Multi-spool Turbocompressor Patents (Class 60/792)
  • Patent number: 12084190
    Abstract: The invention concerns an aircraft turbine engine (1), comprising a gas generator comprising at least one annular gas flow duct (2), the duct (2) being defined by two annular housings, respectively an external housing (3b) and an internal housing (3a), extending one around the other and connected together by at least one tubular arm (5) for the passage of a lubricating oil line (7). According to the invention, the line (7) comprises a first fixed section (14) secured to the external housing (3b), a second fixed section (16) secured to a piece of equipment (4) of the turbomachine capable of moving or vibrating during operation relative to the housings (3a, 3b), and an intermediate section (18) connecting the first and second sections (14, 16), this intermediate section (18) having a generally elongate shape and comprising longitudinal ends engaged and capable of swiveling and/or sliding in ends of the first and second sections (14, 16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventors: Regis Eugene Henri Servant, Didier Gabriel Bertrand Desombre, Christophe Paul Jacquemard
  • Patent number: 11994088
    Abstract: A dual entry turbine of a compression device includes a housing having a first inlet and a second inlet, and a first outlet and a second outlet. A turbine impeller is arranged within the housing. The turbine impeller has a first gas path and a second gas path. A first flow path extends from the first inlet to the first outlet via the first gas path and a second flow path extends from the second inlet to the second outlet via the second gas path. The first flow path and the second flow path being fluidly separate from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Louis J. Bruno, Darryl A. Colson, Tony Ho, Donald E. Army
  • Patent number: 11873767
    Abstract: A gear assembly for use with a turbomachine comprises a sun gear, a plurality of planet gears, and a ring gear. The gear assembly is connected to an input shaft and an output shaft. The sun gear is configured to rotate about a longitudinal centerline of the gear assembly, and is driven by the input shaft. A component of the gear assembly drives the output shaft. The gear assembly further comprises an output shaft reversal mechanism configured to reverse the rotational direction of the output shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2024
    Assignees: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Andrea Piazza, Darek Zatorski, Juraj Hrubec, David M. Ostdiek
  • Patent number: 11619178
    Abstract: A gas turbine includes a compressor configured to compress air; a combustor configured to mix and combust fuel and compressed air compressed by the compressor; a turbine configured to obtain rotational power using combustion gas generated by the combustor; an inlet guide vane disposed at an intake of the compressor to adjust a flow rate of air flowing into the compressor; a bleed line configured to return a part of the compressed air pressurized in the compressor to the intake of the compressor; and an on-off valve disposed in the bleed line. When the output of the gas turbine increases, a preset maximum value limit of the inlet guide vane is corrected based on a valve opening degree command value of the on-off valve and a compressor intake temperature such that the gas turbine achieves a predetermined performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Erina Otsuka, Makoto Kishi, Atsushi Kakiuchi
  • Patent number: 11608784
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a low speed input shaft drives a first plurality of accessories. A high speed input shaft drives a second plurality of accessories. The first plurality of accessories rotating about a first set of rotational axes perpendicular to a first plane. The second plurality of accessories rotating about a second set rotational axes perpendicular to a second plane. The first and second planes extending in opposed directions away from a drive input axis. Compressed air is tapped and passes through a heat exchanger, then to a boost compressor, and then to at least one rotatable components in a main compressor section and a main turbine section. The boost compressor driven on a boost axis, which is non-parallel to the first set of rotational axes and the second set of rotational axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2023
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hung Duong, Marc J. Muldoon, Gabriel L. Suciu
  • Patent number: 11591967
    Abstract: An example system for providing mechanical power to an aircraft accessory with a turbine engine, where the turbine engine includes a low-speed spool and a high-speed spool, includes an accessory gearbox disposed between the low-speed spool and the high-speed spool and a clutch disposed within or external to the accessory gearbox. The accessory gearbox is configured to drive the aircraft accessory, and the clutch is configured to enable either the high-speed spool or the low-speed spool to provide mechanical power to the aircraft accessory via the accessory gearbox.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: David W. Foutch, Joseph M. Dirusso
  • Patent number: 11448164
    Abstract: An engine core including a turbine, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor, the turbine being the lowest pressure turbine of the engine and the compressor being the lowest pressure compressor of the engine; a fan located upstream of the engine core; and a gearbox that receives an input from the core shaft and outputs drive to the fan. The engine core further includes three bearings arranged to support the core shaft, the three bearings including a forward bearing and two rearward bearings, and wherein the forwardmost rearward bearing has a bearing stiffness in the range of 30 kN/mm to 100 kN/mm, the bearing stiffness being defined by the radial displacement caused by the application of a radial force at the axial centrepoint of the bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Jillian C Gaskell, Chathura K Kannangara, Punitha Kamesh
  • Patent number: 11359540
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a novel gas turbine system having applications, for example, in thermal power generation in an environmentally friendly manner. The multiloop gas turbine system may have multiple functional units each comprising a compressor, a regenerator, a combustion unit, and a turbine. Typically, exhaust flow of a turbine of a preceding loop may be routed to the combustion unit of the next loop, allowing mixing of exhaust flow with hot compressed air of the next loop, and the expanded exhaust from the turbine of the ultimate loop is fed back into the regenerators of each loop to recover exhaust heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Nostrum Energy PTE. LTD.
