Abstract: A double dome combustor for a gas turbine engine includes first and second domes joined to outer and inner liners. The first and second domes are joined together by two load transmitting structural paths for providing increased rigidity of the first and second domes for accommodating pressure loading from compressed airflow. In one exemplary embodiment, a dome cowl having first and second cowls is used to additionally join together the first and second domes.

Abstract: An apparatus for delivering high pressure cooling air to the turbine rotor blades of a turbo machine comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced, forward bleed openings formed in the combustor inner casing or inner wall of the combustor inner passage of the turbo machine which are effective to reduce separation of the air flow directed through the combustor inner passage and thus reduce turbulence and pressure losses therein.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustor is provided, having a single wall sheet metal liner which is generally annular in shape which may be corrugated and a multi-hole film cooling means which includes at least one pattern of a great many small closely spaced sharply downstream angled film cooling holes disposed essentially along portion of the liner to be cooled. Another embodiment provided a corrugated aircraft engine afterburner sheet metal liner having at least one pattern of great many small closely spaced sharply downstream angled film cooling holes disposed essentially along the entire surface of the liner.

Abstract: A friction-damped combustor cowl is formed of first and second plies of sheet material of mating, generally annular configuration defining a central cowl axis and of axially elongated and aerodynamically contoured configuration have respective fore end portions which are curled to form a cowl leading edge of arcuate cross section and corresponding fore edges which are integrally joined, and respective aft end portions which define a cowl trailing edge and corresponding aft edges which are integrally joined.

Abstract: A method of operating a dual rotor gas turbine engine includes bypassing a predetermined portion of compressed airflow from a high pressure compressor to downstream of a high pressure turbine first stage nozzle, and increasing core speed of the engine to a value greater than a reference value for improving hot day lapse rate curve and output shaft horsepower. The method steps are performed at least at values of ambient air temperature greater than a first value thereof associated with a reference maximum value of output shaft horsepower, and without increasing high pressure compressor discharge air temperature beyond a maximum value thereof associated with the reference maximum value of the output shaft horsepower. The dual rotor, gas turbine engine includes a preexisting design, aircraft derivative core engine including a high pressure compressor and a high pressure turbine first stage nozzle.

Abstract: An industrial gas turbine engine includes in serial flow relationship a first compressor, a second compressor, a combustor, a first turbine, and a second turbine. The first compressor and the second turbine are fixedly joined together by a first shaft, and a turbine rear frame having a hub is disposed downstream of the second turbine for rotatably supporting the first shaft. A balance piston is fixedly joined to the first shaft, and means for channeling a fluid first to the balance piston for balancing thrust force on the first shaft and then to the turbine rear frame for heating the hub are provided. The apparatus is effective for carrying out a method including channeling a fluid first to the balance piston for thrust balancing the first shaft and then channeling the fluid to the tubine rear frame for heating the frame hub.

Abstract: A mixer having a mixing duct, a set of inner and outer counter-rotating swirlers at the upstream end of the mixing duct, and a fuel nozzle located axially along and forming a center-body of the mixing duct is provided, wherein high pressure air from a compressor is injected into the mixing duct through the swirlers to form an intense shear region and fuel is injected into the mixing duct from the fuel nozzle so that the high pressure air and the fuel is uniformly mixed therein so as to produce minimal formation of pollutants when the fuel/air mixture is exhausted out the downstream end of said mixing duct into the combustor and ignited.

Abstract: A method of operating a gas turbine engine includes providing combustion gases to turbine means, and choking flow of the combustion gases for increasing shaft horsepower in an output shaft while reducing thermal efficiency of the gas turbine engine. The method may also include the step of supercharging the turbine means for further increasing output shaft horsepower. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment, a gas turbine engine effective for carrying out the method is disclosed. The engine includes an output shaft, compression means, combustion means, turbine means, and diffusion means for diffusing combustion gases discharged from the turbine means for obtaining choked flow for increasing shaft horsepower and reducing thermal efficiency. The compression means is effective for supercharging the turbine means at a predetermined speed of the output shaft for providing increased output shaft horsepower.

Abstract: A double dome combustor for a gas turbine engine includes first and second domes joined to outer and inner liners. Two radially spaced apart rows of air swirlers are fixedly mounted to the first and second domes, respectively, with each of the swirlers including a radially extending strut, with pairs of struts being fixedly joined together for providing rigidity of the first and second domes for accommodating pressure loading thereon.

Abstract: An industrial gas turbine engine includes in serial flow relationship a first compressor, a second compressor, a combustor, a first turbine, and a second turbine. The first compressor and the second turbine are fixedly joined together by a first shaft, and a turbine rear frame having a hub is disposed downstream of the second turbine for rotatably supporting the first shaft. A balance piston is fixedly joined to the first shaft, and means for channeling a fluid first to the balance piston for balancing thrust force on the first shaft and then to the turbine rear frame for heating the hub are provided. The apparatus is effective for carrying out a method including channeling a fluid first to the balance piston for thrust balancing the first shaft and then channeling the fluid to the turbine rear frame for heating the frame hub.

