Patents by Inventor Steven Douglas Johnson

Steven Douglas Johnson 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: 12291997
    Abstract: A variable area turbine nozzle assembly includes a guide vane including an outer centering pin defining a tab. An inner support ring is spaced radially outward from the guide vane and defines an opening and a protrusion. The protrusion is configured to engage with the tab of the outer centering pin. An outer support ring extends circumferentially around the inner support ring and defines an aperture. The outer support ring has a second coefficient of thermal expansion that is greater than or less than the first coefficient of thermal expansion. At least one linkage joins the inner support ring to the outer support ring and is configured to rotate the inner support ring circumferentially about an axial centerline of the variable area turbine nozzle assembly in response to a change in operational temperature of a combustion gas thus causing the guide vane to rotate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Douglas Johnson, Scott Alan Schimmels, Craig Alan Gonyou, Paul Hadley Vitt
  • Patent number: 12292000
    Abstract: A thermal management system for a gas turbine engine includes an oil tank, a pump in fluid communication with the oil tank configured to generate a flow of oil from the oil tank, at least one heat exchanger downstream of the oil tank, and one or more thermal loads downstream of the at least one heat exchanger. The oil tank is formed from a solid-solid phase change material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Douglas Johnson, Chirag Kataria, Sanjay Vijayaraghavan, Paul Joseph Kreitzer
  • Patent number: 12281850
    Abstract: A heat exchanger is provided. The heat exchanger includes a first wall manifold. The heat exchanger further includes a second wall manifold spaced apart from the first wall manifold. The heat exchanger further includes a plurality of vanes that extend generally circumferentially between the first wall manifold and the second wall manifold. The heat exchanger further includes a plurality of fluid circuits defined within the heat exchanger. Each fluid circuit in the plurality of fluid circuits includes an inlet channel portion and an outlet channel portion defined within the first wall manifold. A return channel portion defined within the second wall manifold. At least one passage portion of a plurality of passage portions defined within each vane of the plurality of vanes. The at least one passage portion extends between the return channel portion and one of the inlet channel portion and the outlet channel portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2024
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2025
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nicholas M. Daggett, Steven Douglas Johnson, Anand P. Roday, Scott Alan Schimmels
  • Patent number: 12270304
    Abstract: A turbine engine comprising an engine core having a rotor and a stator, and a floating seal assembly sealing at least portions of the rotor and the stator relative to a higher-pressure area and a lower-pressure area. The floating seal assembly can comprise a carriage assembly at least partially defining a seal cavity and a seal body floating within the seal cavity. The floating seal assembly can further include at least one of a seal located between the seal body and the carriage assembly, and a seal face located between the seal body and the carriage assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rahul Anil Bidkar, Steven Douglas Johnson, Uttara Vijay Kumar, Randy Thomas Antelo, Keith William Gary
  • Patent number: 12241372
    Abstract: A seal assembly for a gas turbine includes a seal case, and a seal shoe arranged within the seal case. The seal shoe includes a main seal portion that is configured to engage with a radial bearing engagement portion of a rotor shaft, a radial bearing surface that engages with the radial bearing engagement portion of the rotor shaft, at least one hydrodynamic lift cavity extending through the radial bearing surface, and at least one airflow passage extending from a first side of the seal shoe through the at least one hydrodynamic lift cavity and providing airflow communication between the first side of the seal shoe and the at least one hydrodynamic lift cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Grant Portune, Steven Douglas Johnson, Bryan Jung Woo Hong, Prateek Jalan, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Narendra Hardikar, David Yamarthi
  • Patent number: 12241375