    Inventor: Shrikrishna Kashinath Sane
  • Patent number: 11346427
    Abstract: An auxiliary gearbox has a low speed input shaft driving a first plurality of accessories. A high speed input shaft drives a second plurality of accessories. The first plurality of accessories rotating about a first set of rotational axes, which are parallel to each other and perpendicular to a first plane. The second plurality of accessories rotating about a second set of rotational axes, which are parallel to each other and perpendicular to a second plane. The first and second planes extending in opposed directions away from a drive input axis of the high speed input shaft and the low speed input shaft. The low speed input shaft drives a variable speed transmission. A gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Hung Duong, Marc J. Muldoon, Gabriel L. Suciu
  • Patent number: 11319837
    Abstract: An engine includes a spool including a turbine, a second spool including a second turbine, a fan, and a fan drive gear system. A tower shaft is engaged to the spool. A second tower shaft is engaged to the second spool. A superposition gear system includes a plurality of intermediate gears engaged to the sun gear and supported in a carrier and a ring gear circumscribing the intermediate gears. The tower shaft drives the sun gear. An oil pump is driven by the carrier and supplies oil to the fan drive gear system from an oil tank through a first pickup at a first end of the oil tank and a second pickup at a second, opposite end of the oil tank. A shuttle valve at a suction side of the oil pump selectively allows oil to be supplied by one of the first and second pickup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Nicholas D. Leque, Joseph H. Polly
  • Patent number: 11231043
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine including a compressor rotor. The compressor rotor includes a first stage compressor airfoil defined at an upstream-most stage of the compressor rotor. The first stage compressor airfoil defines a first stage pressure ratio of at least approximately 1.7 during operation of the gas turbine engine at a tip speed of at least approximately 472 meters per second.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Veeraraju Vanapalli, Bhaskar Nanda Mondal, Jagata Laxmi Narasimharao, Tsuguji Nakano, Subramanian Narayanan
  • Patent number: 11193424
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an assembly for a turbomachine (1) comprising: a compressor (30), an isochoric combustion chamber (7), an isobaric combustion chamber (40), and a turbine (50).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES
    Inventor: Jean Charles Olivier Roda
  • Patent number: 11168617
    Abstract: A turbofan engine includes a first spool including a first turbine, and a first tower shaft engaged to the first spool. A second spool includes a second turbine, and a second tower shaft is engaged to the second spool. A superposition gearbox includes a sun gear, a plurality of intermediate gears engaged to the sun gear, and is supported in a carrier and a ring gear circumscribing the intermediate gears. The first tower shaft or the second tower shaft drives one of the intermediate gears. A drive motor is engaged to drive the sun gear, an inner electric motor, a stator disposed radially outside of the inner electric motor, and an outer electric motor disposed radially outside the stator. A first load on the first spool and a second load on the second spool is adjusted by operation of at least one of the inner electric motor and the outer electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignee: Raytheon Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Coy Bruce Wood
  • Patent number: 11149552
    Abstract: A fan for a gas turbine engine is provided. The fan includes a rotor including at least one rotor stage having a rotatable disk defining a flowpath surface and an array of rotor airfoils extending outward from the flowpath surface; an array of splitter airfoils extending outward from the flowpath surface, wherein the splitter airfoils and the rotor airfoils are disposed in a sequential arrangement; and a shroud extending between the rotor airfoils and the splitter airfoils.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Anthony Louis DiPietro, Jr., Tyler James Alexander, Joseph Capozzi, Aspi Rustom Wadia, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow
  • Patent number: 11149569
