Patents by Inventor William David York

William David York 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: 20210172376
    Abstract: Turbomachines and methods of operating turbomachines are provided. The turbomachine may include a compressor, a turbine, and a plurality of combustors downstream from the compressor and upstream from the turbine. The turbomachine may also include a plurality of igniters. Methods of operating a turbomachine may include rotating a shaft of the turbomachine at a first speed and rotating the shaft of the turbomachine at a second speed different from the first speed after rotating the shaft of the turbomachine at the first speed. The methods may also include firing at least one igniter of the plurality of igniters repeatedly throughout the period of time at a regular interval and/or when the rotational speed reaches at least one predetermined speed threshold during the period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: Jason Dean Fuller, Richard Martin DiCintio, William David York
  • Patent number: 10228140
    Abstract: A gas-only cartridge for a fuel nozzle includes a flange that defines a plurality of apertures for receiving a gaseous fuel, an outer tube that is coupled to the flange and an inner tube that extends axially within the outer tube. The inner tube and the outer tube define a fuel passage therebetween and the fuel passage is in fluid communication with the plurality of apertures of the flange. A fuel distribution tip is disposed at a downstream end of the gas-only cartridge and defines a plurality of fuel ports circumferentially spaced along and annularly arranged about an outer surface of the fuel distribution tip. The fuel ports are in fluid communication with the fuel passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David William Cihlar, Patrick Benedict Melton, William David York
  • Publication number: 20170241644
    Abstract: A gas-only cartridge for a fuel nozzle includes a flange that defines a plurality of apertures for receiving a gaseous fuel, an outer tube that is coupled to the flange and an inner tube that extends axially within the outer tube. The inner tube and the outer tube define a fuel passage therebetween and the fuel passage is in fluid communication with the plurality of apertures of the flange. A fuel distribution tip is disposed at a downstream end of the gas-only cartridge and defines a plurality of fuel ports circumferentially spaced along and annularly arranged about an outer surface of the fuel distribution tip. The fuel ports are in fluid communication with the fuel passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: David William Cihlar, Patrick Benedict Melton, William David York
  • Patent number: 9534781
    Abstract: A system includes a multi-tube fuel nozzle with a fuel nozzle body and a plurality of tubes. The fuel nozzle body includes a nozzle wall surrounding a chamber. The plurality of tubes extend through the chamber, wherein each tube of the plurality of tubes includes an air intake portion, a fuel intake portion, and an air-fuel mixture outlet portion. The multi-tube fuel nozzle also includes a differential configuration of the air intake portions among the plurality of tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael John Hughes, Thomas Edward Johnson, Jonathan Dwight Berry, William David York
  • Patent number: 9518742
    Abstract: A premixer assembly for mixing air and fuel for combustion includes a plurality of tubes disposed at a head end of a combustor assembly. Also included is a tube of the plurality of tubes, the tube including an inlet end and an outlet end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William David York, Thomas Edward Johnson, Christopher Paul Keener
  • Patent number: 9506654
    Abstract: A system for reducing combustion dynamics in a combustor includes an end cap that extends radially across the combustor and includes an upstream surface axially separated from a downstream surface. A combustion chamber is downstream of the end cap, and tubes extend from the upstream surface through the downstream surface. Each tube provides fluid communication through the end cap to the combustion chamber. The system further includes means for reducing combustion dynamics in the combustor. A method for reducing combustion dynamics in a combustor includes flowing a working fluid through tubes that extend axially through an end cap that extends radially across the combustor and obstructing at least a portion of the working fluid flowing through a first set of the tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Thomas Edward Johnson, Shiva Srinivasan, William David York
  • Patent number: 9353950
    Abstract: A combustor includes an end cap that extends radially across at least a portion of the combustor. The end cap includes an upstream surface axially separated from a downstream surface. A plurality of tubes extend from the upstream surface through the downstream surface of the end cap to provide fluid communication through the end cap. Each tube in a first set of the plurality of tubes has an inlet proximate to the upstream surface and an outlet downstream from the downstream surface. Each outlet has a first portion that extends a different axial distance from the inlet than a second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Thomas Edward Johnson, Michael John Hughes, William David York
