Patents Issued in August 1, 2017
  • Patent number: 9719329
    Abstract: A buoyancy apparatus operable for connecting to a downhole tool string conveyable within a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation. The buoyancy apparatus comprises a mandrel having an axially extending bore, a first connector disposed at a first end of the mandrel and operable for connecting the buoyancy apparatus to a first portion of the downhole tool string, and a second connector disposed at a second end of the mandrel and operable for connecting the buoyancy apparatus to a second portion of the downhole tool string. A shell extends around the mandrel to define an annular space between the shell and the mandrel. A buoyant material is retained within in the annular space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Impact Selector International, LLC
    Inventor: Jason Allen Hradecky
  • Patent number: 9719330
    Abstract: An apparatus for, and method of, reducing a pendulum motion of a piece of subsea equipment during a landing operation includes a frame assembly arranged for connection to the piece of subsea equipment; a sheet of arrestor material disposed within a perimeter of the frame assembly, and a drive mechanism arranged to move the sheet of arrestor material between a first position and a second position, each position providing a different amount of surface area than the other to create a different drag force on the equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventor: Andrew Jaffrey
  • Patent number: 9719331
    Abstract: A machine includes a spindle for storing wire, a wire passage structure having an interface coupline, a controllable drive system, a control system, and a pressure-resistant housing. The drive system is configured to feed the wire through the wire passage structure and through the interface coupling, under the control of the control system. The housing encloses the wire passage structure, the controllable drive system, and at least a portion of the control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Inventors: Alexander H. Slocum, Folkers Eduardo Rojas
  • Patent number: 9719332
    Abstract: A process for reducing wellbore instability includes inputting pre-drilling assessment information into an hydraulics analysis and wellbore stability application, inputting a well plan into the hydraulics and wellbore analysis application, inputting a parameter measured at the wellsite into the hydraulics and wellbore stability analysis application, inputting an observation made at the wellsite into the hydraulics and wellbore stability analysis application, integrating the pre-drilling assessment information, the measured parameter, and the observation into the wellbore strengthening analysis application, and adjusting a drilling fluid parameter in response to the integrated pre-drilling assessment information, the measured parameter, and the observation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Mario Zamora, Quanxin Guo, Sanjit Roy
  • Patent number: 9719333
    Abstract: A fine computer model covering an area includes a fine grid. A fault follows a fine-grid-path. The fault divides the area into a first fine side and a second fine. A model of a source of fluid flow is on the first fine side of the area. A model of a sink of fluid flow is on the second fine side of the area. The computer coarsens the model. The fault follows a coarse-grid-path in the coarsened model. The coarse-grid-path divides the area into a first coarse side and a second coarse side. The model of the source and the model of the sink are on the first coarse side of the area. One of the source or the sink is moved to the second coarse side of the area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: LANDMARK GRAPHICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: John Edwin Killough
  • Patent number: 9719334
    Abstract: A tool and method employing sand jetting to perforate a wellbore casing at various locations using sandjetting, and to further flush the wellbore in the region of the tool, and to further frac the formation, all without having to remove the tool from the wellbore. An uphole and downhole packer is provided, uphole of which a sand jet port is provided for jetting a fluid stream containing sand. Locking jaw members and a ‘j’ slot subassembly, downhole of both the jet port and frac port, are together used to set and unset the tool in the wellbore for the fracking operation. A slidable sleeve is utilized to open and close the jet port, and a piston member is further provided to set the upper packer member. A bypass port, selectively openable and closeable, is provided to assist in moving the tool uphole during the perforating and fracking process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Inventor: William Jani
  • Patent number: 9719335
