Plural, Independently Adjustable Patents (Class 415/155)
  • Patent number: 10947861
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes a variable vane mechanism includes a unison ring and at least one bearing member that is fixed to the unison ring. The bearing member includes a bearing surface that supports rotation of the unison ring within the variable vane mechanism. The unison ring and the at least one bearing member have independent material characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: GARRETT TRANSPORTATION I INC
    Inventors: Arthur Jeanson, Philippe Arnold
  • Patent number: 10605253
    Abstract: A compressor system is provided with an impeller disposed to rotate in a compressor chamber. A diffuser extends around the impeller to collect fluid leaving the impeller. Main flow is discharged from the diffuser through an exit providing an opening that extends circumferentially around the compressor. A bleed annulus extends around the compressor and has a consistent cross-sectional area. A bleed port that opens the diffuser to the bleed annulus and that is configured to divert a bleed flow of the fluid from the main flow before discharge through the exit. The bleed port has a circumference around the compressor and a flow size that varies around the circumference. Variation in the flow size of the bleed port maintains a uniform flow distribution around the exit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Robert Hoover, Greg Ockenfels, Paul Zonneveld, Keith Sangston
  • Patent number: 9328714
    Abstract: Various examples provide a large scale hydroelectric power generating apparatus without dam, which includes a base and a turbine frame mounted on the base; a turbine shaft mounted within the turbine frame, connected to at least one generator, a first support assembly and a second support assembly mounted within the turbine frame for fixing the turbine shaft; hydraulic mechanisms having at least one layer of vanes mounted on the turbine shaft, each of the hydraulic mechanisms including a vane frame, multiple vane shafts mounted within the vane frame, and multiple vanes with the vane shafts as rotating axis; and vane stoppers mounted on the vane frame or on the vane shafts for controlling an opening angle of each of the vanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: SHANDONG ZHONGTAI NEW ENERGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jingfu Wang, Lijun Wang, Wenjun Wang
  • Patent number: 9322307
    Abstract: A device for cleaning a gas which is contaminated with particles, includes a centrifugal separator with a centrifugal rotor for separating the particles from the gas and a drive arrangement for rotating the centrifugal rotor about a rotational axis. The drive arrangement includes an impulse turbine drivingly connected to the centrifugal rotor and a nozzle for a pressurized fluid, the impulse turbine being arranged with buckets for receiving a jet of pressurized fluid from a nozzle directed against the buckets which are configured such that the fluid jet direction is reversed along a height of the bucket. The height of the bucket is 2-3 times the diameter of the nozzle opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: ALFA LAVAL CORPORATE AB
    Inventor: Thomas Andersson Aginger
  • Patent number: 8992164
    Abstract: The invention relates to a turbocharger (1) with variable turbine geometry (VTG), having a turbine housing (2) with a supply duct (9) for exhaust gases, having a turbine rotor (4) which is rotatably mounted in the turbine housing (2); and having a guide grate (18), which surrounds the turbine rotor (4) radially at the outside, which has a blade bearing ring (6), which has a multiplicity of guide blades (7) which have in each case one blade shaft (8) mounted in the blade bearing ring (6), which has an adjusting ring (5) which is operatively connected to the guide blades (7) by means of associated blade levers (20) fastened to the blade shafts (8) at one of their ends, with each blade lever (20) having, at the other end, a lever head (23) which can be placed in engagement with an associated engagement recess (24) of the adjusting ring (5), and which has a bearing arrangement (28) for fixing the adjusting ring (5) to the blade bearing ring (6), wherein the bearing arrangement (28) is formed as a plain bearing ar
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: BorgWarner Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Ramb, Dietmar Metz
  • Patent number: 8967945
