General Electric Company

Oliver Crispin Robotics Limited

Michael Robert Millhaem

Byron Andrew Pritchard, Jr

Ambarish Jayant Kulkarni

Andrew Crispin Graham

Bernard Patrick Bewlay

Nicole Jessica Tibbetts

Keith Anthony Lauria

Hendrik Pieter Jacobus De Bock

Tim Henri Ann Francois

Erica Elizabeth Sampson

William Francis Navojosky

Gongguan Wang

Andrew James Jenkins

Francisco Ernesto De La Pena

Andrew Campbell

David Scott Diwinsky

Deepak Trivedi

Byron Andrew Pritchard

Hejie Li

Mark Alan Rosenzweig

Gerardo Perez

Martin Matthew Morra

Christopher R Bosco

Alejandro Federico Medrano Perez

Timothy Mark Sambor

Craig Alan Gonyou

Michael Edward Eriksen

John Carl Glessner

Jeremy Clyde Bailey

Christopher Jon Potokar

Jeffrey Scott Ksander

Hendrik De Bock

Jr Byron Andrew Pritchard

Byron Pritchard Jr

Tim Francois

A method of cleaning a component within a turbine that includes disassembling the turbine engine to provide a flow path to an interior passageway of the component from an access point. The component has coked hydrocarbons formed thereon. The method further includes discharging a flow of cleaning solution towards the interior passageway from the access point, wherein the cleaning solution is configured to remove the coked hydrocarbons from the component.

Methods of cleaning a component within a turbine engine

Systems and methods for treating a component of an installed and assembled gas turbine engine are provided. Accordingly, the system includes a storage vessel configured for containing a treating fluid. The system further includes a delivery assembly operably coupled to the storage vessel and a control unit. The delivery assembly is configured to atomize a portion of the treating fluid to develop a treating mist of atomized droplets having a median diameter facilitating suspension of the atomized droplets within at least one flow path of the core gas turbine engine. A flow generation assembly of the system is configured to facilitate a passage of the treating mist along the at least one flow path of the core gas turbine engine so as to wet and treat the component.

Systems for treating an installed and assembled gas turbine engine

A method is provided for operating a gas turbine engine. The method includes: determining data indicative of an operation of a cooling system of the gas turbine engine during a shutdown of the gas turbine engine, following the shutdown of the gas turbine engine, or both; and modifying a startup schedule of the gas turbine engine in response to the determined data indicative of the operation of the cooling system of the gas turbine engine.

Gas turbine engine cooling system control

An extension tool includes a plurality of sequentially arranged links moveable to a first position, the plurality of sequentially arranged links rigidly fixed to one another in the first position, the plurality of sequentially arranged links defining a first passage and a second passage, the second passage being separate from the first passage when the plurality of sequentially arranged links are rigidly fixed to one another.

Extension tool having a plurality of links

A method of repairing a component of a gas turbine engine in situ, wherein the component includes a deposit, includes directing a flow of gas, which may be an oxygen-containing gas, to the deposit of the component; and heating the component including the deposit while the component is installed in the gas turbine engine and for a duration sufficient to substantially remove the deposit.

Component repair system and method

A selectively flexible extension tool includes: a line assembly comprising a first line and a second line; and a plurality of sequentially arranged links, the line assembly operable with the plurality of sequentially arranged links to move the plurality of sequentially arranged links between a slacked position and a tensioned position, the plurality of sequentially arranged links together comprising a first line guide and a second line guide, the first line of the line assembly extending through the first line guide and the second line of the line assembly extending through the second line guide; wherein the first line defines a first displacement when the plurality of sequentially arranged links are moved from the slacked position to the tensioned position, wherein the second line defines a second displacement when the plurality of sequentially arranged links are moved from the slacked position to the tensioned position, and wherein the first displacement is substantially equal to the second displacement.

