With Fuel Injector Patents (Class 60/740)
  • Patent number: 11905897
    Abstract: Embodiments of methods and systems related to operating a mobile asset are provided. In one example, a method for operating a mobile asset includes adjusting a fuel combustion ratio of a plurality of mobile assets based on an emission type exceeding a corresponding threshold, wherein the fuel combustion ratio includes a plurality of fuel types.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: TRANSPORTATION IP HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Shawn Gallagher, Daniel George Norton
  • Patent number: 11898748
    Abstract: Burners and methods of making burner bodies via a focused beam are disclosed. In an aspect, a burner includes (a) a burner body and (b) at least one connector configured to supply at least a fuel and an oxidizer to the burner body. The burner body includes (1) a plurality of passageways; (2) a first major surface; (3) a plurality of ports at the first major surface, each port defined by an end of one of the passageways; and either: (4a) at least one heating element in or adjacent to at least one of the plurality of passageways that increases the temperature of a wall of the at least one of the plurality of passageways; or (4b) a cooling chamber directly adjacent to three or more of the plurality of passageways. The burner body includes a number of layers of metal directly bonded to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Aniruddha A. Upadhye, Mark A. Strobel, Elizaveta Y. Plotnikov, Luke E. Heinzen
  • Patent number: 11852076
    Abstract: A method comprising applying braze to a joint location of two work pieces and applying local heating to the joint location of the two work pieces until braze melting temperature is achieved to melt the braze while maintaining temperature of more remote portions of each work piece. The method includes reducing heating of the braze to form a braze joint joining the joint location of the two work pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Ryon, Brandon P. Williams, Troy Finton
  • Patent number: 11840961
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a fuel injector for a gas turbine engine includes a fuel injector housing, and an elongated fuel tube held in position in said housing by spaced apart joints and including an undulating tube surface along at least a portion of its length between said joints, said undulating tube surface being in contact with another surface disposed in said housing at one or more locations of said undulating tube surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Woodward, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark G. Goeddeke, Michael Stratton
  • Patent number: 11713723
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating an engine are described herein. The engine is operated at low power by supplying fuel to a combustor through a first set of fuel nozzles of at least one first manifold and without supplying fuel to the combustor through a second set of fuel nozzles of at least one second manifold. An amount of fuel to at least in part fill the at least one second manifold to impede fuel coking of the second set of fuel nozzles is determined. The amount of fuel is periodically supplied to the at least one second manifold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: James Jarvo, Patrick Manoukian, Philippe Beauchesne-Martel
  • Patent number: 11701726
    Abstract: A method of making a fluid injector for a gas turbine engine includes depositing material onto a piece of tube stock. The method includes machining the deposited material into a fluid injector component. Depositing can include laser cladding the material onto the piece of tube stock. The method can include placing or flowing braze into a braze joint location between the deposited material and another fluid injector component and forming the braze into a braze joint in the braze joint location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Collins Engine Nozzles, Inc.
    Inventors: Brett A. Pfeffer, Jason Ryon, Pete J. Schnoebelen
  • Patent number: 11662096
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine includes a cowl structure, a pseudo-dome structure, a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) dome, and a swirler assembly. The swirler assembly is connected to the pseudo-dome structure, which is connected to the cowl structure, and the CMC dome is separately connected to the cowl structure apart from the swirler assembly. The swirler assembly includes a swirler dome interface wall that interfaces with the CMC dome on an upstream side of the CMC dome, and a swirler outlet extends through a CMC dome swirler opening through the CMC dome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Gerardo Antonio Salazar Lois, Daniel D. Brown, Daniel J. Kirtley
  • Patent number: 11629857
    Abstract: Combustors and gas turbines are provided. A combustor includes an axial centerline and an end cover. The combustor further includes at least one fuel nozzle that extends from the end cover and at is least partially surrounded by a combustion liner. The combustion liner extends between the at least one fuel nozzle and an aft frame and that defines a combustion chamber. An outer sleeve is spaced apart from and surrounds the combustion liner such that an annulus is defined therebetween. The outer sleeve defines at least one aperture. A wake energizer is mounted on the outer sleeve. The wake energizer defines at least one passage that is angled with respect to the axial centerline of the combustor. The at least one passage aligns and is in fluid communication with the at least one aperture of the outer sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Lucas John Stoia, Homayoon Feiz, Shreekrishna Rao, Emily Klara Happ
  • Patent number: 11486581