    Abstract: A tip turbine engine according to the present invention includes a plurality of independently variable inlet guide vanes for the fan and/or for the compressor. An actuator is operatively coupled to each of the flaps, such that each actuator can selectively vary the flap of its associated inlet guide vane. In one embodiment, the inlet guide vanes each include a pivotably mounted flap that is variable independently of the flaps of at least some of the other inlet guide vanes. In another embodiment, the inlet guide vanes each include at least one fluid outlet or nozzle directing pressurized air, as controlled by the associated actuator, to control inlet distortion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Craig A. Nordeen, James W. Norris
  • Patent number: 8932008
    Abstract: A securing element includes a head section and a shank. The cross-section of the shank changes in the axial direction in such a way that, by taking into account a qualitative and/or quantitative predetermined bending torque profile in the shank, the cross-section has a substantially uniform bending stress profile in the shank in relation to a securing element with a constant shank cross-section. An exhaust gas turbocharger having variable turbine geometry includes a VTG-guide vane configuration having at least one such securing element and being secured to a housing component of the exhaust gas turbocharger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Boening, Dirk Frankenstein, Holger Faeth, Marc Hiller
  • Publication number: 20140356139
    Abstract: A shut-off valve for a turbine of an oscillating water column may include a plurality of guide vanes configured to control a fluid flow into a flow passage defined by the turbine. The plurality of guide vanes may be at least partially disposed within the flow passage and may include a plurality of fixed guide vanes and a plurality of movable guide vanes. The plurality of fixed guide vanes and the plurality of movable guide vanes may be sequentially disposed in an alternating pattern in the flow passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: DRESSER-RAND COMPANY LTD.
    Inventors: Russell Hall, Shahab Natanzi
  • Publication number: 20140133969
    Abstract: A variable geometry turbine comprises: a turbine wheel in a housing for rotation about a turbine axis; an annular inlet passage defined between respective radial inlet surfaces of first and second wall members, at least one of said first and second wall members being moveable along the turbine axis to vary the size of the inlet passage; an array of vanes extending across the inlet passage, said vanes being connected to said first wall member; a complementary array of vane slots defined by the second wall member, said vane slots configured to receive said vanes to accommodate relative movement between the first and second wall members; the second wall member comprising at least two axially adjacent co-axial plates, a first plate defining a first array of openings which overlie a second array of openings defined by a second plate so as to define said array of vane slots, said first plate being fixed to said second plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: Cummins Turbo Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Tom J. Roberts, Robert L. Holroyd
  • Publication number: 20140030059
    Abstract: One or more variable pitch airfoils in fluid communication with a rotor of a fluid turbine can control the amount of energy directed to the rotor, and further control the amount of energy generated by the turbine. Varying the pitch of the airfoils may provide a means of controlling the power output of a fluid turbine without the need to control the pitch of the rotor blades, and may further provide a means of mitigating the effects of wind shear on the rotor. Variable pitch airfoils may also include a means of controlling the active power, reactive power and SCADA, of a group of fluid turbines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: FloDesign Wind Turbine Corp.
    Inventors: Walter M. Presz, JR., Michael J. Werle, Søren Hjort, Rune Rubak, Bo Lovmand, Søren Dalsgaard
  • Patent number: 8454304
    Abstract: Bearing support structure for turbines comprising an inner ring (1) and an outer ring (2) radially connected by means of structural vanes (5) and aerodynamic vanes (6) in a circumference-like arrangement between both rings (1, 2). The aerodynamic vanes (6) are thinner and lighter than the structural vanes (5), and the number of structural vanes (5) depends exclusively on the loads of the bearing (3) housed in the structure to be transmitted to the anchoring points (7) of the engine assembly located in the outer ring (2), and on the amount of service fluids which must go through between the inner ring (1) and the outer ring (2), while the number of aerodynamic vanes (6) and their section depends exclusively on the aerodynamic requirements demanded from the support structure for the straightening of the turbine main flow. Thus, the structural vanes (5) fulfill only structural functions and the aerodynamic vanes (6) fulfill only aerodynamic functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Industria de Turbo Propulores, S.A.