    Abstract: A turbine engine is provided. The turbine engine defines an axial direction and a radial direction, and includes: a rotor; a stator comprising a carrier; a seal assembly disposed between the rotor and the stator, the seal assembly defining a high-pressure side and a low-pressure side and comprising a plurality of seal segments, the plurality of seal segments including a seal segment having a seal face forming a fluid bearing with the rotor, a lip, and a body, the lip extending from the body along the axial direction of the turbine engine on the high-pressure side and including an outer pressurization surface along the radial direction of the turbine engine; and a seal support assembly, the seal support assembly comprising a spring arrangement extending between the carrier and the first seal segment to counter a pressure on the outer pressurization surface during operation of the turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, David Raju Yamarthi, Chandrashekhar Kandukuri, Deepak Trivedi, Narendra Anand Hardikar, Vidyashankar Ramasastry Buravalla, Steven Douglas Johnson, Amit Goyal, Grant Robert Portune, Himanshu Gupta, Srinivasan Swaminathan, Shalini Thimmegowda, Guru Venkata Dattu Jonnalagadda, Shalabh Saxena, Prateek Jalan
  • Publication number: 20240384661
    Abstract: A seal assembly for a gas turbine includes a seal case, and a seal shoe arranged within the seal case. The seal shoe includes a main seal portion that is configured to engage with a radial bearing engagement portion of a rotor shaft, a radial bearing surface that engages with the radial bearing engagement portion of the rotor shaft, at least one hydrodynamic lift cavity extending through the radial bearing surface, and at least one airflow passage extending from a first side of the seal shoe through the at least one hydrodynamic lift cavity and providing airflow communication between the first side of the seal shoe and the at least one hydrodynamic lift cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2023
    Publication date: November 21, 2024
    Inventors: Grant Portune, Steven Douglas Johnson, Bryan Jung Woo Hong, Prateek Jalan, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Narendra Hardikar, David Yamarthi
  • Patent number: 12140034
    Abstract: A rotary machine, such as a turbomachine of a gas turbine engine, for example, including a rotor and a rotor seal assembly. The rotor is rotatable about a rotational axis and has a rotor seal face. The rotor seal assembly includes a seal body, one or more primary fluid conduits formed in the seal body, and a retraction assembly. The seal body has a seal face and is positionable to form a fluid-bearing gap between the seal face of the seal body and the rotor seal face. The one or more primary fluid conduits are fluidly connected to the fluid-bearing gap to supply a fluid to the fluid-bearing gap. The retraction assembly is connected to the seal body to move the seal body in a retraction direction away from the rotor seal face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2024
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: David Yamarthi, Prateek Jalan, Grant Portune, Steven Douglas Johnson, Mark L. Hopper, Richard A. Wesling, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger
  • Patent number: 12123350
    Abstract: A three-stream engine is provided. The three-stream engine includes a fan section, a core engine disposed downstream of the fan section, and a core cowl annularly encasing the core engine and at least partially defining a core duct. A fan cowl is disposed radially outward from the core cowl and annularly encasing at least a portion of the core cowl. The fan cowl at least partially defining an inlet duct and a fan duct. The fan duct and the core duct at least partially co-extending axially on opposite sides of the core cowl. A heat exchanger disposed within the fan duct. The heat exchanger provides for thermal communication between a fluid flowing through fan duct and a motive fluid flowing through the heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Nicholas M. Daggett, Steven Douglas Johnson, Anand P. Roday, Scott Alan Schimmels
  • Patent number: 12116896
    Abstract: A turbine engine is provided. The gas turbine engine defines a radial direction and includes: a rotor; a stator comprising a carrier; a seal assembly disposed between the rotor and the stator, the seal assembly comprising a plurality of seal segments, the plurality of seal segments having a seal segment, the seal segment having a seal face configured to form a fluid bearing with the rotor; and a seal support assembly, the seal support assembly comprises a pneumatic engagement assembly operable to bias the seal segment along the radial direction during operation of the turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2023
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Grant Robert Portune, Steven Douglas Johnson, Mallikarjun Metri, Ajith Jogi, Pratish Patil, Nageswar Rao Ganji, Rahul Anil Bidkar, Prateek Jalan, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, David Raju Yamarthi, Narendra Anand Hardikar, Chandrashekhar Kandukuri
  • Publication number: 20240318570
