Patents by Inventor William Francis Carnell, JR.

William Francis Carnell, JR. 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: 9964308
    Abstract: A combustor cap assembly includes an impingement plate coupled to an annular shroud and a cap plate which is coupled to the impingement plate to form an impingement air plenum therebetween. The combustor cap assembly further includes a flow conditioning plate coupled to a forward end portion of the shroud. The flow conditioning plate includes an inner band portion, an outer band portion and an annular portion. The annular portion defines a plurality of flow conditioning passages. The inner band portion at least partially defines a cooling air plenum within the combustor cap assembly. The inner band portion defines an exhaust channel which is in fluid communication with the impingement air plenum and an exhaust outlet. The flow conditioning plate further defines a cooling air passage which provides for cooling air flow into the cooling air plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Carolyn Ashley Antoniono, Jonathan Hale Kegley, Lucas John Stoia, Patrick Benedict Melton, William Francis Carnell, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9890954
    Abstract: A combustor cap assembly includes an impingement plate coupled to an annular shroud and a cap plate which is coupled to the impingement plate and forms an impingement air plenum therebetween. The cap assembly further includes a flow conditioning plate which is coupled to a forward end portion of the shroud. The flow conditioning plate includes an inner band portion, an outer band portion and an annular portion which extends radially therebetween. The annular portion includes upstream side, a downstream side and a plurality of flow conditioning passages which provide for fluid communication through the upstream and downstream sides. The inner band portion of the flow conditioning plate at least partially defines an exhaust channel. The exhaust channel is in fluid communication with the impingement air plenum and an exhaust outlet. The exhaust outlet is positioned to route cooling air from the impingement air plenum into an annular flow passage defined within a combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: William Francis Carnell, Jr., Carolyn Ashley Antoniono, Jonathan Hale Kegley, Yon Han Chong
  • Patent number: 9709279
    Abstract: A system includes a gas turbine engine that includes a first combustor and a second combustor. The first combustor includes a first oxidant flow path and a first perforated structure comprising a first plurality of oxidant ports, wherein the first perforated structure is disposed in the first oxidant flow path. The second combustor includes a second oxidant flow path and a second perforated structure comprising a second plurality of oxidant ports. The second perforated structure is disposed in the second oxidant flow path and the first perforated structure has at least one difference relative to the second perforated structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sarah Lori Crothers, Lucas John Stoia, William Francis Carnell, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20170184310
    Abstract: A system for injecting a liquid fuel into a combustion gas flow field includes an annular liner that defines a combustion gas flow path. The annular liner includes an inner wall, an outer wall and a fuel injector opening that extends through the inner wall and the outer wall. The system further includes a gas fuel injector that is coaxially aligned with the fuel injector opening. The gas fuel injector includes an upstream end and a downstream end. The downstream end terminates substantially adjacent to the inner wall. A dilution air passage is at least partially defined by the gas fuel injector. A liquid fuel injector extends partially through the dilution air passage. The liquid fuel injector includes an injection end that terminates upstream from the inner wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Abinash Baruah, Gilbert Otto Kraemer, Predrag Popovic, William Francis Carnell, JR.
  • Patent number: 9644845
    Abstract: A system and method for reducing modal coupling of combustion dynamics among multiple combustors are provided. Each combustor may include one or more fuel nozzles axially aligned with a combustion chamber; one or more fuel injectors downstream from the fuel nozzles; and a set of flow openings integrated with the combustor. The fuel injectors provide fluid communication through a liner that circumferentially surrounds each combustion chamber. The flow rate of compressed working fluid diverted through the fuel injectors may be different and/or variable between the combustors to produce different combustion instability frequencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sarah Lori Crothers, Christian Xavier Stevenson, William Francis Carnell, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20160265781
    Abstract: An air shield for an injector of a combustor includes a first section that extends axially from a first end to a second end, and a channel defined by the air shield. The channel includes at least one inlet proximate to the second end. The at least one inlet is configured to receive a channel airflow that is a portion of a surrounding airflow. The channel is configured to control a distribution of the channel airflow to the injector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Inventors: William Francis Carnell, JR., Ronnie Ray Pentecost, Lucas John Stoia, Patrick Benedict Melton
  • Publication number: 20160054003
    Abstract: A combustor cap assembly includes an impingement plate coupled to an annular shroud and a cap plate which is coupled to the impingement plate and forms an impingement air plenum therebetween. The cap assembly further includes a flow conditioning plate which is coupled to a forward end portion of the shroud. The flow conditioning plate includes an inner band portion, an outer band portion and an annular portion which extends radially therebetween. The annular portion includes upstream side, a downstream side and a plurality of flow conditioning passages which provide for fluid communication through the upstream and downstream sides. The inner band portion of the flow conditioning plate at least partially defines an exhaust channel. The exhaust channel is in fluid communication with the impingement air plenum and an exhaust outlet. The exhaust outlet is positioned to route cooling air from the impingement air plenum into an annular flow passage defined within a combustor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: William Francis Carnell, JR., Carolyn Ashley Antoniono, Jonathan Hale Kegley, Yon Han Chong