    Inventors: Jon Heriz Agiriano, Raúl Vázquez Díaz, David Cadrecha Robles, Sergio Moñux Rodrigo, Erlantz Cristobal Camio
  • Patent number: 8206089
    Abstract: A flow control device for controlling fluid flow into a turbine comprising a stator and a rotor located in a fluid flow direction downstream of the stator is provided. The stator has a plurality of vanes extending radially inwards from a casing. Nozzles are defined, with each being defined between each adjacent pair of vanes. A flow controller is arranged to control a nozzle area open for fluid flow from a stator to rotor by altering the radial length of at least one of the nozzles and comprises an actuator and baffle plates connected at first ends thereof to a periphery of the turbine and at second ends thereof to arcuate plates of the actuator. Each baffle plate extends through a corresponding nozzle from an upstream to a downstream side of the stator. The actuator may selectively move the baffle plates to adjust flow through the nozzles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Parsons Brinckerhoff Limited
    Inventors: Paul Michael Willson, George Andrew Atkinson
  • Patent number: 8147187
    Abstract: A device for controlling a pivot of a variable-pitch blade in a stator of a turbomachine compressor is disclosed. The device for controlling a pivot of a variable-pitch blade includes a control lever and a pivot with a bottom end and a top end. The top end is connected to the control lever. The device also includes a first swivel bearing placed at the bottom end of the pivot and a second swivel bearing placed at the top end of the pivot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: SNECMA
    Inventor: Christelle Foucher
  • Patent number: 8123472
    Abstract: A unison ring assembly for an axial compressor casing is provided. The unison ring assembly includes a unison ring and at least three unison ring supports being radial inwardly and equally spaced arranged along a circumference of the unison ring, wherein each unison ring support has a unison ring bracket attached to the unison ring. Further, the unison ring assembly includes a slide bearing to be sliding along a slide face of an outer surface of the compressor casing and a resilient member being arranged between and coupled to the slide bearing and the unison ring bracket such that the unison ring is rotatable around the compressor casing by sliding the slide bearing along the slide face and to be centered free of clearance about the compressor casing. The resilient member is adapted to accommodate radial displacement of the compressor casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Paul Redgwell
  • Patent number: 8047766
    Abstract: The invention relates to an electromechanical drive for actuating valves, especially in steam turbines including an electromotor, a linear unit, a clutch and an electronic control unit. The linear unit includes a piston rod which is guided in a power-transmission thread of a screw nut, and is arranged, at least in sections, as a spindle and is displaceable along its longitudinal axis for actuating the valve in the screw nut with the power-transmission thread. The clutch is arranged for transmitting a rotational movement of the motor axis of the electromotor onto the piston rod. The electronic control unit is set up to control the speed and/or rotor position of the motor axis of the electromotor depending on a control signal and an output signal of a position pick-up of the position of the piston rod in the screw nut with power-transmission thread, and/or to control the engagement and/or disengagement of the clutch depending on the control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Voith Turbo GmbH & Co., KG
    Inventor: Armin Goll
  • Publication number: 20110129342
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine assembly includes a housing including an annular duct wall that at least partially defines a mainstream hot gas flow path; a stator assembly with a stator vane extending into the mainstream gas flow; and a turbine rotor assembly upstream of the stator assembly and defining a turbine cavity with the stator assembly. The turbine rotor assembly includes a rotor disk having a forward side and an aft side, a rotor platform positioned on a periphery of the rotor disk, the rotor platform defining an aft flow discourager, a rotor blade mounted on the rotor platform extending into the mainstream gas flow, and an aft seal plate mounted on the aft side of the rotor disk. The aft seal plate has a radius such that the aft seal plate protects the rotor disk from hot gas ingestion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Jason Smoke, Bradley Reed Tucker, Bob Mitlin, Dan Crites, Rajiv Rana, Alexander MirzaMoghadam
  • Patent number: 7942631
    Abstract: A pitch control system for a wind turbine having a motor including an armature, a winding, and a plurality of switching components configured to control a first current through the armature independently of a second current through the winding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Jeffrey Alan Melius
  • Patent number: 7927064