    Abstract: Flow path assemblies of gas turbine engines are provided. For example, a flow path assembly comprises an inner wall and a unitary outer wall that includes a combustor portion extending through a combustion section of the gas turbine engine and a turbine portion extending through at least a first turbine stage of a turbine section of the gas turbine engine. The combustor portion and the turbine portion are integrally formed as a single unitary structure. The flow path assembly further comprises a plurality of nozzle airfoils, each nozzle airfoil having an inner end radially opposite an outer end. The inner wall or the unitary outer wall defines a plurality of openings therethrough, and each opening is configured for receipt of one of the plurality of nozzle airfoils. Methods of assembling flow path assemblies also are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Brandon ALIanson Reynolds, Jonathan David Baldiga, Darrell Glenn Senile, Daniel Patrick Kerns, Michael Ray Tuertscher
  • Patent number: 11143402
    Abstract: Gas turbine engines, as well as outer walls and flow path assemblies of gas turbine engines, are provided. For example, an outer wall of a flow path comprises a combustor portion extending through a combustion section, and a turbine portion extending through at least a first turbine stage of a turbine section. The combustor and turbine portions are integrally formed as a single unitary structure that defines an outer boundary of the flow path. As another example, a flow path assembly comprises a combustor dome positioned a forward end of a combustor; an outer wall extending from the combustor dome through at least a first turbine stage; and an inner wall extending from the combustor dome through at least a combustion section. The combustor dome extends radially from the outer wall to the inner wall and is integrally formed with the outer and inner walls as a single unitary structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Mark Eugene Noe, Shawn Michael Pearson, Joshua Tyler Mook, Brandon ALlanson Reynolds, Jonathan David Baldiga
  • Patent number: 11136922
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft includes an engine core including a first, lower pressure, turbine, a first compressor, and a first core shaft connecting the first turbine to the first compressor; and a second, higher pressure, turbine, a second compressor, and a second core shaft connecting the second turbine to the second compressor, and a fan located upstream of the engine core and including a plurality of fan blades extending from a hub. A low pressure turbine temperature change is defined as: the ? ? first ? ? turbine ? ? entrance ? ? temperature the ? ? first ? ? turbine ? ? exit ? ? temperature . A fan tip temperature rise is defined as: the ? ? fan ? ? tip ? ? rotor ? ? exit ? ? temperature the ? ? fan ? ? rotor ? ? entry ? ? temperature .
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Craig W Bemment, Pascal Dunning
  • Patent number: 11112119
    Abstract: A turbo machine including an annular liner assembly defining a reverse flow combustion chamber is generally provided. The liner assembly includes a first piece defining an inner diameter (ID) combustor inlet portion, an outer diameter (OD) combustor outlet portion, and an outer diameter turbine shroud portion, in which the first piece defines a substantially solid volume between the inner diameter combustor inlet portion and the outer diameter combustor outlet portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Mackenzie Christopher Hock
  • Patent number: 11078838
    Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine engine compressor. The engine comprises a compressor having an environmental control system bleed port having an outlet in fluid communication with an aircraft environmental control system air duct, and an air turbine starter configured to rotate a compressor shaft of the gas turbine engine. The air turbine starter has an inlet in fluid communication with the environmental control system air duct via an air turbine valve. The method comprises determining a surge margin of the compressor, and where the surge margin of the compressor is determined to be below a predetermined minimum surge margin, opening the air turbine valve to supply air to the air turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Inventors: Craig W. Bemment, David P. Scothern
  • Patent number: 11022042
    Abstract: A system platform includes a gas turbine engine coupled to a generator. The generator, driven by the gas turbine engine, supplies power to subsystems of the platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: Erik A. Munevar
  • Patent number: 10858999
    Abstract: The invention relates to a removable reactivation pack for a turboshaft engine of a helicopter, comprising a gas generator equipped with a drive shaft, said turboshaft engine (6) being capable of operating in at least one standby mode during a stable flight of the helicopter, said removable pack comprising: a removable gearbox comprising a gearbox output shaft; controlled means for rotating said gearbox output shaft, referred to as reactivation means of said turboshaft engine; mechanical means for reversibly coupling said gearbox output shaft to said drive shaft of said gas generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: SAFRAN HELICOPTER ENGINES
