Electrically driven distributed propulsion system
Granted: March 11, 2025
Patent Number:
12249831
A method and system for operating a hybrid propulsion system, includes controllably providing a first power to a first bus and a first inverter, electrically coupling a first motor with a second inverter by way of a second bus, operably converting, by the second inverter, the first power received by the first inverter to a starting power adapted for starting the first motor, and increasing, by the second inverter, the starting power to match the first power received.
Forward load reduction structures for aft-most stages of high pressure compressors
Granted: March 11, 2025
Patent Number:
12247580
Structures for reducing forward loads in compressors are described. A compressor includes inner and outer circumferential support structures positioned concentrically around a central axis, and an aft-most stage including a vane extending radially inward from the outer circumferential support structure. An axial length of the aft-most stage is defined by a spacer arm of the inner circumferential support structure. The vane includes a root, a tip, and a trailing edge extending between the…
Counter-rotating gas turbine engines including turbine sections with separable torque frames
Granted: March 11, 2025
Patent Number:
12247516
A gas turbine engine includes a fan located at a forward portion of the gas turbine engine, and a compressor section and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order. The compressor section and the turbine section together define a core airflow path. A rotary member is rotatable with the fan and with a low pressure turbine of the turbine section. The low pressure turbine includes a rotating drum to which a first airfoil structure is connected and extends radially inward toward the…
Methods and apparatus for mounting a gas turbine engine
Granted: March 11, 2025
Patent Number:
12246845
Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture for mounting a gas turbine engine are described. An apparatus for mounting a gas turbine engine to a pylon, the gas turbine including an upstream section and a downstream section, the gas turbine defining a roll axis, a yaw axis, and a pitch axis, the apparatus including: a first mount to couple the upstream section of the gas turbine engine to the pylon; a second mount to couple the upstream section of the gas turbine engine to the…
Electric power system for a vehicle
Granted: March 11, 2025
Patent Number:
12246841
An electric power system for a vehicle includes at least one electric machine, one or more power rectifiers, and a plurality of DC channels. The at least one electric machine includes a plurality of tooth-wound multi-phase windings that are substantially magnetically decoupled, and the at least one electric machine is mechanically balanced even if one of the plurality of windings is de-energized. The one or more power rectifiers are configured to produce rectified power from the power…
Flow directing system and method for additive manufacturing system
Granted: March 11, 2025
Patent Number:
12246489
An additive manufacturing (AM) system includes a housing defining a chamber, a build platform disposed within the chamber, and an upper gas inlet configured to supply an upper gas flow in a first direction parallel to the build platform. The AM system includes a lower gas inlet disposed in the chamber and configured to supply a lower gas flow in a second direction toward a bottom wall of the chamber, and a flow directing system configured to receive the lower gas flow and redirect the…
Hydrogen fuel leak detection system
Granted: March 4, 2025
Patent Number:
12241424
A fuel leak detection system for hydrogen fuel system including a monitored component. The fuel leak detection system including a sensor and controller communicatively coupled to the sensor. The sensor is positioned to monitor at least a portion of the monitored component. The sensor is configured (i) to sense a parameter corresponding to a hydrogen fuel leak of the monitored component and (ii) to generate an output. The controller is configured (i) to receive the output of the sensor,…
Methods and apparatus for a flux-modulated permanent magnet clutch
Granted: March 4, 2025
Patent Number:
12244204
Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed to a flux-modulated permanent magnet clutch. Disclosed is a magnetic clutch apparatus comprising a tension spring, an outer ring coupled to the tension spring, the outer ring including a first plurality of magnets, an inner ring coupled to an output shaft, the inner ring including a second plurality of magnets, the outer ring to magnetically engage with the inner ring, and an intermediate ring coupled to an input…
Methods, apparatuses, and storage media to track engine components
Granted: March 4, 2025
Patent Number:
12243358
Methods, apparatuses, systems, and storage media to track engine components are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a memory; instructions in the apparatus; and processor circuitry to in response to a notification that an engine is undergoing maintenance or in operation, identify an entry in a database that corresponds to the engine, the engine including a module; update historical data corresponding to the module based on the notification; and determine whether the module of the…
Systems and methods of controlling load share and speed of engines in multiple-engine propulsion systems
Granted: March 4, 2025
Patent Number:
12241426
Provided are systems and methods of controlling load share in a multi-engine propulsion system. A load share participation value indicative of a load share participation regime for a first engine may be received and a load sharing requirement control command for the first engine may be output. The load share participation value may depend or be based at least in part on one or more operating conditions of a second engine. The load sharing requirement control command for the first engine…
System and method for automated movement of a robotic arm
Granted: March 4, 2025
Patent Number:
12240130
A positioning system is provided for insertions and placements with increased accuracy and precision for the placement and insertion of components into elements. The system may utilize one or more sensors to provide individual images or data for each individual insertion of components into elements. The system may use known information to compare the individual images or data to provide increased accuracy and precision for insertion of components into elements.
