Process Patents (Class 60/772)
  • Patent number: 11970971
    Abstract: A turbofan engine is provided. The turbofan engine includes a fan; a turbomachine operably coupled to the fan for driving the fan, wherein the turbomachine, the fan, or both include an engine component; a heat source; and a heat transfer system configured to reduce ice buildup or ice formation in the engine component, the heat transfer system in communication with the heat source, the heat transfer system comprising: a first heat transfer component in communication with the heat source; and a second heat transfer component that extends from the first heat transfer component to or through the engine component, wherein the first heat transfer component comprises one of a heat pipe or a graphene rod, and wherein the second heat transfer component comprises the other of the heat pipe or the graphene rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignees: General Electric Company, General Electric Deutschland Holding GmbH
    Inventors: Rajani Bhanu Poornima M, Vilas Kawaduji Bokade, Subramani Adhiachari, Sesha Subramanian, Pankaj Sharma, Ashish Sharma, Scott Alan Schimmels
  • Patent number: 11959417
    Abstract: A gas turbine (A, B, C) is provided that includes at least a compressor (1), a combustor (2), and a turbine (3) and combusts ammonia serving as fuel in the combustor (2), including a reducing agent supply device (6) configured to supply a reducing agent for reducing nitrogen oxides in a combustion gas to at least one of: a combustion gas flow path between the combustor (2) and the turbine (3); and the turbine (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventor: Hisashi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11881713
    Abstract: Advanced Distribution Management Systems not generally optimize over the entire feeder because there are few high-fidelity distribution circuit models and real-time distribution-connected sensors are rare. The limited observability at the distribution level makes it difficult to globally optimize distribution operations and issue control setpoints to power systems equipment or Distributed Energy Resources (DER) to perform grid-support services. For example, setpoints can be issued to DER based on results from an optimization module that incorporates a static or time-series feeder simulation. Feeder simulation initial conditions are populated with photovoltaic (PV) and load forecasts, state estimation results, and/or digital twin measurements or state output. The real-time (RT) digital twin runs a model of the feeder to generate state estimation pseudo-measurements since there are limited live feeder measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
    Inventors: Jay Tillay Johnson, Rachid Darbali-Zamora, Adam Summers, Clifford W. Hansen
  • Patent number: 11873991
    Abstract: A system for offshore electricity generation and direct carbon dioxide sequestration includes an offshore marine platform on which is mounted a plurality of internal combustion engines. The marine platform is deployed above an offshore, subsea storage reservoir. The internal combustion engines drive electric generators to produce electricity. Flue gas from the internal combustion engines is directed to a carbon dioxide capture system adjacent the internal combustion engines and in fluid communication with the flue gas exhausts of the internal combustion engines. The carbon dioxide capture system captures gaseous carbon dioxide from the flue gas, and then injects the captured carbon dioxide directly into the offshore, subsea storage reservoir. Compressors in fluid communication with the carbon dioxide capture system may be utilized to increase the pressure of the captured gaseous carbon dioxide to a desired injection pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignee: Stena Power & LNG Solutions AS
    Inventors: Robert Løseth, Svein Borge Hellesmark
  • Patent number: 11867122
    Abstract: A propulsion assembly having a propulsion system including an exhaust nozzle fastened to the nozzle wall on the outside thereof so as to define between them a chamber, and a heat exchanger system ensuring an exchange of heat energy between the hot combustion gases circulating in the exhaust nozzle and the colder fuel circulating in the supply pipe at least in part by thermal radiation through the nozzle wall. The heat exchanger system has a pipe portion arranged in the chamber and the exchange of heat energy takes place at this pipe portion. With such an arrangement, the heat energy of the combustion gases is transferred to the fuel for better combustion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignees: Airbus SAS, Airbus Operations SAS
    Inventors: Jorge Alejandro Carretero Benignos, Lionel Czapla
  • Patent number: 11820653
