This inventor holds 5 USPTO granted patents. Top assignee: General Electric Company. Active years: 1999-2002.
Company Filing History:
Years Active: 1999-2002
Title: Innovations by Mark Christopher Schmidt
Introduction
Mark Christopher Schmidt is a notable inventor based in Niskayuna, NY (US). He has made significant contributions to the field of turbine technology, holding a total of 5 patents. His work primarily focuses on improving the efficiency and safety of gas turbines.
Latest Patents
One of his latest patents is a cooling system for a bearing of a turbine rotor. In this innovation, a bore tube assembly radially inwardly of an aft bearing conveys cooling steam to the buckets of the turbine and returns the cooling steam to a return. To cool the bearing and thermally insulate it from the cooling steam paths, a radiation shield is spaced from the bore tube assembly by a dead air gap. Additionally, an air passageway is provided between the radiation shield and the inner surface of an aft shaft forming part of the rotor. Air is supplied from an inlet for flow along the passage and radially outwardly through bores in the aft shaft disk to cool the bearing and insulate it from the transfer of heat from the cooling steam.
Another significant patent addresses controlling a rabbet load and air/oil seal temperatures in a turbine. During a standard fired shutdown of a turbine, a loaded rabbet joint between the fourth stage wheel and the aft shaft of the machine can become unloaded, causing a gap due to a thermal mismatch at the rabbet joint with the bearing blower turned on. An open or unloaded rabbet could cause the parts to move relative to each other, leading to a loss of balance in the rotor. If the bearing blower is turned off during a shutdown, the forward air/oil seal temperature may exceed maximum design practice criteria due to "soak-back." By controlling the bearing blower according to an optimized blower profile, the rabbet load can be maintained, and the air/oil seal temperature can be kept below established limits.
Career Highlights
Mark Christopher Schmidt is currently employed at General Electric Company, where he continues to innovate in turbine technology. His work has had a profound impact on the efficiency and safety of gas turbines, making him a valuable asset to his company.
Collaborations
Throughout his career, Schmidt has collaborated with notable colleagues, including Alan S. Feitelberg and Steven George Goebel. These collaborations have further enhanced the quality and impact of his inventions.
Conclusion
Mark Christopher Schmidt