    Abstract: A Pelton turbine is disclosed that includes at least one needle valve injector assembly and at least one high efficiency injector assembly. The high efficiency injector assembly provides a generally unimpeded flow path for water from a distributor to a runner of the turbine. The high efficiency injector assemblies and needle valve injector assemblies are operated in cooperation to provide the overall desired flow rate through the turbine and to increase the efficiency of the turbine. A high efficiency injector assembly may be retrofitted for a needle valve injector assembly to improve the efficiency of existing turbine systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Shashishekara Sitharamarao Talya, Daniel Jason Erno, Olav Rommetveit, Elnar Mikal Sundsvold, Morten Bjerke
  • Patent number: 7871242
    Abstract: A rotational flow balance system includes an actuator system which controls operation of both a fan duct blocker ring and a modulated exhaust cooling ring through a kinematic system. The kinematic system is controlled by the single actuator system such that the modulated exhaust cooling ring will remain in a fixed position while the fan duct blocker ring can be moved to satisfy operational requirements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy A. Swanson, Carl T. Elving, Robert T. Brooks
  • Publication number: 20100054910
    Abstract: Various fluid turbine systems and methods are described. The turbine can be a vertical axis wind turbine configured to generate power from wind energy. The turbine system can have a blade assembly. The blade assembly can have a plurality of blades rotatable about an axis. The turbine system can have a concentrator positionable upwind and in front of a return side of the blade assembly. The concentrator can define a convex surface facing the wind. The turbine system can also have a variable concentrator positionable upwind of a push side of the blade assembly. The variable concentrator can be adjustable between a first position and a second position, the variable concentrator being capable of deflecting more wind toward the turbine in the first position than in the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: California Energy & Power
    Inventors: William DeRuyter, Michael Allawos, Peter L. Coye
  • Publication number: 20090041576
    Abstract: A fluid flow machine has a flow path provided by a casing (1) and a rotating shaft (2), in which rows of rotor blades (3) and stator blades (4) are arranged, and includes at least one annular groove-type recess (5) being disposed in a blade (3, 4) tip area in an annulus duct wall of the casing (1) and/or the shaft (2). An upstream end point (E) of the recess (5) in a flow direction is set at a distance (e)>0 forward of a forward blade tip point (A), and a downstream end point (F) of the recess (5) is set at a distance (f) rearward of point (A), where: 0.5 L>(f)>0, and L is a distance between point (A) and a rearward blade tip point (B).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventors: Volker Guemmer, Marius Swoboda
  • Patent number: 7351029
    Abstract: An impeller, set in rotation by a motor, provided with blades and enclosed in a casing which defines a circumferential annular conduit in which the blades turn. The annular conduit exhibits two openings, respectively an induction mouth for aspirating fluid from outside the machine, and a delivery mouth from which the fluid exits from the machine. The machine also comprises a further opening which is neither the induction mouth nor the delivery mouth, afforded on the casing and defining a passage which places an inside of the casing in communication with an outside environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Esam S.p.A.
    Inventor: Ennio Cattani
  • Patent number: 7223065
    Abstract: The invention relates to a steam turbine comprising a valve arrangement for regulating the admission of live steam into the turbine consisting of two serially connected regulating valves. The two regulating valves enable a step-by-step separation of the live steam and ensure operational security in the case of a partial load operation of the turbine. Said valve arrangement is particularly suitable for steam turbines devoid of regulating steps in a fixed-pressure operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: ALSTOM Technology Ltd
    Inventor: Franz Suter
  • Patent number: 7165936
    Abstract: A multiple-passage turbine nozzle with desired predetermined flow properties may be provided with an adjustment member in one or more of its passages to limit the flow therethrough. Turbine nozzle flow is an important performance characteristic that may be difficult to control by conventional drilling or machining manufacturing methods. The adjustment member may protrude into a nozzle passage, thereby reducing airflow through the nozzle passage. The amount of protrusion is variable and is selected to provide a desired partial or total occlusion of an associated passage at the time of manufacture of the turbine nozzle to compensate for variations produced by the conventional manufacturing techniques. The turbine nozzle according to the present invention provides simple and convenient calibrated adjustment of the predetermined flow that may be allowed to pass through a turbine nozzle onto a turbine wheel of a turbo machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Honeywell International, Inc.
