Added In Combustion Products Generator Patents (Class 60/39.55)
  • Patent number: 12098645
    Abstract: A turbine engine assembly includes a core engine generating a high energy gas flow that is expanded through a turbine section, a hydrogen fuel system supplying hydrogen fuel to a combustor through a fuel flow path, a condenser extracting water from the high energy gas flow, an evaporator inputting thermal energy into the water extracted by the condenser to generate a steam flow, and at least one superheater receiving the steam flow from the evaporator and input thermal energy for heating the steam flow. The steam flow from the at least one superheater is injected into the core flow path upstream of the turbine section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach
  • Patent number: 12078101
    Abstract: A method for controlling a turbomachine including a temporary power-increasing device, the control method including a step wherein the flow rate of the coolant injected is adjusted as a function of the atmospheric pressure and/or of the ambient temperature and/or of at least one parameter such as the speed of rotation of a gas generator, the speed of rotation of a low-pressure turbine or of a power turbine, the gas pressure at the outlet of a compressor stage, the temperature at the inlet of the low-pressure turbine or of the power turbine, the engine torque, and/or the collective pitch of a helicopter rotor or the pitch of a propeller of a turboprop.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN HELICOPTER ENGINES
    Inventors: Frédéric Gaétan Pousse, Bertrand Yves Georges Moine
  • Patent number: 12072100
    Abstract: A combustor for an aircraft gas turbine engine includes a dome structure, a swirler assembly connected to the dome structure, and a cowl connected to the dome structure and defining a plenum between the dome structure and the cowl, and surrounding the swirler assembly. The cowl includes an airflow opening through an upstream wall portion of the cowl for providing a flow of compressed air into the plenum. In addition, the cowl includes a cowl steam channel therewithin and a plurality of steam injection nozzles that provide a flow of steam from the cowl steam channel into the plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2023
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2024
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Pradeep Naik, Shai Birmaher, Saket Singh, Narasimhan Suresh Sahana, Kwanwoo Kim
  • Patent number: 12037945
    Abstract: A powerplant for an aircraft includes a turbine engine core, a recovery system and a flowpath. The turbine engine core includes a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. The recovery system includes a condenser and a flow circuit. The flow circuit includes a separator and a treatment device. The recovery system is configured to condense water flowing within the flowpath from a gaseous phase to a liquid phase using the condenser. The recovery system is configured to direct the water in the liquid phase from the flowpath into the flow circuit using the separator. The recovery system is configured to treat a quantity of the water within the flow circuit using the treatment device to provide treated water. The recovery system is configured to provide a quantity of the treated water to the turbine engine core.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jon E. Sobanski, Jacob C. Snyder
  • Patent number: 12018596
    Abstract: An energy storage system converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 1000° C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. Heat delivery via flowing gas establishes a thermocline which maintains high outlet temperature throughout discharge. The delivered heat which may be used for processes including power generation and cogeneration. In one application, the energy storage system provides higher-temperature heat to a conventional lower-temperature heat source to boost the temperature of a thermal power cycle working fluid to a turbine, thereby increasing efficiency of the power cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2024
    Assignee: Rondo Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: John Setel O'Donnell, Yusef Desjardins Ferhani
  • Patent number: 11976576
    Abstract: An energy storage system converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 1000° C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. Heat delivery via flowing gas establishes a thermocline which maintains high outlet temperature throughout discharge. The delivered heat which may be used for processes including power generation and cogeneration. In one application, the energy storage system provides higher-temperature heat to a conventional lower-temperature heat source to boost the temperature of a thermal power cycle working fluid to a turbine, thereby increasing efficiency of the power cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Rondo Energy, Inc.