    Abstract: The fuel nozzle can have a proximal member having a first mating portion defined around an assembly axis, a first fluid conduit internal to the proximal member and spaced apart from the assembly axis, and a first stop facing a first circumferential direction; and a distal member having a second mating portion configured for axial engagement with the first mating portion along the assembly axis, a second stop facing a second circumferential direction, the second circumferential direction opposite the first circumferential direction and configured to abut against the first stop when the distal member and proximal member are axially engaged to one another in a predetermined relative circumferential alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Nadia Swaby
  • Patent number: 11480340
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides devices for guiding an element in a combustion chamber wall opening. Between the welds or brazes joining a bushing with a cup and the trajectory of the ring edge, an intermediate space is reserved in an internal annular groove for said welds or brazes to protrude into, so that said welds or brazes lie outside the trajectory of the ring edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Jacques Marcel Arthur Bunel, Alexandre Eric Lefebvre
  • Patent number: 11480339
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine includes: a flange portion to be mounted to a casing; an extension portion having an annular shape and extending from the flange portion along an axial direction of the combustor; a pipe portion having a first end connected to the flange portion and a second end connected to an outer peripheral surface of the extension portion, the pipe portion extending from the first end to the second end at an outer side of the extension portion in a radial direction; and at least one fuel nozzle configured to receive supply of a fuel via the pipe portion and a passage disposed inside the extension portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenta Taniguchi, Kiyoshi Fujimoto, Tatsuya Kowari, Ryota Fukuoka
  • Patent number: 11441777
    Abstract: Combustor assemblies are provided. For example, a combustor assembly includes a combustor liner defining a combustion chamber and an annular combustor dome positioned at a forward end of the combustor liner that defines a plurality of dome apertures. The combustor assembly further includes an annular heat shield positioned between the combustor dome and the combustion chamber, a plurality of adapters positioned forward of the heat shield, and a plurality of collars. The heat shield defines a plurality of heat shield apertures that are aligned with the dome apertures. One adapter is attached to the combustor dome at each dome aperture, and the adapters are. One collar extends through each heat shield aperture to couple the heat shield to the combustor dome. Further, ceramic matrix composite (CMC) heat shields are provided that may include an annular body defining a plurality of heat shield apertures, as well as inner and outer wings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventor: Donald Michael Corsmeier
  • Patent number: 11428410
    Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes a combustor shell, a heat shield and a burner seal. The combustor shell includes metallic materials and is formed to define an interior combustion space. The heat shield includes ceramic matrix composite materials and is configured to shield a portion of the combustor shell from the interior combustion space. The burner seal includes ceramic matrix composite materials and is configured to extend through apertures formed in the combustor shell and the heat shield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Ted J. Freeman, Aaron D. Sippel, Paulo Bazan
  • Patent number: 11333359
    Abstract: The present invention reduces the concentration of thermal stress on a burner. A gas turbine combustor receiving compressed air from a compressor, mixing the compressed air with a fuel, burning the mixture to generate a combustion gas, and supplying the combustion gas to a turbine. The combustor includes: an inner cylinder internally forming a combustion chamber; an outer cylinder covering the inner cylinder and forming a cylindrical outer circumferential flow path between the inner and outer cylinders to allow the compressed air to flow; and a burner mounted on an end of the outer cylinder, which is positioned on an opposite side to a turbine side, and facing the combustion chamber. The burner includes a cylindrical base frame including a cavity distributing the fuel, and fuel nozzles circularly arranged as viewed from the combustion chamber and connected to the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Power, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironori Tsukidate, Kunihiro Oga, Yoshitaka Terada, Koichi Nishida
  • Patent number: 11300293
    Abstract: A fuel injector comprising a first air swirler passage and a second air swirler passage extending axially through the fuel injector and arranged to direct air through the fuel injector, a splitter arranged between the first air swirler passage and the second air swirler passage and comprising a first splitter surface having a first divergent portion which is divergent in the downstream direction, a second splitter surface located radially inward of the first splitter surface and having a second divergent portion which is divergent in the downstream direction, a third splitter surface located radially inward of the first and second splitter surface, and a first connecting surface extending between the second and third splitter surfaces, wherein a first cavity is formed between the first and second splitter surfaces, and the second divergent portion comprises at least one opening in fluid communication with the first cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Luca Tentorio, Juan Carlos Roman Casado, Giacomo Di Chiaro, Jonathan Knapton, Filippo Zambon, Radu Irimia