    Abstract: An enhanced recovery method that optimizes the stages of pumping, transport and surface treatment of the production effluent, during which a sweep fluid having at least one polymer so as to displace hydrocarbons towards a production well is injected into a reservoir, the resulting production effluent having hydrocarbons is collected through the production well, and a degradation agent for a polymer within the sweep fluid is injected into the effluent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: IFP ENERGIES NOUVELLES
    Inventors: Jean-Francois Argillier, Isabelle Henaut, Adeline Dupas
  • Patent number: 9719336
    Abstract: A zonal isolation and treatment tool having a reversible fluid booster pump with a reversible motor, both an upper isolation and a lower isolation packer having an elastic surface, a treatment fluid distributor that provides selective fluid access and an electronics control package that couples to the reversible motor. The method includes introducing the tool into the well bore, inflating the upper and lower isolation packers using well bore fluid, introducing the treatment fluid into the well bore such that it is positioned proximate to the tool, operating the tool such that the treatment fluid is introduced into the isolated well bore volume, and maintaining the isolated well bore volume such that the targeted stratum forms a treated stratum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventor: Jack D. Lynn
  • Patent number: 9719337
    Abstract: Heavy oil recovery using downhole radio frequency radiation heating accelerates SAGD thermal recovery processes. In one embodiment, one or more SAGD well pairs traverse a subterranean formation for recovering heavy oil. The SAGD well pairs each create a steam chamber which, over time, expands to allow each steam chamber to interact with one another and in this way, increases the recovery heavy oil from the formation. One or more antennas may be interposed between the steam chambers to introduce electromagnetic radiation into the formation to heat the fluids therein to accelerate expansion of the steam chambers, particularly where antennas are judiciously situated to optimize steam chamber expansion. Where an infill production well is present, the antennas may be situated to accelerate steam chamber communication with the infill production well. Advantages include lower cost, higher efficiencies, quicker and increased hydrocarbon recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Wendell Peter Menard, David Andrew Brown, Chris Lehecka
  • Patent number: 9719338
    Abstract: In one example of determining fracturing rheological behavior of fracturing fluids, a reference viscosity and fluid properties of a fracturing fluid are received. A fracturing rheological behavior of the fracturing fluid is modeled using a fluid model that models the fracturing rheological behavior of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids based, in part, on the received reference viscosity and the received fluid properties of the fracturing fluid. The fracturing rheological behavior of the fracturing fluid is provided. If a fracturing fluid is a mixture of two or more fracturing fluids, then a rheological behavior of the mixture is modeled based on a mixing rheological model. The fracturing rheological behavior of the mixture is then modeled based on the rheological behavior modeled by the mixing rheological model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Pandurang Manohar Kulkarni, Andrey Filippov, Harold Grayson Walters
  • Patent number: 9719339
    Abstract: A well with existing perforations is re-fractured by positioning isolators at locations offset from the existing perforations and perforating through those isolators. The isolators are part of a bottom hole assembly that can be delivered on coiled or rigid tubing. The initial fractures can be straddled by the isolators with no mandrel openings between them to effectively isolate the existing perforations as new perforations take place through the isolators. The elements of the isolators can have internal gaps to allow for axial shifting after perforation that is thermally induced. The gaps assure remaining alignment with the new perforations despite some axial shifting. The bottom hole assembly can alternatively have an anchor to resist thermally induced forces that can cause axial shifting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Bennett M. Richard, Edward T. Wood
  • Patent number: 9719340
    Abstract: A system and method is described that provides for proppant to be blended into a liquefied gas fluid stream with an eductor to produce a proppant slurry which is effectively controlled by the use of a control valve system and associated PLC controller. This system ensures allowing for operation of the system at various static pressures and keeps the proppant completely fluidized throughout the fracing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: PRAXAIR TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: William Scharmach, Daniel Dalton, Gregory J. Panuccio
  • Patent number: 9719341