    Inventors: John Setel O'Donnell, Yusef Desjardins Ferhani
  • Patent number: 11959816
    Abstract: A method includes obtaining a set of pressure measurements at an electronic pump and storing the set of pressure measurements in a memory storage, where each measurement time of the set of pressure measurements is within a measurement duration. The method includes determining and sending a measure of central tendency to a second computing device via a first wireless signal. The method also includes determining a subset of pressure measurements based on the set of pressure measurements. The method includes transferring the first subset of pressure measurements to a data collection device via a second wireless signal, wherein an operating frequency of the second wireless signal is greater than one gigahertz and deleting the first subset of measurements from the memory storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: DROPWATER SOLUTIONS
    Inventor: Paul Kirch
  • Patent number: 11939913
    Abstract: An engine system includes a turbine engine including a compressor section, a combustor section having a burner, a turbine section, and a nozzle in an open-loop configuration. The engine system also includes a bottom-cycle apparatus and an exhaust heat exchanger downstream of the turbine section of the turbine engine configured to reject heat from the turbine engine to the bottoming-cycle apparatus and create a cooled turbine exhaust in the turbine engine. The engine system further includes an exhaust compressor arranged downstream of the exhaust heat exchanger and upstream of the nozzle of the turbine engine configured to compress the cooled turbine exhaust stream and increase a pressure of the cooled turbine exhaust stream prior to exiting the nozzle of the turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach
  • Patent number: 11879364
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel apparatus and methods for augmenting the power of a gas turbine engine, improving gas turbine engine operation, and reducing the response time necessary to meet changing demands of a power plant. Improvements in power augmentation and engine operation include systems and methods for preheating a steam injection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Powerphase International, LLC
    Inventors: Robert J. Kraft, Scott Auerbach
  • Patent number: 11867399
    Abstract: A micro-mixer capable of effectively mixing compressed air supplied from a compressor to a combustor and fuel supplied from a fuel nozzle, and a combustor including the same are provided. The micro-mixer includes a mixing passage including an inlet and an outlet, a fuel supply passage extending from one inner wall to the other inner wall of the mixing passage, and a fuel supply port formed in the fuel supply passage to supply fuel to the mixing passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: DOOSAN ENERBILITY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Eun Young Kim
  • Patent number: 11846422
    Abstract: A system includes an air manifold, a fuel manifold, and a plurality of fuel injectors. At least one of the fuel injectors includes a heat exchanger portion for supplying compressed, cooled air form the heat exchanger portion to the air manifold. An air valve is operatively connected to an outlet of the air manifold for controlling release of air from the air manifold. A controller is operatively connected to the air valve, wherein the controller includes machine readable instructions configured to control the air valve to regulate flow of air through the air valve based on fuel temperatures in the fuel channel. The machine readable instructions can be configured to cause the controller to flow air through the air valve in a heat exchange mode if a fuel temperature in the fuel injectors is below a predetermined fuel temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Ryon, Gregory A. Zink, Brandon Phillip Williams, Lev A. Prociw
  • Patent number: 11767977
    Abstract: A combustor includes an outer cylinder, a combustor liner, a plurality of main nozzles, an air flow channel part, and a plurality of water injection parts. The air flow channel part sends air introduced from an outside to between an inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder and an outer peripheral surface of the combustor liner into the combustor liner. The plurality of water injection parts are provided on the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder at intervals in a circumferential direction around a central axis. The plurality of water injection parts inject water into the air flowing through the air flow channel part. The water injection part includes a first nozzle and a second nozzle. The first nozzle injects water to a first side in the circumferential direction. The second nozzle injects water to a second side in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kozo Aoki, Toshihiko Saito
  • Patent number: 11709107
    Abstract: A method includes obtaining a set of pressure measurements at an electronic pump and storing the set of pressure measurements in a memory storage, where each measurement time of the set of pressure measurements is within a measurement duration. The method includes determining and sending a measure of central tendency to a second computing device via a first wireless signal. The method also includes determining a subset of pressure measurements based on the set of pressure measurements. The method includes transferring the first subset of pressure measurements to a data collection device via a second wireless signal, wherein an operating frequency of the second wireless signal is greater than one gigahertz and deleting the first subset of measurements from the memory storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2023
    Assignee: DROPWATER SOLUTIONS
    Inventor: Paul Kirch
  • Patent number: 11692743
    Abstract: A system includes a pressure exchanger (PX). The PX is coupled to a motor that controls an operating speed of the PX. The system further includes a first pressure gauge configured to generate first pressure data indicative of a pressure of a fluid of a condenser. A first controller is to generate a first control signal based on the first pressure data. The motor of the PX is configured to adjust the operating speed of the PX based on the first control signal. The system further includes a pump. The system further includes a fluid density sensor for generating fluid density data associated with a first output fluid of the PX. A second controller is to generate a second control signal based on at least the fluid density data. The pump is to adjust an operating speed of the pump based on the second control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Energy Recovery, Inc.
