Search Patents
  • DUAL CYCLE INTERCOOLED HYDROGEN ENGINE ARCHITECTURE
    Publication number: 20220381183
    Abstract: In one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a gas turbine engine. The gas turbine engine includes a primary gas path having, in fluid series communication: an air inlet, a compressor fluidly connected to the air inlet, a combustor fluidly connected to an outlet of the compressor, and a turbine section fluidly connected to an outlet of the combustor section. In embodiments, a hydrogen expansion turbine is in fluid communication to receive hydrogen from the gaseous hydrogen outlet of the heat exchanger. In certain embodiments, the gas turbine engine includes a heat exchanger having a gas conduit fluidly connected to the primary gas path, and a fluid conduit in fluid isolation from the gas conduit and in thermal communication with the gas conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2021
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Applicant: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventor: Scott Smith
  • Nut locking feature
    Patent number: 11480212
    Abstract: An assembly comprising: a nut having a cylindrical body with a threaded external surface, an axially extending interior tool socket, and a radially outwardly extending flange at a proximal end of the cylindrical body; a first component including a hollow cylindrical tube with a connector end having a radially inwardly extending shoulder, the radially inwardly extending shoulder abutting the radially outwardly extending flange of the nut in an assembled position; and a second component including an annular hub with a threaded internal surface matching the threaded external surface of the nut, and an annular mounting surface abutting the connector end of the propeller shaft in the assembled position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Paul Weaver, John Wilson, Michel Desjardins, Herve Turcotte
  • Fault detection system and method for liquid level sensing device
    Patent number: 11215494
    Abstract: A system and a method for fault detection for a liquid level sensing device are provided. The liquid level sensing device comprising a plurality of switches arranged to measure variance in a liquid level. A sensing signal comprising a plurality of measurements indicative of the liquid level is received from the liquid level sensing device. Each measurement is obtained in response to one or more of the plurality of switches being in a given position at a given liquid level. It is determined, based on the sensing signal, whether the liquid level changed according to one or more expected change patterns. A fault signal is output in response to determining that the liquid level changed according to an abnormal change pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Sean McCarthy, Olivier Bibor
  • Compressor diffuser with plasma actuators
    Patent number: 11619240
    Abstract: There is disclosed a centrifugal compressor including an impeller rotatable about an axis and a diffuser downstream of the impeller. The diffuser has walls delimiting flow passages. Plasma actuators are positioned adjacent the walls and are operatively connectable to a source of electricity. The plasma actuators have a first electrode, a second electrode, and a dielectric layer therebetween. The first electrode is upstream of the second electrode. The first electrode is exposed to the flow passage. The second electrode is shielded from the flow passage by the dielectric layer. The plasma actuators are operable to generate an electric field through the dielectric layer. The plasma actuators are located closer to inlets of the flow passage than to outlets of the flow passages. A method of operating the compressor is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Martin Drolet
  • Patient ventilator, method of ventilating an airway of a patient, and associated computer program product
    Patent number: 11957838
    Abstract: There is described a ventilator for ventilating an airway of a patient. The ventilator is generally configured to perform a series of respiration cycles, wherein each respiration cycle includes the delivery of a main volume of fresh respiratory gas into the patient's airway, followed by the evacuation of a corresponding volume of used respiratory gas, and to further perform a series of subcycles during a corresponding one of the respiration cycles, wherein each subcycle includes the delivery of an auxiliary volume of fresh respiratory gas into the patient's airway, followed by the evacuation of a corresponding volume of used respiratory gas, the auxiliary volume being smaller than, and distinct from, the main volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Jean Thomassin, Jean-Gabriel Gauvreau
  • System and method for operating engines of an aircraft in an asymmetric operating regime
    Patent number: 11987375
    Abstract: Methods and systems for operating an aircraft having two or more engines are described. The method comprises receiving an engine availability confirmation when a set of engine parameters meet engine operating conditions for an asymmetric operating regime, receiving an aircraft availability confirmation when a set of aircraft parameters meet aircraft operating conditions for the asymmetric operating regime, outputting an availability message to a cockpit of the aircraft in response to receiving the engine availability confirmation and the aircraft availability confirmation, receiving a pilot-initiated request to operate the engine in the asymmetric operating regime, and commanding the engines to operate in the asymmetric operating regime in response to the pilot-initiated request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Patrick Manoukian, Keith Morgan
  • Integrated oil tank with passive thermal modulation
    Patent number: 11927135
