Patents by Inventor William G. Cummings, III

William G. Cummings, III 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: 11274829
    Abstract: A combustor adapted for use in a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The combustor includes a metallic shell forming a cavity and a ceramic liner arranged in the cavity of the metallic shell. The ceramic liner defines a combustion chamber in which fuel is burned during operation of a gas turbine engine. The ceramic liner includes a plurality of ceramic tiles mounted to the metallic shell and arranged to shield the metallic shell from heat generated in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Charles B. Graves, Russell N. Bennett, William G. Cummings, III, Jun Shi
  • Publication number: 20200033005
    Abstract: A combustor adapted for use in a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The combustor includes a metallic shell forming a cavity and a ceramic liner arranged in the cavity of the metallic shell. The ceramic liner defines a combustion chamber in which fuel is burned during operation of a gas turbine engine. The ceramic liner includes a plurality of ceramic tiles mounted to the metallic shell and arranged to shield the metallic shell from heat generated in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: Charles B. Graves, Russell N. Bennett, William G. Cummings, III, Jun Shi
  • Patent number: 10458652
    Abstract: A combustor adapted for use in a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The combustor includes a metallic shell forming a cavity and a ceramic liner arranged in the cavity of the metallic shell. The ceramic liner defines a combustion chamber in which fuel is burned during operation of a gas turbine engine. The ceramic liner includes a plurality of ceramic tiles mounted to the metallic shell and arranged to shield the metallic shell from heat generated in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Charles B. Graves, Russell N. Bennett, William G. Cummings, III, Jun Shi
  • Patent number: 10228139
    Abstract: A method for operating a gas turbine engine during flight operation of the gas turbine engine in an aircraft may include measuring a gas temperature downstream of the combustor using a plurality of temperature measurement devices circumferentially disposed about an engine centerline and varying the output of at least one fuel injector in a first direction and the output of at least another fuel injector in a second direction, while maintaining a thrust output of the gas turbine engine during the flight operation. A gas turbine engine may include temperature measurement devices circumferentially disposed about an engine centerline and a system configured for varying the output of at least one fuel injector in a first direction and the output of at least another fuel injector in a second direction, while maintaining a power output of the gas turbine engine. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for gas turbine engines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: William G. Cummings, III
  • Patent number: 10151243
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a compressor, a turbine, and a combustor. The combustor includes a fuel injector and a vaporizer within the combustor positioned to receive liquid fuel from the fuel injector to vaporize the liquid fuel therein. The gas turbine engine includes an enclosed passage external to the combustor having a wall, a diffuser positioned to direct the air into the passage, causing the air to cool by transferring heat through the wall from the air within the passage to the vaporized fuel within the vaporizer, and a cooled cooling air passageway positioned to receive the air from the passage and direct the air after being cooled to at least one of the turbine and the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Duane A. Smith, William G. Cummings, III
  • Publication number: 20170146241
    Abstract: A combustor adapted for use in a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The combustor includes a metallic shell forming a cavity and a ceramic liner arranged in the cavity of the metallic shell. The ceramic liner defines a combustion chamber in which fuel is burned during operation of a gas turbine engine. The ceramic liner includes a plurality of ceramic tiles mounted to the metallic shell and arranged to shield the metallic shell from heat generated in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Inventors: Charles B. Graves, Russell N. Bennett, William G. Cummings, III, Jun Shi
  • Patent number: 9651258
    Abstract: A combustor for use in a gas turbine engine includes a liner with a plurality of tiles coupled to a shell via a plurality of fasteners. Each of the plurality of fasteners extends through at least one of the tiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Charles B. Graves, William G. Cummings, III, Russell N. Bennett, Jun Shi
  • Patent number: 9458768
    Abstract: A method including providing a wet algae material having been subjected to a refinement process without a water separation phase; supplying the wet algae material including a water fraction and an algae-grown biofuel to a turbine engine; and operating the turbine engine with the wet algae material where a retained portion of the water fraction is retained in the wet biofuel during a manufacturing process not including a dehydration step and includes an amount sufficient to reduce generation of a quantity of nitrogen oxides, and where the turbine engine can further include a combustor capable of combusting the wet biofuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: William G. Cummings, III, Enrico Lo Gatto
  • Patent number: 9423129
    Abstract: A combustor adapted for use in a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The combustor includes a metallic shell forming a cavity and a ceramic liner arranged in the cavity of the metallic shell. The ceramic liner defines a combustion chamber in which fuel is burned during operation of a gas turbine engine. The ceramic liner includes a plurality of ceramic tiles mounted to the metallic shell and arranged to shield the metallic shell from heat generated in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Charles B Graves, William G Cummings, III, Russell N Bennett, Jun Shi
  • Publication number: 20160186661