  • Publication number: 20160053999
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbomachine includes a combustor body, and a combustor liner arranged in the combustor body and defining a combustion chamber extending from a head end to a combustor discharge. The combustor liner is spaced from the combustor body forming a compressor discharge casing (CDC) airflow passage. At least one nozzle is arranged at the head end of the combustor liner. The at least one nozzle includes an outlet configured and disposed to establish a flame zone. At least one recirculation member is arranged at the head end of the combustor liner. The at least one recirculation member is configured and disposed to guide oxygen-depleted combustion products from the flame zone back to the outlet of the at least one nozzle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: Ilya Aleksandrovich Slobodyanskiy, William Francis Carnell, JR., John Edward Pritchard
  • Publication number: 20160054002
    Abstract: A combustor cap assembly includes an impingement plate coupled to an annular shroud and a cap plate which is coupled to the impingement plate to form an impingement air plenum therebetween. The combustor cap assembly further includes a flow conditioning plate coupled to a forward end portion of the shroud. The flow conditioning plate includes an inner band portion, an outer band portion and an annular portion. The annular portion defines a plurality of flow conditioning passages. The inner band portion at least partially defines a cooling air plenum within the combustor cap assembly. The inner band portion defines an exhaust channel which is in fluid communication with the impingement air plenum and an exhaust outlet. The flow conditioning plate further defines a cooling air passage which provides for cooling air flow into the cooling air plenum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2014
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: Carolyn Ashley Antoniono, Jonathan Hale Kegley, Lucas John Stoia, Patrick Benedict Melton, William Francis Carnell, JR.
  • Publication number: 20160053681
    Abstract: A liquid fuel combustor for a gas turbomachine includes a combustor body, a combustor liner arranged in the combustor body defining a combustion chamber extending from a head end to a combustor discharge. The combustor liner is spaced from the combustor body forming a compressor discharge casing (CDC) airflow passage. A nozzle is arranged at the head end of the combustor liner. The nozzle includes a first inlet, a second inlet and an outlet configured and disposed to establish a flame zone. The first inlet is configured to receive a first fluid and the second inlet is configured to receive a second fluid. The second fluid includes a liquid fuel. An oxygen-depleted gas (ODG) injection system is arranged radially outwardly of the nozzle. The ODG injection system is configured and disposed to deliver an oxygen-depleted gas stream into the combustion chamber to vaporize a portion of the second fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2014
    Publication date: February 25, 2016
    Inventors: William Francis Carnell, JR., Ilya Aleksandrovich Slobodyanskiy
  • Patent number: 9181876
    Abstract: A gas turbine includes a compressor, a combustor downstream from the compressor and a heat transfer system, wherein the heat transfer system receives a compressed working fluid from the compressor. A fluid coupling between the heat transfer system and the combustor, wherein the fluid coupling receives the compressed working fluid from the heat transfer system. A conditioner in fluid communication with the compressor and a fluid coupling between the heat transfer system and the conditioner, wherein the fluid coupling receives a cooling media from the heat transfer system. A method for operating the gas turbine includes flowing a compressed working fluid from the compressor to the heat transfer system, transferring heat energy from the compressed working fluid to the heat transfer system, flowing the compressed working fluid from the heat transfer system to a combustor, and flowing a cooling media from the heat transfer system to a compressor inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Predrag Popovic, William Francis Carnell, Jr., Andrew Mitchell Rodwell
  • Patent number: 9127844
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle is provided and includes a nozzle body defining first and second interior regions for providing a supply of first and second fluids, a collar defining a third interior region and radial slots permitting radial ingress of a third fluid to the third interior region and a nozzle tip interposed between the nozzle body and the collar. The nozzle tip defines an annular slot, first discrete passageways by which the first fluid is communicated from the first interior region to the annular slot, second discrete passageways by which the first fluid is communicated from the annular slot to the radial slots, and third discrete passageways by which the second fluid is communicated from the second interior region to the radial slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ilya Aleksandrovich Slobodyanskiy, William Francis Carnell, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9121613
    Abstract: The present application provides a combustor for combusting a number of flows of air and a number of flows of fuel. The combustor may include a central swirler for producing a high swirl quench air flow, a number of trapped vortex cavities surrounding the central swirler for producing a flow of combustion gases, a brief severe quench zone downstream of the trapped vortex cavities to quench the flow of combustion gases between an outer quench air flow and the high swirl quench air flow, and an expansion zone downstream of the brief severe quench zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Francis Carnell, Jr., Gregory Allen Boardman
  • Publication number: 20150241066
    Abstract: A system includes a gas turbine engine that includes a first combustor and a second combustor. The first combustor includes a first oxidant flow path and a first perforated structure comprising a first plurality of oxidant ports, wherein the first perforated structure is disposed in the first oxidant flow path. The second combustor includes a second oxidant flow path and a second perforated structure comprising a second plurality of oxidant ports. The second perforated structure is disposed in the second oxidant flow path and the first perforated structure has at least one difference relative to the second perforated structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sarah Lori Crothers, Lucas John Stoia, William Francis Carnell, JR.