    Abstract: An oil tank for a gas turbine engine is provided. The oil tank includes an oil cavity defined within structural walls of a nacelle of the gas turbine engine, the oil cavity having an oil inlet and an oil outlet. At least one of the structural walls has an interior side facing the oil cavity and an exterior side. The interior side includes a plurality of upstanding protrusions extending into the oil cavity and fully immersed in oil when the gas turbine engine is in use during steady state operation. The exterior side includes a plurality of fins extending therefrom and exposed to an ambient air stream during steady state operation of the gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Enzo Macchia, Daniel Alecu
  • Fuel manifold with jumper tubes
    Patent number: 9140453
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine fuel delivery system which includes an external fuel manifold fastened to the outer surface of a casing surrounding the combustor of the engine and which includes a plurality of inlet manifold tubes circumferentially disposed in serial flow communication. A plurality of fuel nozzles are mounted to the casing and are axially spaced apart from the fuel manifold on the outer surface of the casing. A plurality of jumper tubes are disposed outside the casing and feed fuel flow from the fuel manifold to the fuel nozzles. The jumper tubes have a rigidity that is less than that of the inlet manifold tubes of the fuel manifold such that the jumper tubes elastically deflect under load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Aleksandar Kojovic, Saeid Oskooel, Bryan Bond
  • Gas turbine engine fluid system with accumulator and hydraulic accessory
    Patent number: 11067004
    Abstract: A fluid system for a gas turbine engine includes a first supply line, a hydraulic accessory actuable by a fluid, and a second supply line fluidly connected the hydraulic accessory and to the first supply line upstream of the component. An accumulator is fluidly connected to the second supply line upstream of the hydraulic accessory. The accumulator is operable to fill a reservoir with the fluid from the first supply line via the second supply line, and to deliver the fluid to the hydraulic accessory via the second supply line. The first supply line may be a fuel or lubricant main supply line of the engine. A method of actuating a hydraulic accessory is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Nicholas Ngoly, Simon Hartropp, Andrew Walz, Roger Lachance
  • Air cooling shaft at bearing interface
    Patent number: 9410429
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine including a compressor rotor and a turbine rotor connected by a compressor shaft portion connected to the compressor rotor and a turbine shaft portion connected to the turbine rotor. The compressor shaft portion and the turbine shaft portion are connected axially together by a shaft coupling, between the compressor rotor and the turbine rotor, and at least a bearing rotatably coupled to the compressor shaft portion adjacent the shaft coupling. The compressor shaft and/or the turbine shaft are provided with openings permitting cooling air to enter air passages in the area of the shaft coupling and surrounding the end of the turbine shaft portion, in order to dissipate heat originating at the turbine rotor and thus reducing the thermal stresses at the bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: John Watson, Guy Bouchard, Daniel Blais
  • Combustor sliding joint
    Patent number: 10612403
    Abstract: A sliding joint in a gas turbine engine between a large exit duct of a combustor and a turbine vane assembly having a leading edge lug. The sliding joint has an elongated flexible arm extending between a first end joined to the outer surface of the large entry duct, and an opposed free second end disposed radially inward of the outer surface of the large entry duct. A spacer is joined to the second end of the arm and projects radially away therefrom toward the outer surface of the large entry duct. The spacer is spaced apart from the outer surface and defines a gap therebetween. The spacer, the arm, and the sliding joint axially displace with respect to the lug upon thermal expansion of the large entry duct.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Honza Stastny, Robert Sze
  • Active coolant flow control for machining processes
    Patent number: 8568198
    Abstract: A system for machining a work-piece is described which includes a machine tool and coolant delivery unit, pressure and flow rate sensors, and a control unit. The control unit controls coolant delivery and is adapted to detect a first anomaly when either a measured flow rate or pressure deviates from target flow rates and pressures by a first predetermined amount, and to detect a second anomaly when the measured flow rate or pressure deviates from the target flow rates and pressures by a second predetermined amount greater than the first. An alarm signal is outputted when the first anomaly is detected, and the machine tool is stopped when the second anomaly is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: James Leishman, Amr Elfizy
  • Mid turbine frame system and radial locator for radially centering a bearing for gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 8099962
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a casing component, such as a mid turbine frame system, which includes an outer case surrounding a spoke or strut casing. Load transfer spokes of the spoke casing are detachably connected to the outer case and radially extend between the outer case and an inner case of the spoke casing. A bearing housing is supported by the inner case of the spoke casing. An arrangement for radially centring the bearing within the outer case is provided, the arrangement including at least three radial locators mounted to the outer case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventors: Eric Durocher, John Pietrobon, Lam Nguyen
  • Flow restrictor for lubrication line
    Patent number: 8997449
