Abstract: An airfoil material loss control structure is provided. This structure includes at least one fuse zone that, during impact from a foreign object, fail before the surrounding structure. In a further aspect, a rotary machine is provided. This rotary machine includes a ducted fan gas turbine engine including a composite airfoil with at least one fuse zone.

Abstract: An airfoil structure is presented. The airfoil structure includes an outer casing substantially surrounding a composite core. The composite core includes a plurality of fiber bands, each of the plurality of fiber bands is placed at a predetermined position and orientation at a time, wherein the plurality of fiber bands are interwoven in an in-plane and out-of-plane orientation by interleaving each of the plurality of fiber bands placed in a plane with one or more of the plurality of fiber bands of an adjacent plane to define an interleaved structure. A method for manufacturing an airfoil structure including the composite core is also presented.

Abstract: An airfoil material loss control structure is provided. This structure includes at least one fuse zone that, during impact from a foreign object, fail before the surrounding structure. In a further aspect, a rotary machine is provided. This rotary machine includes a ducted fan gas turbine engine including a composite airfoil with at least one fuse zone.

Abstract: An airfoil structure is presented. The airfoil structure includes an outer casing substantially surrounding a composite core. The composite core includes a plurality of fiber bands, each of the plurality of fiber bands is placed at a predetermined position and orientation at a time, wherein the plurality of fiber bands are interwoven in an in-plane and out-of-plane orientation by interleaving each of the plurality of fiber bands placed in a plane with one or more of the plurality of fiber bands of an adjacent plane to define an interleaved structure. A method for manufacturing an airfoil structure including the composite core is also presented.

Abstract: A processor-implemented method of assembling a rotatable machine is provided. The machine includes a plurality of blades that extend radially outwardly from a rotor. The method includes determining a geometric parameter for each blade in a row of blades that is relative to a ratio, R of an inlet area and an outlet area of a predetermined volume defined between each pair of blades, determining an initial sequence map for the row of blades that facilitates minimizing a difference of R between circumferentially adjacent pairs of blades, and iteratively remapping the sequence of the blades to facilitate reducing a moment weight vector sum of the rotor to a value that is less than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A method for assembling a rotor assembly and a rotor assembly are provided. The method comprises providing a rotor blade including a first sidewall, a second sidewall, where the first and second sidewalls are connected at a leading edge and a trailing edge and extend in span from a root portion to a tip portion, removing blade material from the tip portion to form a tip portion rake angle that enables the tip portion to extend obliquely between the first and second sidewalls, and coupling the rotor blade to a shaft such that during tip rubs the tip portion rake angle facilitates reducing radial loading induced to the blade during tip rubs.

Abstract: An airfoil is disclosed having a concave pressure side and a convex suction side defining a chord length, and a leading edge and a trailing edge. A leading edge protective strip is adhered by a bond layer to and protectively covers the leading edge and respective predetermined portions of the pressure side and suction side of the airfoil body from the leading edge downstream towards the trailing edge. The leading edge protective strip includes a multiplicity of inwardly-facing grooves in which the bond layer is embedded. The grooves define adjacent segments of a predetermined size sufficiently small that, if detached from the vane during engine operation, impact with downstream engine components will not cause damage to the downstream engine components.

Abstract: An airfoil is disclosed having a concave pressure side and a convex suction side defining a chord length, and a leading edge and a trailing edge. A leading edge protective strip is adhered by a bond layer to and protectively covers the leading edge and respective predetermined portions of the pressure side and suction side of the airfoil body from the leading edge downstream towards the trailing edge. The predetermined portion of the suction side covered by the leading edge protective strip is less than the predetermined portion of the pressure side covered by the leading edge protective strip.

Abstract: An airfoil is disclosed having a concave pressure side and a convex suction side defining a chord length, and a leading edge and a trailing edge. A leading edge protective strip is adhered by a bond layer to and protectively covers the leading edge and respective predetermined portions of the pressure side and suction side of the airfoil body from the leading edge downstream towards the trailing edge. The leading edge protective strip includes a multiplicity of inwardly-facing grooves in which the bond layer is embedded. The grooves define adjacent segments of a predetermined size sufficiently small that, if detached from the vane during engine operation, impact with downstream engine components will not cause damage to the downstream engine components.

