| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20080232962 | TURBOMACHINE AND METHOD FOR ASSEMBLY THEREOF USING A SPLIT HOUSING DESIGN - The present invention provides an improved design for turbomachinery, such as blowers and compressors, for providing pressurized process gas. The improved design comprises two housing portions that fit together to form an interior cavity in which a preassembled rotating assembly may be installed and balanced. Each housing portion includes an interior compartment designed and shaped to correspond to desired positions of components of the rotating assembly. After the preassembled rotating assembly is seated within the interior compartment of the lower housing portion and balanced, the upper housing portion can be fitted to the lower housing portion to complete the machine housing and encompass and hold the rotating assembly in place without the need to remove or disassemble the rotating assembly. A collector cover can thereafter be attached to the assembled machine housing to enclose an impeller operatively mounted on a rotating shaft of the rotating assembly. | 09-25-2008 |
| 20080246281 | TURBOALTERNATOR WITH HYDRODYNAMIC BEARINGS - This invention provides a small, high efficiency, oil-free turbine-driven alternator (i.e. turboalternator) suitable for conversion of stored energy in a process gas to electrical power, facilitating recapture of energy during operation that would otherwise be wasted. The turboalternator includes a turbine and a generating device operatively connected together by a rotating shaft capable of rotating at high speeds. The rotating shaft is supported by foil gas bearings. | 10-09-2008 |
| 20080310779 | RESTRAINED, REVERSE MULTI-PAD BEARING ASSEMBLY - A hydrodynamic fluid film bearing assembly has a stationary retaining member defining a central opening and having an inner surface lined by a foil assembly comprised of a plurality of foil subassemblies. Each foil subassembly comprises a first compliant foil, a second compliant foil, and a spring foil, and subtending a rotational segment, less than all, of the inner surface of the retaining member. The complaint foils and the spring foil of each foil subassembly are held within the retaining member in such a way that sliding travel of one compliant foil along the inner surface of the opening is in the opposite rotational direction of sliding travel of the other compliant foil and the spring foil. The foil subassemblies may be restrained from undesired movement during operation by a retention tab extending from the foil subassembly which engages a channel and recess feature formed in the retaining member. | 12-18-2008 |
| 20090087299 | FOIL GAS BEARING SUPPORTED HIGH TEMPERATURE CENTRIFUGAL BLOWER AND METHOD FOR COOLING THEREOF - This invention provides a blower design capable of high temperature operation due to use of a self-sustaining cooling scheme through a sealed motor housing in which a cooling circuit can be created, and the use of a thermal barrier across which a temperature gradient may be formed. The thermal barrier may be formed by a thermal choke plate assembly positioned between a hot side and a cold side of the blower to dissipate heat conducted from the hot side. Alternatively, the thermal barrier may be formed by an internal fan ring provided with the blower's rotating assembly to dissipate heat conducted from the blower's impeller. The thermal choke plate assembly and the fan ring may further be used in combination to block heat transfer by all modes between a hot side and a cold side of the blower. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20100109584 | POSITION-SENSORLESS CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OPERATION FOR A SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR - This invention provides an advanced position and velocity estimation scheme used in a position-sensorless control system for synchronous operation of an electric motor. The system includes an electric motor having a stator and a rotor; an inverter for powering the electric motor; and a controller for controlling the inverter. The controller utilizes a control system comprising a rotor angle and angular velocity estimation block; an estimated angle error detector block; a field-weakening block; and a torque-to-current converter block, all of which operate to generate control commands for operation of the motor. | 05-06-2010 |
| 20100237808 | EFFICIENT GENERATOR GRID CONNECTION SCHEME POWERING A LOCAL VARIABLE FREQUENCY MOTOR DRIVE - A system for using a generator to simultaneously power a variable frequency motor drive locally and provide clean power to a grid comprising an electric generator supplying alternating current to a power conversion system. The power conversion system includes a converter changing generator AC output to direct current (DC); a capacitor bank that filters the DC from the converter and outputs a DC bus power; a grid inverter capable of replicating grid power from the DC bus power; and an output filter for supplying power to the power grid. A variable frequency motor drive receives DC bus power from the power conversion system. The variable frequency motor drive may be operatively connected to the power conversion system, or integrated therein. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100313582 | HIGH EFFICIENCY R744 REFRIGERATION SYSTEM AND CYCLE - A high efficiency R744 air conditioning and refrigeration system and cycle comprises a vapor compressor and two independent ejectors operatively connected to high and low-pressure sides of the compressor, respectively. The two ejectors reduce the overall pressure ratio of the mechanical vapor compressor resulting in dramatically increased thermodynamic cycle efficiency. As one example of its potential applications for residential, commercial or industrial uses, a 150 ton capacity of a water-cooled chiller designed in accordance with the present invention is predicted to provide the power consumption as low as 0.47 kW/ton, when operated in accordance with the cooling methods of the present invention, which corresponds to 7.47 of Coefficient of Performance (COP). | 12-16-2010 |
| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20100287907 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ESTIMATING A GAS TURBINE ENGINE SURGE MARGIN - An example method of estimating a gas turbine engine surge margin and surge margin deterioration includes monitoring debris in at least a portion of an engine and establishing an estimated surge margin for the engine using information from the monitoring The method may use gas path parameters, such as pressures, temperatures, and speeds to establish the estimated surge margin. An example gas turbine engine surge margin assessment system includes a debris monitoring system configured to monitor debris moving through a portion of an engine, and a controller programmed to execute an engine deterioration model that establishes an estimated surge margin and loss in surge margin of the engine based on information from the debris monitoring system. | 11-18-2010 |
| 20100288034 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ASSESSING THERMAL ENERGY LEVELS OF A GAS TURBINE ENGINE COMPONENT - An example method of assessing a component of a gas turbine engine includes monitoring debris in at least a portion of an engine and establishing an estimated thermal energy level for a component of the engine based on the monitoring. The method may use gas path parameters to establish the estimated thermal energy level. An example gas turbine engine component assessment system includes a debris monitoring system configured to monitor debris moving through a portion of an engine and a controller programmed to execute an engine deterioration model that assesses a thermal energy level of at least one component of the engine based on information from the debris monitoring system. | 11-18-2010 |
| 20100292905 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ESTIMATING GAS TURBINE ENGINE PERFORMANCE - An example method of estimating gas turbine engine performance deterioration includes monitoring debris in at least a portion of an engine and estimating performance deterioration of at least one component of the engine using information from the monitoring. The method may use gas path parameters, such as pressures, temperatures, and speeds to establish the estimated performance deterioration. An example gas turbine engine performance assessment system includes a debris monitoring system configured to monitor debris moving through a portion of an engine and a controller programmed to estimate performance deterioration of at least one component of the engine based on information from the debris monitoring system. | 11-18-2010 |
| 20100313639 | GAS TURBINE ENGINE DEBRIS MONITORING ARRANGEMENT - An example method of controlling gas turbine engine debris monitoring sensors includes detecting debris carried by air moving through an engine using at least first and second debris sensors, and processing signals from both the first and second debris sensors using a common signal conditioning unit. Another example method of monitoring gas turbine engine debris includes configuring at least one first debris sensor to detect debris carried by airflow moving through a first portion of an engine and configuring at least one second debris sensor to detect debris carried by airflow moving though a second portion of the engine. The method alternates between using the first debris sensor to detect debris and using the second debris sensor to detect debris. | 12-16-2010 |