Abstract: A powerplant comprising a first compressor for producing a downstream axial flow, a second compressor positioned downstream of the first compressor and combustor positioned downstream of the second compressor. A first turbine is positioned downstream of the combustor and the first turbine is drivingly connected to the second compressor through a first shaft. A second turbine is positioned downstream of the first turbine and the second turbine is drivingly connected to the first compressor through a second shaft. The powerplant is connected to a load which is primarily rotary as opposed to a downstream axial thrust and the load is coupled to the second shaft. Further the invention includes a method of converting an aircraft turbofan engine having a fan, and a compressor for producing a downstream flow adjacent the fan, to a non-aeronautical application comprising the steps of removing a fan from a shaft of the engine and attaching a connection for attaching a load to the shaft from which the fan is removed.

Abstract: A combustor includes spaced outer and inner liners defining therebetween a combustion zone, and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced tubular domes disposed between forward ends thereof. Each of the domes includes an annular inlet for receiving pilot airflow, a swirler having a tubular ferrule and primary swirl vanes for receiving the pilot airflow, and an outlet disposed in flow communication with the combustion zone. A pilot fuel injector is disposed in each of the domes for injecting pilot fuel into the pilot airflow for generating a pilot fuel/air mixture dischargeable from the dome outlet. A plurality of main fuel spraybars inject main fuel into compressed airflow channeled between the domes and the outer and inner liners for generating a main fuel/air mixture dischargeable concentrically around the pilot fuel/air mixture.

Abstract: To eliminate stress peaking at the bearing surface interface of the blade and disk slot dovetails in a gas turbine engine, the slot dovetail in undercut to remove disk material from contact with the blade dovetail radially inner edges where surface stress peaking would otherwise occur. The undercut contour radially inward of the blade dovetail is determined by analysis based on each engine design such as to achieve a substantially uniform distribution of surfaces stress along the dovetail slot fillet radius.

Abstract: A powerplant comprising a compressor for producing a downstream fluid flow, a combustor downstream of the compressor, a turbine downstream of the combustor, a power turbine downstream and adjacent the turbine, and a duct region which receives at least a portion of the fluid output of the power turbine. A reformer is positioned downstream and is coupled to the duct region and the reformer has a fuel outlet which is coupled to the combustor.

Abstract: A fuel injector nozzle support includes a support plate joinable to a combustor dome and a ferrule slidably joined to the support plate. The ferrule includes a base, and a bore for slidably receiving a fuel injector nozzle. The ferrule base has a noncircular perimeter and the support plate includes a receptacle for receiving the ferrule base which has an inner circumference being complementary to the ferrule base perimeter for preventing rotation of the ferrule base greater than a predetermined maximum rotation while allowing radial translation of the ferrule base for accommodating differential radial thermal movement of the fuel injector nozzle and the support plate. In an exemplary embodiment, the base perimeter and the receptacle have complementary straight and arcuate profiles, and the support plate is formed with counterrotational swirler vanes of a swirler fixedly supported to a combustor dome. The noncircular perimeter assembly eliminates the use of conventional antirotational lugs and stops.

Abstract: A thrust reverser is provided for a gas turbine engine and exhaust nozzle supported by an aircraft wing, the exhaust nozzle having an outlet for discharging exhaust gases over an outer surface of the wing. The thrust reverser in accordance with a preferred embodiment includes a deflector having forward and aft ends, and first and second sides joined together by a base. The deflector is positionable in a stowed position around the exhaust nozzle so that the aft end is disposed forward of the nozzle outlet for allowing substantially unobstructed discharge of the exhaust gases from the nozzle outlet, and in a deployed position for changing direction of the exhaust gases for thrust reversal. A torque bar is fixedly joined to the first and second deflector sides and has a longitudinal centerline axis. The torque bar is rotatably joined to the wing, and the deflector is rotated about the torque bar centerline axis for being positioned in the deployed and stowed positions.

Abstract: A hot water tank for heating water which includes means for transforming a high velocity jet of incoming cold water at the inlet of the tank to a piston for forcing hot water accumulated in the upper portion of the tank through the outlet, whereby turbulent mixing between the incoming cold water and the accumulated hot water is minimized.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a hardened contact surface on a shroud of a turbomachinery blade comprising casting the blade and internal shroud with a metal insert into the casting mold so that the blade is cast with the insert in place. The insert may be formed with a projection extending from a wear surface of the shroud into the plane of the blade shroud such that the material from which the blade is made is cast about the projection to firmly and mechanically hold the insert in place. Each insert is preferably formed of a relatively low coefficient of friction and high wear resistant material whereby contact between abutting inserts on adjacent shroud surfaces have a high degree of slippage.

Abstract: A guide vane mounting assembly for outlet guide vanes adjacent the fan of a bypass gas turbine engine comprises a wedge shaped end section on a vane and a wedge shaped elastomer material boot closely fitting thereon. The wedge shaped booted section resides in an oppositely shaped slot in a vane support to provide a dovetail joint with the elastomer material boot compressed between the wedge section of the vane and the slot walls as a vibration damping medium and vane retention means.

Abstract: A steam injected engine, including a compressor, a combustor and a turbine in series combination, with a gas flow path passing therethrough. A steam injection system is provided for adding superheated steam to the gas flow path. A water spray and mixer system sprays water into the steam injection system, whereby the water is immediately vaporized and the resultant mixture remains at superheated temperatures but a greater mass flow of steam is provided to the gas engine to thereby produce an increase in the power output from the engine at reduced thermal efficiency. This new system also provides a means for introducing external waste heat or waste steam into current engine steam piping.