  • Patent number: 11248794
    Abstract: A fluid mixing apparatus includes mixing conduits that extend through a fluid plenum. The fluid plenum, which surrounds a first wall defining a main passage fluidly coupled to a low-pressure fluid source, is surrounded itself by a second wall defining a high-pressure plenum fluidly coupled to a high-pressure fluid source. An insulated tube disposed at the inlet of the first wall delivers a third fluid. The mixing conduits fluidly couple the high-pressure plenum to the main passage, where the high-pressure fluid is mixed with low-pressure fluid and the third fluid. Optionally, the fluid plenum may house a fourth fluid that is injected through injection holes in the mixing conduits. The fluid mixing apparatus may be used to mix one or more fuels with high- and low-pressure air in a gas turbine combustor. Alternately, the fluid mixing apparatus may mix a fluid with high- and low-pressure water streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Jonathan Dwight Berry
  • Patent number: 11248610
    Abstract: A liquid injection apparatus for use with a compressor having a rotor shaft and a casing part is provided. The liquid injection apparatus includes at least one conduit and at least one nozzle coupled to the conduit(s). The liquid injection apparatus is panel-shaped and has a first panel segment, a second panel segment, and at least one of: a passage defined between the first panel segment and the second panel segment, the passage sized to receive at least one of the rotor shaft and the casing part; and a third panel segment positioned between the first panel segment and the second panel segment. The third panel segment is at least in part detachable from the first panel segment and/or the second panel segment for receiving at least one of the rotor shaft and the casing part between the first panel segment and the second panel segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Laxmikant Merchant, Valery Ivanovich Ponyavin, Jeffrey Patrick Mills, Divya Reddy Kothakapu, Weilun Yu, Joshua Adam Bagwell
  • Patent number: 11248478
    Abstract: An exhaust apparatus for a gas turbine includes an annular duct with struts extending from an outer duct-wall to an inner duct-wall of the annular duct. Each strut is encapsulated in a respective strut shield. An interface of the strut shield with a respective duct-wall includes a collar extending along a partial length of the perimeter of the strut shield at the respective interface. The collar includes a first section extending radially and aligned with the strut shield, and a second section oriented at an angle to the first section and aligned with the respective duct-wall. The first section is attached to the strut shield along a first joint and the second section is attached to the respective duct-wall along a second joint. An intersection of the first and second sections is formed by a smooth curve defined by a radius configured to distribute stresses at the respective interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Shashikant Maurya, John Giaimo, Ryan David Wiebe, Keith L. Nickols, Andre Correa
  • Patent number: 11230995
    Abstract: A cable conduit for a bypass flow duct may comprise a head end, a sleeve, a foot end, a boot, and a split grommet wherein the head end is coupled to the sleeve opposite the foot end, wherein the foot end comprises a flared portion, wherein the boot comprises a first flange and a neck, wherein the boot is configured to couple at the neck to the flared portion of the foot end, wherein the head end comprises a second flange and a cutout penetrating into an interior volume of the sleeve, and wherein the split grommet is coupled within the interior volume of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher Waitkus, Mark T. McAuliffe, Randall Lee Greenberg, Colby S. Dunn, Daniel Godfrey, Curtis J. Ruckey, Philip DiMuzio
  • Patent number: 11231176
    Abstract: A combustion device burns fuel ammonia with combustion air in a combustion chamber, and includes: a combustor liner which forms the combustion chamber; a burner which is installed at one end of the combustor liner; a deflection member which is provided on a downstream side of the combustor liner in a flow direction of a combustion gas, and is configured to deflect the flow direction of the combustion gas; and at least one ammonia injection hole which is provided between the burner and an outlet of the deflection member and is configured to supply the fuel ammonia into the combustion chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: IHI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shintaro Ito, Soichiro Kato, Masahiro Uchida, Shogo Onishi, Taku Mizutani, Tsukasa Saitou, Toshiro Fujimori
  • Patent number: 11156091
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine rotor assembly comprises a torque tube, turbine stage and stiffening mass. The torque tube comprises a shaft extending from a forward location to an aft end, and a shaft fastening flange disposed at the aft end. The turbine stage comprises a disc, a disc adapter extending forward from the disc, and a disc fastening flange extending from the disc adapter and couplable to the shaft fastening flange at an interface. The stiffening mass is positioned proximate the interface to reduce operational stress in the torque tube. A method of reducing operational stress in a rotor assembly comprises de-stacking a rotor stack, separating a first stage rotor disc adapter from a torque tube, attaching a stiffening mass to an inner diameter of one or both of the disc adapter and the torque tube, attaching the disc adapter to the torque tube, and re-stacking the rotor stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Power Americas, Inc.
