Patents by Inventor Walter A. Ledwith
Walter A. Ledwith 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).
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Patent number: 11905914Abstract: A powerplant is provided that includes a pre-burner, a combustor, a power turbine, a mechanical load and a propellant system. The combustor is fluidly coupled with and downstream of the pre-burner. The power turbine is fluidly coupled with and downstream of the combustor. The mechanical load is rotatably driven by the power turbine. The propellant system is configured to direct fluid oxygen and fluid hydrogen to the pre-burner to provide an oxygen rich fuel mixture for combustion within the pre-burner. The propellant system is also configured to direct the fluid hydrogen to the combustor for combustion within the combustor with oxygen within combustion products received from the pre-burner.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2022Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: RTX CORPORATIONInventor: Walter A. Ledwith, Jr.
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Publication number: 20240026816Abstract: An energy supply system includes a source of gas which is at a pressure that is equal to or greater than an atmospheric pressure. The source of gas is configured to deliver the gas into a combustor where it is mixed with a fuel. The combustor is also connected to receive a source of steam. The combustor is operable to provide combustion. Products of the combustion downstream of the combustor are connected to be delivered across a turbine rotor. The turbine rotor is provided with a shaft. The turbine shaft drives a generator. An evaporator downstream of the turbine receives the products of the combustion. The evaporator is operable to heat a source of water. The source of water downstream of the evaporator is the source of steam delivered into the combustor. The gas includes greater than 80% oxygen and the fuel includes hydrogen.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2022Publication date: January 25, 2024Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Walter A. Ledwith, JR., Joseph B. Staubach, David Lei Ma
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Publication number: 20230392524Abstract: A powerplant is provided that includes an engine and a water recovery system. The engine includes an engine combustor, an engine turbine, a flowpath and a fluid delivery system. The flowpath extends out of the engine combustor and through the engine turbine. The fluid delivery system includes a hydrogen reservoir and an oxygen reservoir. The hydrogen reservoir is configured to store fluid hydrogen as liquid hydrogen. The oxygen reservoir is configured to store fluid oxygen as liquid oxygen. The fluid delivery system is configured to provide the fluid hydrogen and the fluid oxygen for combustion within the engine combustor to produce combustion products within the flowpath. The water recovery system is configured to extract water from the combustion products. The water recovery system is configured to provide the water to a component of the powerplant.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 14, 2023Publication date: December 7, 2023Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Walter A. Ledwith, JR., Joseph B. Staubach, David L. Ma
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Patent number: 11828200Abstract: A powerplant is provided that includes an engine and a water recovery system. The engine includes an engine combustor, an engine turbine, a flowpath and a fluid delivery system. The flowpath extends out of the engine combustor and through the engine turbine. The fluid delivery system includes a hydrogen reservoir and an oxygen reservoir. The hydrogen reservoir is configured to store fluid hydrogen as liquid hydrogen. The oxygen reservoir is configured to store fluid oxygen as liquid oxygen. The fluid delivery system is configured to provide the fluid hydrogen and the fluid oxygen for combustion within the engine combustor to produce combustion products within the flowpath. The water recovery system is configured to extract water from the combustion products. The water recovery system is configured to provide the water to a component of the powerplant.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2022Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Walter A. Ledwith, Jr., Joseph B. Staubach, David L. Ma
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Publication number: 20230258126Abstract: A powerplant is provided for an aircraft. This powerplant includes an engine and an energy recovery system. The engine includes an engine combustor, an engine turbine, a flowpath and a fluid delivery system. The flowpath extends out of the engine combustor and through the engine turbine. The fluid delivery system is configured to provide fluid hydrogen and fluid oxygen for combustion within the engine combustor to produce combustion products within the flowpath. The energy recovery system includes an energy recovery system condenser, an energy recovery system pump, an energy recovery system evaporator and an energy recovery system turbine. The energy recovery system pump is configured to pump liquid water from the energy recovery system condenser to the energy recovery system evaporator.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2022Publication date: August 17, 2023Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Walter A. Ledwith, JR., David L. Ma, Joseph B. Staubach
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Publication number: 20230258148Abstract: A powerplant is provided that includes a pre-burner, a combustor, a power turbine, a mechanical load and a propellant system. The combustor is fluidly coupled with and downstream of the pre-burner. The power turbine is fluidly coupled with and downstream of the combustor. The mechanical load is rotatably driven by the power turbine. The propellant system is configured to direct fluid oxygen and fluid hydrogen to the pre-burner to provide an oxygen rich fuel mixture for combustion within the pre-burner. The propellant system is also configured to direct the fluid hydrogen to the combustor for combustion within the combustor with oxygen within combustion products received from the pre-burner.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2022Publication date: August 17, 2023Inventor: Walter A. Ledwith, JR.