    Abstract: A system suitable for oxidizing ammonia with oxygen in the presence of catalysts is described. The system includes a reactor equipped with at least one supply line for a reactant gas mixture and at least one discharge line for a process gas; a catalyst comprising at least one transition metal oxide that is not an oxide of a platinum metal; and a device for adjusting a molar ratio of oxygen to ammonia of less than or equal to 1.75 mol/mol in the reactant gas mixture by mixing an oxygen-containing gas stream having an O2 content of <20% by volume with a chosen amount of ammonia. The oxygen-containing gas stream is produced by a device for: diluting an air stream with a gas stream comprising less than 20% by volume oxygen; or depleting oxygen from an oxygen-containing gas mixture, preferably from air; or by a combination thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG
    Inventors: Meinhard Schwefer, Rolf Siefert, Klaus Ruthardt, Alberto Cremona, Edoardo Vogna
  • Patent number: 11725822
    Abstract: The invention concerns a turbo engine comprising a combustion chamber (110) arranged inside the outer housing (112) and comprising an internal revolution wall (118) and an external revolution wall (116). First stop parts (54) and second stop parts (56) fixed respectively to the outer housing and to the combustion chamber are provided, the first and second stop parts being adapted to come to a substantially axial stop two by two by forming stop pairs (58).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Romain Nicolas Lunel, Damien Bonnefoi, Christophe Pieussergues, Luc Namer, Dominique Raulin, Dan Ranjiv Joory, Benjamin Frantz Karl Villenave
  • Patent number: 11697505
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system is disclosed that includes at least one hybrid-electric powerplant for delivering power to an air mover for propelling the aircraft, wherein the at least one hybrid-electric powerplant includes a heat engine and an electric motor arranged in a parallel drive configuration or an in-line drive configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Jean Thomassin, Eric LaTulipe
  • Patent number: 11661926
    Abstract: A geothermal power plant related maintenance support system comprises: a thermodynamic calculation module for determining performance of specified geothermal power plant components; a plurality of. embedded sensors, each of which is embedded in a different geothermal power plant location and adapted to sense a corresponding real-time geothermal power plant parameter; a plurality of environmental sensors adapted to sense ambient conditions in the vicinity of the geothermal power plant; and a processor in data communication with each of said embedded sensors and environmental sensors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: ORMAT TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Rachel Huberman, Evgeni Bulgakov, Hilel Legmann
  • Patent number: 11605304
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for learning a policy for selection of an associative topic, which can be used in a dialog system, is described. The method includes obtaining a policy base that indicates a topic transition from a source topic to a destination topic and a short-term reward for the topic transition, by analyzing data from a corpus. The short-term reward may be defined as probability of associating a positive response. The method also includes calculating an expected long-term reward for the topic transition using the short-term reward for the topic transition with taking into account a discounted reward for a subsequent topic transition. The method further includes generating a policy using the policy base and the expected long-term reward for the topic transition. The policy indicates selection of the destination topic for the source topic as an associative topic for a current topic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kanayama, Akira Koseki, Toshiro Takase
  • Patent number: 11585270
    Abstract: An energy storage system has a pressure vessel that is exposed to ambient temperatures and that contains a working fluid which is condensable at ambient temperatures (CWF); a liquid reservoir in communication with one of the vessels and containing a liquid that is unvaporizable in the reservoir and in the vessel; and apparatus for delivering the liquid from the reservoir to the vessel. The CWF is compressible within the vessel upon direct contact with the liquid and is storable in a liquid state after being compressed to its saturation pressure. In a method, at least some of the liquid located in the vessel is propelled by the CWF towards a turbine to produce power. In one embodiment, a module has a first vessel having at least four ports, a second vessel at ambient temperatures, and a flow control component operatively connected to a corresponding conduit for selectively controlling fluid flow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignees: ORMAT SYSTEMS LTD, ORMAT TECHNOLOGIES INC.