    Inventors: Antonio Melo, Noah Rowe
  • Patent number: 11131460
    Abstract: A lean burn fuel injector has a head which has a coaxial arrangement of an inner pilot air-blast fuel injector and an outer main air-blast fuel injector. The pilot fuel injector comprises coaxially arranged inner and outer air swirler passages. The main fuel injector comprises coaxially arranged inner and outer air swirler passages. A first splitter is arranged between the passages. The first splitter has a conical divergent downstream portion. A second splitter is arranged radially within and spaced from the first splitter. The second splitter has a conical convergent portion and a conical divergent downstream portion. The downstream end of the second splitter is upstream of the downstream end of the first splitter. A connecting member connects the downstream end of the second splitter and the downstream portion of the first splitter upstream of the downstream end of the first splitter to form a sharp edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Carl L. Muldal, Luca Tentorio, Hua Wei Huang, Juan Carlos Roman Casado
  • Patent number: 11131458
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a multipoint injection system can include a body defining an air cavity for allowing air to flow therethrough and an interior cavity. A fuel is tube disposed at least partially within the interior cavity of the body. The fuel tube can include a first end configured to connect to a fuel injector connector of a fuel manifold, and a second end configured to connect to a fuel distributor of the fuel injector, wherein the fuel injector is configured to be disposed at least partially in a combustor dome. The fuel tube is configured to move in an axial direction to allow flexibility between the fuel manifold and the combustor dome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Delavan Inc.
    Inventors: Lev Alexander Prociw, Jason A. Ryon, Gregory A. Zink
  • Patent number: 11125436
    Abstract: A floating collar assembly is configured to receive a fuel nozzle or an igniter projecting through an opening defined in a combustor shell lined with heat shields having studs projecting through the combustor shell for engagement with corresponding fasteners outside the combustor shell. A floating collar is mounted outside the combustor shell with an opening in alignment with the opening in the combustor shell for receiving the fuel nozzle or the igniter. An external retaining bracket is mounted to the heat shield studs or other studs projecting outwardly from the combustor shell so as to trap the floating collar between the combustor shell and the bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Maximilian Baranowicz, Si-Man Amy Lao, Oleg Morenko
  • Patent number: 11079112
    Abstract: In a combustor, and in a gas turbine including the same, a path in which compressed air is mixed with fuel may be increased in each of a plurality of main nozzles. The combustor includes a nozzle casing axially extending in parallel with an extension line (PL); and a plurality of main nozzles to mix and inject compressed air and fuel, the plurality of main nozzles arranged inside the nozzle casing along an imaginary annular line, at least one main nozzle having a center axis inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the extension line. A central nozzle surrounded by the main nozzles may be disposed in the nozzle casing so as to be parallel to the extension line. Thus, the at least one main nozzle has a path in which the fuel and the compressed air flow that is longer than in the central nozzle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Inventor: Jaewon Seo
  • Patent number: 11029029
    Abstract: A fuel injector heat exchanger assembly is provided, in which the fuel injector assembly includes a body defining an outer surface and an inner surface. The body includes a plurality of walls in concentric arrangement. The plurality of walls defines a plurality of passages including a first passage surrounded by a second passage, and a third passage surrounding the second passage. Each passage is fluidly segregated from one another by the plurality of walls. A first conduit wall is defined through the body from the outer surface. The first conduit wall defines a first conduit in fluid communication with the second passage. The first conduit wall fluidly segregates the first conduit from the third passage. The first conduit is configured to admit a flow of fluid from outside the fuel injector into the second passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Varun Swaminathan Lakshmanan, Michael Anthony Benjamin, Veeraraju Vanapalli, Karthikeyan Sampath
  • Patent number: 11029031
