General Electric Patent Grants

Powder reclamation system and operating method

Granted: October 24, 2023
Patent Number: 11794256
A powder reclamation system for reclaiming a metal powder from a metal powder processing device is provided. The powder reclamation system includes a filter housing defining an inlet and an outlet; a filtered reclaimed powder hopper in communication with the outlet of the filter housing for receiving a filtered reclaimed powder; a powder recirculation passageway configured for providing a flow of powder to a metal powder processing device, the powder recirculation passageway in flow…

Combustor assembly for a turbine engine

Granted: October 24, 2023
Patent Number: 11796176
A combustor assembly for a gas turbine engine defining a radial direction and a circumferential direction includes a liner assembly at least partially defining a combustion chamber and including at least one liner extending between a downstream end and an upstream end, the downstream end of the at least one liner defining a radial opening and an interface surface extending along the circumferential direction and along the radial direction; and a seal member including a body, a flange,…

Systems and methods for maintaining pipes

Granted: October 24, 2023
Patent Number: 11796116
A system for use in maintaining a pipe having a sidewall is provided. The system includes a motorized apparatus sized to fit within the pipe and configured to travel along the pipe through an interior cavity. The motorized apparatus includes a plurality of leg assemblies coupled circumferentially around a body assembly. The body assembly includes an actuator assembly coupled to each leg assembly and configured to independently actuate each leg assembly to adjust a position of each leg…

Levered counterweight feathering system

Granted: October 24, 2023
Patent Number: 11795964
A fan assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a fan disk, a trunnion, a fan blade, and a counterweight assembly. The fan disk is configured to rotate about an axial centerline of the gas turbine engine when installed in the gas turbine engine. The trunnion is mounted to the fan disk and defines a slot extending through a portion of the trunnion. The fan blade defines a pitch axis and is rotatably attached to the fan disk about its pitch axis through the trunnion. The counterweight…

Edge pressure relieving groove shaft

Granted: October 24, 2023
Patent Number: 11795917
A main rotor shaft of a wind turbine configured to reducing contact pressure at a hub joint connection includes a flanged portion and a rod portion. The flanged portion includes an outer circumferential edge, an outer radial area, and an inner radial area. The outer radial area includes holes placed around the outer radial area for attachment to a wind turbine hub. The outer circumferential edge includes a groove placed atop the outer circumferential edge. The rod portion is formed with…

Jointed wind turbine rotor blade having spar cap constructed of varying forms of materials along its span

Granted: October 24, 2023
Patent Number: 11795907
A rotor blade for a wind turbine includes first and second blade segments extending in opposite directions from a chord-wise joint. Each of the first and second blade segments has at least one shell member defining an airfoil surface and an internal support structure. The first blade segment includes a beam structure extending lengthwise that structurally connects with the second blade segment at a receiving section. At least one of the internal support structures of the first and second…

Midshaft rating for turbomachine engines

Granted: October 24, 2023
Patent Number: 11795882
A turbomachine engine includes a core engine having one or more compressor sections, one or more turbine sections that includes a power turbine, and a combustion chamber in flow communication with the compressor sections and turbine sections. The turbomachine engine also includes a shaft coupled to the power turbine and characterized by a midshaft rating (MSR) between two hundred (ft/sec)1/2 and three hundred (ft/sec)1/2. In one aspect, the shaft has a redline speed between fifty and two…

Combustor with an igniter provided within at least one of a fuel injector or a compressed air passage

Granted: October 24, 2023
Patent Number: 11795879
A turbine engine comprising a compressor section, a combustion section having a combustor, and a turbine section in serial flow arrangement. The combustor having a combustion chamber, at least one fuel injector, at least one compressed air passage, and at least one igniter. The at least one igniter can be provided within a portion of the at least one fuel injector or the at least one compressed air passage.

High-temperature fuel thermal transport bus architecture

Granted: October 24, 2023
Patent Number: 11795878
A gas turbine engine assembly includes a gas turbine engine with a combustion section, a fuel delivery system, and a thermal energy management system. The fuel delivery assembly provides a fuel to the combustion section of the gas turbine engine. The thermal energy management system includes a thermal transport bus, a heat source heat exchanger, and a heat sink heat exchanger. The thermal transport bus has a portion of the fuel configured to flow therethrough. The fuel is disposed as a…

Embedded electric machine

Granted: October 24, 2023
Patent Number: 11795837
A gas turbine engine defines a working air flowpath and includes an electrical system having an electric machine coupled to the rotary component at least partially inward of the working air flowpath along the radial direction and an electric bus electrically coupled to the electric machine. The electric bus includes an electric line extending through the working air flowpath within or downstream of a turbine section. The engine further includes a cooling system including a cooling fluid…