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Publication number: 20230258106Abstract: A powerplant is provided that includes an engine and a water recovery system. The engine includes an engine combustor, an engine turbine, a flowpath and a fluid delivery system. The flowpath extends out of the engine combustor and through the engine turbine. The fluid delivery system includes a hydrogen reservoir and an oxygen reservoir. The hydrogen reservoir is configured to store fluid hydrogen as liquid hydrogen. The oxygen reservoir is configured to store fluid oxygen as liquid oxygen. The fluid delivery system is configured to provide the fluid hydrogen and the fluid oxygen for combustion within the engine combustor to produce combustion products within the flowpath. The water recovery system is configured to extract water from the combustion products. The water recovery system is configured to provide the water to a component of the powerplant.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2022Publication date: August 17, 2023Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Walter A. Ledwith, JR., Joseph B. Staubach, David L. Ma
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Patent number: 11725544Abstract: A powerplant is provided that includes an engine and a water recovery system. The engine includes an engine combustor, an engine turbine, a flowpath and a fluid delivery system. The flowpath extends out of the engine combustor and through the engine turbine. The fluid delivery system includes a hydrogen reservoir and an oxygen reservoir. The hydrogen reservoir is configured to store fluid hydrogen as liquid hydrogen. The oxygen reservoir is configured to store fluid oxygen as liquid oxygen. The fluid delivery system is configured to provide the fluid hydrogen and the fluid oxygen for combustion within the engine combustor to produce combustion products within the flowpath. The water recovery system is configured to extract water from the combustion products. The water recovery system is configured to provide the water to a component of the powerplant.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 2022Date of Patent: August 15, 2023Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Walter A. Ledwith, Jr., Joseph B. Staubach, David L. Ma
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Patent number: 11236639Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a core flowpath for flowing a core stream, a second flowpath located radially outward from the core flowpath for flowing a second stream, and an auxiliary flowpath located radially outward from the second flowpath for flowing an auxiliary stream. A heat exchanging device is constructed and arranged to divert a portion of the second stream into the auxiliary flowpath. A turbine exhaust case is constructed and arranged to flow the auxiliary stream into the core flowpath for mixing with the core stream.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2015Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: Raytheon Technologies CorporationInventors: Christopher J. Hanlon, Daniel B. Kupratis, Walter A. Ledwith, William F. Schneider, Sean Danby, Robert H. Bush, Benjamin Bellows
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TURBINE CLEARANCE CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVED VARIABLE CYCLE GAS TURBINE ENGINE FUEL BURN
Publication number: 20190048796Abstract: A method of assembling a gas turbine engine includes setting a build clearance at assembly in response to a running tip clearance defined with a cooled cooling air. A method of operating a gas turbine engine includes supplying a cooled cooling air to a high pressure turbine in response to an engine rotor speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2018Publication date: February 14, 2019Applicant: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Walter A. Ledwith, Jr., Scott A. Carr, Christopher J. Hanlon, Peter A. White, Theodore W. Hall, John R. Farris, Andrew S. Miller, Christopher W. Robak, David C. Pimenta, David Richard Griffin -
Patent number: 10161316Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an engine of an aircraft. The engine may include a first fan configured to output a first air flow, a second fan configured to receive a first portion of the first air flow and output a second air flow, a core configured to receive a first portion of the second air flow and generate a first stream, and at least one valve configured to assume one of at least three states in association with a generation of a second stream and a third stream based on at least one of the first air flow and the second air flow.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2015Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Daniel B. Kupratis, Christopher J. Hanlon, Walter A. Ledwith, Jr.