Turbine engine airfoil with a woven core and woven layer
Granted: March 4, 2025
Patent Number:
12241386
A gas turbine engine includes a compressor section, combustor section, and turbine section in serial flow arrangement, and defining an engine longitudinal axis. Sets of blades can be rotatably driven about the longitudinal axis in the compressor section and the turbine section, with adjacent vanes provided between sets of blades. The airfoil structure defining one or more of the blades or vanes can include a core structure which includes a woven or foam core, with an exterior woven…
Rotor blade system of turbine engines
Granted: March 4, 2025
Patent Number:
12241384
A rotor blade system. The rotor blade system includes a rotor and a plurality of blades coupled to the rotor. The plurality of blades are arranged in an airfoil distribution pattern. The airfoil distribution pattern includes one or more baseline blades and one or more intentionally mistuned blades including an intentional mistuning feature.
Turbine engine with a composite-airfoil assembly having a dovetail portion
Granted: March 4, 2025
Patent Number:
12241383
A turbine engine having a disk, a composite airfoil assembly and a pitch snubber. The disk having a slot. The composite airfoil assembly having an airfoil portion and a dovetail portion. The dovetail portion having a radially inner surface spaced from the slot to define a gap therebetween. The pitch snubber being provided on one of the slot or the radially inner surface of the dovetail portion.
Vibration response reduction for aircraft engines
Granted: March 4, 2025
Patent Number:
12241382
A system and method for reducing the vibration response of a rotating system are provided. In one aspect, an optimized balance shot or solution that indicates one or more physical locations at which one or more balancing weights are to be added or removed from the rotating system is generated. The balance shot is generated based on a transfer function that is customized specifically for the rotating system. The transfer function is generated by applying one or more machine-learned models…
Cooling system for seal assemblies
Granted: March 4, 2025
Patent Number:
12241379
This disclosure is directed to cooling systems for turbomachine seal assemblies. The seal assemblies include stationary and rotating components and at least one interface between the stationary and rotating components. During operation of the turbomachine, the components of the seal assemblies generate heat, which is removed from the seal assembly by the cooling systems of this disclosure. In some examples, the cooling system includes a reservoir of lubricant that is distributed to a…
Seal support assembly for a turbine engine
Granted: March 4, 2025
Patent Number:
12241375
A turbine engine is provided. The turbine engine defines an axial direction and a radial direction, and includes: a rotor; a stator comprising a carrier; a seal assembly disposed between the rotor and the stator, the seal assembly defining a high-pressure side and a low-pressure side and comprising a plurality of seal segments, the plurality of seal segments including a seal segment having a seal face forming a fluid bearing with the rotor, a lip, and a body, the lip extending from the…
Seal assembly for a rotor shaft of a gas turbine
Granted: March 4, 2025
Patent Number:
12241372
A seal assembly for a gas turbine includes a seal case, and a seal shoe arranged within the seal case. The seal shoe includes a main seal portion that is configured to engage with a radial bearing engagement portion of a rotor shaft, a radial bearing surface that engages with the radial bearing engagement portion of the rotor shaft, at least one hydrodynamic lift cavity extending through the radial bearing surface, and at least one airflow passage extending from a first side of the seal…
Electric propulsor with electric machine in thermal communication with a heat exchanger
Granted: March 4, 2025
Patent Number:
12240615
An electric propulsor is provided. The electric propulsor includes a core cowl and an outer cowl. A first air flowpath is defined radially outward of the outer cowl and a second air flowpath is defined between the core cowl and the outer cowl. The electric propulsor also includes one or more electric machines, a fan rotatably drivable by at least one electric machine, and a booster having a plurality of airfoils disposed at least in part in the second air flowpath, the booster being…
Gas turbine combustion section having an integrated fuel cell assembly
Granted: March 4, 2025
Patent Number:
12240613
A combustion section defines an axial direction, a radial direction, and a circumferential direction. The combustion section includes a casing that defines a diffusion chamber. A combustion liner is disposed within the diffusion chamber and defines a combustion chamber the combustion liner is spaced apart from the casing such that a passageway is defined between the combustion liner and the casing. A fuel cell assembly is disposed in the passageway. The fuel cell assembly includes a fuel…
