Northern Research & Engineering Corp.

Gas Research Institute

Alden Research Laboratory, Inc.

Willem Jansen

Michael C Swarden

Melvin Platt

James B Kesseli

Henry B Faulkner

Anthony F Carter

Alan R Levine

Arnold M Heitmann

Walter L Brassert

Salaiyur N Thirumalaisamy

John M Griffith

Brad W Amidon

George E Hecker

Bradford R Myrick

Pedro H Moura

Steve H Pancygrau

Shankar S Magge

Pat A Capone

Robert M Sexton

An hydraulic turbine includes a rotatable turbine runner. The turbine runner has a circumferential inlet for receiving a fluid and an axial outlet for discharging the fluid. The turbine runner also includes a conical-shaped hub rotatable about a central axis, the hub having a diameter that decreases in size from the inlet to the outlet, the conical-shaped hub including a base having a circumference adjacent the inlet and a surface sloping inwardly toward the central axis, the surface including a concave section facing the inlet when viewed in the meridional cross-section. The turbine runner also includes at least two helical turbine blades connected to the conical-shaped hub, each turbine blade having a leading edge adjacent to the inlet, a trailing edge adjacent to the outlet, a blade running length therebetween having a pitch, each turbine blade further including an outer edge, wherein each turbine blade winds at least halfway around the conical-shaped hub. The turbine runner also includes a shroud surface surrounding the rotatable hub, the shroud surface being defined by the outer edges of the turbine blades, the shroud surface and the hub defining a flow channel for the fluid between the inlet and the outlet. The circumferential inlet completely surrounds the base of the hub and is adapted for receiving a fluid flow around the circumference of the inlet that is uniform in quantity, direction and pressure, the fluid flow including a component perpendicular to the central axis when viewed in the meridional cross-section. The hub surface and the shroud surface are both non-parallel to the central axis at the inlet and parallel to the central axis at the outlet for changing the direction of the fluid passing through the turbine runner. The fluid is discharged from the turbine runner outlet in a direction that is substantially parallel to the central axis.

Hydraulic turbine

A method and system for increasing the pressure of gaseous fuel delivered to a fuel system of a gas turbine engine. A portion of pressurized gas or compressed air is discharged from a high-pressure section of the gas turbine engine and is communicated to a plurality of radial inflow turbines or axial flow turbines. Energy is transferred from each turbine to a plurality of compressors driven by the turbines. Gaseous fuel is supplied to an inlet of one of the compressors. The compressed gaseous fuel is then cooled downstream of the compressors. The aftercooled and compressed gaseous fuel is delivered to the fuel system of the gas turbine engine.

Turbocharger-based bleed-air driven fuel gas booster system and method

Impeller for refrigerant compressors

A centrifugal impeller includes a hub formed about an axis of rotation with a plurality of substantially radially extending blades affixed to the hub, each blade having a suction surface, and a pressure surface formed on the adjacent blade facing the suction surface. The blades have a height being measured in a radial direction from the hub. A portion of the hub, having a hub configuration, extends between the pressure surface and the suction surface. An imaginary plane extending in a direction normal to the axis of rotation is used to define a cross-sectional view of the impeller. A first and a second concentric circle are formed in the plane with the center of the concentric circles being the axis of rotation. The first circle passes through a point on the hub located closest to the axis of rotation. The second circle has a radius greater than the first circle by an amount equal to five percent of the blade height, wherein a portion of the hub extends outside of the second circle. This configuration has, on occasion, improved flow characteristics for centrifugal impellers over impellers having concentric hub configurations.

Arbitrary hub for centrifugal impellers

A computer generated tool path interference check including a method of checking for interference between a workpiece and a cutting tool during the numerical control machining of the workpiece by the cutter tool. Computer simulation is utilized to determine at least a portion of the workpiece that is desired to be checked for possible interference with the path of the cutter tool. The spatial relationship between the workpiece and the cutter tool during the machining are modelled as the relative positioning of the computerized images of the portion of the workpiece and the cutter tool, respectively. The relative positioning of the computerized images of the portion of the workpiece and the cutter tool are observed to check whether an interference will occur between the workpiece and the cutter tool during the machining.

Computer generated tool path interference check method

A method for determining a smooth machining course for a cutting tool during machining of a workpiece. Each possible cutting tool position, with respect to the workpiece, is defined by a separate reference vector. A progression of points are defined as a tool path. A first specified portion of the reference vector will follow the tool path during machining of the workpiece. A series of reference planes are generated, each plane defines a planar set of all possible reference vector positions for each point. An acceptable range from eahc set is established which defines acceptable reference vector positions within each plane for each point. A tool course is generated, which will be followed by a second portion, distant from the first portion, of the reference vector utilizing an algorithm to minimize irregularities of the course, and to contain the course entirely within the acceptable range.

Method for generating a tool course for a cutting tool

In the embodiment depicted, the dynamometer is of an absorption type, for fluid, having fluid entries on both axial ends thereof, and a rotor having blades disposed, in a radial exit flow path, in parallel with the rotor axis. Adjustable, annular, blade shrouds, controlled simultaneously, expose more or less of the blade lengths to the radial exit fluid flow path.

Absorption dynamometer

An improvement for extending the stable operating range of a centrifugal compressor comprises a circumferentially extending series of slots adjacent the leading edges of a series of compressor vanes such that there is relative motion between the series of slots and the vanes as the compressor impeller is driven in rotation.

Centrifugal compressor

Growing community of inventors

Weston, MA, United States of America

Willem Jansen