    Inventors: Azam Mihir Thatte, Matthew Hans Truax, Michael Paul Gustafson, Joseph Michael Marchetti, James Elliott McLean, Jr., David Deloyd Anderson
  • Patent number: 11635022
    Abstract: A method is provided during which an aircraft powerplant is provided. The aircraft powerplant includes a combustor and a water recovery system. The water recovery system includes a condenser and a reservoir. Fuel is combusted within the combustor to provide combustion products. Water is extracted from the combustion products using the condenser. The water recovery system is operated in one of a plurality of modes based on likelihood of contrail formation. The modes include a first mode and a second mode, where the water is collected within the reservoir during the first mode, and where the water passes through the water recovery system during the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Neil J. Terwilliger, Joseph B. Staubach, David L. Ma
  • Patent number: 11619177
    Abstract: A combustion engine including at least one combustion chamber, a first bleed air supply fluidly coupled to a portion of the combustion engine upstream the combustion chamber, a second bleed air supply fluidly coupled to a portion of the combustion engine downstream the combustion chamber, a first thermal bus, and a turbomachine including a compressor, a rotary pump, and a first turbine, with the compressor and rotary pump in serial flow arrangement and the rotary pump being fluidly coupled to the first thermal bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC
    Inventors: Kevin P. Hallisey, Dominique Patrick Sautron
  • Patent number: 11619388
    Abstract: A pilot nozzle for a dual fuel turbine engine includes an inner air circuit, a gaseous fuel circuit radially outward from the inner air circuit, a liquid fuel circuit radially outward from the inner air circuit, an outer air circuit radially outward from the liquid fuel circuit and the gaseous fuel circuit, and a shroud radially outward from the outer air circuit. The shroud is configured to stabilize a pilot re-circulation zone downstream from outlets of the inner and outer air circuits and the liquid and gaseous fuel circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Lev Alexander Prociw, Jason A. Ryon, Jacob Greenfield
  • Patent number: 11203972
    Abstract: The gas turbine includes a compressor to compress air introduced thereinto, a combustor to mix the compressed air with fuel for combustion, a main turbine having a plurality of turbine blades rotated by an energy produced by combustion gas in the combustor, a heat recovery boiler to produce steam by heat exchange with the combustion gas, and a fluid accelerator supplied with a first fluid compressed in the compressor to compress the first fluid and supply the compressed first fluid to the combustor, where the fluid accelerator includes a first inlet through which the first fluid is introduced, a second inlet through which a second fluid having a higher pressure than the first fluid is introduced, and an outlet through which the first and second fluids are mixed and discharged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Inventors: Alexander Bograd, Borys Shershnyov
  • Patent number: 11098896
    Abstract: A burner of a turbomachine has an upstream burner section providing a first fuel and an oxygen containing fluid to an upstream end of a burner interior, a downstream burner section for providing a second fuel to a downstream end of the burner interior, and an intermediate burner section between the two sections. The intermediate burner section has an annular wall surrounding a mid-section of the burner interior. The annular wall has an annular cooling fluid passage, for guiding the oxygen containing fluid, and an annular fuel passage for guiding the second fuel to the downstream burner section, the annular fuel passage being more distant to the burner interior than the annular cooling fluid passage. Two annular slots are incorporated into the annular wall. The upstream burner section has at least one integrated fuel tube through a body of the upstream burner section, configured to feed the annular fuel passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Nicklas Johansson, Jenny Larfeldt, Jan-Erik Lundgren, Daniel Moell, Erik Munktell
  • Patent number: 11079143
    Abstract: A heat pump includes an electric motor driven by input electric power, a first compressor mechanically connected to the electric motor and compresses air, a first heat exchanger performing heat exchange between compressed air produced by the first compressor and water, and a first hot water outlet through which the water heated by heat exchange in the first heat exchanger is taken out. Thus, in the air refrigerant heat pump, it is possible to use only air and water to supply heating by applying part of compressed air energy storage technology to the heat pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Matsukuma, Takao Ohama
  • Patent number: 10900416