    Abstract: To control well drilling, information relating to a trajectory of a well is received, and fluid flow in the well is simulated according to the received information. Simulating the fluid production comprises simulating production flow assurance that seeks to reduce occurrence of mixtures of different types of fluids that reduce production of a target fluid. In response to results of the simulating, a further trajectory for further drilling of the well is identified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Lucian K. Johnston, Shahid Azizul Haq
  • Patent number: 9719342
    Abstract: Drill bit assembly imaging systems and methods are disclosed herein. An example method disclosed herein includes directing light conveying an image of a target through a portion of a drill bit assembly and capturing the image via an image sensor disposed inside the drill bit assembly. The example method also include determining drilling information based on the image via an image processor disposed inside the drill bit assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignees: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, THE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO
    Inventors: Theodorus Tjhang, Masatoshi Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 9719343
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for passively detecting the presence of near-surface human-scale underground anomalies using earth field measurements. A sensor is used to measure at least one electric or magnetic component of the Earth's electromagnetic field at a frequency of 5 kHz or greater in proximity to the Earth's surface for a given area. The measured intensities are used to identify variations indicative of the presence of a near-surface human-scale underground anomaly. Measuring the intensity of at least one component of the electromagnetic field at a plurality of frequencies of 5 kHz or greater can be used to determine the depth and characteristic of a near-surface human-scale underground anomaly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Terra Response, LLC
    Inventors: James E. Smith, Franz A. Pertl, Roy S. Nutter, Jr., Andrew D. Lowery
  • Patent number: 9719344
    Abstract: An apparatus for horizontal directional drilling includes a housing and a sonde transmitter mounted in the housing. The housing includes a main fluid channel to permit a flow of a fluid therethrough. The apparatus further includes a fluid outlet at the front of the housing in communication with the main fluid channel and adapted to emit fluid. from the front of the housing during pilot bore operations. The housing further includes a plurality of fluid ports in fluid communication with the main fluid channel and adapted to emit fluid from the housing during pullback operations. Drill bits, drill bit adapters adapters, swivel connectors, and tow heads adapted to be coupled to the drill bits for direct pullback operations, as well as methods of direct pullback operations during horizontal direction drilling are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Melfred Borzall, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Melsheimer
  • Patent number: 9719345
    Abstract: A wireless communications system for a downhole drilling operation comprises surface communications equipment and a downhole telemetry tool. The surface communications equipment comprises a surface EM communications module with an EM downlink transmitter configured to transmit an EM downlink transmission at a frequency between 0.01 Hz and 0.1 Hz. The downhole telemetry tool is mountable to a drill string and has a downhole electromagnetic (EM) communications unit with an EM downlink receiver configured to receive the EM downlink transmission. The downhole EM communications unit can further comprise an EM uplink transmitter configured to transmit an EM uplink transmission at a frequency greater than 0.5 Hz, in which case the surface EM communications module further comprises an EM uplink receiver configured to receive the EM uplink transmission.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Evolution Engineering Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Switzer, Jili Liu, Mingdong Xu, Mojtaba Kazemi Miraki, Aaron W. Logan
  • Patent number: 9719346
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a housing. The housing includes a concentrator and a plurality of signal acquisition devices. Each signal acquisition device is coupled to a respective sensor. Each sensor measures an environmental parameter outside the housing. Each signal acquisition device includes an acoustic transducer. Each signal acquisition device includes a controller to accept measurements from the respective sensor, process the measurements and format them into a transmittable form, and transmit the formatted measurements via the acoustic transducer. A concentrator includes an acoustic transducer to receive acoustic transmissions from the plurality of signal acquisition devices, a processor to process the received acoustic transmissions, and a telemetry device through which the processor can transmit the processed transmissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, inc.