    Inventors: Eduard Katz, Omri Meshulam, Anton Fiterman, Nirit Grushko
  • Patent number: 11578667
    Abstract: A system can include a gas turbine and a processing system. The gas turbine can include a compressor coupled to a turbine through a shaft. The processing system can be configured to: automatically transition an operating condition of the system through a plurality of operating states; determine an efficiency of the system at each of a plurality of the operating states; for each of the plurality of operating states: select a future operating state of the system based on the determined efficiency of the current operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce Corporation
    Inventor: Alan Smith
  • Patent number: 11549728
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a compressor section, a combustor, and a turbine section. An associated fluid is to be cooled and an associated fluid is to be heated. A transcritical vapor cycle heats the fluid to be heated, and cools the fluid to be cooled. The transcritical vapor cycle includes a gas cooler in which the fluid to be heated is heated by a refrigerant in the transcritical vapor cycle. An evaporator heat exchanger at which the fluid to be cooled is cooled by the refrigerant in the transcritical vapor cycle. A compressor upstream of the gas cooler compresses the refrigerant to a pressure above a critical point for the refrigerant. An expansion device expands the refrigerant downstream of the gas cooler, with the evaporator heat exchanger being downstream of the expansion device, and such that the refrigerant passing through the gas cooler to heat the fluid to be heated is generally above the critical point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Nathan Snape, Joseph Brent Staubach
  • Patent number: 11525412
    Abstract: An operation management device includes a state acquiring unit that acquires a measurement value of a first state amount indicating an operation state of a power generation plant, a state updating unit that updates an estimation value of a second state amount, which indicates the operation state of the power generation plant and is a state amount different from the first state amount, based on the measurement value of the first state amount, and a managing unit that manages the operation state of the power generation plant based on the estimation value of the second state amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Keisuke Yamamoto, Shintaro Kumano, Makoto Kishi, Katsuhiko Abe
  • Patent number: 11492970
    Abstract: Systems and methods for operating systems are provided. For example, a system comprises a coolant flowpath having a coolant flowing therethrough, a cooling system for cooling the coolant disposed along the coolant flowpath, a fuel flowpath having a fuel flowing therethrough, a heat exchanger fluidly connected to the coolant flowpath and the fuel flowpath for heat transfer between the coolant and the fuel to cool the fuel, and a fuel tank for accumulating the cooled fuel. The fuel is in thermal communication with a first thermal load to cool the load. An exemplary method comprises flowing a heat exchange fluid along a flowpath; flowing a fuel along a fuel flowpath including a fuel tank; passing both the heat exchange fluid and fuel through a heat exchanger to cool the fuel; and controlling the fuel flow from the heat exchanger to the fuel tank for accumulation of the cooled fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Jeffrey Douglas Rambo
  • Patent number: 11448141
    Abstract: The method and system are for implementing the method so as to alleviate the disadvantages of a reciprocating combustion engine and gas turbine when generating power. A combustion chamber is arranged outside a turbine and provides compressed air from a turbocharger powered with a heat source in order to carry out a combustion process supplemented with high pressure steam pulses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: Finno Exergy Oy
    Inventors: Timo Eramaa, Heikki Salminen
  • Patent number: 11439951
    Abstract: A control system for a vehicle having a CO2 capturing device configured to capture CO2 certainly from gas streams. The CO2 captured by the CO2 capturing device is desorbed from the CO2 capturing device by an energy available in the vehicle. A controller is configured to discharge the CO2 captured by the CO2 capturing device into the recovery station by energy delivered from the recovery station to the CO2 capturing device when the energy available in the vehicle is less than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kouseki Sugiyama, Jun Miyagawa, Daiki Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 11428409
    Abstract: A combustor includes: a fuel nozzle for injecting fuel; a combustion liner surrounding a combustion space for combusting the fuel and having an internal passage having an outlet communicating with the combustion space; and an air-fuel mixture line, connected to an inlet of the internal passage of the combustion liner, for introducing an air-fuel mixture containing the fuel and compressed air to the internal passage. The combustion liner is configured to be cooled by the air-fuel mixture flowing through the internal passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI POWER, LTD.