    Abstract: A gas turbine system, and a control apparatus and method thereof, can control the amount of compressed air supplied to each of a combustor and an anti-icing unit in order to improve the droop control performance of the gas turbine system. The control apparatus of the gas turbine system may include a sensing unit to measure a rotor speed of the turbine; and a compressed air distribution unit to adjust a distribution ratio of the compressed air supplied to the combustor to the compressed air supplied to the anti-icing unit, based on the measured rotor speed. The control apparatus can increase the amount of compressed air supplied to the combustor even though the revolution number of the turbine connected with a system frequency may be significantly lowered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: Doosan Heavy Industries Construction Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Byung Hee Choi
  • Patent number: 10830442
    Abstract: A segmented annular combustion system with dual fuel capability includes an alternating arrangement of fuel injection modules and integrated combustor nozzles. The fuel injection module includes a bundled tube fuel nozzle portion and fuel injection lances, which are fluidly coupled via conduits to respective fuel plenums. A liquid fuel cartridge is disposed within the bundled tube fuel nozzle portion, within one of the plurality of fuel injection lances, or within both the bundled tube fuel nozzle portion and one of the plurality of fuel injection lances. A gas turbine having the segmented annular combustion system is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Jonathan Dwight Berry, Stanley Kevin Widener, Michael John Hughes, James Scott Flanagan
  • Patent number: 10830446
    Abstract: A method for assembling a fuel distribution system for a turbomachine fuel injector includes inserting a liquid fuel distributor into an interior cavity of a shroud to create a liquid fuel distribution circuit between the liquid fuel distributor and the shroud and inserting a gas fuel distributor into the interior cavity of the shroud and into an interior cavity of the liquid fuel distributor to create a gas fuel distribution circuit between the gas fuel distributor and the liquid fuel distributor. The method includes inserting a fuel transfer tube into an outer diameter of the shroud. The method includes brazing or shrink fitting at least one of the fuel transfer tube, the gas fuel distributor, or the liquid fuel distributor to the shroud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventors: Lev Alexander Prociw, Jason A. Ryon, Jacob Greenfield
  • Patent number: 10739005
    Abstract: A fuel injector is provided for a gas turbine engine. The fuel injector includes a fuel conduit and a cooling fluid circuit through a strut. A gas turbine engine is provided that includes a multiple of fuel injectors in communication with a combustor and a cooling system in communication with each of the multiple of fuel injectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Lexia Kironn, Roger O Coffey, Wendell V Twelves, Gary A Schirtzinger, Joe Ott, Evan Butcher, John D Frish
  • Patent number: 10731861
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle is provided for a combustor of a gas turbine engine. The fuel nozzle includes an outer air swirler along an axis. The outer air swirler defines an outer annular air passage. An inner air swirler along the axis defines an annular fuel gas passage around the axis between the outer air swirler and the inner air swirler. An annular liquid passage is defined between the inner air swirler and an air inflow tube. A tube is within a housing to define an annular gas passage around the tube. The tube is operable to communicate a liquid into the annular liquid passage and the annular gas passage is operable to communicate a gas into the annular fuel gas passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Barry C. Schlein
  • Patent number: 10718520
    Abstract: The invention concerns a damper arrangement for reducing combustion-chamber pulsation arising inside a gas turbine, wherein the gas turbine includes at least one compressor, a primary combustor which is connected downstream to the compressor, and the hot gases of the primary combustor are admitted at least to an intermediate turbine or directly or indirectly to a secondary combustor. The hot gases of the secondary combustor are admitted to a further turbine or directly or indirectly to an energy recovery, wherein at least one combustor is arranged in a can-architecture. At least one combustor liner includes air passages, wherein at least one of the air passages is formed as a damper neck. The damper neck being actively connected to a damper volume, and the damper volume is part of a connecting duct extending between a compressor air plenum and the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Mirko Ruben Bothien, Jaan Hellat, Bruno Schuermans
  • Patent number: 10422252