    Abstract: A flow restrictor is provided for a lubrication circulation system. The flow restrictor comprises a body configured to obstruct a flow of lubricant within the lubricant circulation system. The body has one or more through holes communicating with upstream and downstream portions of the lubrication circulation system. Each of the one or more holes has a cross-sectional area sufficiently small, and a length sufficiently long, to prevent turbulent lubricant flow therethrough at temperatures below a first predetermined reference temperature. The one or more holes have sufficient aggregate cross-sectional area to allow a desired lubricant flow rate through the body at temperatures at or above a second predetermined reference temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
    Inventor: Adam Logan
  • REDUCED COGGING TORQUE PERMANENT MAGNET MACHINE
    Publication number: 20140145525
    Abstract: An electric machine is formed by a stator and a rotor that is free to rotate about an axis of rotation. The stator may have teeth projecting from a body portion and that define slots for housing electrical windings. The rotor may have a rotor core and a number of magnets supported on a peripheral face of the rotor in substantially contiguous arrangement and of alternating magnetization. The rotor magnets are shaped so that pairs of adjacent magnets oppose one another along magnetic boundary lines that are skewed relative to the slots formed in the body portion of the stator. For example, the shape of the rotor magnets may be arcuate trapezoidal or parallelogramatic. In this configuration, cogging torque experienced by the rotor during operation of the electric machine may be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicant: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Kevin Allan DOOLEY
  • Fan nose cone and dynamic tuning of aircrafts
    Patent number: 10947995
    Abstract: A method for tuning a vibration response of an aircraft system is disclosed, where the aircraft system comprises an airframe and at least one engine dynamically coupled, the at least one engine having an engine rotor including a nose cone. The method comprises obtaining a range of frequencies associated with at least one resonance mode of the aircraft system and adding mass within the nose cone to offset at least one dominant excitation frequency of the turbofan engine outside the range of frequencies associated with the at least one resonance mode of the aircraft system. A method of tuning dynamic coupling of an aircraft system comprising an airframe and an engine mounted thereto is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Jean Thomassin, Lena Raykowski, Gilles Begin, Ahmed Abdelrahman
  • Heat exchanger system for aircraft and associated method of operation
    Patent number: 10900422
    Abstract: The heat exchanger system can have a first conduit extending from at least one first conduit inlet through a heat exchanger to at least two first conduit outlets; a second conduit extending from at least one second inlet through the heat exchanger to at least one second outlet, the first and second conduits disposed adjacent to one another in heat exchange engagement within the heat exchanger; and a bypass conduit extending from the first conduit between the at least one first inlet and the heat exchanger to the first conduit between the heat exchanger and at least one of said at least two first outlets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: John Adam Logan, Marc Jordan Adique
  • Igniter for gas turbine engine
    Patent number: 11415060
    Abstract: There is disclosed an igniter for a gas turbine engine including: a base including a securing assembly configured to be matingly connected to a casing of the gas turbine engine, a glow plug heater rod, the glow plug heater rod extending from the base along an axis and terminating in a rod end, a flow impeding member extending along the axis and having a distal end spaced from the base and extending axially relative to the axis beyond the rod end, the flow impeding member sized and configured such that the distal end extends into a combustion chamber of the gas turbine engine upon the base connected to the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Richard Freer, Kian McCaldon, Tin-Cheung John Hu, Michel Bousquet, André Fortin
  • System and method for measuring an axial position of a rotating component of an engine
    Patent number: 11814970
    Abstract: Methods and systems for measuring an axial position of a rotating component of an engine are described herein. The method comprises obtaining a signal from a sensor coupled to the rotating component, the rotating component having a plurality of position markers distributed about a surface thereof, the position markers having an axially varying characteristic configured to cause a change in a varying parameter of the signal as a function of the axial position of the rotating component. Based on the signal, the method comprises determining a rotational speed of the rotating component from the signal, determining the varying parameter of the signal, and finding the axial position of the rotating component based on a known relationship between the axial position, the rotational speed, and the varying parameter of the signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Antwan Shenouda, Ella Yakobov
  • Method to supply oil to a multi-film damper
    Patent number: 10947863
    Abstract: A multi-film oil damper has a housing defining an annular damper cavity having an oil inlet in communication with a source of pressurized oil. A plurality of nested damper rings is disposed within the annular damper cavity, the plurality of nested damper rings defining a plurality of squeeze film annuli. Spacer rings are disposed adjacent opposed ends of the damper rings. A contact surface of the spacer rings extends radially beyond a first cylindrical surface of an associated damper ring for engaging a second cylindrical surface of an adjacent damper ring. Recesses are defined in the second cylindrical surface of the damper rings, the recesses fluidly communicating between the squeeze film annuli and the oil inlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventors: Richard Ivakitch, David Beamish
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