    Inventors: Qi Cao, Alberto Quintero, Jing Jin
  • Patent number: 9719347
    Abstract: Flow electrification sensors and methods relating thereto may be useful in characterizing fluids, especially the in situ characterization of fluids produced during oil and gas production operations. A system may include a flow path; a flow electrification sensor at least partially contained within the flow path, the flow electrification sensor comprising a static charge accumulator and an insulator arranged such that the static charge accumulator interacts with a fluid in the flow path; a reference sensor; and a signal processor communicably coupled to the flow electrification sensor and the reference sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Zachary Ryan Murphree, Michael Linley Fripp
  • Patent number: 9719348
    Abstract: The invention relates to a bit holder for an earth working machine, in particular a road milling machine, having a support member onto which an insertion projection is indirectly or directly attached on an insertion projection side, the support member comprising two first and/or two second stripping surfaces that are at an angle to one another, and the support member having a working side that comprises a bit receptacle. In order to achieve a stable and long-lived configuration for such a bit holder, provision is made according to the present invention that the first and/or second stripping surfaces diverge from the insertion projection side toward the working side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Wirtgen GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas Lehnert, Karsten Buhr, Cyrus Barimani, Günter Hähn, Karl Kammerer, Markus Roth, Bernhard Diessner
  • Patent number: 9719349
    Abstract: A support system, an excavation arrangement, and a process of supporting an object are disclosed. The support system includes a weight-bearing device and a camming mechanism positioned below the weight-bearing device. A downward force on the weight-bearing device at least partially secures the camming mechanism to opposing surfaces. The excavation arrangement includes a borehole, a support system positioned within and secured to the borehole, and an object positioned on and supported by the support system. The process includes positioning and securing the support system and positioning the object on the weight-bearing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventor: Bill W. Arnold
  • Patent number: 9719350
    Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to apparatuses and methods involving an engine and/or motor having piston lobes that rotate with a drive shaft or shafts, which may be implemented with a toroidal-based engine housing. As may be implemented with some embodiments, an apparatus includes drive shafts having a common axis of rotation, with each drive shaft operable to rotate independently of the other drive shaft. The housing extends around the drive shafts, and defines a sidewall of a chamber having inlet and exhaust ports. Clutch bearings limit rotation of the drive shafts to a common rotational direction. One or more piston lobes are connected to each drive shaft, with each piston lobe being disposed within the chamber and operable to move circumferentially within the chamber about the axis of rotation, with the drive shaft to which it is coupled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Inventor: Edward Alan Hicks
  • Patent number: 9719351
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a rotary motor, comprising a plurality of vanes, wherein each of the vanes is split into two subvanes, one or more elastic members, wherein the elastic member is configured to push each of the subvanes forming a vane toward an end plate to form a seal between the subvane and the end plate; an inner rotary member housing the plurality of vanes projecting from a central rotation axis of the inner rotor; a lobe member encompassing the inner rotary member and the plurality of vanes; a plurality of chambers wherein each of the chambers is encompassed by an inner surface of the lobe member and an outer surface of the inner rotary member; and one or more end plates to enclose the plurality of vanes, the inner rotary member, the lobe member and the plurality of chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: SPX Corporation
    Inventor: Michael T. Landrum
  • Patent number: 9719352
    Abstract: A compartment based inlet particle separator system for an aircraft that includes an auxiliary power unit (APU) system compartment is provided. The system includes a separation barrier wall, a ram air inlet opening, a diffuser, and an inlet particle separator (IPS). The separation barrier wall is disposed within the APU system compartment and divides the APU system compartment into two compartments. The ram air inlet opening is formed one of the compartments. The diffuser receives ram air from a ram air inlet opening and discharges ram air into a compartment. The IPS is disposed within the a compartment between the diffuser outlet and the APU air inlet port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Yogendra Yogi Sheoran, Bruce Dan Bouldin, Marcos Alazraki, Adam Kowal, Rob Robbins, Jennifer Ann Reich