    Abstract: A turbine engine is provided. The turbine engine defines an axial direction and a radial direction, and includes: a rotor; a stator comprising a carrier; a seal assembly disposed between the rotor and the stator, the seal assembly defining a high-pressure side and a low-pressure side and comprising a plurality of seal segments, the plurality of seal segments including a seal segment having a seal face forming a fluid bearing with the rotor, a lip, and a body, the lip extending from the body along the axial direction of the turbine engine on the high-pressure side and including an outer pressurization surface along the radial direction of the turbine engine; and a seal support assembly, the seal support assembly comprising a spring arrangement extending between the carrier and the first seal segment to counter a pressure on the outer pressurization surface during operation of the turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2023
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Inventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, David Raju Yamarthi, Chandrashekhar Kandukuri, Deepak Trivedi, Narendra Anand Hardikar, Vidyashankar Ramasastry Buravalla, Steven Douglas Johnson, Amit Goyal, Grant Robert Portune, Himanshu Gupta, Srinivasan Swaminathan, Shalini Thimmegowda, Guru Venkata Dattu Jonnalagadda, Shalabh Saxena, Prateek Jalan
  • Publication number: 20240318566
    Abstract: A turbine engine is provided. The gas turbine engine defines a radial direction and includes: a rotor; a stator comprising a carrier; a seal assembly disposed between the rotor and the stator, the seal assembly comprising a plurality of seal segments, the plurality of seal segments having a seal segment, the seal segment having a seal face configured to form a fluid bearing with the rotor; and a seal support assembly, the seal support assembly comprises a pneumatic engagement assembly operable to bias the seal segment along the radial direction during operation of the turbine engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2023
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Inventors: Grant Robert Portune, Steven Douglas Johnson, Mallikarjun Metri, Ajith Jogi, Pratish Patil, Nageswar Rao Ganji, Rahul Anil Bidkar, Prateek Jalan, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, David Raju Yamarthi, Narendra Anand Hardikar, Chandrashekhar Kandukuri
  • Publication number: 20240263883
    Abstract: A heat exchanger is provided. The heat exchanger includes a first wall manifold. The heat exchanger further includes a second wall manifold spaced apart from the first wall manifold. The heat exchanger further includes a plurality of vanes that extend generally circumferentially between the first wall manifold and the second wall manifold. The heat exchanger further includes a plurality of fluid circuits defined within the heat exchanger. Each fluid circuit in the plurality of fluid circuits includes an inlet channel portion and an outlet channel portion defined within the first wall manifold. A return channel portion defined within the second wall manifold. At least one passage portion of a plurality of passage portions defined within each vane of the plurality of vanes. The at least one passage portion extends between the return channel portion and one of the inlet channel portion and the outlet channel portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2024
    Publication date: August 8, 2024
    Inventors: Nicholas M. Daggett, Steven Douglas Johnson, Anand P. Roday, Scott Alan Schimmels
  • Publication number: 20240229665
    Abstract: A rotary machine, such as a turbomachine of a gas turbine engine, for example, including a rotor and a rotor seal assembly. The rotor is rotatable about a rotational axis and has a rotor seal face. The rotor seal assembly includes a seal body, one or more primary fluid conduits formed in the seal body, and a retraction assembly. The seal body has a seal face and is positionable to form a fluid-bearing gap between the seal face of the seal body and the rotor seal face. The one or more primary fluid conduits are fluidly connected to the fluid-bearing gap to supply a fluid to the fluid-bearing gap. The retraction assembly is connected to the seal body to move the seal body in a retraction direction away from the rotor seal face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2023
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Inventors: David Yamarthi, Prateek Jalan, Grant Portune, Steven Douglas Johnson, Mark L. Hopper, Richard A. Wesling, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger
  • Publication number: 20240229658
    Abstract: A turbine engine having a rotor rotatable about a rotational axis, a stator, a plurality of circumferentially spaced bleed air passages, and an inducer. The plurality of circumferentially spaced bleed air passages being located between an axially adjacent set of vanes of the stator and blades of the rotor. The inducer including a nozzle passage fluidly coupling a nozzle inlet of the inducer to a nozzle outlet of the inducer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2022