    Inventors: Kei Inoue, Keijiro Saito, Yuichi Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 11396825
    Abstract: A turbine diagnostic machine learning system builds one or more turbine engine performance models using one or more parameter or parameter characteristics. A model of turbine engine performance includes ranked parameters or parameter characteristics, the ranking of which is calculated by a model builder based upon a function of AIC, AUC and p-value, resulting in a corresponding importance rank. These raw parameters and raw parameter characteristics are then sorted according to their importance rank, and selected by a selection component to form one or more completed models. The one or more models are operatively coupled to one or more other models to facilitate further machine learning capabilities by the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Anurag Agarwal, Rajesh Alla, Frank Gruber, Lorenzo Escriche
  • Patent number: 11359503
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a rotor carrying a blade, a ceramic vane adjacent the blade, a seal carried on the rotor adjacent the tip of the ceramic vane, and a cooling passage circuit extending through the blade, the seal, and the ceramic vane. The cooling passage circuit is configured to provide cooling air into the blade, then from the blade into the seal, and then from the seal into the ceramic vane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: AYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mark F. Zelesky
  • Patent number: 11339719
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for rotational equipment. This assembly includes a first component, a static structure, a guide rail and a second component. The static structure includes a static structure fluid passage. The guide rail is mounted to the static structure. The guide rail includes a guide rail fluid passage and a nozzle. The guide rail fluid passage fluidly couples the static structure fluid passage to a nozzle orifice of the nozzle. The nozzle is configured to direct fluid onto the first component through the nozzle orifice. The second component is mated with and configured to translate along the guide rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Benjamin Nasman, Michael M. Davis
  • Patent number: 11326974
    Abstract: In a canister horizontally installed and housed inside a concrete silo, at least two temperatures out of a temperature TB at a canister bottom portion to be one end portion in a lateral direction in a horizontally-installed attitude, a temperature TSB at a canister side surface lower portion located below a horizontal plane passing through a center of the canister, a temperature TT at a canister lid portion to be the other end portion in the lateral direction, and a temperature TST at a canister side surface upper portion located above the horizontal plane passing through the center of the canister are monitored, and occurrence of leakage of an inert gas inside the canister is detected when there is a change in a temperature difference between the at least two temperatures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Inventor: Hirofumi Takeda
  • Patent number: 11319882
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a generator that is configured to be driven by a turbine section, an electric motor that is configured to receive at least a portion of electric power from the generator, a gearbox that is mechanically coupled to both the electric motor and the generator, and a control system that has an operational amplifier that is configured to synchronize operation of the electric motor and the generator. The operational amplifier electrically couples the electric motor to the generator and is configured to define an electrical gain that matches a mechanical gain that is defined by the gearbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Coy Bruce Wood, Ramesh Rajagopalan, Zubair Ahmed Baig
  • Patent number: 11306656
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a passageway configured to permit fluid to drain back into a bearing compartment. The passageway has an inlet outside the bearing compartment and an outlet inside the bearing compartment. The outlet is spaced-apart from a central rotational axis of a towershaft gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Todd A. Davis, Reade W. James, Peter T. Schutte, Juan Jimenez
  • Patent number: 11300010
    Abstract: This cooling equipment comprises: a refrigerant supply line (81) supplying, to a condenser (6), a condenser refrigerant which cools steam (Sb) that has driven a steam turbine (5), to return the steam (Sb) to water (W); and a cooling part (80) which is disposed on the refrigerant supply line (81), and performs heat exchange between liquefied gas used as fuel for a gas turbine (2) and the condenser refrigerant to heat and vaporize the liquefied gas and to cool the condenser refrigerant at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI POWER, LTD.
    Inventor: Kazunori Fujita
  • Patent number: 11299994
    Abstract: A first-stage stator vane for a gas turbine includes: a first portion partially defining an airfoil which includes a pressure surface, a suction surface, and a trailing edge; and a second portion positioned at a leading-edge side of the airfoil with respect to the first portion, the second portion having a recess portion or a protruding portion. The recess portion or the protruding portion has a pair of side wall surfaces, and an angle formed between the pair of side wall surfaces is less than 90 angular degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI POWER, LTD.
    Inventors: Kentaro Tokuyama, Kenji Sato, Keisuke Matsuyama, Takaya Koda, Shunsuke Torii, Tetsuya Shimmyo, Shinya Hashimoto, Akihiro Murakami
  • Patent number: 11293691
