taps include a low tap for tapping low pressure compressor air from a location downstream of a first stage of the lower pressure compressor rotor, and upstream of a first stage of the higher pressure compressor rotor, and a high tap to tap air downstream of the first stage of the higher pressure compressor rotor. an air handling system selectively communicates both the low tap and the high tap to an air use destination. Air is selectively supplied from the low tap to the air handling system at a high power operation and from the high tap to the air handling system at a low power operation.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2015Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Stephen G. Pixton
-
Patent number: 9897001Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a high pressure turbine rotor, an intermediate pressure turbine rotor and a fan drive turbine rotor. The fan drive turbine rotor drives a fan rotor through a gear reduction. The intermediate pressure rotor drives a low pressure compressor rotor and the high pressure turbine rotor drives a high pressure compressor rotor. A first flow cross-sectional area is between an outer periphery of a hub in the low pressure compressor rotor, and an outer tip of an upstream most blade row of the low pressure compressor rotor. A second flow cross-sectional area is between an outer periphery of a hub in the high pressure compressor rotor, and an outer tip of an upstream most blade row of the high pressure compressor rotor. A ratio of the first and second flow cross-sectional areas is greater than or equal to about 0.12 and less than or equal to about 0.33.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2015Date of Patent: February 20, 2018Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Stephen G. Pixton
-
Patent number: 9771863Abstract: An aircraft body comprises a support structure. A gas turbine engine comprises a gas generator having at least one compressor rotor, at least one gas generator turbine rotor, and a combustion section. A fan drive turbine is positioned downstream of at least one gas generator turbine rotor, and is configured to drive a shaft. The shaft engages gears to drive a plurality of fan rotors. The gas turbine engine is embedded into the support structure such that there is an inlet leading through the support structure to the fan rotors to deliver air to the fan rotors. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2015Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Alan H. Epstein, Wesley K. Lord, Jesse M. Chandler, Stephen G. Pixton
-
Patent number: 9745526Abstract: A reformer system (11) having a hydrodesulfurizer (12) provides desulfurized natural gas feedstock to a catalytic steam reformer (16), the outflow of which is treated by a water gas shift reactor (20) and optionally a preferential CO oxidizer (58) to provide reformate gas (28, 28a) having high hydrogen and moderate carbon dioxide content. To avoid damage to the hydrodesulfurizer from overheating, any deleterious hydrogen reactants, such as the oxygen in peak shave gas or olefins, in the non-desulfurized natural gas feedstock (35) are reacted (38) with hydrogen (28, 28a; 71) to convert them to alkanes (e.g., ethylene and propylene to ethane and propane) and to convert oxygen to water in a catalytic reactor (38) having no sulfide sorbent, and cooled (46), below a temperature which would damage the reactor, by evaporative cooling with pressurized hot water (42). Hydrogen for the desulfurizer and the hydrogen reactions may be provided as recycle reformate (28, 28a) or from a mini-CPO (67), or from other sources.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2012Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: Doosan Fuel Cell America, Inc.Inventors: Antonio M. Vincitore, Peter F. Foley, Nancy P. Foley, Derek W. Hildreth, John L. Preston, Stephen G. Pixton, James A. Davies