    Inventor: David G. Elpern
  • Patent number: 6951443
    Abstract: A wind turbine capable of driving multiple electric generators having a ring or shroud structure for reducing blade root bending moments, hub loads, blade fastener loads and pitch bearing loads. The shroud may further incorporate a ring gear for driving an electric generator. In one embodiment, the electric generator may be cantilevered from the nacelle such that the gear on the generator drive shaft is contacted by the ring gear of the shroud. The shroud also provides protection for the gearing and aids in preventing gear lubricant contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ralph W. Blakemore
  • Patent number: 6939103
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a wind power installation having a rotor with at least one blade and an adjusting device for the rotor blade. An adjusting device with more than one drive for one rotor blade is provided. By virtue of that arrangement each drive only has to furnish a corresponding fraction of the power output, it can be of a correspondingly smaller design configuration, and it imposes a correspondingly lower loading on the subsequent components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Inventor: Aloys Wobben
  • Patent number: 6899513
    Abstract: A compressor bleed valve system for bleeding air from a gas turbine engine compressor comprises a bladder inflatable between at least a collapsed position and an expanded position for selectively opening and closing a compressor airbleed passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2005
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventor: Andreas Eleftheriou
  • Patent number: 6758652
    Abstract: A turbine, intended to be used in a plant of the geothermal type, comprises an apparatus for the choking of the control stage. The latter provides closure means for closing at least one nozzle of the first stage of the turbine, the said nozzles facing a final section of a feed pipe of the said turbine. Also provided are control means for controlling the said closure means, capable of causing the said closure means to assume at least one position of rest and one working position in which they are disposed to close the at least one nozzle in the vicinity of the final section of the said feed pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Ansaldo Energia S.p.A.
    Inventors: Alberto Torre, Loris Falavigna
  • Patent number: 6638014
    Abstract: The invention relates to a valve arrangement (1), in particular for a power plant. A housing (2) contains a shut-off valve (3) for shutting off a fluid flow, a control valve (4) for controlling the fluid flow through a housing outlet (8) and a bypass valve (5) for controlling the fluid flow through a bypass (13). This bypass (13) branches off from the housing (2) between the shut-off valve (3) and the control valve (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: ALSTOM (Switzerland) Ltd
    Inventors: Ralf Gerdes, Roger Padfield, Franz Suter
  • Patent number: 6625984
    Abstract: A variable geometry nozzle suitable for a radial turbine in a turbocharger for an internal combustion engine. The turbine inlet, turbine outlet or both include a vane assembly having a housing and an adjustable cartridge movable in the housing. Each cartridge has vanes having a plurality of vane sections. Each vane section provides a vane geometry different than the vane geometries of the other vane sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc
    Inventors: Frank G. Gerke, Beth A. Hinchee, Mark D. Moeckel
  • Patent number: 6599083
    Abstract: A cooling system for cooling a housing of a turbo-machine comprising a feeder air line connected to the feeder air connection of the housing, a waste air line connected to the waste air connection of the housing, a recirculating air line, a fan position in the feeder air line, and means for changing feeder air temperature including a controller to control the air flow in the air lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2003
    Assignee: Alstom (Switzerland) Ltd
    Inventors: Andreas Belzner, Fred Boehm, Burkhard Josuhn-Kadner
  • Patent number: 6572328
    Abstract: A steam turbine for a combined gas and steam-turbine power plant process, including at least one valve arrangement for the controlled feeding of live steam into the steam turbine is disclosed. The valve arrangement has a quick-closing valve and at least one live-steam control valve assigned to the quick-closing valve. In addition, the steam turbine has a live-steam bypass, which, feeds live steam as “bypass steam” into the high-pressure region of the steam turbine through at least one bypass line and through a bypass feed assigned to each bypass line, but after the first turbine moving-blade row, as viewed downstream of the steam-turbine inlet region. At least one live-steam control valve and at least one bypass control valve are assigned to at least one quick-closing valve. Further, a method of feeding bypass steam into the steam turbine is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Alstom (Switzerland) Ltd.