  • Patent number: 9322557
    Abstract: A combustor includes a tube bundle that extends radially across at least a portion of the combustor. The tube bundle includes an upstream surface axially separated from a downstream surface. A plurality of tubes extends from the upstream surface through the downstream surface, and each tube provides fluid communication through the tube bundle. A baffle extends axially inside the tube bundle between adjacent tubes. A method for distributing fuel in a combustor includes flowing a fuel into a fuel plenum defined at least in part by an upstream surface, a downstream surface, a shroud, and a plurality of tubes that extend from the upstream surface to the downstream surface. The method further includes impinging the fuel against a baffle that extends axially inside the fuel plenum between adjacent tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Thomas Edward Johnson, William David York
  • Patent number: 9212822
    Abstract: A fuel injection assembly for use in a turbine engine is provided. The fuel injection assembly includes an end cover, an endcap assembly, a fluid supply chamber, and a plurality of tube assemblies positioned at the endcap assembly. Each of the tube assemblies includes housing having a fuel plenum and a cooling fluid plenum. The cooling fluid plenum is positioned downstream from the fuel plenum and separated from the fuel plenum by an intermediate wall. The plurality of tube assemblies also include a plurality of tubes that extends through the housing. Each of the plurality of tubes is coupled in flow communication with the fluid supply chamber and a combustion chamber positioned downstream from the tube assembly. The plurality of tube assemblies further includes an aft plate at a downstream end of the cooling fluid plenum. The plate includes at least one aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Thomas Edward Johnson, William David York, Jong Ho Uhm
  • Patent number: 9140454
    Abstract: A turbomachine includes a compressor, a combustor operatively connected to the compressor, an end cover mounted to the combustor, and an injection nozzle assembly operatively connected to the combustor. The injection nozzle assembly includes a cap member having a first surface that extends to a second surface. The cap member further includes a plurality of openings. A plurality of bundled mini-tube assemblies are detachably mounted in the plurality of openings in the cap member. Each of the plurality of bundled mini-tube assemblies includes a main body section having a first end section and a second end section. A fluid plenum is arranged within the main body section. A plurality of tubes extend between the first and second end sections. Each of the plurality of tubes is fluidly connected to the fluid plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Benjamin Paul Lacy, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Thomas Edward Johnson, Baifang Zuo, William David York, Jong Ho Uhm
  • Patent number: 9121612
    Abstract: A system for reducing combustion dynamics in a combustor includes an end cap having an upstream surface axially separated from a downstream surface, and tube bundles extend from the upstream surface through the downstream surface. A divider inside a tube bundle defines a diluent passage that extends axially through the downstream surface, and a diluent supply in fluid communication with the divider provides diluent flow to the diluent passage. A method for reducing combustion dynamics in a combustor includes flowing a fuel through tube bundles, flowing a diluent through a diluent passage inside a tube bundle, wherein the diluent passage extends axially through at least a portion of the end cap into a combustion chamber, and forming a diluent barrier in the combustion chamber between the tube bundle and at least one other adjacent tube bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Thomas Edward Johnson, Baifang Zuo, William David York
  • Publication number: 20150153045
    Abstract: A premixer assembly for mixing air and fuel for combustion includes a plurality of tubes disposed at a head end of a combustor assembly. Also included is a tube of the plurality of tubes, the tube including an inlet end and an outlet end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William David York, Thomas Edward Johnson, Christopher Paul Keener
  • Patent number: 8875516
    Abstract: A turbomachine combustor includes a combustion chamber; a plurality of micro-mixer nozzles mounted to an end cover of the combustion chamber, each including a fuel supply pipe affixed to a nozzle body located within the combustion chamber, wherein fuel from the supply pipe mixes with air in the nozzle body prior to discharge into the combustion chamber; and wherein at least some of the nozzle bodies of the plurality of micro-mixer nozzles have axial length dimensions that differ from axial length dimensions of other of the nozzle bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Baifang Zuo, William David York, Shivakumar Srinivasan
  • Patent number: 8789372