    Inventors: Patrick Marconi, Romain Thiriet, Camel Serghine, Caroline Seve, Pierre Darfeuil
  • Patent number: 10830144
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes devices, systems, and methods for providing bleed air from the compressor impeller to the turbine for cooling and/or other use. The bleed air may include compressor cooling air that is routed through the diffuser and external to an outer bypass duct and/or internally to a forward wheel cavity of the turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventors: Tony A. Lambert, Behram V. Kapadia, Ron Hall
  • Patent number: 10794467
    Abstract: A planetary gear mechanism has a rotatable planet carrier, a device for conducting oil, and a housing-fixed oil collecting duct. The oil collecting duct surrounds an area of the planet carrier in the circumferential direction. Oil centrifuged off by the planet carrier is collected in the oil collecting duct. In the installation position of the oil collecting duct, the oil is conducted by a gravitational force in the direction of a lower collection area formed with an outlet through which oil can be discharged. A further outlet, through which oil can be conducted, is provided in front of the collection area with respect to the rotational direction of the planet carrier between an upper area of the oil collecting duct, as it appears in the installation position of the oil collecting duct, and the outlet. Also, an aircraft gas turbine with the planetary gear mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: ROLLS-ROYCE DEUTSCHLAND LTD & CO KG
    Inventors: Wolfram Kurz-Hardjosoekatmo, Carsten Wolf
  • Patent number: 10648368
    Abstract: A drive assembly for a gas turbine engine according to an exemplary embodiment includes, among other things, an epicyclic gear train having an input and an output, the input coupled to a first turbine, the output coupled to an accessory drive shaft, and at least one engagement feature on a component of the gear train. An actuator is engageable with the at least one engagement feature to cause the accessory drive shaft to rotate. A method of driving a section of a gas turbine engine is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Matthew Allen Slayter, Tyler L. Klipp
  • Patent number: 10634064
    Abstract: A turbofan engine includes a first spool including a first turbine; a second spool including a second turbine disposed axially forward of the first turbine, a first tower shaft engaged to the first spool, a second tower shaft engaged to the second spool and an accessory gearbox supporting a plurality of accessory components and a superposition gear system disposed within the accessory gearbox. The superposition gear system includes a plurality of intermediate gears engaged to the sun gear and supported in a carrier and a ring gear circumscribing the intermediate gears. The second tower shaft is engaged to drive the sun gear; a starter selectively coupled to the sun gear through a starter clutch; a first clutch for selectively coupling the first tower shaft to the ring gear; a second clutch for selectively coupling the ring gear to a static structure of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph H. Polly, Nicholas D. Leque
  • Patent number: 10605173
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a low speed spool and a high speed spool, with each of the spools including a turbine to drive a respective one of the spools. The high speed spool rotates at a higher speed than the low speed spool. A high speed power takeoff is driven to rotate by the high speed spool, and a low speed power takeoff is driven to rotate by the low speed spool. The high speed power takeoff drives a starter generator and a permanent magnet alternator. The low speed power takeoff drives a variable frequency generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Gabriel L. Suciu, Hung Duong, Jonathan F. Zimmitti, William G. Sheridan, Michael E. McCune, Brian Merry
  • Patent number: 10502232
    Abstract: A centrifugal compressor for a turbocharger includes an inlet-adjustment mechanism operable to move between an open position and a closed position. The inlet-adjustment mechanism includes a plurality of blades disposed about the compressor air inlet and located within an annular space within the air inlet wall. The blades are pivotable about respective pivot points such that the blades extend radially inward from the annular space into the air inlet when the blades are in the closed position so as to form an orifice of reduced diameter relative to a nominal diameter of the inlet. Upstream surfaces of the blades include swirl inducers that are structured and arranged to impart either pre-swirl or counter-swirl to the air passing through the orifice into the compressor wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2019
    Assignee: Garrett Transportation I Inc.