    Inventors: Alexander Tremmel, Patrick Welz
  • Patent number: 6381944
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a rotatable impeller having a plurality of vanes with inlet and outlet ends. A plurality of diffuser channels are spaced apart radially beyond the outlet ends. A movable source of gaseous fuel is positioned adjacent the inlet ends of the vanes. The movable source of gaseous fuel is movable as a function of the rotational speed of the impeller, whereby the flow of gaseous fuel injected from the movable source is ejected from the outlet ends of the vanes into a selected one of the plurality of diffuser channels to facilitate combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: Capstone Turbine Corporation
    Inventor: Robin Mackay
  • Patent number: 6375412
    Abstract: The present invention is for the efficient transfer of mechanical power through a fluid medium. The various embodiments of the present invention exploit the natural physical properties of fluids to create a more efficient means of driving fluids as well as transferring power from propelled fluids. The present invention employs an impeller assembly in a variety of applications including hydroelectric turbines, fluid turbines, turbine transmissions and pumps of various types. The multi-disk impeller assembly having a central cavity, a specialized central hub design and reinforcing backing plates contribute to greater efficiency and less turbulence, friction and noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Inventor: Daniel Christopher Dial
  • Patent number: 6302644
    Abstract: Steam turbines with or without a control stage are constructed with the same number of control valves. There are preferably two control valves in each case. The valve subassembly, the turbine outer casing and parts of the turbine inner casing are of identical design and can be used for steam turbines with or without a control stage. In the case of the steam turbine illustrated with a control stage, the inner casing is provided with integrated nozzle boxes, which are separated from each other by intermediate walls. In the case of a steam turbine without a control stage, the nozzle boxes, and accordingly, also the intermediate walls are missing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: ABB Alstom Power (Schweiz) AG
    Inventors: Ivan Kukalj, Franz Suter
  • Patent number: 6099246
    Abstract: In order to be able to realize especially high live-steam parameters (i.e. live-steam temperatures and live-steam pressures) in a steam turbine, an admission section of the turbine casing which has a number of throughflow openings and is intended for a valve casing for control valves, has a sealing surface which encloses each of the throughflow openings. For an especially reliable seal, a high surface pressure is achieved in the sealing-surface region owing to the fact that an outer contour of the sealing surface is shaped so as to be constricted in the region between adjacent throughflow openings and that, screws of different dimensions are expediently disposed along the constricted outer contour.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Klaus Lochner, Hartmut Schreiber
  • Patent number: 6071073
    Abstract: A method for fabricating a turbine inlet casing has several steps. Providing a prismatic block having an upstream face, a downstream face, and a central axis perpendicular to the upstream and downstream faces. Cutting a circular shaft clearance opening through the block, concentric with the central axis. Cutting an inlet plenum through the block along the central axis. The inlet plenum is positioned towards an outer edge of the block. Cutting one or more distribution ports through the block along the central axis. These ports begin close to the inlet plenum and end at annular segments which are concentric with the central axis and at a radial position coincident with the turbine flowpath. The annular ends (of the distribution ports) are spaced circumferentially apart from each other. Cover plates are attached to the upstream and/or downstream faces of the block over the passages and ports. Connecting holes are made between the inlet plenum and the distribution ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Dresser-Rand Company
    Inventor: William C. Maier
  • Patent number: 6039534
    Abstract: An inlet guide vane assembly for a centrifugal compressor includes a guide vane housing having an inlet side for receiving a fluid passing through the compressor at a first flow angle, an outlet side remote from the inlet side and a central axis extending between the inlet and outlet sides of the housing. The assembly has a first set of inlet guide vanes pivotally mounted within the guide vane housing, between the inlet side and the outlet side thereof, for impinging upon the fluid passing through the housing. The assembly includes a second set of inlet guide vanes pivotally mounted within the guide vane housing, between the first set of inlet guide vanes and the outlet side of the housing, for impinging upon the fluid passing through the housing after the fluid has passed through the first set of inlet guide vanes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Northern Research and Engineering Corp
    Inventors: George S. Stoner, Peter M. Schoonmaker
  • Patent number: 5993152
    Abstract: An actuation system for variable stator vanes pivotally mounted in a casing includes a plurality of levers joined to the respective vanes. An actuation ring coaxially surrounds the casing adjacent to the levers. A plurality of circumferentially spaced apart ring guides are joined to the casing for guiding circumferential rotation of the ring. Respective slip joints are provided between each of the levers and the actuation ring for varying pivot length of the levers as the ring is rotated for effecting nonlinear vane actuation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Jan C. Schilling
