General Electric Company

Nitin Bhate

Ronald Ralph Cairo

Kripa K Varanasi

Yuk-Chiu Lau

Pazhayannur Ramanathan Subramanian

Tao Deng

Margaret Louise Blohm

John Ellington Greene

Raymond Edward Chupp

Thomas Allen Wells

Ming Feng Hsu

Wayne Charles Hasz

Geoffrey David Myers

Mahmut Faruk Aksit

Farshad Ghasripoor

Ian Francis Prentice

Dennis Michael Gray

Mark Eugene Noe

Jason Thurman Stewart

Kevin Leon Bruce

Murtuza Lokhandwalla

Mehmet Demiroglu

David Edward Bulman

Dalong Zhong

Gregory Allen O'Neil

Jeffrey Scott Goldmeer

Anthony Constantine Thermos

Alberto Jose Negroni

Todd Charles Curtis

Paul Steven Dimascio

A method of preventing thermal hydrocarbon degradation deposits on a surface of a gas turbine component, the method includes providing the turbine component comprising the surface configured for contacting a hydrocarbon fluid, wherein the substrate comprises a material having a nominal liquid wettability sufficient to generate, with reference to an oil, a nominal contact angle, disposing a plurality of features on the substrate to form an anti-deposition surface texture, wherein the plurality of features have a size, shape, and orientation selected such that the surface has an effective wettability sufficient to generate, with reference to an oil, an effective contact angle of greater than the nominal contact angle, and the features comprise a width dimension (a), and a spacing dimension (b), wherein the features prevent the hydrocarbon fluid from penetrating into the surface texture and thereby reduce the adhesion of the thermal hydrocarbon deposits to the surface.

Surface treatments for preventing hydrocarbon thermal degradation deposits on articles

The present invention provides methods for manufacturing an article having a wetting-resistant surface. The method includes providing a substrate. The method further includes disposing a coating mixture on a surface of the substrate, wherein the coating mixture comprises a braze material and a texture-providing material. The method further includes heating the braze material to bond the texture-providing material to the surface of the substrate to form the article having the wetting-resistant surface.

Methods of preparing wetting-resistant surfaces and articles incorporating the same

The present invention provides methods for manufacturing an article having a wetting-resistant surface. The method includes providing a mixture comprising a plurality of micron-sized first particles and a plurality of nano-sized second particles, and a binder; depositing the mixture onto a substrate to form a wetting-resistant surface via a thermal spray process. The mixture is deposited without substantial melting of the first and second particles. The wetting-resistant surface has wettability sufficient to generate, with a reference fluid, a static contact angle of greater than about 90 degrees.

Method of preparing wetting-resistant surfaces and articles incorporating the same

A fixture assembly and inspection method by which the internal diameter and/or concentricity of a segmented annular seal can be readily inspected and optionally measured prior to final installation. The fixture assembly has at least two fixture segments supported on a base, by which an annular fixture housing is defined having an outer rim and a groove with a cross-sectional shape corresponding to a cross-sectional shape of the annular seal. The fixture assembly further includes a device or apparatus for assessing at least one dimensional characteristic of the annular seal when installed in the groove of the fixture housing and as the assessing device/apparatus travels along the interior circumference of the fixture housing.

Fixture and inspection method for an annular seal

A method for assembling a gas or steam turbine is provided. The method includes providing an insulator and positioning the insulator between a vane support and a vane such that the insulator facilitates preventing hot gas migration into the vane, and such that during operation, hot gas is channeled from a high pressure side of the vane to a low pressure side of the vane. A vane assembly for a turbine rotor assembly is also provided. The vane assembly includes a vane support and an insulator including a projecting portion. The assembly also includes a vane. The insulator is coupled to the vane support such that the projecting portion is between the vane and a nozzle support strut to facilitate hot gas flow from a pressure side of the projecting portion to a suction side of the projecting portion.

CMC vane insulator and method of use

A ceramic matrix composite nozzle assembly. The ceramic matrix composite nozzle assembly may include a ceramic matrix composite vane, a number of metallic components positioned about the ceramic matrix composite vane, and a number of metallic seals positioned between the ceramic matrix composite vane and one or more of the metallic components.

Ceramic matrix composite vane seals

A compliant seal for use between rotating blades and a static shroud surrounding the rotating blades in a steam or gas turbine is disclosed. The seal includes a tip surface, substantially resistant to wear due to rubbing by the tip of the rotating blades, and an elastic biasing member, comprising a biasing element. The wear-resistant surface is thus biased against the tips of the rotating blades to seal a gas path between the rotating blades and the static shroud.

Sealing device and method for turbomachinery

A stator vane assembly for a gas turbine includes a ceramic matrix composite airfoil held between radially inner and outer metal platforms wherein an interface between the airfoil and at least one of the radially inner and outer platforms is shaped to create a circuitous leakage path for gas from the gas turbine hot gas path.

Seal-less CMC vane to platform interfaces

A seal having a first seal mechanism adapted for insertion between a first structure and a second structure, wherein the first structure is in communication with a first medium and the second structure is in communication with a second medium. The seal also includes a second seal mechanism, which is pressuringly biasable against the first seal mechanism and against the second structure by the second medium. In certain embodiments, a system has a first structure in communication with a first medium and a second structure houses a seal assembly between the first and second structures. The seal assembly includes an interface seal disposed against the first structure and a flexible seal pressuringly biased against the second structure and the interface seal by a second medium.

Hybrid seal and system and method incorporating the same

A collar seal is configured for a turbine nozzle vane. The seal includes a retainer having a circumferential airfoil contour conforming with the airfoil contour of the vane. A flexible leaf is surrounded by the retainer and fixedly joined thereto. A woven sheath encases the leaf and is fixedly joined to the retainer. In an exemplary embodiment, the collar seal surrounds one end of a ceramic turbine vane mounted in a metal supporting band.

Turbine vane collar seal

An article for controlling flow of a fluid medium in a fluid path comprises a brush seal carrier and at least one brush seal coil disposed within the brush seal carrier. The brush seal coil is arranged in predetermined array and comprises a continuous helical member. In addition, a brush seal, for controlling the flow of the fluid medium in the fluid path, comprises a plurality of fibers secured to the brush seal coil.

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Rexford, NY, United States of America

Nitin Bhate