Patents by Inventor Steven Sebastian Burdgick

Steven Sebastian Burdgick 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: 7422415
    Abstract: An airfoil configured for removing moisture from the steam flow path and injecting steam into the steam flow path of a steam turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Sebastian Burdgick, Boris Ivanovitch Frolov
  • Patent number: 7419355
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a machine casing component carrier configured to support a machine component such that the longitudinal axis of the machine component is adjustable with respect to a longitudinal axis of a rotatable member of the machine are provided. The carrier includes a support member configured to fixedly engage the machine component, an outwardly radially extending flange configured to engage a complementary receptacle formed in the turbine casing such that the weight of the carrier is supported at least partially by the receptacle, and a selectably adjustable shim member positionable within the receptacle configured to control an alignment of the longitudinal axis of the machine component with respect to the longitudinal axis of the rotatable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Steven Sebastian Burdgick
  • Publication number: 20080193283
    Abstract: A bling nozzle/carrier interface design for a steam turbine is provided wherein there is limited contact between the carrier (casing, shell) to allow for ease of assembly. There is also limited contact in strategic locations to both reduce the roll, or downstream deflection, of the inner portion and to improve disassembly due to limited contact in areas where corrosion can occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Steven Sebastian Burdgick, William Edward Adis
  • Patent number: 7357618
    Abstract: A flow splitter directs inlet steam in axially opposite directions in a double flow steam turbine. The flow splitter includes a main ring having a radially outer apex with annular concave surfaces extending inwardly from and in opposite axial directions on opposite axial sides of the apex. A second ring is secured on one axial side of the main ring by welding to the main ring and has a concave outer surface portion which completes the concave surface of the flow splitter along the opposite axial side of the flow splitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Sebastian Burdgick, Thomas William Crall, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20080075578
    Abstract: A steam turbine includes, in one exemplary embodiment, a rotor and a plurality of bucket stages coupled to the rotor with each bucket stage including a plurality of circumferentially spaced buckets coupled to the rotor. The steam turbine also includes a diaphragm assembly surrounding the rotor and the bucket stages, and an outer casing disposed about the rotor and diaphragm assembly. The diaphragm assembly includes a plurality of nozzle stages located between the bucket stages, a circumferentially extending groove, with the groove located upstream of one of the bucket stages and between that bucket stage and an adjacent nozzle stage, a circumferentially extending extraction chamber, and at least one first bore extending from the groove to the extraction chamber. The diaphragm assembly also includes at least one second bore extending from the extraction chamber through an outer surface of the diaphragm assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2006
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Inventors: Steven Sebastian Burdgick, Boris Ivanovitch Frolov
  • Publication number: 20080050222
    Abstract: A singlet welded nozzle hybrid design that includes a singlet, that is, a single airfoil with respective inner and outer sidewall components. The outer sidewall component is received in a radial and circumferential groove of an outer carrier. The connection of the inner sidewall can be achieved by mechanically fitting and welded the inner sidewalls to either a seal carrier or a small ring, or a small radial weld may be provided between the sidewall endfaces of circumferentially adjacent singlets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Steven Sebastian Burdgick, Thomas William Crall, Larry Duclos, Thomas Patrick Russo
  • Patent number: 7329098
    Abstract: A support arrangement for a turbine diaphragm segment in a split turbine casing includes a semi-annular diaphragm segment having a horizontal joint surface; a support bar joined to the diaphragm segment adjacent the horizontal joint surface, the support bar formed with a first flange extending outwardly over a portion of the casing, the portion including a horizontal surface; and a shim on the horizontal surface and engaged by the first flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Geenral Electric Company
    Inventor: Steven Sebastian Burdgick
  • Patent number: 7322789
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for assembling a double flow steam turbine is provided. The method comprises providing an annular member having a first end, a second end, and a body extending therebetween, coupling a first arcuate member to the annular member wherein the first member includes a radially inner surface that defines an inner diameter of the first member and an opposite radially outer surface that defines an outer diameter of the first member, wherein the inner surface is substantially parallel to the outer surface, and coupling a second arcuate member to the annular member wherein the second member includes a radially inner surface that defines an inner diameter of the second member and an opposite radially outer surface that defines an outer diameter of the second member. The method also comprises coupling the second member to the first member such that a steam turbine flow splitter is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Steven Sebastian Burdgick
  • Publication number: 20070297899
    Abstract: A method for assembling a turbine is provided, wherein the method includes positioning an annular nozzle carrier radially inwardly from a casing such that a cavity is defined between the nozzle carrier and the casing. The method also includes extending a flange from at least one of a leading edge of the annular casing and a leading edge of the nozzle carrier, and extending a seal ring between the nozzle carrier and the casing such that the seal ring seals the cavity, wherein the seal ring is positioned between the flange and at least one of the nozzle carrier and the casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2006
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Inventor: Steven Sebastian Burdgick
  • Publication number: 20070292274
    Abstract: To address certain deficiencies of carbon fiber material as a filler in a hybrid blade, a glass composite layer is provided as a barrier layer between a carbon fiber resin filler and the metallic main body of the blade. The glass composite layer also advantageously provides a gradient in thermal expansion between the carbon fiber composite and the body of the blade (steel) to reduce interfacial residual stress.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Publication date: December 20, 2007