  • Patent number: 5980199
    Abstract: A centrifugal blower apparatus suitable for industrial uses has a least a delivery outlet and at least two fluid inlets disposed on either side of a blower wheel suitable for being rotated by a drive system. Each inlet is associated with a respective control system for controlling the suction flow rte of fluid and is capable of establishing asymmetrical suction flow rates between the inlets. The inlets are fitted with control systems which differ in their mechanical structures and their characteristics concerning fineness of control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: ABB Soylvent-Ventec
    Inventor: Alain Emile Godichon
  • Patent number: 5927943
    Abstract: A turbine with the improved inlet casing in accordance with the present invention includes a shaft which extends along and rotates about a central axis. The turbine also includes at least one rotor wheel which is mounted on and extends radially outward from the shaft to a radially outermost periphery. A plurality of buckets are arrayed circumferentially around the rotor wheel at the radially outermost periphery. A housing surrounds the rotor wheel and the stationary flow path component. A plurality of nozzle vanes are circumferentially arrayed in the stationary flow path component which is axially spaced from the buckets of the rotor wheel. The nozzle vanes are configured to direct fluid against an upstream side of the buckets and effect rotation of the rotor wheel. Inlet fingers are formed in the housing, with each of the inlet fingers defining a substantially straight passage between the turbine inlet or a control system and the nozzle vanes of the first stationary flow path component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1999
    Assignee: Dresser-Rand Company
    Inventor: William C. Maier
  • Patent number: 5823742
    Abstract: A valve apparatus for a turbomachine comprises a manifold casing, a valve lift assembly, and a plurality of valve assemblies. The manifold casing defines a valve inlet chamber and has a top wall and a bottom wall with a plurality of vertically disposed openings through the top wall and a plurality of openings to vertically disposed passages in the bottom wall. The passages each extend away from the bottom wall to a passage exit. The valve lift assembly comprises a plurality of lift bars and a plurality of lift pins. The lift pins extend vertically through the vertically disposed openings at the top wall of the manifold casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Dresser-Rand Company
    Inventor: John R. Giddings
  • Patent number: 5683225
    Abstract: A turbine nozzle for a gas turbine engine subassembly having an axial turbine. The turbine nozzle airfoil-shaped vanes are fixedly attached to one or both of the annular inner and outer casings. Apparatus is provided to vary the vane airflow passage area between the casings and between the pressure side of one vane and the suction side of an adjacent vane. The apparatus varies the area near at least the pressure side of the one vane. Various embodiments of the apparatus include: a small pivotable flap pivotally attached to the outer casing and positioned near the pressure side of the one vane; a small movable flap attached to the outer casing to be movable along the pressure side of the one vane, and a plug member insertable into and withdrawable from the vane airflow passage through the outer casing near at least the pressure side of the one vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 1991
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1997
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Robert Joseph Orlando, Lawrence Wayne Dunbar
  • Patent number: 5651661
    Abstract: Rotary fluid handling apparatus employing a wheel to provide multi-stage compression or expansion. A wheel having a first set of vanes includes a shroud about those vanes with a second set of vanes outwardly of the shroud. One set of vanes provides for low specific speed flow while the other set of vanes provides for high specific speed flow. A transfer passage interconnects the outlet of the first stage with the inlet of the second stage. The difference in temperature between the inlet flow to the system and the outlet flow from the system may be exchanged to increase efficiency. The multi-stage wheel and associated passages may be configured for either compression or turboexpansion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 29, 1997
    Assignee: Rotoflow Corporation
    Inventors: Reza R. Agahi, Behrooz Ershagi
  • Patent number: 5522696
    Abstract: The present invention provides an air box throttle assembly for improved characterization of a combustion system in which an arrangement of three air shutters is used to maintain a fairly constant air to fuel ratio as the combustion system is driven from low fire to high fire. A high fire shutter and a main air shutter each comprise two vanes and are rotatably mounted within an air intake box for a combustion system. A low fire shutter is provided with a single vane and is fixed above the main air shutter. The high fire shutter is the principal regulator of large volumes of air entering the combustion system when operating at high fire. At high fire, the main air shutter is fully open and low fire shutter has little effect on the flow of air through the air intake box. Low fire shutter is the principal regulator of small volumes of air entering the combustion system when operating at low fire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1996
    Assignee: Aqua-Chem, Inc.
