Patents by Inventor William A. Kvasnak

William A. Kvasnak 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).

  • Publication number: 20070116562
    Abstract: A turbine nozzle cooling sub-system is provided. The sub-system includes at least one turbine nozzle segment. The segment includes an arcuate, radially outermost endwall, an arcuate, radially innermost endwall, and at least one airfoil vane. The endwalls each include at least one open passage. The airfoil vane extends between and is coupled to the endwalls. The vane further includes a cavity, a leading edge, a trailing edge, and an airfoil vane external surface. The cavity includes an airfoil vane internal surface and a plurality of turbulators. The cavity and the open passages are in flow communication such that an airfoil cooling air stream flow is facilitated. The sub-system also includes at least one diffuser in flow communication with a compressor assembly and the segment. The diffuser includes at least one diffuser wall and cavity. The diffuser wall extends from the compressor assembly to the segment such that a channeling of the airfoil cooling air stream to the segment is facilitated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Inventors: James West, William Kvasnak, Brendan Sexton
  • Publication number: 20050281673
    Abstract: A turbine engine component, such as a blade or a vane, is provided by the present invention. The turbine engine component has a pressure side and a suction side. Each of the pressure and suction sides has an external wall and an internal wall. A first set of fluid passageways is located on the pressure side between the external wall and the internal wall. A second set of fluid passageways is located on the suction side between the external wall and the internal wall. Each of the fluid passageways in the first set and in the second set has a wavy configuration. The turbine engine component may also have one or more wavy trailing edge cooling passageways for cooling a trailing edge portion of the component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Publication date: December 22, 2005
    Inventors: Samuel Draper, William Kvasnak
  • Publication number: 20050276698
    Abstract: An internally-cooled turbomachine element has an airfoil extending between inboard and outboard ends. A cooling passageway is at least partially within the airfoil and has at least a first turn. Means are in the passageway for limiting a turning a loss of the first turn. The turbomachine element may result from a reengineering of an existing element configuration lacking such means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Publication date: December 15, 2005
    Inventors: William Kvasnak, Kenneth Landis, Hans Przirembel
  • Patent number: 6419446
    Abstract: A method for inhibiting radial transfer of core gas flow away from a center radial region and toward the inner and outer radial boundaries of a core gas flow path within a gas turbine engine is provided that includes the steps of: (1) providing a flow directing structure that includes an airfoil that abuts a wall surface, said airfoil having a leading edge, a pressure side, and a suction side; and (2) increasing the velocity of the core gas flow in the area where the leading edge of the airfoil abuts the wall. Increasing the velocity of the core gas flow in the area where the leading edge of the airfoil abuts the wall impedes the formation of a pressure gradient along the surface of the airfoil that forces core gas from the center region of the core gas toward the wall. The apparatus includes apparatus for diverting core gas flow away from the area where the airfoil abuts the wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2002
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: William A. Kvasnak, Friedrich O. Soechting, Karen A. Thole, Gary A. Zess
  • Patent number: 6280140
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for cooling a wall for use in a gas turbine engine is provided that includes a cooling air passage having a plurality of segments connected in series by one or more chambers, an inlet aperture, and an exit aperture. The inlet aperture connects the cooling air passage to one side of the wall. The exit aperture connects the cooling air passage to the opposite side of the wall. Cooling air on the inlet aperture side of the wall enters the cooling air passage through the inlet aperture and exits through the exit aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Friedrich O. Soechting, William A. Kvasnak, Thomas A. Auxier, James P. Downs, William H. Calhoun, Douglas A. Hayes