  • Patent number: 9719353
    Abstract: An article may include a substrate, a diffusion barrier layer formed on the substrate, and a protective layer formed on the diffusion barrier coating. The diffusion barrier layer may include iridium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ann Bolcavage, Randolph C. Helmink
  • Patent number: 9719354
    Abstract: A gas turbine burns the air compressed in a compressor with supplying fuel in a combustor so as to obtain rotary power by supplying the generated combustion gas to a turbine. The turbine includes turbine vane elements and turbine blade elements that are alternately positioned in a direction in which the combustion gas fluidizes in a turbine cylinder having a cylindrical shape, and a flue gas diffuser having a cylindrical shape and connected to a rear portion of the turbine cylinder. The turbine blade element includes a plurality of turbine blades positioned at equal intervals in the circumference direction. The turbine blades have a throat width on a longitudinal end side made larger than a throat width on a longitudinally intermediate portion side. This efficiently restores the pressure of the flue gas. This improves the efficiency of the turbine so that the performance can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HITACHI POWER SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kitagawa, Yasuro Sakamoto, Eisaku Ito
  • Patent number: 9719355
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a blade for use with a rotary machine includes coupling a suction-side section of a part-span shroud to a suction-side surface of an airfoil of the blade. A first point of the airfoil suction-side surface, defined where a trailing edge of the suction-side section intersects the airfoil suction-side surface, is upstream from a second point, defined where a throat intersects the airfoil suction-side surface. A third point, defined where a leading edge of the suction-side section intersects the airfoil suction-side surface, is downstream from a fourth point, defined at a leading edge of the blade. The method also includes coupling a pressure-side section of the part-span shroud to a pressure-side surface of the airfoil. A fifth point of the airfoil pressure-side surface, defined where a trailing edge of the pressure-side section intersects the airfoil pressure-side surface, is downstream from the first point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Rohit Chouhan, Sumeet Soni
  • Patent number: 9719356
    Abstract: An automated technique for finishing gas turbine engine blades or vanes by generating a bespoke tooling path for each blade or vane. The bespoke tooling path is generated by scanning the aerofoil surface to generate a 3-D electronic representation of the surface. The 3-D electronic surface is then analyzed to identify imperfections or defects, and then a machining path a generated through which the imperfections can be removed. The machining path is determined so as to smoothly blend the surface back to the underlying surface where the imperfections had been present. In this way, the resulting aerofoil, once machined, has optimized aerodynamic performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Roisin Louise Hanlon
  • Patent number: 9719357
    Abstract: One aspect of the present application provides an apparatus comprising a shape operable as a gas turbine engine component, an internal cavity within the shape including a radius, a trench on an external surface of the shape including a rear face tangential to an arc centered on the radius of the internal cavity, and a cooling hole extending from the internal cavity and exiting to the trench through the rear face of the trench wherein a cooling fluid introduced to the internal cavity flows through the cooling hole and into the trench during operation of the gas turbine engine component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jack K. Moody, Richard C. Uskert, Adam L. Chamberlain, David J. Thomas
  • Patent number: 9719358
    Abstract: A method for casting a turbine blade body comprises; providing a mold defining the external geometry of the blade body; providing a core defining an internal geometry of the blade body, the core comprising a main body defining an internal chamber of the blade body and having a root end and a tip end and a plurality of pedestals defining an array of cooling channels extending from the internal chamber; casting a molten material between the mold and the core; and removing the core after the molten material has solidified, wherein the pedestals are arranged in a single row starting from the root end to a mid-portion of the main body branching into multiple and divergent rows towards the tip end of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Christopher Neale, Marta Villasante Llarena
  • Patent number: 9719359