    Inventors: Hani Mohtar, Stephane Pees, Alain Lombard
  • Patent number: 10480519
    Abstract: A compressor for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The compressor includes a first compression stage mounted for rotation about a central axis that includes a plurality of first-stage blades. The compressor also includes a second compression stage mounted along the central axis aft of the first compression stage to receive air compressed by the first compression stage. The second compression stage includes a plurality of second-stage blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies Inc.
    Inventor: William B. Bryan
  • Patent number: 10330016
    Abstract: According to an aspect, a system for a gas turbine engine includes a reduction gear train operable to drive rotation of a starter gear train that interfaces to an accessory gearbox of the gas turbine engine. The reduction gear train includes a starter interface gear that engages the starter gear train, a core-turning clutch operably connected to the starter interface gear, and a plurality of stacked planetary gear systems operably connected to the core-turning clutch and a core-turning input. The system also includes a mounting pad including an interface to couple a core-turning motor to the core-turning input of the reduction gear train.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Benjamin T. Harder, Matthew Allen Slayter, Brian McMasters, James Vandung Nguyen, Dwayne Leon Wilson, Paul F. Fox, Richard Alan Davis, Richard R. Hergert, Jeffrey Todd Roberts, Jeff A. Brown, Daniel Richard Walker
  • Patent number: 10227928
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a fan, a compressor, a turbine having first stage blades and second stage blades, the first stage blades rotates in a first direction and the second stage blades rotates in a second direction opposite the first direction. The first stage blades are directly adjacent to one another, a drive in operable input connection with the fan and in operable output connection with the first stage blades and the second stage blades, the first stage blades and the second stage blades driving the fan through the drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Craig Miller Kuhne, Christopher Charles Glynn, Randy M. Vondrell, Andrew Breeze-Stringfellow, Kurt David Murrow, Darek T. Zatorski, Donald Scott Yeager, Nicholas Rowe Dinsmore, Samuel Jacob Martin, Donald Albert Bradley
  • Patent number: 9482156
    Abstract: An engine may have a recuperator that may be powered by an electrical generator driven by the engine. The recuperator may be disposed within or incorporated into a compressor discharge of the engine, such as in the form of a vane or tube. The engine may be configured to operate in a variety of modes at least some of which may use thermal energy from the recuperator to heat a fluid flow stream of the engine. An energy storage device may be used with an electrical generator to provide power to a load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignees: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl D. Nordstrom, Rigoberto J. Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 9359956
    Abstract: The method and apparatus for in-flight relighting of a turbofan engine involve in one aspect selectively controlling an accessory drag load on one or more windmilling rotors to permit control of the windmill speed to an optimum value for relight conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Kevin Allan Dooley
  • Patent number: 9347367
    Abstract: A turbocharger is disclosed for use with an engine system. The turbocharger may have a housing at least partially defining a compressor shroud and a turbine shroud. The turbine shroud may form a first volute and a second volute, each having an inlet configured to receive exhaust from an exhaust manifold of the engine in a tangential direction, and an axial channel disposed downstream of the inlet. The turbocharger may also have a turbine wheel disposed within the turbine shroud and configured to receive exhaust from the axial channels of the first and second volutes, a compressor wheel disposed within the compressor shroud, and a shaft connecting the turbine wheel to the compressor wheel. The turbocharger may further have a nozzle ring in fluid communication with the axial channels of the first and second volutes at a location upstream of the turbine wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc.
