Patents by Inventor Walter F. O'Brien
Walter F. O'Brien 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: 11620415Abstract: The present invention provides a process for making a flow conditioning device that transforms an input flow into a desired output flow. The process includes the steps of inputting into a computer program a set of design constraints representative of the input flow and the output flow. The computer program generates a design representative of a flow-conditioning device that transforms the input flow into the output flow. The process then provides the output design to an additive manufacturing or other suitable production system adapted to form a solid representation of the flow-conditioning device.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2018Date of Patent: April 4, 2023Assignee: VIRGINIA TECH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES, INC.Inventors: Anthony M. Ferrar, William C. Schneck, Walter F. O'Brien, Kevin M. Hoopes, Justin Bailey
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Patent number: 10865818Abstract: Various examples are provided related to improvements in generalized flow profile production. In one example, a method includes determining a downstream flow profile including a pressure profile and a velocity profile; fabricating a pressure profile generator including distortion screen(s) disposed on a backing structure; fabricating a velocity profile generator including turning vanes in a flow path through the velocity profile generator that are configured to generate the velocity profile; attaching the pressure profile generator to an input side of the velocity profile generator; and installing the flow conditioning device in the flow field of interest. Flow through the flow conditioning device produces the downstream flow profile in the flow field of interest.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2017Date of Patent: December 15, 2020Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.Inventors: Dustin J. Frohnapfel, Walter F. O'Brien, Jr., K. Todd Lowe
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Publication number: 20190138663Abstract: The present invention provides a process for making a flow conditioning device that transforms an input flow into a desired output flow. The process includes the steps of inputting into a computer program a set of design constraints representative of the input flow and the output flow. The computer program generates a design representative of a flow-conditioning device that transforms the input flow into the output flow. The process then provides the output design to an additive manufacturing or other suitable production system adapted to form a solid representation of the flow-conditioning device.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 28, 2018Publication date: May 9, 2019Inventors: Anthony M. Ferrar, William C. Schneck, Walter F. O'Brien, Kevin M. Hoopes, Justin Bailey
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Publication number: 20190085879Abstract: Various examples are provided related to improvements in generalized flow profile production. In one example, a method includes determining a downstream flow profile including a pressure profile and a velocity profile; fabricating a pressure profile generator including distortion screen(s) disposed on a backing structure; fabricating a velocity profile generator including turning vanes in a flow path through the velocity profile generator that are configured to generate the velocity profile; attaching the pressure profile generator to an input side of the velocity profile generator; and installing the flow conditioning device in the flow field of interest. Flow through the flow conditioning device produces the downstream flow profile in the flow field of interest.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2017Publication date: March 21, 2019Applicant: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.Inventors: Dustin J. Frohnapfel, Walter F. O'Brien, Jr., Todd K. Lowe
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Patent number: 9267437Abstract: A unique, small microturbine engine adapted to integrate with an electrical generator for producing electrical power has been developed. The microturbine includes an ejector cooling scheme, a prevaporizing combustor, and a combustor air bypass. The ejector cooling scheme uses energy in the hot exhaust gas stream of the microturbine to entrain a flow of ambient air that cools the generator. The prevaporizing combustor of the present invention allows liquid fuel to be vaporized in a small amount of air prior to combustion, thereby increasing combustion efficiency and decreasing combustor size requirements. The combustor air bypass allows a fraction of the compressor discharge air to bypass the prevaporizing combustor under certain operating conditions. This permits control of the overall equivalence ratio and the fuel/air mixing process in the combustion zone, improving efficiency and operability.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 2014Date of Patent: February 23, 2016Assignee: Electric Jet, LLCInventors: Matthew V. Perry, Jordan T. Farina, Stephen D. LePera, Anthony M. Ferrar, Walter F. O'Brien, Samuel Shiver
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Publication number: 20160012159Abstract: The present invention provides a process for making a flow conditioning device that transforms an input flow into a desired output flow. The process includes the steps of inputting into a computer program a set of design constraints representative of the input flow and the output flow. The computer program generates a design representative of a flow-conditioning device that transforms the input flow into the output flow. The process then provides the output design to an additive manufacturing or other suitable production system adapted to form a solid representation of the flow-conditioning device.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 9, 2015Publication date: January 14, 2016Inventors: Anthony M. Ferrar, William C. Schneck, Walter F. O'Brien, Kevin M. Hoopes, Justin Bailey