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade 2 comprises a profiled contour including a leading edge 34 and a trailing edge 33 as well as a pressure side and a suction side. The profiled contour is formed by a first shell part 10 and a second shell part 15 being bonded together in a bonding region between the first and the second shell part by a curable bonding means 40. The first and the second shell part 10; 15 are formed in a fiber-reinforced polymer. The wind turbine blade further comprises resistive heating means 50 being arranged in thermal connection with the bonding means 40 such that the resistive heating means 50 supplies heat for curing of the curable bonding means 40 during assembling of the wind turbine blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: LM WP PATENT HOLDINGS A/S
    Inventors: Martin Dahl, Bjarne Krab Mortensen, Benjamin Hornblow
  • Patent number: 9719360
    Abstract: A turbomachine component having a main body and a multilayer coating, which is applied directly to the main body is provided. The multilayer coating is at least 5 ?m and at most 35 ?m thick and has a plurality of layers applied directly one on top of the other, wherein the layer applied directly to the main body is an adhesion promoting layer, which comprises chromium nitride, and at least one of the remaining layers comprises a hard material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Jochen Barnikel, Christian Bohme, Torsten-Ulf Kern, Jorg Schurhoff, Shilun Sheng, Armin de Lazzer
  • Patent number: 9719361
    Abstract: A synthetic jet for a stationary vane for a turbo-machine is disclosed. The synthetic jet includes a backside cavity and a jet cavity. The jet cavity includes a frontside cavity adjoining the backside cavity and a jet passage extending from a fluid stream interfacing surface of the airfoil towards the frontside cavity. The jet passage is in flow communication with the frontside cavity. The synthetic jet also includes a disk located between the backside cavity and the frontside cavity. The disk includes a cylindrical disk and a coating on each side of the cylindrical disk. The coating is a piezo electric ceramic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Solar Turbines Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael James Cave, Ricardo Benjamin Torres, Gustaaf Bernardus Jacobs
  • Patent number: 9719362
    Abstract: A turbine nozzle assembly includes an inner circumferential support platform, an outer circumferential support platform, and a plurality of airfoil vanes disposed between the inner circumferential support platform and the outer circumferential support platform. The turbine nozzle assembly further includes a plurality of impingement plates disposed along a radially outer surface of the outer circumferential support platform or a radially inner surface of the inner circumferential support platform, and a plurality of gap-maintaining features disposed between the plurality of outer or inner circumferential support platforms and the plurality of impingement plates. Each gap-maintaining feature of the plurality of gap-maintaining features is provided at a height such that a cooling air flow space is maintained between the plurality of outer or inner circumferential support platforms and the plurality of impingement plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Rajiv Rana, Ardeshir Riahi, Bradley Reed Tucker, David Chou
  • Patent number: 9719363
    Abstract: A seal segment for a gas turbine engine includes a first axial span that extends between the first radial span and the second radial span. A second axial span extends between the first radial span and the second radial span, the first radial span, the second radial span, the first axial span and the second axial span forming a torque box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: David R Pack, Julian Partyka, James D. Hill, Gabriel L Suciu, Gregory M Dolansky, Brian D Merry
  • Patent number: 9719364
    Abstract: A process for machining a turbine engine blade outer air seal in situ, the process comprising replacing a blade with a cutting tool assembly proximate a blade outer air seal, wherein the blade outer air seal is assembled in a gas turbine engine case. The process includes coupling a blower to the blade outer air seal. The blade outer air seal comprises at least one flow path. The process includes creating a purge air stream with the blower through the blade outer air seal. The process includes machining the blade outer air seal, wherein particulate is formed from the machining. The process includes preventing the particulate from blocking the at least one flow path of the blade outer air seal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Graham Ryan Philbrick, Patrick D Couture
  • Patent number: 9719365
    Abstract: A clearance control device including a segment having a passage to deliver fluid towards a component rotating past the segment. Also a fluid flow device having a first fluid path coupled to the passage and a second fluid path that is decoupled from the passage. A first plasma generator is located in the fluid flow device that directs fluid towards the first fluid path; a second plasma generator is located in the fluid flow device that directs fluid towards the second fluid path; and a control arrangement is configured to alternately energize the first and second plasma generators at an energizing frequency to deliver fluid to the passage at a frequency coincident with the passing frequency of the component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Marko Bacic, Timothy John Scanlon, Ronald William Daniel