    Abstract: The system may include a turbine engine. The turbine engine may include a fuel nozzle. The fuel nozzle may include an air path. The fuel nozzle may also include a fuel path such that the fuel nozzle is in communication with a combustion zone of the turbine engine. Furthermore, the fuel nozzle may include a resonator. The resonator may be disposed in the fuel nozzle directly adjacent to the combustion zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Edward Johnson, Willy Steve Ziminsky, William David York, Christian Xavier Stevenson
  • Publication number: 20140157779
    Abstract: A combustor includes an end cap that extends radially across at least a portion of the combustor. The end cap includes an upstream surface axially separated from a downstream surface. A plurality of tubes extend from the upstream surface through the downstream surface of the end cap to provide fluid communication through the end cap. Each tube in a first set of the plurality of tubes has an inlet proximate to the upstream surface and an outlet downstream from the downstream surface. Each outlet has a first portion that extends a different axial distance from the inlet than a second portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Jong Ho Uhm, Willy Steve Ziminsky, Thomas Edward Johnson, Michael John Hughes, William David York
  • Patent number: 8720179
    Abstract: A power plant is provided and includes a gas turbine engine having a combustor in which compressed gas and fuel are mixed and combusted, first and second supply lines respectively coupled to the combustor and respectively configured to supply the compressed gas and the fuel to the combustor and an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system to re-circulate exhaust gas produced by the gas turbine engine toward the combustor. The EGR system is coupled to the first and second supply lines and configured to combine first and second portions of the re-circulated exhaust gas with the compressed gas and the fuel at the first and second supply lines, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ashok Kumar Anand, Thirumala Reddy Nagarjuna Reddy, Jason Brian Shaffer, William David York
  • Publication number: 20140047846
    Abstract: A turbine component cooling arrangement includes a combustor liner defining a combustor chamber, wherein the combustor liner includes an outer surface and an inner surface. Also included is a channel disposed along the outer surface, wherein the channel is configured to receive a cooling flow through at least one aperture extending through a liner ring disposed proximate the outer surface of the combustor liner. Further included is at least one outlet orifice extending between the channel and the combustor chamber through the inner surface for routing the cooling flow along the inner surface within the combustor chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Christopher Paul Willis, Richard Martin DiCintio, William David York
  • Patent number: 8607569
    Abstract: A method of assembling a gas turbine engine is provided. The method includes coupling a combustor in flow communication with a compressor such that the combustor receives at least some of the air discharged by the compressor. A fuel nozzle assembly is coupled to the combustor and includes at least one fuel nozzle that includes a plurality of interior surfaces, wherein a thermal barrier coating is applied across at least one of the plurality of interior surfaces to facilitate shielding the interior surfaces from combustion gases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David Andrew Helmick, Thomas Edward Johnson, William David York, Benjamin Paul Lacy
  • Publication number: 20130318977
    Abstract: A fuel injection assembly for use in a turbine engine is provided. The fuel injection assembly includes an end cover, an endcap assembly, a fluid supply chamber, and a plurality of tube assemblies positioned at the endcap assembly. Each of the tube assemblies includes a housing having a fuel plenum and a cooling fluid plenum defined therein, the cooling fluid plenum downstream from the fuel plenum and separated therefrom by an intermediate wall, a plurality of tubes extending through the housing, each of the plurality of tubes in flow communication with the fluid supply chamber and a combustion chamber downstream from the tube assembly, and an aft plate at a downstream end of the cooling fluid plenum, the aft plate including at least one aperture defined therethrough. The fuel injection assembly further includes at least one fuel delivery pipe coupled to at least one of the plurality of tube assemblies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Thomas Edward Johnson, William David York, Jong Ho Uhm
  • Publication number: 20130299602
    Abstract: A system includes a multi-tube fuel nozzle with a fuel nozzle body and a plurality of tubes. The fuel nozzle body includes a nozzle wall surrounding a chamber. The plurality of tubes extend through the chamber, wherein each tube of the plurality of tubes includes an air intake portion, a fuel intake portion, and an air-fuel mixture outlet portion. The multi-tube fuel nozzle also includes a differential configuration of the air intake portions among the plurality of tubes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael John Hughes, Thomas Edward Johnson, Jonathan Dwight Berry, William David York