    Abstract: A heat shield panel for use in a gas turbine engine combustor is disclosed. In various embodiments, the heat shield panel includes a hot side, a cold side spaced from the hot side, and a rail disposed about a periphery of the cold side, the rail including a first rail member having a first length extending along the panel, a first height extending from the cold side, and a first thickness that varies along the first length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Jon E. Sobanski, Steven D. Porter
  • Patent number: 10982856
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle for injecting fuel and air into a combustor of a gas turbine engine, the fuel nozzle comprising: an outer component having an outward surface adapted for exposure to a flow of hot gas within the combustor, and an inward surface; an inner component concentrically disposed within the inward surface of outer component along a nozzle axis, the inner component defining an axially extending air flow channel; an air passage bore extending through the outward surface of the outer component and communicating with the air flow channel; and a thermal insulating sleeve disposed within the air passage bore, the sleeve having a sleeve body spaced apart from the outer component by an air gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Saeid Oskooei, Gavin Rohiteswar Kisun, Nadia Cheri Swaby, Roger Neil Antony Francis
  • Patent number: 10907831
    Abstract: A fuel injection system may include a fuel spray nozzle including a nozzle head and a nozzle stem. The nozzle head may include an air channel and a swirler in fluid communication with the air channel. The nozzle stem may extend into a compressor discharge pressure cavity and convey fuel to the air channel. The air channel may combine air from the swirler with the fuel from the nozzle stem and convey a mixture of fuel and air to a combustor. The fuel injection system may further include a scoop. The scoop may be coupled to the fuel spray nozzle. The scoop may receive air that flows into the compressor discharge pressure cavity from a diffusor. An outer surface of the fuel spray nozzle and an inner surface of the scoop define a duct in fluid communication with the swirler. The swirler may receive air from the duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Jack D. Petty, Sr., John Holdcraft, Kevin Sauer
  • Patent number: 10871287
    Abstract: A burner for a rotary kiln comprising an elongated tubular body (6) having a longitudinal axis (L) and a discharge end (7) adjacent a combustion zone comprising a flame, at least one fuel supply pipe for transporting and ejecting fuel through a fuel pipe outlet (10) at the discharge end (7), the fuel being alternative fuel or a mixture of alternative fuel and fossil fuel, and at the discharge end (7), a number of high speed primary air jet outlets for ejecting primary air and being arranged, when seen towards the discharge end, along a closed line, such as a circle, outwardly of the fuel outlet (10) and surrounding the fuel outlet, wherein at least one of the primary air outlets and preferably a number of the primary air outlets comprise a single orifice outlet or a multiple orifice outlet forming a flat jet air outlet (11) having a major axis and a minor axis and being configured to eject a flat jet air stream (13) having a flat fan pattern with a predetermined fan angle v.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Inventors: Mads Nielsen, Morten Drivsholm, Linda Kaare Norskov
  • Patent number: 10865986
    Abstract: A vortex generating device is provided as a generally airfoil-shaped lobed body. The flow deflection varies along a spanwise extent, such that the body exhibits a corrugated geometry in a trailing edge region, and the trailing edge exhibits an undulating shape. The undulating shape includes at least one corner. The trailing edge may include or may consist of straight trailing edge sections. The trailing edge may exhibit a polygonial waveform shape, in particular a trapezoidal or rectangular waveform shape. The vortex generating device may be provided as a fuel discharge device which is suited to discharge a fuel into a vortex flow generated by the vortex generating device. To this extent, a fuel supply plenum may be provided inside the body and at least one fuel discharge opening which is in fluid communication with the fuel supply plenum may be provided on the trailing edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: ANSALDO ENERGIA SWITZERLAND AG
    Inventors: Andre Theuer, Urs Benz, Yang Yang, Michael Düsing
  • Patent number: 10865714
    Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a fuel injector for a gas turbine engine includes a fuel injector housing, and an elongated fuel tube held in position in said housing by spaced apart joints and including an undulating tube surface along at least a portion of its length between said joints, said undulating tube surface being in contact with another surface disposed in said housing at one or more locations of said undulating tube surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Woodward. Inc.