    Publication date: July 11, 2024
    Inventors: Antonio Guijarro Valencia, Scott Alan Schimmels, Steven Douglas Johnson
  • Publication number: 20240200463
    Abstract: A passive flow modulation device for a machine defining an axial direction and a radial direction, the passive flow modulation device including: a first ring with a first coefficient of thermal expansion; a second ring disposed coaxially with the first ring and positioned at least partially inward of the first ring along the radial direction, spaced from the first ring along the axial direction, or both, the first ring, the second ring, or both defining at least in part one or more passages, the second ring with a second coefficient of thermal expansion that is less than the first coefficient of thermal expansion to passively modulate a size of the one or more passages during operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2024
    Publication date: June 20, 2024
    Inventors: Steven Douglas Johnson, Yu-Liang Lin, Craig Alan Gonyou, Scott Alan Schimmels, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo, Brian Gregg Feie
  • Patent number: 12000296
    Abstract: A seal for a rotor is provided. The rotor defines an axial direction, a circumferential direction, and a radial direction. The seal includes a first flexible element coupled to the rotor. The first flexible element extends in a first direction that is within forty five degrees of the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Douglas Johnson, Neelesh Nandkumar Sarawate
  • Patent number: 11988096
    Abstract: A seal assembly for a rotary machine, such as a turbine engine, may include a seal rotor comprising a rotor face, a seal slider comprising a slider face, a seal stator, wherein the seal slider is slidably coupled to the seal stator, and wherein the slider face and the rotor face define a primary seal. The seal slider may be configured to slidably engage and retract the slider face with respect to the rotor face. The seal assembly may further include a secondary seal disposed between the seal slider and the seal stator. The secondary seal may be configured to compress and rebound and/or to expand and rebound, over at least a portion of a range of motion of the seal slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignees: General Electric Company, General Electric Deutschland Holding GmbH
    Inventors: Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Neelesh Nandkumar Sarawate, Rahul Anil Bidkar, Narendra Anand Hardikar, Kevin Randall McManus, Steven Douglas Johnson, Prateek Jalan, Antonio Guijarro Valencia, Julius John Montgomery, Rodrigo Rodriguez Erdmenger, Jose Maria Rey Villazon
  • Patent number: 11976562
    Abstract: A system for controlling blade clearances within a gas turbine engine includes a rotor disk and a rotor blade coupled to the rotor disk. Additionally, the system includes an outer turbine component positioned outward of the rotor blade such that a clearance is defined between the rotor blade and the outer turbine component. Furthermore, the system includes a heat exchanger configured to receive a flow of cooling air bled from the gas turbine engine and transfer heat from the received flow of the cooling air to a flow of coolant to generate cooled cooling air. Moreover, the system includes a valve configured to control the flow of the coolant to the heat exchanger. In this respect, the cooled cooling air is supplied to at least one of the rotor disk or the rotor blade to adjust the clearance between the rotor blade and the outer turbine component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Douglas Johnson, Julius John Montgomery, Brandon Wayne Miller, Robert Proctor, Bradley W. Fintel, Jeffrey Douglas Rambo
  • Publication number: 20240133308
    Abstract: A rotary machine, such as a turbomachine of a gas turbine engine, for example, including a rotor and a rotor seal assembly. The rotor is rotatable about a rotational axis and has a rotor seal face. The rotor seal assembly includes a seal body, one or more primary fluid conduits formed in the seal body, and a retraction assembly. The seal body has a seal face and is positionable to form a fluid-bearing gap between the seal face of the seal body and the rotor seal face. The one or more primary fluid conduits are fluidly connected to the fluid-bearing gap to supply a fluid to the fluid-bearing gap. The retraction assembly is connected to the seal body to move the seal body in a retraction direction away from the rotor seal face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2023
    Publication date: April 25, 2024
    Inventors: David Yamarthi, Prateek Jalan, Grant Portune, Steven Douglas Johnson, Mark L. Hopper, Richard A. Wesling, Ravindra Shankar Ganiger