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Publication number: 20140319843Abstract: A unique, small microturbine engine adapted to integrate with an electrical generator for producing electrical power has been developed. The microturbine includes an ejector cooling scheme, a prevaporizing combustor, and a combustor air bypass. The ejector cooling scheme uses energy in the hot exhaust gas stream of the microturbine to entrain a flow of ambient air that cools the generator. The prevaporizing combustor of the present invention allows liquid fuel to be vaporized in a small amount of air prior to combustion, thereby increasing combustion efficiency and decreasing combustor size requirements. The combustor air bypass allows a fraction of the compressor discharge air to bypass the prevaporizing combustor under certain operating conditions. This permits control of the overall equivalence ratio and the fuel/air mixing process in the combustion zone, improving efficiency and operability.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2014Publication date: October 30, 2014Inventors: Matthew V. Perry, Jordan T. Farina, Stephen D. LePera, Anthony M. Ferrar, Walter F. O'Brien, Samuel Shiver
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Patent number: 7870736Abstract: A premixing injector for use in gas turbine engines assists in the lean premixed injection of a gaseous fuel/air mixture into the combustor of a gas turbine. The premixing injector is designed to mix fuel and air at high velocities to eliminate the occurrence of flashback of the combustion flame from the reaction zone into the premixing injector. The premixing injector includes choked gas ports, which allow the fuel supply to be decoupled from any type of combustion instability which may arise in the combustor of the gas turbine and internal passages to provide regenerative cooling to the device.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2007Date of Patent: January 18, 2011Assignees: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc., Electric Jet, LLCInventors: Joseph Homitz, David M. Sykes, Walter F. O'Brien, Uri Vandsburger, Steve LePera
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Patent number: 7571598Abstract: Preheating of fuel and injection into a plasma torch plume fro adjacent the plasma torch plume provides for only ignition with reduced delay but improved fuel-air mixing and fuel atomization as well as combustion reaction enhancement. Heat exchange also reduced erosion of the anode of the plasma torch. Fuel mixing atomization, fuel mixture distribution enhancement and combustion reaction enhancement are improved by unsteady plasma torch energization, integral formation of the heat exchanger, fuel injection nozzle and plasma torch anode in a more compact, low-profile arrangement which is not intrusive on a highspeed air flow with which the invention is particularly effective and further enhanced by use of nitrogen as a feedstock material and inclusion of high pressure gases in the fuel to cause effervescence during injection.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2006Date of Patent: August 11, 2009Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.Inventors: Walter F. O'Brien, Matthew C. Billingsley, Darius D. Sanders, Joseph A. Schetz
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Patent number: 5782603Abstract: Active recovery from a rotating stall operating condition in an axial flow compression system is accomplished by altering the temperature and/or density of the working fluid flowing in the inlet of the compression system once rotating stall is detected. A burner is used to increase the compressor inlet flow temperature and concomitantly reduce the inlet flow density. Alternatively, a low density gas such as helium is injected into the compressor inlet. The ingestion of high temperature gases or other low density gases into the compressor energizes a dynamic response from the compression system that induces rotating stall recovery.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 1997Date of Patent: July 21, 1998Assignee: Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.Inventors: Walter F. O'Brien, Anthony L. DiPietro, Jr.
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Patent number: 5515444Abstract: An active noise control system using a compact sound source is effective to reduce aircraft engine duct noise. The fan noise from a turbofan engine is controlled using an adaptive filtered-x LMS algorithm. Single multi channel control systems are used to control the fan blade passage frequency (BPF) tone and the BPF tone and the first harmonic of the BPF tone for a plane wave excitation. A multi channel control system is used to control any spinning mode. The multi channel control system to control both fan tones and a high pressure compressor BPF tone simultaneously. In order to make active control of turbofan inlet noise a viable technology, a compact sound source is employed to generate the control field. This control field sound source consists of an array of identical thin, cylindrically curved panels with an inner radius of curvature corresponding to that of the engine inlet.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 1994Date of Patent: May 7, 1996Assignees: Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, The Center for Innovative TechnologyInventors: Ricardo Burdisso, Chris R. Fuller, Walter F. O'Brien, Russell H. Thomas, Mary E. Dungan
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Patent number: 5355417Abstract: An active noise control system using a compact sound source is effective to reduce aircraft engine duct noise. The fan noise from a turbofan engine is controlled using an adaptive filtered-x LMS algorithm. Single multi channel control systems are used to control the fan blade passage frequency (BPF) tone and the BPF tone and the first harmonic of the BPF tone for a plane wave excitation. A multi channel control system is used to control any spinning mode. The multi channel control system to control both fan tones and a high pressure compressor BPF tone simultaneously. In order to make active control of turbofan inlet noise a viable technology, a compact sound source is employed to generate the control field. This control field sound source consists of an array of identical thin, cylindrically curved panels with an inner radius of curvature corresponding to that of the engine inlet.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 1992Date of Patent: October 11, 1994Assignees: The Center for Innovative Technology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.Inventors: Ricardo Burdisso, Chris R. Fuller, Walter F. O'Brien, Russell H. Thomas, Mary E. Dungan