    Inventors: Shakeel Nasir, Joshua David Schueler
  • Patent number: 9297304
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a unique gas turbine engine with a bleed air powered auxiliary engine. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for bleed air powered auxiliary engines. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application shall become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Carl David Nordstrom, Ray F. Bowman
  • Patent number: 9080578
    Abstract: A compressor has an impeller and an inlet delivering air to the impeller. A variable diffuser is positioned downstream of the impeller and includes a plurality of pivoting vanes. A drive arrangement pivots the vanes, and includes an electric motor causing a pinion gear to rotate. The pinion gear has gear teeth engaging gear teeth on a rack section. Rotation of the rack section causes the vanes to pivot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
    Inventors: Craig M. Beers, John M. Beck
  • Patent number: 9068506
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine recuperator system includes a heat recuperator positioned in a gas turbine exhaust gas duct for recovering heat from turbine exhaust gases to preheat a compressor flow being supplied to the combustor. A continuous bleed flow of the turbine exhaust gases is provided to bypass the heat recuperator. The continuous bleed flow of the turbine exhaust gases is adjustable to reduce turbine exhaust gas pressure loss at a high engine operation level and to provide efficient heat recovery at low and/or medium engine operation levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Andreas Eleftheriou, Daniel Alecu, David Menheere
  • Patent number: 9062607
    Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine power plant with a first gas turbine group, including a first turbine assembly, and a second gas turbine group, including a compressor assembly and a second turbine assembly which are mechanically coupled to one another, and useful work is extracted by a device being included in the plant, where a flue gas stream is produced by a combustion device, which is placed in a gas flow stream upstream of the second turbine assembly, where the second turbine assembly and compressor assembly are balanced to each other such that work produced by the second turbine assembly is consumed by the compressor assembly, and where the first turbine assembly is balanced to the device for the extraction of useful work such that work produced by the first turbine assembly is consumed by the device for the extraction of useful work.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: EURO-TURBINE AB
    Inventor: Hans-Erik Hansson
  • Publication number: 20150143794
    Abstract: A three-spool turbofan engine (20) has a variable fan nozzle (35). The fan blades have a peak tip radius RT and an inboard leading edge radius RH at an inboard boundary of the flowpath. A ratio of RH to RT is less than about 0.40.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, William G. Sheridan
  • Patent number: 9038362
    Abstract: A turbofan engine (10) employs a flow control device (41) that changes an effective exit nozzle area (40) associated with a bypass flow path (B) of the turbofan engine. A spool (14) couples a fan (20) to a generator (52). The turbofan emergency power system includes a controller (50) that communicates with the flow control device (41). Upon sensing an emergency condition, the controller manipulates the flow control device to reduce the effective nozzle exit area (40) of the bypass flow path, which chokes the flow through the bypass flow path thereby increasing the rotational speed of the fan. In this manner, the generator is driven at a higher rotational speed than if the flow through the bypass flow path was not choked, which enables a smaller generator to be utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Winter, Charles E. Lents
  • Publication number: 20150121893
    Abstract: A turbine engine includes a first fan including a plurality of fan blades rotatable about an axis and a reverse flow core engine section including a core turbine axially forward of a combustor and compressor. The core turbine drives the compressor about the axis and a transmission system. A geared architecture is driven by the transmission system to drive the first fan at a speed less than that of the core turbine. A second fan is disposed axially aft of the first fan and forwarded of the core engine and a second turbine is disposed between the second fan and the core engine for driving the second fan when not coupled to the transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel Bernard Kupratis
  • Publication number: 20150121844
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a fan section and a compressor section. The compressor section includes both a first compressor section and a second compressor section. A turbine section includes at least one turbine and driving the second compressor section and a fan drive turbine driving at least a gear arrangement to drive the fan section. A power ratio is provided by the combination of the first compressor section and the second compressor section, with the power ratio being provided by a first power input to the first compressor section and a second power input to the second compressor section, the power ratio being equal to, or greater than, about 1.0 and less than, or equal to, about 1.4.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Frederick M. Schwarz
  • Publication number: 20150113943
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine turbine has a high pressure turbine configured to rotate with a high pressure compressor as a high pressure spool in a first direction about a central axis and a low pressure turbine configured to rotate with a low pressure compressor as a low pressure spool in the first direction about the central axis. A power density is greater than or equal to about 1.5 and less than or equal to about 5.5 lbf/cubic inches. A fan is connected to the low pressure spool via a speed changing mechanism and rotates in a second direction opposed to the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Daniel Bernard Kupratis