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Patent number: 10119477Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes low and high spools constructed and arranged to rotate about an engine axis. The low spool drives at least one leading stage of a fan section and the high spool drives an aft stage of the fan section. The aft stage may generally include a bypass duct for controllably flowing a bypass stream directly from the leading stage and controllably and/or selectively into an auxiliary flowpath and/or into a second flowpath both located radially outward from a core flowpath.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2015Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Christopher J. Hanlon, Daniel B. Kupratis, Walter A. Ledwith
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Patent number: 9951721Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes an auxiliary airflow control system to provide selective communication of a portion of a second stream from a second stream flow path into a third stream flow path, the auxiliary airflow control system in communication with a high temperature flow sourced from the turbine section.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2014Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Walter A Ledwith, Jr., Christopher J Hanlon
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TURBINE CLEARANCE CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR IMPROVED VARIABLE CYCLE GAS TURBINE ENGINE FUEL BURN
Publication number: 20170328231Abstract: A method of assembling a gas turbine engine includes setting a build clearance at assembly in response to a running tip clearance defined with a cooled cooling air. A method of operating a gas turbine engine includes supplying a cooled cooling air to a high pressure turbine in response to an engine rotor speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2015Publication date: November 16, 2017Inventors: Walter A. Ledwith, JR., Scott A. Carr, Christopher J. Hanlon, Peter A. White, Theodore W. Hall, John R. Farris, Andrew S. Miller, Christopher W. Robak, David C. Pimenta, David Richard Griffin -
Publication number: 20160312740Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes an auxiliary airflow control system to provide selective communication of a portion of a second stream from a second stream flow path into a third stream flow path, the auxiliary airflow control system in communication with a high temperature flow sourced from the turbine section.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2014Publication date: October 27, 2016Inventors: Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Walter A. Ledwith, JR., Christopher J. Hanlon
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Publication number: 20160298550Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an engine of an aircraft. The engine may include a first fan configured to output a first air flow, a second fan configured to receive a first portion of the first air flow and output a second air flow, a core configured to receive a first portion of the second air flow and generate a first stream, and at least one valve configured to assume one of at least three states in association with a generation of a second stream and a third stream based on at least one of the first air flow and the second air flow.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2015Publication date: October 13, 2016Inventors: Daniel B. Kupratis, Christopher J. Hanlon, Walter A. Ledwith, JR.
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Publication number: 20160208692Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes low and high spools constructed and arranged to rotate about an engine axis. The low spool drives at least one leading stage of a fan section and the high spool drives an aft stage of the fan section. The aft stage may generally include a bypass duct for controllably flowing a bypass stream directly from the leading stage and controllably and/or selectively into an auxiliary flowpath and/or into a second flowpath both located radially outward from a core flowpath.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2015Publication date: July 21, 2016Inventors: Christopher J. Hanlon, Daniel B. Kupratis, Walter A. Ledwith
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Patent number: 5142860Abstract: A control system for controlling the margin of temperature between the turbine's operating temperature and temperature limit throughout the engine operating range is manifested by utilizing a trim logic schedule that provides a constant margin value for each operating condition of the gas turbine engine. The system allows the engine to achieve the requisite performance while maintaining durability requirements.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 1990Date of Patent: September 1, 1992Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventors: Mark A. Strange, Walter A. Ledwith, Jr., Johnny B. Davis, Stephen N. Finger, Gerald Bracci
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Patent number: 4483054Abstract: A one-piece cylindrical drum of a drum rotor has a plurality of enlarged, axially spaced-apart, annular rim portions through which axial blade root slots are machined. The slots are curved along their length about an axis located radially outwardly of the rim. The rotor is preferably made from a plurality of bonded together cylinder-like sections. After bonding the sections together the curved blade root slots are machined using a circular broach.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 1982Date of Patent: November 20, 1984Assignee: United Technologies CorporationInventor: Walter A. Ledwith