Airfoil assembly with a structurally reinforced foam core

Granted: October 24, 2023
Patent Number: 11795827
An airfoil assembly comprising a central spar extending along the radial direction; a blade skin positioned around the central spar to define an airfoil that has a pressure side and a suction side extending in the axial direction between a leading edge and a trailing edge, wherein at least one cavity is defined between the blade skin and the central spar; and a support structure positioned at least partially within the at least one cavity. The support structure comprises: a foam; and a…

Airfoil profile for a blade in a turbine engine

Granted: October 24, 2023
Patent Number: 11795824
An apparatus and method for an engine component having a working airflow separated into a cooling airflow and a combustion airflow, the engine component comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced airfoils rotatable about a centerline defining an axial direction, each airfoil comprising an outer wall bounding an interior and defining a pressure side and a suction side extending between a leading edge and a trailing edge to define a chord-wise direction and extending between a root…

Cranes and methods for erecting a tower

Granted: October 24, 2023
Patent Number: 11795038
The disclosure relates to a crane (200) for erecting a tower including a plurality of tower segments (171, 72, 173, 174, 175), the crane (200) comprising: a telescopic mast (210), and a jib (230) rotatably mounted with respect to the telescopic mast (210) and comprising lifting equipment (240). The telescopic mast (210) comprises a lower mast segment (211) having one or more lower clamp assemblies (202, 204) for selectively gripping portions of the tower and a roller assembly (300) for…

Systems and methods for reducing emissions with a fuel cell

Granted: October 24, 2023
Patent Number: 11794912
A gas turbine engine includes a fuel cell assembly including a fuel cell stack and defining a fuel cell assembly operating parameter, a fuel source, and a turbomachine. The turbomachine includes a compressor section, a combustor, and a turbine section arranged in serial flow order. The combustor is configured to receive a flow of fuel from the fuel source and further configured to receive output products from the fuel cell stack. A controller is configured to perform operations including…

Method and apparatus for layer thickness control in additive manufacturing

Granted: October 24, 2023
Patent Number: 11794412
An additive manufacturing apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a build surface, at least a portion of which is transparent. The apparatus includes a first material depositor operable to deposit a curable resin to form a deposited resin layer on the build surface. A first sensing device is configured to measure the thickness of the deposited resin layer; and wherein the at least one sensing device is configured to generate a signal indicative of the thickness of the deposited…

Cleaning systems for additive manufacturing apparatuses and methods for using the same

Granted: October 24, 2023
Patent Number: 11794410
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to additive manufacturing apparatuses, cleaning stations incorporated therein, and methods of cleaning using the cleaning stations.

Resin distribution and maintenance system

Granted: October 24, 2023
Patent Number: 11794409
A method is provided for maintaining resin in a system including a main feed tank and at least one vat, each of the at least one vats associated with a 3-D printing machine. The method includes the steps of: transferring resin from the main feed tank to the at least one vat; operating the associated 3-D printing machine in a build cycle; returning the resin from the at least one vat to the main feed tank; and repeating in a cycle the steps of transferring the resin, operating the 3-D…

Systems and methods for polishing component surfaces using polishing tool mounted on motorized apparatus

Granted: October 24, 2023
Patent Number: 11794303
A system for polishing a surface of a component includes a motorized apparatus including a body, a drive system coupled to the body, and an arm including a proximal end coupled to the body and a distal end opposite the proximal end. The motorized apparatus further includes a tool coupled to the distal end of the arm. The tool is configured to polish the surface of the component. The motorized apparatus also includes an actuator coupled to the arm. The system also includes a controller…

Ultrasound system probe holder

Granted: October 24, 2023
Patent Number: 11793486
A panel may include an inner edge, an outer edge opposite the inner edge, and a probe holder apparatus formed in the panel between the inner edge and the outer edge. The probe holder apparatus may have a generally rectangular shape comprising a front outer corner, a rear outer corner, a front inner corner, and a rear inner corner. The probe holder apparatus may include a slot, at least one surface within the probe holder apparatus, and a cable guide. The slot may extend from a center of…

Cable guiding assemblies and methods for wind turbines

Granted: October 17, 2023
Patent Number: 11788515
The present disclosure relates to cable guiding assemblies for wind turbine power cables. A cable guiding assembly comprises an outer part and a central part. Each part has a top surface, a bottom surface, a laterally inner surface and a laterally outer surface. The laterally inner surface has a plurality of recesses suitable for receiving power cables. An outer portion of the central part is configured to be attached to an inner portion of the outer part.