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods useful for power production. In particular, a power production cycle utilizing CO2 as a working fluid may be combined with a second cycle wherein a compressed CO2 stream from the power production cycle can be heated and expanded to produce additional power and to provide additional heating to the power production cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: 8 Rivers Capital, LLC
    Inventors: Rodney John Allam, Brock Alan Forrest
  • Patent number: 10364982
    Abstract: A method of reconditioning and fabricating turbine components is provided. In one embodiment, the method is performed on a fuel nozzle assembly of a gas turbine, and comprises providing a pre-assembled fuel nozzle assembly having a base, a body extending from the base to a fuel nozzle tip, an inner assembly, and an outer assembly. The method further comprises removing at least a portion of the fuel nozzle tip and the inner assembly, coupling and joining a replacement inner assembly to the base, and coupling and joining a replacement fuel nozzle tip to the replacement inner assembly and to the outer assembly to provide a reconditioned fuel nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Darius N. Marchal, Michael McGhee
  • Patent number: 10161312
    Abstract: A system is provided with a turbine combustor having a first diffusion fuel nozzle, wherein the first diffusion fuel nozzle has first and second passages that separately inject respective first and second flows into a chamber of the turbine combustor to produce a diffusion flame. The first flow includes a first fuel and a first diluent, and the second flow includes a first oxidant. The system includes a turbine driven by combustion products from the diffusion flame in the turbine combustor. The system also includes an exhaust gas compressor, wherein the exhaust gas compressor is configured to compress and route an exhaust gas from the turbine to the turbine combustor along an exhaust recirculation path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignees: General Electric Company, ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Richard A. Huntington, Sulabh K. Dhanuka, Ilya Aleksandrovich Slobodyanskiy
  • Patent number: 9657602
    Abstract: An exhaust heat recovery device for an engine including a Rankine cycle, including a steam accumulator that stores a surplus of a working medium for driving a turbine, and a leveling line that discharges the stored surplus working medium from the steam accumulator to the turbine, when the turbine cannot output predetermined power only with the working medium flowing out from a boiler, and levels the power outputted from the turbine. Since the power outputted from the turbine can be leveled without reduction of the power, even if the working medium cannot vaporize with the boiler immediately after start-up, immediately before stop, or during a low-load operation of the engine, exhaust heat from the engine can be efficiently used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: ISUZU MOTORS LIMITED
    Inventor: Kazuo Kawai
  • Patent number: 9422866
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments relate to a method and system for transient operating of a gas turbine. Operation of the gas turbine the controller determines command values for an inlet air mass flow, fuel mass flow, and for a water or steam mass flow. In order to allow fast transient operation with a stable premix flame at least one command value is dynamically compensated to compensate for the different system dynamics of the supply systems to synchronize the resulting changes in fuel, water, steam, and/or combustion air mass flows, which reach the combustor, so that the fuel to air ratio stays within the combustible limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventor: Xiao-Yi Zhang
  • Patent number: 9322336
    Abstract: A gas turbine system includes a fuel nozzle. The fuel nozzle includes a first fluid conduit defining a first fuel passage, a second fluid conduit defining a second fuel passage, and a third fluid conduit defining an oxidant passage. A first plurality of orifices is disposed along the first fluid conduit and is configured to fluidly couple the first fuel passage to the oxidant passage. A second plurality of orifices is disposed on the third fluid conduit and is configured to fluidly couple the second fuel passage to the oxidant passage. A first diameter of the first plurality of orifices is less than a second diameter of the second plurality of orifices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mahesh Bathina, Madanmohan Manoharan, Stephen Robert Thomas
  • Patent number: 9267432