  • Patent number: 9719366
    Abstract: Systems and methods for blade health monitoring are provided. According to one embodiment of the disclosure, a system may include a feature extraction module and an anomaly detection module in communication with the extraction module. The feature extraction module may be configured to continuously receive blade passing signal data associated with clearance of a blade and pre-process the blade passing signal data. Blade clearance feature data may be extracted from the blade passing signal data prior to transmission to the anomaly detection module. The anomaly detection module may be configured to normalize the blade clearance feature data received from the extraction module, analyze the blade clearance feature data to detect a shift in the clearance of the blade, and determine an abnormality of the blade based on the shift exceeding a predetermined shift threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lijie Yu, Venkatesh Rajagopalan, Sachin Srivastava, Mayank Lalan
  • Patent number: 9719367
    Abstract: An exemplary method of controlling fluid flow in a ram air turbine assembly, includes redirecting flow moving in an axial direction against the surface of a drive shaft to flow moving in a radial direction away from the drive shaft to limit flow of the fluid from a hydraulic pump to a generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: David Everett Russ
  • Patent number: 9719368
    Abstract: A method of inspecting the fan track liner of a gas turbine engine of a type having a rotatable propulsive fan circumscribed by a fan track liner and having a plurality of fan blades extending radially outwardly from a central hub. The method comprises the steps of: affixing at least part of an inspecting device to the fan so as to be directed towards the fan track liner; and rotating the fan within the fan track liner to move the at least part of the inspecting device circumferentially relative to at least a region of the fan track liner to thereby scan the region of the fan track liner with the at least part of the inspecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Michael David Ticehurst
  • Patent number: 9719369
    Abstract: A manufacturing method provides a high-quality material for ring rolling. The manufacturing method of the material for ring rolling includes a step of heating a disk-shaped material for hot forging to a hot working temperature, a step of arranging the material for hot forging onto a lower die having a convex portion with a truncated conical shape, a step of forming a thin portion by pressing a center portion of the material for hot forging by using an upper die having a convex portion with a truncated conical shape, and a step of manufacturing a material for ring rolling by removing the thin portion wherein a center of gravity on a half section of the material for ring rolling is located so as to be closer to an outer peripheral surface of the half section than a center of the half section in a thickness direction of the half section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Yagami, Toshiya Teramae, Etsuo Fujita, Shinya Nagao, Remi Mukouse, Naoyuki Iwasa, Tsuyoshi Fukui, Chuya Aoki
  • Patent number: 9719370
    Abstract: A linkage system includes a pivot bias assembly at each pivot which removes internal clearances and resultant vibratory wear. The pivot bias assembly includes a cavity which defines an axis transverse to the pivot axis. A spring biased piston is located therein to provide a radial load toward the rotation pivot to close radial clearances. The spring loaded piston reduces all the radial internal clearances to zero to reduce vibratory wear created by engine vibratory inputs. An assembly flat is positioned such that the component is assembled in a non-operating angular position such that the spring biased piston is under minimal or no load then the component is rotated into operating position so as to preload the spring biased piston.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Constantino V. Loffredo
  • Patent number: 9719371
    Abstract: A vane device for a gas turbine is provided. The vane device includes a first airfoil having a first suction side and a first pressure side, a second airfoil having a second suction side and a second pressure side, an inner shroud and an outer shroud. The first airfoil and the second airfoil are arranged between the inner shroud and the outer shroud, wherein the first airfoil and the second airfoil are at least partially coated with a MCrAlY coating. At least the first suction side has a first coated surface section which is coated with a thermal barrier coating and which represents at least a part of the total surface of the first suction side. At least the inner shroud or the outer shroud has a further coated surface section which is coated with a further thermal barrier coating. A corresponding method of manufacturing is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Steve Hannam, Paul Jenkinson, Paul Padley, Paul Mathew Walker
  • Patent number: 9719372