Selectively flexible extension tool

An extension tool includes a plurality of sequentially arranged links moveable relative to one another. The plurality of sequentially arranged links include a first link. The extension tool further includes a line assembly having a line, the line including a first portion extending through the plurality of sequentially arranged links to the first link and a transition portion extending from the first portion through the first link. The extension tool further includes an attachment feature coupled to or formed integrally with the line of the line assembly at the transition portion of the line to support the line in the event of a failure of the line.

Line assembly for an extension tool having a plurality of links

Systems and methods for treating a component of an installed and assembled gas turbine engine are provided. Accordingly, the method includes operably coupling a delivery assembly to an annular inlet of a core gas turbine engine. A portion of treating fluid is atomized with the delivery assembly to develop a treating mist having a plurality of atomized droplets. The atomized droplets are suspended within any path of the core gas turbine engine from the annular inlet to an axial position downstream of a compressor of the core gas turbine engine. A portion of the treating mist is impacted or precipitated onto the component so as to wet the component, and a portion of the deposits on the component is dissolved by the treating mist.

System and method for treating an installed and assembled gas turbine engine

A gas turbine engine includes a core cowl and a core contained within the core cowl. The core includes a compressor in fluid communication with a downstream combustor and a downstream turbine, the compressor including a compressor bleed port, wherein an undercowl space is defined between the core cowl and the core. The gas turbine engine further includes a cooling duct disposed at least partially in the undercowl space and having an inlet and an outlet, wherein the cooling duct is in fluid communication with a source of cooling air and is further in fluid communication with the compressor bleed port; a valve assembly including at least one valve disposed in the cooling duct; and a cooling blower disposed within the engine and operable to move an air flow from the inlet of the cooling duct towards the outlet of the cooling duct and through the compressor bleed port.

An inflatable device equipped with a guiding mechanism and methods of installing the inflatable device to form a temporary barrier within a gas turbine engine are provided. In one aspect, an inflatable device includes a backbone and an inflatable bladder connected thereto. The backbone is formed of a flexible and inextensible material. The inflatable bladder is formed of an expandable material. To install the inflatable device within an annular chamber of a gas turbine engine, the backbone is inserted into a first access port of the engine and is moved circumferentially around the annulus of the chamber. The backbone is retrieved through a second access port. The inflatable bladder is moved into position within the chamber by pushing the backbone into the first access port and/or pulling the backbone out of the second access port. When positioned in place, the inflatable bladder is inflated to form an annular seal.

Inflatable device with guiding mechanism for effective engine cleaning

Systems and methods for cleaning deposits from a component of an assembled, on-wing gas turbine engine are provided. Accordingly, the method includes operably coupling a delivery assembly to an annular inlet of a core gas turbine engine. A portion of cleaning fluid is atomized with the delivery assembly to develop a cleaning mist having a plurality of atomized droplets. The atomized droplets are suspended within any path of the core gas turbine engine from the annular inlet to an axial position downstream of a compressor of the core gas turbine engine. A portion of the cleaning mist is impacted or precipitated onto the component so as to wet the component, and a portion of the deposits on the component is dissolved by the cleaning mist.

System and method for cleaning deposit from a component of an assembled, on-wing gas turbine engine

A turbine engine includes: a core cowl, a core within the core cowl, the core including a compressor having a bleed port; an undercowl space; a cooling duct at least partially in the undercowl space and having an inlet and an outlet, the inlet communicating with a source of cooling air, the outlet communicating with the compressor bleed port; a valve assembly in the cooling duct; and a cooling blower operable to move air flow from the inlet of the cooling duct towards the outlet of the cooling duct and into the compressor bleed port. A method of cooling an engine having a core cowl and a compressor, combustor and turbine includes: operating the engine; shutting the engine down; after or during engine shutdown, operating a cooling blower internal to the engine cowl, to force air through the compressor by way of a compressor bleed port.

Gas turbine engine reverse bleed for coking abatement

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Michael Robert Millhaem