    Abstract: Described herein are embodiments of systems and methods for oxidizing gases. In some embodiments, a reaction chamber is configured to receive a fuel gas and maintain the gas at a temperature within the reaction chamber that is above an autoignition temperature of the gas. The reaction chamber may also be configured to maintain a reaction temperature within the reaction chamber below a flameout temperature. In some embodiments, heat and product gases from the oxidation process can be used, for example, to drive a turbine, reciprocating engine, and injected back into the reaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Ener-Core Power, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Armstrong, Richard Martin, Douglas Hamrin
  • Patent number: 9194584
    Abstract: Described herein are embodiments of systems and methods for oxidizing gases. In some embodiments, a reaction chamber is configured to receive a fuel gas and maintain the gas at a temperature within the reaction chamber that is above an autoignition temperature of the gas. The reaction chamber may also be configured to maintain a reaction temperature within the reaction chamber below a flameout temperature. In some embodiments, heat and product gases from the oxidation process can be used, for example, to drive a turbine, reciprocating engine, and injected back into the reaction chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Ener-Core Power, Inc.
    Inventor: Jim Watts
  • Patent number: 9174741
    Abstract: A hybrid powertrain for an aircraft may include a drive shaft, the drive shaft, an internal combustion engine to selectably drive the drive shaft, a propeller coupled to the drive shaft and an electric motor having a stator and a rotor and operable to selectably drive the drive shaft. The drive shaft may extend through the electric motor. The rotor may be coupled to the drive shaft to rotate with the drive shaft and the rotor is a flywheel for the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: McMaster University
    Inventors: Piranavan Suntharalingam, Ali Emadi
  • Patent number: 8931282
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine in which the power output is controlled by modulating at least one of the compression ratio, expansion ratio, ratio of expansion rate to compression rate, air to fuel ratio, and steam to air ratio. Continuous isobaric catalytic combustion followed by isothermal expansion and the use of separate compressor and expander devices are used. Control dynamically maximizes fuel efficiency for the given power demand conditions. Power output is controlled by modulating flame temperature and/or pressure instead of by throttling. Lean combustion, high compression ratio, exhaust heat recuperation, and high power density and fuel economy are provided. External cooling is minimized or eliminated. Insulation of the engine effectively reduces energy losses to friction. Interchangeable use of gasoline, hydrogen and ammonia at high fuel efficiency is made possible for transitional periods of fuel availabilities. An injector suitable for isothermal expansion is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Inventor: Jonathan Jay Feinstein
  • Patent number: 8899969
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for combustion in which a pressurized preheated liquid fuel is atomized and a portion thereof flash vaporized, creating a mixture of fuel vapor and liquid droplets. The mixture is mixed with primary combustion oxidant, producing a fuel/primary oxidant mixture which is then injected into a primary combustion chamber in which the fuel/primary oxidant mixture is partially combusted, producing a secondary gaseous fuel containing hydrogen and carbon oxides. The secondary gaseous fuel is mixed with a secondary combustion oxidant and injected into the second combustion chamber wherein complete combustion of the secondary gaseous fuel is carried out. The resulting second stage flue gas containing very low amounts of NOx is then vented from the second combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Gas Technology Institute
    Inventors: Vincent Gard, Dennis A. Chojnacki, Ioseph K. Rabovitser
  • Patent number: 8881499
    Abstract: Apparatus includes an ignition system that repeats an ignition cycle by providing hydrogen and oxygen and also provides a control spark with a sufficient amount of energy for igniting a combustible mixture of hydrogen and oxygen. The combustion chamber is immersed in an aqueous fluid, fills with the same or other aqueous fluid, receives the hydrogen and oxygen therein, receive the control spark to ignite the combustible mixture of hydrogen and oxygen to cause a combustion reaction to occur and form steam that yields a specific amount of heat energy, and provides the aqueous fluid from the combustion chamber in response to the substantial increase in pressure on the aqueous fluid contained therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Saigeworks, LLC
    Inventors: Timothy F. Dolan, William C. Henderson, IV
  • Patent number: 8820047