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for liquefied natural gas production facilities are disclosed herein. A liquefied natural gas (LNG) production facility includes a liquefaction unit and a gas turbine. The liquefaction unit condenses natural gas vapor into liquefied natural gas. Fuel to the gas turbine contains at least about 90% hydrogen by volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: NEXT CARBON SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Ivan Van der Walt, Ben Heichelbech, Alex Thompson, Vikrum Subra, Victor Fernandes, Michael Abegg
  • Patent number: 11293349
    Abstract: A turbomachine for an aircraft, comprising a thermoacoustic system associated with a fluid circuit that serves to supply the engine of the turbomachine with fluid. The thermoacoustic system comprises an exchanger which is connected to the fluid circuit and in which there flows a fluid that is to be cooled, an acoustic attenuation structure which is distinct from the exchanger and which forms all or part of a wall of the fan duct, and at least one heat-duct tube comprising a portion that is entirely received in the acoustic structure and a portion with an end that is received in the exchanger, and a single curved elbow with a non-zero angle between the two portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: AIRBUS OPERATIONS SAS
    Inventors: Thomas Livebardon, Maxime Zebian
  • Patent number: 11286851
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine configured to combust, by means of a combustor, a compressed air obtained through compression by a compressor, and drive a turbine with use of high-temperature and high-pressure combustion gas generated by the combustion, the gas turbine engine including: a plurality of air passages through which different portions in the gas turbine engine communicate with one another; and a switching device configured to switch air flow paths between the plurality of air passages, wherein the plurality of air passages are each formed by an air pipe disposed outside a compressor casing, and the switching device is mounted to an outer surface of the compressor casing via a heat insulation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Nakayama, Akihisa Oka, Hiroki Seike
  • Patent number: 11286054
    Abstract: A propulsion system for an aircraft is disclosed, and includes a first propeller, a second propeller, a first hybrid propulsion system, a second hybrid propulsion system, and a cross-connecting clutch. The first hybrid propulsion system includes a first motor coupled to a first engine by a first overrunning clutch, where the first hybrid propulsion system is operably coupled to drive the first propeller. The second hybrid propulsion system includes a second motor coupled to a second engine by a second overrunning clutch, where the second hybrid propulsion system is operably coupled to drive the second propeller. The cross-connecting clutch is operably coupled to both the first hybrid propulsion system and the second hybrid propulsion system and configured to actuate into an engaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Michael Thomas Fox
  • Patent number: 11280232
    Abstract: Methods and Systems for monitoring an engine fluid level in a fluid recipient are described. In one example, the method comprises, during a fluid replenishing procedure, detecting when the fluid level reaches a level associated with the recipient being full; in response to the detecting, triggering a timer corresponding to a predetermined number of operating hours of the engine based on a fluid volume capacity of the fluid recipient; when the timer expires, verifying the fluid level; and issuing a first alert signal when the fluid level is at the level associated with the recipient being full and the timer has expired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Tatjana Pekovic, John Correia, Robert Pontarelli, Andre Ip
  • Patent number: 11261107
    Abstract: Disclosed techniques include desalination using pressure vessels. Access to a set of at least three pressure vessels is obtained. The pressure vessels are interconnected using piping and computer-controlled switching valves. A first pressure vessel of the set is filled with a prepurified liquid. A second pressure vessel of the set is filled with a pressurized gas. The pressurized gas is sharp interface immiscible with the prepurified liquid. The switching valves are controlled to enable the pressurized gas in the second pressure vessel to force the prepurified liquid from the first pressure vessel into a reverse osmosis chamber. The switching valves are controlled to enable a third pressure vessel of the set to fill with additional prepurified liquid. The switching valves are controlled to enable the pressurized gas that entered the first pressure vessel to force the additional prepurified liquid from the third pressure vessel into the reverse osmosis chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Energy Internet Corporation
    Inventors: Shankar Ramamurthy, Shankar Nataraj
  • Patent number: 11255544
    Abstract: A rotating detonation combustion (RDC) system is provided. The RDC includes a first outer wall and a second outer wall each extended around a centerline axis, and a detonation chamber formed radially inward of the second outer wall. A fuel passage extended between the first outer wall and the second outer wall, the fuel passage including a first inlet opening proximate to the aft end through which a flow of fuel is received into the fuel passage. The flow of fuel is provided through the fuel passage from the aft end to the forward end of the RDC system and to the detonation chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Thomas Earl Dyson, Thomas Michael Lavertu, Sarah Marie Monahan, Kapil Kumar Singh, Venkat Eswarlu Tangirala, Joel Meier Haynes
  • Patent number: 11255200
    Abstract: A method of treating a component adapted for use in a gas turbine engine is described herein. The component may comprise ceramic matrix composite materials. The treatment to the ceramic matrix composite component may reduce or eliminate the wear or damage of crack propagation in the ceramic matrix composite component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce High Temperature Composites Inc.