  • Publication number: 20150114002
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine turbine has a high pressure turbine configured to rotate with a high pressure compressor as a high pressure spool in a first direction about a central axis and a low pressure turbine configured to rotate with a low pressure compressor as a low pressure spool in the first direction about the central axis. A power density is greater than or equal to about 1.5 and less than or equal to about 5.5 lbf/cubic inches. A fan is connected to the low pressure spool via a speed changing mechanism and rotates in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Daniel Bernard Kupratis
  • Patent number: 9003808
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises an outer engine case, a combustor, a high pressure spool and a low pressure spool. The combustor is disposed within the outer engine case. The high pressure spool is configured for rotation coaxially with the combustor. The low pressure spool is configured for rotation coaxially with the high pressure spool. The low pressure spool is configured to rotate at speeds faster than that of the high pressure spool during operation of the gas turbine engine. In one embodiment, the low pressure spool includes a gear system configured to rotate a low pressure compressor faster than a low pressure turbine. In another embodiment, the high pressure spool rotates outward of the combustor within the outer engine case. In another embodiment, the high pressure spool includes a drum having radially inward projecting blades and vanes and radially outward projecting fan blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel B. Kupratis
  • Publication number: 20150096303
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a very high speed low pressure turbine such that a quantity defined by the exit area of the low pressure turbine multiplied by the square of the low pressure turbine rotational speed compared to the same parameters for the high pressure turbine is at a ratio between about 0.5 and about 1.5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2014
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Inventors: Frederick M. Schwarz, Gabriel L. Suciu, Daniel Bernard Kupratis, William K. Ackermann
  • Patent number: 8935913
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine typically includes a fan section, a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. A speed reduction device such as an epicyclical gear assembly may be utilized to drive the fan section such that the fan section may rotate at a speed different than the turbine section so as to increase the overall propulsive efficiency of the engine. In such engine architectures, a shaft driven by one of the turbine sections provides an input to the epicyclical gear assembly that drives the fan section at a speed different than the turbine section such that both the turbine section and the fan section can rotate at closer to optimal speeds providing increased performance attributes and performance by desirable combinations of the disclosed features of the various components of the described and disclosed gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Bernard Kupratis, Frederick M. Schwarz
  • Patent number: 8931285
    Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, a gas turbine engine includes a fan, a speed reduction device driving the fan, and a lubrication system for lubricating components across a rotation gap. The lubrication system includes a lubricant input. A stationary first bearing receives lubricant from the lubricant input and has a first race in which lubricant flows. A second bearing for rotation is within the first bearing. The second bearing has a first opening in registration with said first race such that lubricant may flow from the first race through the first opening into a first conduit. The first bearing also has a second race into which lubricant flows. The second bearing has a second opening in registration with the second race such that lubricant may flow from the second race through the second opening into a second conduit. The first and second conduits deliver lubricant to distinct locations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael E. McCune, William G. Sheridan, Lawrence E. Portlock
  • Publication number: 20150000304
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a nosecone assembly attached to a gas turbine engine. The nosecone assembly includes a support structure and a nosecone attached to the support structure. The nosecone includes at least a first tool hole extending through the nosecone. The first tool hole is structurally reinforced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Anthony T. Lindsey, Arun Kumar Jayasingh, Herbert L. Walker
  • Patent number: 8919133
    Abstract: A double-body gas turbine engine, including a low-pressure body LP and a high-pressure body HP, rotatably mounted about a single shaft in a stationary casing, the low-pressure body LP including a compressor and a turbine connected by a low-pressure shaft LP. The low-pressure shaft LP is supported by an upstream LP bearing, a first downstream LP bearing, and an additional downstream LP bearing by the stationary casing, the high-pressure body being supported by an upstream HP bearing and a downstream HP bearing which is an inter-shaft bearing including an inner track rigidly connected to the HP turbine rotor and an outer track rigidly connected to the LP shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Snecma
    Inventors: Jacques René Bart, Didler René André Escure, Ornella Gastineau
  • Publication number: 20140360205
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present disclosure is a unique gas turbine engine. Another embodiment of the present disclosure is a unique machine. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for gas turbine engines and electrical systems.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2013
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Applicants: Rolls-Royce Corporation, Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Mat French, John T. Alt, Mark J. Blackwelder