    Inventors: Mark G. Goeddeke, Michael Stratton
  • Patent number: 10865992
    Abstract: A fuel injector is provided for the radial introduction of a fuel/air mixture to a combustor. The fuel injector includes a frame having interior sides defining an opening for passage of a first fluid; at least one fuel injection body; and a conduit fitting. The at least one fuel injection body is coupled to the frame and positioned within the opening, thereby defining flow paths for the first fluid. The at least one fuel injection body defines a fuel plenum, and a set of fuel injection holes are defined through an outer surface of the at least one fuel injection body. The conduit fitting is coupled to the frame and conveys fuel from a fuel supply line to the fuel plenum. Fuel and the first fluid mix in the flow paths and are delivered through the outlet to the combustor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Richard Martin DiCintio, Seth Reynolds Hoffman, Ronnie Ray Pentecost, Jayaprakash Natarajan, Wei Zhao
  • Patent number: 10851996
    Abstract: Heat shields and methods of cooling a heat shield are provided. A heat shield of a combustor may be cooled. The heat shield comprises a first surface and a second surface, where the first surface is opposite the second surface, and the first surface is configured to face a combustion chamber. The heat shield may be cooled by directing airflow over the heat shield through channels towards an opening of the heat shield and past turbulators located in the channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventor: Christopher Dwayne DeBruhl
  • Patent number: 10837364
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a fan delivering air into a bypass duct as bypass air and into a core engine. The core engine includes a high pressure compressor, a combustor, and a turbine section including a fan drive turbine driving a fan rotor through a gear reduction. The high pressure compressor having a downstream most location and air in a chamber radially outward of the combustor being air downstream of the downstream most location in the high pressure compressor. A tap taps compressed air and moves compressed air through a heat exchanger, then returns the compressed air back into a core engine housing and passes the returned air through a conduit radially outwardly of the combustor. The air is passed from the conduit radially inwardly to cool the turbine section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Gary D. Roberge
  • Patent number: 10816207
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle for a gas turbine engine includes a stem having a monolithic stem body extending longitudinally between a first end and a second end. The monolithic stem body has a radially outer surface and at least one helical fuel passage extending through the monolithic stem body and disposed inwardly from the radial outer surface. The at least one helical fuel passage extends helically through the monolithic stem body about a passage axis extending between the first and second ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Michael A. Fryer
  • Patent number: 10816199
    Abstract: Combustor assemblies and combustor heat shields are provided. As one example, a combustor assembly comprises a flow path assembly including an outer wall, an inner wall, and a combustor dome that define a combustion chamber and are formed from a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) material. The combustor dome defines a plurality of dome openings, and a heat shield is positioned between the combustor dome and the combustion chamber that comprises a plurality of heat shield segments. Each heat shield segment defines a heat shield aperture that is aligned with a dome opening, and an aft surface of each segment is concave and a forward surface of each segment is convex. One of a plurality of fuel-air mixers is positioned through each heat shield aperture and dome opening, and one collar of a plurality of collars extends through each heat shield aperture to couple the heat shield to the fuel-air mixer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Donald Michael Corsmeier
  • Patent number: 10808623
    Abstract: A combustion chamber assembly, with a combustion chamber nozzle for providing a fuel-air mixture at a nozzle exit opening. A nozzle main body includes an inner air guiding channel for conveying air to the exit opening, a fuel guiding channel for conveying fuel to the exit opening that is positioned radially further outwards to the axis than the inner air guiding channel, and a radially outwardly positioned air guiding element for guiding the air and the fuel-air mixture discharged at the exit opening in a radially outwardly oriented outflow direction. A guide flow generation device creates a guide flow of air that radially borders the air and the fuel-air mixture discharged at the exit opening, and defines a maximum outflow angle for the outflow direction with respect to the nozzle longitudinal axis at which the air and fuel-air mixture discharged at the exit opening can flow radially outwards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG
    Inventor: Max Staufer
  • Patent number: 10808934
    Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine including an outer sleeve. An upstream end of the outer sleeve defines an inlet opening and a downstream end defines an exit opening, each of which defined within the outer sleeve. The outer sleeve defines a radial opening extended therethrough along the radial direction. At least a portion of the outer sleeve defines a plurality of grooves. The outer sleeve defines a fuel conduit through at least a portion of the outer sleeve outward of the plurality of grooves along the radial direction from the fuel injector centerline. The fuel conduit defines a fuel injection opening inward along the radial direction of the radial opening defined through the outer sleeve. A first member of an arm is coupled to the outer sleeve. A second member of the arm is contoured defining a fuel injection port generally concentric to the fuel injector centerline.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gregory Allen Boardman, Jeffrey Michael Martini, Michael Anthony Benjamin, Pradeep Naik
  • Patent number: 10775048
    Abstract: A fuel nozzle for a gas turbine engine includes an outer body extending generally along a centerline axis and defining a plurality of openings in an exterior surface. The fuel nozzle additionally includes a main injection ring disposed at least partially inside the outer body, the main injection ring including a fuel post extending into or through one of the plurality of openings of the outer body. The fuel post defines a spray well and a main fuel orifice, the spray well defining a bottom surface, a side wall, and a taper in the bottom surface extending from the main fuel orifice towards the side wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Nayan Vinodbhai Patel, Alfred Albert Mancini, Duane Douglas Thomsen
  • Patent number: 10753614
    Abstract: A fuel injector provided for gas turbine engine has a nozzle including pilot fuel and mains fuel discharge orifice's for respectively spraying pilot and mains fuel flows into a combustor of the engine. The injector further has a feed arm extending to the nozzle for feeding fuel to the pilot and mains discharge orifices from pilot and mains supplies respectively. The nozzle and the feed arm contain one or more pilot passages for flow of the pilot fuel flow from the pilot supply to the pilot discharge orifice and one or more mains passages for flow of the mains fuel flow from the mains supply to the mains discharge orifice. The nozzle and the feed arm contain a plurality of the pilot passages and/or a plurality of the mains passages. The pilot and the mains passages intertwine repeatedly, and are both smoothly curved as they intertwine around each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Ian M Garry, Mark Glover, Richard Mellor, Frederic Witham
  • Patent number: 10746101
    Abstract: An annular fuel manifold includes an annular fuel plenum defined within the annular fuel manifold, an axial inlet into the annular fuel plenum, and a deflector downstream of the axial inlet, the deflector oriented such that fluid flow into the annular fuel plenum from the axial inlet is deflected by the deflector at least partially along a circumference of the annular fuel plenum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Edward Johnson, Kaitlin Marie Graham, Geoffrey David Myers
  • Patent number: 10724740
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a fuel nozzle for a gas turbine engine, the fuel nozzle defining a radial direction, a longitudinal direction, a circumferential direction, an upstream end, and a downstream end. The fuel nozzle includes an aft body coupled to at least one fuel injector. The aft body defines a forward wall and an aft wall each extended in the radial direction, and a plurality of sidewalls extended in the longitudinal direction. The plurality of sidewalls couples the forward wall and the aft wall. At least one sidewall defines an impingement fluid outlet, and the aft body defines an impingement fluid cavity in fluid communication with the impingement fluid outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Gregory Allen Boardman, Marco Venturato, Douglas Downey Turner, Valeria Proano Cadena, William Thomas Bennett
  • Patent number: 10704517
    Abstract: A combustion chamber comprising an upstream end wall, at least one annular wall, at least one fuel injector and at least one seal. The at least one annular wall being secured to the upstream end wall. The upstream end wall having at least one aperture. Each fuel injector being arranged in a corresponding one of the apertures in the upstream end wall and each seal being arranged in a corresponding one of the apertures in the upstream end wall and around the corresponding one of the fuel injectors. Each seal having an inner surface facing the corresponding one of the fuel injectors and an outer surface facing away from the corresponding one of the fuel injectors. Each seal abutting the corresponding one of the fuel injectors. The downstream end of each seal increasing in diameter in a downstream direction and the upstream end of each seal having a radially extending flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: David P. Wilson, John E. Rimmer, Jochen Rupp, Damian Martin, Emmanuel V. Aurifeille, Kyriakoulis L. Resvanis, Michael J. Allitt