    Abstract: A combustion burner 10A according to one embodiment of the present invention includes: a fuel nozzle 110; a burner tube 120 forming the air passage 111 between the burner tube 120 and the fuel nozzle 110; swirler vanes (swirler vanes) 130 arranged in a plurality of positions in the circumferential direction on the external circumferential surface of the fuel nozzle 110, each extending along the axial direction of the fuel nozzle 110, and gradually curving from upstream toward downstream; and a liquid fuel injecting hole 133A from which a liquid fuel is injected to a surface of each of the swirler vanes 130. The combustion burner 10A also includes multi-purpose injecting holes 11-1 to 11-3 as a cooling unit that cools a part of a vane pressure surface 132a of the swirler vane 130 on which the liquid fuel LF hits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiko Saito, Koichi Ishizaka, Satoshi Tanimura
  • Patent number: 8813473
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has in flow series: a compressor section, a combustion chamber, and a turbine section. The engine further has a steam generator. The combustion chamber has a steam reservoir located at the upstream end thereof. The steam reservoir receives steam from the steam generator, and delivers the received steam into a combustion zone of the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Paul Fletcher, Andrew Charles Graham, John Moran, Christopher Neeson
  • Patent number: 8813507
    Abstract: A method for producing electric energy from solid and liquid fuels is provided. The fuels are first subjected to a gasification process at high pressure, and the scrubbed gasification gas is fed to a gas and steam turbine process. The combustion of the scrubbed gasification gas in the gas turbine chamber does not occur with air, but with a mixture made of the three components oxygen, carbon dioxide and water vapor. As a result, the waste gas of the gas turbine is made only of carbon dioxide and water vapor. After the condensation thereof, technically pure carbon dioxide remains, which can be dissipated by storage in the deep substrate of the atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Siemens Fuel Gasification Technology GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Frank Hannemann, Martin Pfund, Manfred Schingnitz
  • Patent number: 8806873
    Abstract: A gas turbine plant has a compressor (2), a first combustion chamber (6) followed by a high pressure turbine (4), a second combustion chamber (10) and a low pressure turbine (5). In the first combustion chamber (6) a first gaseous fuel (8) is injected and combusted, generating first hot gases (9) that are at least partly expanded in the high pressure turbine (4), and in the second combustion chamber (10) a second fuel (11) is injected in the at least partly expanded hot gases generated in the first combustion chamber (6) and combusted, generating second hot gases (12) that are expanded in the low pressure turbine (5). In the first combustion chamber (6) water is also injected to increase the gas turbine plant power output. In the first combustion chamber (6) a water flow rate is injected compatible with a predetermined flame stability limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd
    Inventors: Susanne Schell, Thiemo Meeuwissen, Stanka Kokanovic, Jürg Käser, Peter Althaus
  • Patent number: 8720206
    Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for inducing combustion dynamics within turbine engines to remove combustion deposits within the turbine engine during operation of the turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kevin Weston McMahan, Mark Allan Hadley, Geoffrey D. Myers, Sam D. Draper
  • Patent number: 8720180
    Abstract: A turbine engine includes an air inlet fluidly coupleable with an air compressor subassembly. The air compressor subassembly is fluidly coupleable with a combustion subassembly. The combustion subassembly generates and combusts ionic hydrogen, and is fluidly coupleable with a mid-turbine subassembly. The mid-turbine subassembly is fluidly coupleable with a rear turbine subassembly. The rear turbine subassembly is fluidly coupleable with an exhaust outlet for exhausting combustion products from said mid-turbine subassembly. The combustion subassembly includes an electrostatic subassembly fluidly coupleable with a combustion chamber subassembly. The combustion chamber subassembly is fluidly coupleable with the mid-turbine subassembly. The air compressor subassembly can compress and humidify air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Inventor: Dirk A. Nyenhuis
  • Patent number: 8671658
    Abstract: A mixture of air and fuel is received into a reaction chamber of a gas turbine system. The fuel is oxidized in the reaction chamber, and a maximum temperature of the mixture in the reaction chamber is controlled to be substantially at or below an inlet temperature of a turbine of the gas turbine system. The oxidation of the fuel is initiated by raising the temperature of the mixture to or above an auto-ignition temperature of the fuel. In some cases, the reaction chamber may be provided without a fuel oxidation catalyst material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Ener-Core Power, Inc.