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Sebastian Burdgick, Wendy Wen-Ling Lin, Adegboyega Makinde, Christophe Lanaud, Amitabh Bansal
  • Publication number: 20070292265
    Abstract: A steam turbine system for use in conjunction with hybrid last stage(s) LP buckets. The system is adapted to cool the bucket tip region during low VAN windage conditions whereby the beneficial design and efficiency outcomes of the use of hybrid blades can be realized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Publication date: December 20, 2007
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Steven Sebastian Burdgick, Christophe Lanaud, Peter Michael Finnigan, Wendy Wen-ling Lin
  • Publication number: 20070274824
    Abstract: An airfoil configured for removing moisture from the steam flow path and injecting steam into the steam flow path of a steam turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2006
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Sebastian Burdgick, Boris Ivanovitch Frolov
  • Patent number: 7147437
    Abstract: A steam turbine blade includes a shank portion and an airfoil portion. The airfoil portion is formed with at least one pocket filled with a polymer filler material chosen as a function of natural frequency impact on the turbine blade or as a function of the damping characteristics of the filler materials. A steam turbine rotor wheel includes a plurality of blades secured about a circumferential periphery of the wheel, each blade having one or more pockets in the airfoil portion, the plurality of blades divided into two groups of blades. The pockets of one group of blades are filled with one or more polymer filler materials, and the pockets of the other group of blades filled with one or more polymer filler materials, wherein the polymer filler materials in the one group of blades creates different natural frequencies or damping characteristics in the blades of the one group than the polymer filler materials in the blades of the other group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Sebastian Burdgick, Guy W. DeLeonardo, Wendy W. Lin, Kevin Joseph Barb
  • Patent number: 7104761
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a blade for assembly on a steam turbine rotor wheel includes forming an airfoil portion with plural pockets and filling the pockets with more than one filler material chosen as a function of required temperature capability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Sebastian Burdgick, Guy W. DeLeonardo, Wendy W. Lin, Christophe Lanaud
  • Patent number: 7104760
    Abstract: A steam turbine rotor wheel includes a plurality of blades secured about a circumferential periphery of the wheel, each blade comprising a shank portion and an airfoil portion, the airfoil portion having at least one pocket filled with a filler material, wherein at least one edge of the pocket adjacent a leading edge of the blade is formed with an undercut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Steven Sebastian Burdgick
  • Patent number: 7097423
    Abstract: Spline seals are disposed in circumferentially registering slots of adjacent arcuate packing seal segments disposed in grooves on inner hooks of a steam turbine diaphragm assembly. The spline seals extend in a gap between the endfaces of the segments and minimize or preclude steam leakage flows past the endfaces. The spline seals may be oriented in axial and circumferential directions to minimize leakage flow paths in a generally radial direction and/or may be inclined radially in a downstream direction to seal against steam leakage flow in an axial direction. The spline seals are disposed in the slots which may be formed as part of original equipment manufacture or may be machined in segments with spline seals provided as retrofits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Steven Sebastian Burdgick
  • Patent number: 6971844
    Abstract: Spline seals are provided in registering end faces of upper and lower diaphragm segments in a steam turbine at each of the horizontal joints. The diaphragm segments each include inner and outer semi-annular rings with circumferentially spaced partitions extending therebetween. The registering end faces of each of the inner and outer semi-annular rings of the segments are spanned by spline seals which may comprise a sheet metal plate, a sheet metal body having reversely-curved ends, a solid body having bulbous ends or a sheet metal plate covered by a metallic or ceramic woven cloth. Leakage paths, both in axial and radial directions, are minimized or precluded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Steven Sebastian Burdgick
  • Patent number: 6939106
    Abstract: A steam turbine includes a stator supporting a plurality of turbine nozzles. The stator has shaped grooves for receiving a complementary-shaped nozzle hook formed on an end of each of the turbine nozzles. A rope seal is disposed in each interface between the nozzle hooks and the shaped grooves, respectively. The rope seal serves to seal a leakage path that may exist over the nozzle hooks between the nozzles and respective stator grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: John Thomas Murphy, Steven Sebastian Burdgick
  • Patent number: 6860719
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for sealing between an inner casing and an outer casing is provided. The method includes positioning a first sealing member in a leakage path defined between an inner casing and an outer casing such that leakage flow in a first direction activates the first sealing member, and positioning a second sealing member in the leakage path such that leakage flow in the first direction bypasses the second sealing member, and such that leakage flow in an opposite second direction activates the second sealing member. The apparatus includes a pair of circumferential grooves in a channel, a divider positioned in the channel that defines a leakage path, a first sealing member positioned to seal against a flow in the leakage path in a first direction, and a second sealing member positioned to seal against a flow in the leakage path in a second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Steven Sebastian Burdgick
  • Patent number: 6843479
    Abstract: Nozzle segments mounting vanes are received in circumferentially extending, generally dovetail-shaped grooves in an outer casing of a steam turbine, the nozzle segments forming part of a stage with rotating buckets of the steam turbine. The inclined slashfaces of the adjoining bases of the nozzle segments are provided with circumferentially opening slots to receive spline seals. The spline seals preclude or minimize steam leakage flow past the gap between the adjoining nozzle segments thereby enhancing the steam flow through the partitions of the nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Steven Sebastian Burdgick