  • Patent number: 10690107
    Abstract: An igniter for a dual fuel engine includes a plurality of spray orifices formed in a nozzle and defining a plurality of spray axes. A plurality of spark electrodes are resident on the nozzle and form spark gaps offset from the spray axes, in a spark gap pattern that is at variance in at least one of a circumferential aspect or an axial aspect with the spray plume pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan W. Anders, Bobby John
  • Patent number: 10670018
    Abstract: A liquid injection apparatus for use with a compressor having a rotor shaft and a casing part is provided. The liquid injection apparatus includes at least one conduit and at least one nozzle coupled to the conduit(s). The liquid injection apparatus is panel-shaped and has a first panel segment, a second panel segment, and at least one of: a passage defined between the first panel segment and the second panel segment, the passage sized to receive at least one of the rotor shaft and the casing part; and a third panel segment positioned between the first panel segment and the second panel segment. The third panel segment is at least in part detachable from the first panel segment and/or the second panel segment for receiving at least one of the rotor shaft and the casing part between the first panel segment and the second panel segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Laxmikant Merchant, Valery Ivanovich Ponyavin, Jeffrey Patrick Mills, Divya Reddy Kothakapu, Weilun Yu, Joshua Adam Bagwell
  • Patent number: 10648673
    Abstract: A combustor includes a combustion tube having a cylindrical shape with a combustion space where fuel is combusted and including an inlet through which the fuel is introduced, an outlet through which a gas generated when the fuel is combusted is discharged, and a protrusion protruding inward from a wall surface between the inlet and the outlet; an injection unit configured to inject fuel into the combustion tube through the inlet of the combustion tube; and an additional injection unit located on the protrusion of the combustion tube and configured to inject fuel into the combustion tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: HANWHA AEROSPACE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ik Soo Kim
  • Patent number: 10570821
    Abstract: A pre-film liquid fuel cartridge includes a main body having a water passage, a liquid fuel passage, a compressed air passage and a pre-film tip disposed at a downstream portion of the pre-film liquid fuel cartridge. The pre-film tip includes a forward end portion that is axially separated from an aft end portion and an inner side that extends therebetween. The inner side at least partially defines a pre-filming surface which terminates at an emulsion atomizing shear edge. The pre-film tip includes a plurality of water injection ports oriented tangentially through the pre-filming surface, a plurality of liquid fuel injection ports oriented tangentially through the pre-filming surface and a plurality of atomizing air injection ports axially oriented around the emulsion atomizing shear edge. An atomizing air shear edge is defined downstream from the emulsion atomizing shear edge and the atomizing air injection ports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Borys Borysovych Shershnyov, Alexey Yurievich Gerasimov
  • Patent number: 10539328
    Abstract: A nozzle guide support device, that supports a nozzle guide of a fuel nozzle on an open flange part encircling a fuel supply hole of a combustor of a gas turbine engine, is formed by fixing a cap that supports the nozzle guide in a floating state to the open flange part by means of a rivet. Rotation of the nozzle guide relative to the open flange part is restricted by engagement between a recess portion of the nozzle guide and a spacer fitted to the rivet. Accordingly, not only is it possible to cut production time and production cost compared with a case in which the nozzle guide support device is fixed by welding or brazing, but it is also possible to suppress unlimited rotation of the fuel nozzle guide while enabling the fuel nozzle guide to float in a radial direction and a axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuharu Kamoi, Takeshi Kiyama
  • Patent number: 10508759
    Abstract: A flowpath assembly has a first conduit defining a flowpath radially inward, and a second conduit spaced radially outward from the first conduit. A void defined between the first and second conduits contains an insulating material that may have a greater porosity than the first and second conduits. The assembly may be additive manufactured generally as one unitary piece with the raw material of the conduits being melted and solidified on a slice-by-slice basis and the insulating material being selectively bypassed by an energy gun of an additive manufacturing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2019
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Joe Ott, John J. Rup, Jr., Shawn Stempinski, Stanley J. Funk, Dennis M. Moura, Lexia Kironn, Roger O. Coffey