Abstract: An airfoil is disclosed having a concave pressure side and a convex suction side defining a chord length, and a leading edge and a trailing edge. A leading edge protective strip is adhered by a bond layer to and protectively covers the leading edge and respective predetermined portions of the pressure side and suction side of the airfoil body from the leading edge downstream towards the trailing edge. The predetermined portion of the suction side covered by the leading edge protective strip is less than the predetermined portion of the pressure side covered by the leading edge protective strip.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a centrifuge energy management system prevents the energy level of a rotor from exceeding a predetermined containment limit for the centrifuge by monitoring the energy level and either terminating a run operation of the centrifuge if it surpasses the containment limit or reducing the rotational speed of the rotor.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method for assembling a rotor assembly is provided. The method comprises providing a rotor blade including a first sidewall, a second sidewall, where the first and second sidewalls are connected at a leading edge and a trailing edge and extend in span from a root portion to a tip portion, removing blade material from the tip portion to form a tip portion rake angle that enables the tip portion to extend obliquely between the first and second sidewalls, and coupling the rotor blade to a shaft such that during tip rubs the tip portion rake angle facilitates reducing radial loading induced to the blade during tip rubs.

Abstract: A motor torque measurement system includes a motor in communication with a gyro, a centrifuge rotor connected to the gyro, a housing surrounding the rotor and motor, and a controller in communication with the motor. The controller is connected to a back EMF measurement device, which measures the back EMF of the motor, and is also configured to measure motor rotational speed. The back EMF coefficient (Ke) and motor torque constant (Kt) can be calculated therefrom and the actual motor performance thereby determined. Motor magnet temperature may also be calculated. Back EMF and motor rotational speed measurements may be taken with the motor coasting.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for ordering blades in a rotatable machine is provided. The machine includes a plurality of blades that extend radially outwardly from a rotor. The method includes determining a moment weight of each blade in a row of blades, determining a geometric parameter of each blade in the same row of blades, and determining a mapping order of each blade using the moment weight and the geometric parameter. The apparatus includes a computer system that includes a software product code segment for minimizing imbalance in a bladed rotor wherein the segment is configured to receive a moment weight value for each blade to be installed in said rotor, receive a geometric parameter value for each blade to be installed in said rotor, calculate a blade location on the rotor based on the received values, and generate a blade map based on the calculated location.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a centrifuge motor, which are particularly suited for measuring and calculating the back EMF coefficient (Ke) of the motor and motor temperature.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a centrifuge control system, which are particularly suited for automatically calibrating a centrifuge imbalance detector that include an accelerometer and a controller. The controller is configured to automatically calibrate imbalance limits. Upon determining these limits, the controller assigns these limits or values to the accelerometer.

Abstract: A system and method for stopping a moving member located on a stationary member. The system includes sliders or rollers configured to move along a track. The track has a discontinuity to move the moving member to engage a friction pad to slow the moving member. The system includes a striker configured to engage a stop for stopping the moving member. The method includes moving the member along a pathway, altering the movement of the member with a discontinuity in the pathway, slowing the member at the discontinuity with a friction device engaged by the altered movement of the member, stopping the member with a resilient device, and preventing the member from bouncing back from the resilient device a significant amount with the friction device.

Abstract: Kinetic energy of a rotor is substantially prevented from exceeding a predetermined amount of kinetic energy by determining a first kinetic energy of the rotor spinning at a first rotational velocity and determining whether the first kinetic energy exceeds the predetermined amount of kinetic energy. In addition, torque being applied to the rotor is modulated in response to the first kinetic energy exceeding the predetermined amount of kinetic energy. In this manner, the rotor is spun at a relatively slower rotational velocity than the first rotational velocity.

Abstract: A centrifuge temperature pre-calibration apparatus including a memory storage device having correction coefficients for temperature, a controller, an un-calibrated temperature sensor and a calibrated temperature display device connected to a computer which based on data from these connections calculates a slope of a line and calculates actual temperature based on this slope and an offset value. The slope is determined by the ratio of the difference between a second data point and a first data point of the calibrated temperature display device and the difference between the second data point and the first data point of the un-calibrated temperature sensor.

Abstract: A system and method for stopping a moving member located on a stationary member. The system includes sliders or rollers configured to move along a track. The track has a discontinuity to move the moving member to engage a friction pad to slow the moving member. The system includes a striker configured to engage a stop for stopping the moving member. The method includes moving the member along a pathway, altering the movement of the member with a discontinuity in the pathway, slowing the member at the discontinuity with a friction device engaged by the altered movement of the member, stopping the member with a resilient device, and preventing the member from bouncing back from the resilient device a significant amount with the friction device.