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a compressor, a turbine, and a combustor. The combustor includes a fuel injector and a vaporizer within the combustor positioned to receive liquid fuel from the fuel injector to vaporize the liquid fuel therein. The gas turbine engine includes an enclosed passage external to the combustor having a wall, a diffuser positioned to direct the air into the passage, causing the air to cool by transferring heat through the wall from the air within the passage to the vaporized fuel within the vaporizer, and a cooled cooling air passageway positioned to receive the air from the passage and direct the air after being cooled to at least one of the turbine and the compressor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Duane A. Smith, William G. Cummings, III
  • Publication number: 20150330633
    Abstract: A combustor for use in a gas turbine engine includes a liner with a plurality of tiles coupled to a shell via a plurality of fasteners. Each of the plurality of fasteners extends through at least one of the tiles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Inventors: Charles B. Graves, William G. Cummings, III, Russell N. Bennett, Jun Shi
  • Publication number: 20150000291
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine having a combustor is disclosed in which a heat exchanger is disposed within the combustor. The heat exchanger can take the form of a fuel/air heat exchanger. In one form the heat exchanger includes a path for cooling air to be conveyed to a location external to the combustor. Cooled cooling air carried through the path can be created through action of heat transfer from the cooling air to a fuel flowing in the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger can include a fuel vaporizer in one form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventors: Duane A. Smith, William G. Cummings, III
  • Publication number: 20140360196
    Abstract: A combustor adapted for use in a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The combustor includes a metallic shell forming a cavity and a ceramic liner arranged in the cavity of the metallic shell. The ceramic liner defines a combustion chamber in which fuel is burned during operation of a gas turbine engine. The ceramic liner includes a plurality of ceramic tiles mounted to the metallic shell and arranged to shield the metallic shell from heat generated in the combustion chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Charles B. Graves, William G. Cummings, III, Russell N. Bennett, Jun Shi
  • Publication number: 20140260304
    Abstract: A method including providing a wet algae material having been subjected to a refinement process without a water separation phase; supplying the wet algae material including a water fraction and an algae-grown biofuel to a turbine engine; and operating the turbine engine with the wet algae material where a retained portion of the water fraction is retained in the wet biofuel during a manufacturing process not including a dehydration step and includes an amount sufficient to reduce generation of a quantity of nitrogen oxides, and where the turbine engine can further include a combustor capable of combusting the wet biofuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: William G. CUMMINGS, III, Enrico LO GATTO
  • Publication number: 20140238037
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present disclosure is a unique method for operating a gas turbine engine during flight operation of the gas turbine engine in an aircraft. Another embodiment of the present disclosure is a unique gas turbine engine. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for gas turbine engines. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: William G. Cummings, III
  • Patent number: 6238206
    Abstract: A burner (10) for use in both high O2 environments and low O2 environments comprises an outer tube (24) and an inner tube (26). The outer tube (24) defines a flow passage (53) and includes an inlet portion (42), an outlet portion (46), and a nozzle portion (44) interconnecting the inlet portion (42) and outlet portion (46). The inlet portion (42) has a larger effective cross-sectional area than the outlet portion (46) so that air (20) or an air-and-fuel mixture (35) moving through nozzle portion (44) is accelerated. The inner tube (26) is positioned to lie in the flow passage (53) of the outer tube (24) and is formed to include fuel-injection holes (78) to conduct fuel (33) into the flow passage (53).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Maxon Corporation
    Inventors: William G. Cummings, III, Curtis L. Taylor
  • Patent number: 6059566
    Abstract: A burner apparatus is provided in accordance with the present invention that includes a case coupled to an air supply and a nozzle positioned to lie in case and coupled to a fuel supply. Nozzle defines at least one air-flow cavity inside case. Nozzle is formed to include a fuel-distribution chamber and at least one fuel-discharge port to communicate fuel from fuel-distribution chamber into air passing from air supply through each air-flow cavity. Fuel) mixes with air in each air-flow cavity to produce a combustible air-and-fuel mixture therein which can be ignited to produce a flame in case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2000
    Assignee: Maxon Corporation
    Inventor: William G. Cummings, III
  • Patent number: 5344308
    Abstract: A combustion noise suppression system for a combustor assembly includes a number of holes formed in the combustor housing at a distance from the location at which an air and fuel mixture is introduced into the housing and ignited to produce flame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1994
    Assignee: Maxon Corporation
    Inventor: William G. Cummings, III
  • Patent number: 5236350
    Abstract: A nozzle is provided for discharging a combustible air and fuel mixture into the combustion chamber of a cyclonic combustor. The nozzle includes a centrally located air plenum and a plurality of passageways for discharging air from the plenum into the combustion chamber. The nozzle also includes a fuel jet system for discharging fuel into each air discharge passageway to mix with the combustion air passing therethrough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Maxon Corporation
    Inventors: William G. Cummings, III, William P. Coppin, David A. Jarvis
  • Patent number: D322704
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1991
    Assignee: Looker, Inc.
    Inventor: William G. Cummings, III