    Abstract: A gas turbomachine includes a casing assembly surrounding a portion of the gas turbomachine and a counter-flow cooling system arranged within the casing. The counter-flow cooling system is configured and disposed to guide cooling fluid through the casing assembly in a first axial direction and return cooling fluid through the casing assembly in a second axial direction that is opposite the first axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Henry Grady Ballard, Jr., Kenneth Damon Black, John David Memmer
  • Patent number: 9719373
    Abstract: A seal assembly for a gas turbine engine, may be manufactured in two pieces, the first piece is a seal plate with a cavity around its inner wall and the second piece is a sleeve that mounts in the cavity of the seal plate. The sleeve may have oil distribution channels that deliver oil to subsequent components and apertures that deliver oil to the seal plate. The volume of oil delivered to the seal plate can be set by the number of apertures and related radial holes in the sleeve. Because the sleeve delivers oil through the apertures and radial holes to an annulus in the cavity of the seal plate, cooling bores in the seal plate need only be drilled into the annulus and the number of cooling bores can be independent of the number of radial holes in the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Alexander J. Maret, James B. Coffin, Jonathan Logan Miller
  • Patent number: 9719374
    Abstract: A turbine housing includes a first shell member and a third shell member, which are formed from metal sheets and forming a housing body, and a tongue member, which is fixed to inner circumferential surfaces of the shell members and discrete from the shell members. The tongue member defines an inlet port and a scroll compartment in the housing body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Osamu Maeda, Kouji Nagai
  • Patent number: 9719375
    Abstract: A method of axially separating an annular system, such as a gas turbine engine (10), comprising first (34) and second (36) annular components. An annular array of fastenings (42) couples the first (34) and second (36) components together axially. The first (34) and second (36) components are supported by support tooling. The fastenings (42) are removed to leave one fastening (42) located on each side of the system. One of the remaining fastenings (42) is removed. The relative height of the first (34) and second (36) components is adjusted so that the apertures (46, 48) for the fastening (42) removed at the previous step are aligned. Then the final fastening (42) is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: Michael Leslie Burns
  • Patent number: 9719376
    Abstract: A system for connecting spaced components of a gas turbine engine includes connecting one end of a T-bar to each of the spaced components. One component is attached to the crossbar portion of the T-bar by trapping the crossbar between the component and a bracket. The second component is attached to the shaft portion using a hanger nut connected to the shaft portion of the T-bar and bolted to the second component. The system may be installed by attaching the crossbar portion, then advancing the first component towards the second component until the shaft portion passes through an aperture in the second component. The hanger nut is attached to the shaft portion and the second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Shawn M. McMahon, Jeffrey R. Lavin
  • Patent number: 9719377
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a gas turbine power plant, including a gas turbine, a HRSG following the gas turbine, an exhaust gas blower, and a carbon dioxide separation plant which separates the carbon dioxide contained in the exhaust gases and discharges it to a carbon dioxide outlet, the gas turbine, HRSG, exhaust gas blower, and carbon dioxide separation plant being connected by means of exhaust gas lines. According to the method a trip of the gas turbine power plant includes the steps of: stopping the fuel supply, switching off the exhaust gas blower, and controlling the opening angle of a VIGV at a position bigger or equal to a position required to keep a pressure in the exhaust gas lines between the HRSG and the exhaust gas blower above a minimum required pressure. The invention relates, further relates to a gas turbine power plant configured to carry out such a method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA IP UK LIMITED
    Inventors: Richard Carroni, Jürgen Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 9719378
    Abstract: A system and a method are provided that may be used to control the temperature of steam being reheated by a moisture separator reheater (MSR). One embodiment provides a system including a steam turbine, a moisture separator reheater coupled to the steam turbine, and a controller programmed to control a temperature of steam leaving the moisture separator reheater based at least in part on sensor feedback. The controller is programmed to facilitate substantially smooth linear temperature ramping.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Steven Craig Kluge, Michael James Molitor