    Inventor: Tod A. Stansfield
  • Patent number: 5489189
    Abstract: The invention relates to turbo-engine having a variable-pitch propeller. An adjustment spindle is disposed inside the shaft that carries the variable-pitch propeller. The adjustment spindle is connected to a step-down transmission, which is affixed in the area of the face side of the motor that drives the variable-pitch propeller or at a driven generator, and which interacts with an adjustment motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1996
    Assignee: KSB Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Horst Schafer, Gunter Schaaf, Gunter Feldle
  • Patent number: 5235803
    Abstract: Inefficiencies in the operation of auxiliary power units producing electric and hydraulic power along with bleed air resulting from independence in the demand for power may be minimized in a system including at least one bleed air consuming system (84, 86), an electrical generator (92), a hydraulic pump (90), and a turbine wheel (10, 20) for driving the generator (92) and the pump (90). Also included is a combustor (32) for receiving fuel and compressed air and producing gases of combustion to drive the turbine wheel (10, 20). A rotary compressor (10, 14) is coupled to the turbine wheel to be driven thereby. The compressor (10, 14) is a radial discharge compressor with an impeller having blades (14) extending from an inlet end (40) to a discharge end (42) and a shroud (18) to the blades (14). Two axially spaced annular ports (44, 46; 44, 50) are adjacent the discharge end (42).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventor: Colin Rodgers
  • Patent number: 5207558
    Abstract: Thermally actuated flow diverters for gas turbine engines are provided which include an arrangement of vanes in spaced overlapping array, which direct, e.g. coolant air flow to rotating engine components, each vane having 3 foil components joined at 3 hinge points. That is, a leading foil positioned on the suction side of the vane, a trailing foil pivotably mounted to a rearward portion of such leading foil at a first pivot axis and a third foil positioned on the pressure side of the vane connecting a forward portion of such leading foil and such trailing foil at second and third pivot axes respectively. Either the third foil or the leading foil is fixedly mounted to engine walls of the same material, the other of these two foils defining an actuation link that is expandable and contractable relative to such walls; the third foil having a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than that of the leading foil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
    Inventors: Michael P. Hagle, Paul S. Wilson
  • Patent number: 5183381
    Abstract: A mounting assembly for a movable annular wall member of an inlet passageway of a variable geometry turbine. The inlet passageway is defined between the movable wall and a facing wall. The wall member is formed from a sheet material and is supported on a plurality of pins which extend parallel to the direction of movement of the wall member. The wall member comprises a tubular portion extending away from the facing wall and each pin supports a radial extending projection having a pair of spaced tabs. Each tab is engaged in a respective slot in the tubular portion of the wall member, the tabs being a relatively close fit in the direction of movement of the wall member and a relatively loose fit in a plane at right angles to the direction of movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1993
    Assignee: Holset Engineering Company Limited
    Inventor: Peter S. McKean
  • Patent number: 5061152
    Abstract: Each blade of a stage of variably settable stator blades in a compressor of gas turbine engine is supported at its outer end by a journal which is rotatably mounted in a radial bore in a parallelepipedic journal box of trapezoidal section mounted in a housing of complementary shape formed between connected upstream and downstream rings of the outer casing of the compressor. The blade is held radially in the journal box by two parallel pins arranged longitudinally through the box so as to engage in a peripheral groove extending at least partly around the journal of the blade.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 29, 1991
    Assignee: Societe Nationale d'Etude et de Construction de Moteurs d'Aviation
    Inventor: Daniel J. Marey