Abstract: A method for determining the appropriate hole parameters to achieve the desired airflow in a swirler with as-cast air jet holes includes the steps of determining the desired airflow through the holes and selecting a hole angle for the holes. Next, the ratio of the hole exit area to the hole inlet area is calculated based on the desired airflow and the selected hole angle using a regression equation. Then a value is determined for either of the hole exit area or the hole inlet area, and the other area is calculated from the known ratio. Once the hole angle, hole exit area and hole inlet area have been determined, then a swirler can be cast with as-cast holes using these hole parameters.

Abstract: Multi-hole film cooling of combustor liners is enhanced by providing clustered groups of cooling holes in areas of the liners that would otherwise experience a loss of cooling film effectiveness. The combustor liner is made up of a shell having first and second groups of cooling holes formed therein. The cooling holes of the second group are more closely spaced than the cooling holes of the first group. The second group of cooling holes is located on an area of the shell where the cooling film effectiveness is degraded. Preferred locations include a region of the shell that is subjected to swirl impingement and a spot immediately downstream of a large opening in the shell such as a dilution hole, a borescope hole or an igniter port hole.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine airfoil includes an airfoil outer wall having widthwise spaced apart pressure and suction sidewall sections extending chordally between leading and trailing edges of the airfoil and extending longitudinally from a base to a tip. Inside the airfoil is at least one internal cooling circuit having a plurality of longitudinally extending circuit channels between longitudinally extending internal ribs extending widthwise between the pressure and suction sidewall sections and a longitudinally extending first sidewall film cooling chamber positioned between one of the sidewall sections and a first inner wall bounding the cooling circuit. Sidewall film cooling holes extend through the pressure sidewall section from the first sidewall film cooling chamber.

Abstract: A coated article comprises a substrate, an inner environmental resistant coating portion including Al on the substrate, and an outer heat energy reflecting and oxygen diffusion inhibiting coating portion outward of the inner portion. The outer coating portion is multi-layer, comprising 6-48 discrete stacked layers and a total outer coating portion thickness in the range of about 2.5-25 microns.

Abstract: A method for restoring or enhancing an environmental resistant coating of a coating total thickness within a coating design thickness range on a metal substrate of an article includes the application of a restoring or enhancing metal to at least one discrete local surface area. Then at least the discrete local surface area is coated with an environmental resistant coating. For use of the method to restore a coating on an article which has experienced service operation and the discrete surface area includes an undesirable amount of oxidation/corrosion products, the oxidation/corrosion products first are removed from an outer portion of the coating while retaining a coating present at the discrete surface areas and retaining the entire coating on surface areas adjacent the discrete surface areas. Then the restoration metal is applied.

Abstract: An acoustic liner is made by placing a raw adhesive septum between a pair of opposite honeycomb cores, and curing the septum to integrally bond the cores thereto.

Abstract: Hard tooling for consolidation of a workpiece there between is preserved for reuse by disposing between the tooling and a workpiece a plurality of distinct, superimposed sacrificial sheets, for example metal foils, to isolate the workpiece from the tooling. The sacrificial sheets are substantially non-adherent one to another; and a sheet in contact with a workpiece surface is substantially chemically non-reactive with such workpiece surface.

Abstract: A system is provided for cooling the undercowl environment of a gas turbine engine having a high pressure compressor and a core gas stream. An electronically controlled compartment cooling valve is controlled as a function of corrected fan speed, altitude, ambient conditions, extreme hot day temperatures and the aircraft environmental control system. A cooling manifold distributes cooling air in the undercowl environment. A regulator, such as an on-off control valve, modulates the amount of undercowl cooling flows as a function of any of a variety of conditions.

Abstract: A method for detecting fault in a resolver generating a sine voltage and a cosine voltage. The method includes obtaining a sum of a square of the sine voltage and a square of the cosine voltage. The sum is filtered through a first filter having a first time constant to generate a first filter output. The sum is also filtered through a second filter having a second time constant to generate a second filter output. The first filter output and second filter output are compared to detect a fault in the resolver.

Abstract: A tool for removing a shim from a dovetail of a fan blade for a turbine engine rotor includes a clip and a handle. The clip includes a release edge configured to engage a flared lip of a dovetail shim. The handle extends from the clip and contacts the exterior surface of the shim. When the handle and the clip are rotated about a longitudinal axis of the handle, the release edge separates the flared lip of the shim from the dovetail and the handle applies a downward force to easily remove the shim from the dovetail.

Abstract: Three vectoring ring support and actuation apparatuses are disposed in an equi-angular manner circumferentially about the engine casing. Each of the vectoring ring support and actuation apparatuses includes a vectoring ring means to transfer side loads from the vectoring ring to the engine casing, a vectoring ring translation means for allowing the ring to be translated, and a support pivoting means and ring gimballing means to allow the vectoring ring attitude adjustments by a set of linear actuators. The vectoring ring support apparatus transfers side loads acting on a vectoring ring and generated by a gas turbine engine thrust vectoring nozzle to a relatively stationary portion of the engine and allows tilting of the vectoring ring to vector the thrust of the nozzle.