  • Publication number: 20150219335
    Abstract: A system and method for reducing modal coupling of combustion dynamics among multiple combustors are provided. Each combustor may include one or more fuel nozzles axially aligned with a combustion chamber; one or more fuel injectors downstream from the fuel nozzles; and a set of flow openings integrated with the combustor. The fuel injectors provide fluid communication through a liner that circumferentially surrounds each combustion chamber. The flow rate of compressed working fluid diverted through the fuel injectors may be different and/or variable between the combustors to produce different combustion instability frequencies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sarah Lori Crothers, Christian Xavier Stevenson, William Francis Carnell, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20150159877
    Abstract: A manifold mixing system for combustor of a gas turbine engine includes a fuel supply, a fuel injector coupled with the fuel supply, and a manifold mixer cooperable with the fuel injector and including mixing air inlets. The fuel injector is displaceable relative to the manifold mixer while being positioned to deliver fuel from the fuel supply to the manifold mixer. The manifold mixer is shaped to mix the fuel from the fuel supply with air input via the mixing air inlets for injection into the combustor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lucas John Stoia, Patrick Benedict Melton, Ronnie Ray Pentecost, William Francis Carnell, JR.
  • Publication number: 20150052905
    Abstract: Systems and methods for pulse-width modulation of late lean liquid injection velocity can be provided by certain embodiments of the disclosure. In one embodiment, a gas turbine combustor utilizing a late lean injection scheme can be provided, wherein the combustor can include a combustor liner and a transition piece. Methods described herein can allow for dynamic and intelligent adjustment of the late lean injection scheme based on a duty cycle and, optionally, a measured combustion gases temperature profile. The adjustments can involve a pulse-width modification of the duty cycle, which in turn can affect a fuel introduction velocity. Dynamic control of the fuel introduction velocity can provide for improved fuel droplet penetration and moving the heat release zone away from walls of the transitional piece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: William Francis Carnell, JR., Ilya Aleksandrovich Slobodyanskiy
  • Publication number: 20150047360
    Abstract: A system for injecting a liquid fuel into a combustion gas flow field includes an annular liner that defines a combustion gas flow path. The annular liner includes an inner wall, an outer wall and a fuel injector opening that extends through the inner wall and the outer wall. The system further includes a gas fuel injector that is coaxially aligned with the fuel injector opening. The gas fuel injector includes an upstream end and a downstream end. The downstream end terminates substantially adjacent to the inner wall. A dilution air passage is at least partially defined by the gas fuel injector. A liquid fuel injector extends partially through the dilution air passage. The liquid fuel injector includes an injection end that terminates upstream from the inner wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Abinash Baruah, Gilbert Otto Kraemer, Predrag Popovic, William Francis Carnell, JR.
  • Publication number: 20130323518
    Abstract: A coating process, a coating, and a coated component are disclosed. The coating process includes providing a MCrAlY substrate, applying a thermal barrier coating to the MCrAlY substrate, applying a flash layer to the thermal barrier coating, the flash layer including an inert ceramic, applying a reaction product deposition onto the thermal barrier coating, the reaction product deposition including reaction products selected from the group consisting of a magnesium oxide compound, a magnesium orthovanadate compound, a magnesium vanadate compound, a magnesium pyrovanadate compound, a magnesium sulfate compound, and combinations thereof. The reaction products are by-products of a doped fuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Surinder Singh PABLA, Gilbert Otto KRAEMER, Richard Todd EVERHART, William Francis CARNELL, JR.
  • Publication number: 20130318992
    Abstract: The present application provides a combustor for combusting a number of flows of air and a number of flows of fuel. The combustor may include a central swirler for producing a high swirl quench air flow, a number of trapped vortex cavities surrounding the central swirler for producing a flow of combustion gases, a brief severe quench zone downstream of the trapped vortex cavities to quench the flow of combustion gases between an outer quench air flow and the high swirl quench air flow, and an expansion zone downstream of the brief severe quench zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: William Francis Carnell, JR., Gregory Allen Boardman