    Inventor: Edan Prabhu
  • Patent number: 8656724
    Abstract: An engine that oxidizes aluminum with water to produce electrical and/or mechanical power. The engine can include a fuel made at least partly from aluminum powder that flows like liquid under high pressure. The engine can also include a steam supply system, a combustor, a fuel feed system, a fuel injection system, and a water supply system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: The Penn State Research Foundation
    Inventors: Thomas Cawley, Brian Lowery, Timothy F. Miller, John Herr, Martin Klanchar, Daniel H. Kiely
  • Patent number: 8640439
    Abstract: A drive device for an aircraft comprises a gas turbine apparatus for generating a first drive energy and electric motor for generating a second drive energy. The gas turbine apparatus and the electric motor are set up in such a way that the drive unit may be provided with at least one of the first drive energy and the second drive energy. The drive unit is set up to generate propulsion using at least one of the first drive energy and the second drive energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Airbus Operations GmbH
    Inventors: Claus Hoffjann, Hansgeorg Schuldzig, Andreas Westenberger
  • Patent number: 8640438
    Abstract: The present invention provides high humidity gas turbine equipment including a compressor compressing air, a combustor combusting the compressed air and a fuel, a gas turbine driven by the combustion gas, a generator driven by the gas turbine to generate power, a humidifier humidifying the compressed air by directly contacting it with hot water, and a regenerative heat exchanger heating the humidified compressed air by exhaust gas of the gas turbine and feeding it to the combustor, heat exchangers generating hot water for the humidifier utilizing a factory exhaust heat medium from the outside, a boiler generating steam to be supplied to the outside utilizing the exhaust gas of the gas turbine, and a boiler generating steam to be supplied to the outside utilizing the compressed air discharged from the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenji Sasaki, Yoshiki Noguchi
  • Patent number: 8584467
    Abstract: A method of controlling a combustor of a gas turbine is disclosed. The method includes operatively disposing a combustor can in a combustor of a gas turbine. The combustor can comprising a plurality of combustor fuel nozzles, each having a fuel injector and configured to selectively provide a liquid fuel, a liquid fluid or liquid fuel and liquid fluid to a fuel injector nozzle that is configured to provide, respectively, a plurality of liquid fuel jets, a plurality of liquid fluid jets or a combination thereof, that are in turn configured to provide an atomized liquid fuel stream, an atomized liquid fluid stream, or an atomized and emulsified liquid fuel-liquid fluid stream, respectively. The method also includes selectively providing an amount of fuel, fluid or a combination thereof to the fuel injector nozzle to produce an atomized fuel stream, atomized fluid stream, or an atomized and emulsified fuel-fluid stream, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Sachin Khosla, Mihir Lal, Daniel Scott Zehentbauer
  • Patent number: RE45397
    Abstract: A Brayton cycle internal combustion engine of the open, or constant pressure type, in which rotary power is produced by the pressure of hot gasses against confined, rotor protrusions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Inventor: Terry Michael Van Blaricom