    Inventors: Michael J. Whittle, Louise J. Gale, Stephan J. Pattison, Anthony G. Razzell, Ian M. Edmonds, Michael G. Abbott
  • Patent number: 11215067
    Abstract: A vehicle power generation system including: a first solenoid spool valve; a second solenoid spool valve; a first poppet valve fluidly connected to a high pressure inlet; a second poppet valve fluidly connected to the first solenoid spool valve and the first poppet valve; a third poppet valve fluidly connected to the second solenoid spool valve, the first poppet valve, and an impulse turbine; and a fourth poppet valve fluidly connected to the second solenoid spool valve, the second poppet valve, and the impulse turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventor: Zachary J. Delong
  • Patent number: 11208949
    Abstract: The present invention is a system, method and computer program for operating a land-or marine-based multi-spool gas turbine system for generating electrical power to supply a load, wherein the system comprises a multi-spool gas turbine engine, and the method comprises controlling the rotational speeds of the at least two generators independently of each other so as to directly control the rotational speeds of the shafts of the spools, the at last two generators being operable to generate electrical current to supply the load, and regulating the amount of heat generated the first heat generating equipment. A computer program to perform the method is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: AURELIA TURBINES OY
    Inventors: Matti Malkamäki, Ahti Jaatinen-Värri, Jari Backman, Juha Honkatukia
  • Patent number: 11203446
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for fault diagnosis of the sensors and actuators of an aero-engine based on LFT, and belongs to the field of fault diagnosis of aero-engines. The method comprises: establishing an aero-engine state space model using a combination of a small perturbation method and a linear fitting method; establishing an affine parameter-dependent linear-parameter-varying (LPV) model of the aero-engine based on the model; converting the LPV model of the aero-engine having perturbation signals and sensor and actuator fault signals into a linear fractional transformation (LFT) structure to obtain an synthesis framework of an LPV fault estimator; solving a set of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) to obtain the solution conditions of the fault estimator; and designing the fault estimator in combination with the LFT structure to realize fault diagnosis of the sensors and actuators of an aero-engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: DALIAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Yanhua Ma, Xian Du, Rui Wang, Min Liu, Ximing Sun
  • Patent number: 11204166
    Abstract: A burner of a turbomachine, particularly a gas turbine engine, has at least one burner section having an annular wall surrounding a respective section of a burner interior, the annular wall including: an annular inner surface delimiting the burner interior, and a plurality of dampening cavities for the dampening of thermo-acoustic vibrations in the burner interior, each dampening cavity being connected to the annular inner surface through at least a dampening hole. A method of manufacturing such a burner includes additive manufacturing of the annular wall as an integrally formed component, or additive manufacturing of the upstream burner section, wherein the intermediate burner section and the downstream burner section as integrally formed component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Siemens Energy Global GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Jan-Erik Lundgren, Jan Pettersson
  • Patent number: 11187152
    Abstract: A sealing arrangement includes a transition duct having an aft frame that circumferentially surrounds the downstream end of the transition duct. The aft frame defines a cooling circuit that has an outlet configured to direct cooling air in a radial direction. A first stage nozzle is spaced apart from the aft frame and defines a gap therebetween. A sealing assembly that extend circumferentially along at least a portion of the aft frame and is coupled to the aft frame. The sealing assembly includes a flexible sealing element that extends from the aft frame, across the gap, to the first stage nozzle. The flexible sealing element is forced into sealing engagement with the first stage nozzle by pressure from a compressed working fluid. A cooling flow director that is disposed between the outlet of the cooling circuit and the flexible sealing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Emily Klara Happ, Lucas John Stoia
  • Patent number: 11187156
    Abstract: A combustion engine includes a combustion section; a fuel delivery system for providing a fuel flow to the combustion section, the fuel delivery system including an oxygen reduction unit for reducing an oxygen content of the fuel flow; a thermal management system including a heat sink heat exchanger, the heat sink heat exchanger in thermal communication with the fuel delivery system at a location downstream of the oxygen reduction unit; and a control system including a sensor operable with the fuel delivery system for sensing data indicative of an operability of the oxygen reduction unit and a controller operable with the sensor, the controller configured to initiate a corrective action based on the data sensed by the sensor indicative of the operability of the oxygen reduction unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel Alan Niergarth, Sridhar Adibhatla, Brandon Wayne Miller, David William Crall
  • Patent number: 11174759
    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 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: 8 Rivers Capital, LLC
    Inventors: Rodney John Allam, Brock Alan Forrest
  • Patent number: 11161694
    Abstract: Methods and systems for thermal energy storage and enhanced oil recovery are described herein. In some embodiments, natural gas may be injected down a well which has been previously hydraulically fractured to store thermal energy and to stimulate the well to greater hydrocarbon production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Chad Augustine, David Levi Young, Henry Ellis Johnston, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11149592