Abstract: The present invention includes a method of repairing an annular metallic article and the repaired article itself which has an axially extending annular support and a projection generally radially extending therefrom. The projection has an associated operating radial height as measured from a radially facing annular first surface of the support and an associated shape. An upper portion of the projection is removed forming a stub extending away from the first surface and having a bonding surface at a stub end spaced apart from the first surface. A metallic material is metallurgically bonded to the bonding surface forming an annular heat affected zone in the stub bounded by the bonding surface. A first portion of the metallic material is removed to restore the projection to the operating height and shape. At least one annular outer surface of the tooth extending over at least a portion of the heat affected zone is laser shock peened, preferably after the first portion of the metallic material is removed.

Abstract: A turbine nozzle includes ceramic outer and inner bands, with a ceramic vane forward segment integrally joined thereto. A ceramic vane aft segment has opposite ends trapped in complementary sockets in the bands.

Abstract: A seal includes first and second axially opposite loops integrally joined together by a coextensive web in a collective ring having a circumferential split. The two loops are arcuate in section, with radially outer and inner sealing lands. And, the web is disposed radially between the outer and inner lands. The loops are disposed in corresponding grooves of adjoining members for effecting a seal therebetween and accommodating differential radial and axial thermal movement.

Abstract: A method is provided for removing a dense ceramic thermal barrier coating (TBC) from an article surface over which the TBC is disposed, the article surface including an edge at which at least a portion of an interface between the article surface and the TBC is exposed. The interface includes at least one material selected from Al, Ti, Cr, Zr and their oxides. The method comprises subjecting at least the exposed interface to a reducing gas at a temperature of at least 1600° F. to separate the TBC from the article surface. The reducing gas is subjected for a time sufficient for the gas to penetrate the interface at least by converting to a gaseous compound at least one material of the group at the interface, and for the TBC to be removed by separation from the article surface.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine carburetor includes a fuel injector and a cooperating air swirler for injecting fuel and air into a combustor. The fuel injector includes a hollow body joined to a supporting stem for receiving fuel therein for flow through an injector tip slidingly mounted to the injector body for movement relative thereto. The air swirler surrounds the injector tip and is spaced form the injector body to define an air inlet, and is spaced from the injector tip to define an air outlet. A spring operatively engages the injector body and the injector tip and is preloaded for biasing the injector tip to an initial position. The spring is sized so that increasing pressure of the fuel in the injector body further loads the spring for moving the injector tip from the initial position to a displaced position, with movement of the injector tip modulating airflow through the swirler for in-turn modulating the ratio of discharged fuel and air.

Abstract: A turbine nozzle includes inner and outer bands having respective air inlets. A plurality of hollow vanes are integrally joined to the bands in flow communication with the inlets. Each vane includes first and second cooling channels extending between the bands which are separated by an inclined septum which converges the two channels away from the corresponding inlets for reducing pressure drop as the cooling air is discharged.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the invention is directed to a fuel flow control system for use with a fuel distribution system having a plurality of zones each including a servovalve. The fuel flow control system includes a fluidic multiplexer having a plurality of pressure ports and a plurality of servoflow ports. The fluidic multiplexer sequentially receives pressure from each zone and sequentially provides servo fluid to each servovalve. A pressure sensor is fluidly coupled to the pressure ports and generates a pressure signal for each zone. A controller receives the pressure signal and generates a control signal. A driver receives the control signal and increases or decreases flow through the servoflow ports in response to the control signal.

Abstract: A method controls the stroke of three circumferentially spaced apart actuators attached at respective joints to an actuation ring positionable to vector thrust in a gas turbine engine exhaust nozzle. The circumferential angular location of each of the actuator joints is specified. And, the stroke for each of the actuators is independently calculated using the joint locations in response to pitch and yaw commands. The actuators are then operated to effect the respective strokes therefor to position the nozzle. In a preferred embodiment, the angular locations are specified once, and trigonometric functions thereof are calculated and stored in memory. The stored values may then be used subsequently in calculating stroke as the pitch and yaw commands change.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine fan assembly has a plurality of axially swept fan exit guide vanes circumferentially disposed around an axially extending centerline, a plurality of fan frame struts having axially swept strut leading edges and circumferentially disposed around the centerline directly aft of the exit guide vanes, and an axially extending annular gap between the trailing edges of the fan exit guide vanes and the strut leading edges. Each of the fan exit guide vanes has pressure and suction sides, vane trailing edges, and is circumferentially leaned such that the pressure side facing radially inward. Preferably, the axially swept vane trailing edges and the axially swept strut leading edges generally conform to each other in shape. An annular splitter is radially disposed at a spanwise position to split airflow from the fan into fan bypass airflow and core engine airflow and includes a splitter leading edge preferably positioned aft of the strut leading edges.