    Abstract: A composite power generating device of the present invention includes an engine (110), a first flow line (121), a turbocharger (130), a second flow line (122), a third flow line (123), a compressor (211), a first medium line (221), a medium turbine (212), a second medium line (222), a working medium cooler (213), a recuperator (215), a power generating unit (214), a cross-line (233), a first heat exchanger (251), a second heat exchanger (252), and a third heat exchanger (253).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: HYUNDAI HEAVY INDUSTRIES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Gwang Nyeon Ryu, Jin Ki Ham, Beom Joo Kim, Cheol Hee Lee
  • Patent number: 11149577
    Abstract: A device for controlling the clearance between a rotor and a stator surrounding same, which is carried out by modifying the delivery flow carried in a rotor recess in order to provide a bleed flow that prevents the gases from the flow section from penetrating into the recess. A valve can partially close the delivery circuit, thus reducing the cooling of the rotor structure and allowing the expansion thereof and the reduction of the clearance with the stator, for certain operating speeds including cruise operating speeds. In addition, the delivery air is heated more at a lower flow rate, especially if it is made to follow a bypass provided with meanders in the hottest portions of the circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Baptiste Marie Aubin Pierre Jouy, Laurent Claude Descamps, Bertrand Guillaume Robin Pellaton, Loic Fabien Francois Villard
  • Patent number: 11136899
    Abstract: A turbine engine includes integrated electric machines in the compressor section and the turbine section to supplement power produced from fuel with electric power. The example compressor section includes a compressor electric motor that is coupled to a compressor generator. The example turbine section includes a turbine electric motor that is coupled to the geared architecture to supplement power driving the fan section. A turbine generator provides electric power to the turbine electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Zubair Ahmed Baig, Gary Collopy, Coy Bruce Wood
  • Patent number: 11112174
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for liquefied natural gas production facilities are disclosed herein. A liquefied natural gas (LNG) production facility includes a liquefaction unit and a gas turbine. The liquefaction unit condenses natural gas vapor into liquefied natural gas. Fuel to the gas turbine contains at least about 90% hydrogen by volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: NEXT CARBON SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Ivan Van der Walt, Ben Heichelbech, Alex Thompson, Vikrum Subra, Victor Fernandes, Michael Abegg
  • Patent number: 11105269
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method of control of a gas turbine engine comprising a fan section coupled to a low turbine together defining a low spool, an intermediate compressor coupled to an intermediate turbine together defining an intermediate spool, and a high compressor coupled to a high turbine together defining a high spool. The method includes providing an intermediate spool speed to low spool speed characteristic curve to a controller; providing a commanded power output to the controller; providing one or more of an environmental condition to the controller; determining, via the controller, a commanded fuel flow rate; determining, via the controller, a commanded intermediate compressor loading; and generating an actual power output of the engine, wherein the actual power output is one or more of an actual low spool speed, an actual intermediate spool speed, an actual high spool speed, and an actual engine pressure ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Thomas Ory Moniz, Alan Roy Stuart, James William Simunek, Jeffrey Donald Clements, Brandon Wayne Miller, Sridhar Adibhatla
  • Patent number: 11091272
    Abstract: An aircraft propulsion system is disclosed and includes a first gas turbine engine including a first input shaft driving a first gear system, a first fan driven by the first gear system, a first generator supported on the first input shaft and a fan drive electric motor providing a drive input to the first fan, a second gas turbine engine including a second input shaft driving a second gear system, a second fan driven by the second gear system, a second generator supported on the second input shaft and a second fan drive electric motor providing a drive input to the second fan and a controller controlling power output from each of the first and second generators and directing the power output between each of the first and second fan drive electric motors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Frederick M. Schwarz, William G. Sheridan, Glenn Levasseur
  • Patent number: 11085336
    Abstract: A method for operating a combined cycle power plant includes transferring exhaust gas from a gas turbine to a heat recovery steam generator. Further, the method includes preheating condensate before being fed as feedwater to the heat recovery steam generator. Moreover, the method includes reheating the feedwater in the heat recovery steam generator. The method also includes generating steam in the heat recovery steam generator for a steam turbine, wherein preheating the condensate includes monitoring a temperature of the condensate: if the temperature of the condensate is equal to or above a preset temperature, directing the condensate to a low-pressure economizer of the heat recovery steam generator; if the temperature of the condensate is lower than the preset temperature: directing a first fluid from an intermediate source of the low-pressure economizer to heat the condensate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mariah Couzzi-Carneiro, Joerg Dietzmann
  • Patent number: 11047264
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a power generation system and related methods that use supercritical fluids, whereby a portion of the supercritical fluid is recuperated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Peregrine Turbine Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: David Scott Stapp