Abstract: Interaction between mating gas turbine combustor components due to vibrations and assembly tolerances can cause excessive wear and premature replacement. Typically, wear reduction features, such as hardened materials, are used to minimize the amount of wear or direct such wear to a specific component. The present invention discloses an improved wear reduction device for the interface between a gas turbine combustor transition duct end frame and the turbine inlet. The improved wear reduction device incorporates “L-shaped” wear strip inserts, constructed of a hardened material, and fixed along the sidewalls of the end frame to protect it from wear by the mating turbine inlet seal. The improved wear strip insert provides a cost savings by not requiring costly manufacturing tooling to form the wear strip inserts, unlike previous wear reduction techniques for the same component interface.

Abstract: An improved gas turbine blade is disclosed that utilizes a blade tip shroud with tapered shroud pockets to remove excess weight from the shroud while not compromising shroud bending stresses. Excess shroud weight removed by the tapered pockets reduces overall blade pull while maintaining material necessary to increase shroud stiffness. The resulting rib created between the tapered pockets provides a surface, away from possible areas of stress concentration, for drilling radial cooling holes.

Abstract: A wear reduction means for a fuel nozzle interface of an industrial gas turbine combustor is disclosed. The wear reduction means includes a replaceable insert welded into the engagement location of the fuel nozzle tip. The fuel nozzle tip is coated with a material harder than the replaceable insert, such that any wear due to mechanical contact of the mating components is directed to the replaceable insert.

Abstract: A throttleable rocket injector assembly is disclosed wherein the flow of oxidizer into each of the oxidizer injectors is simultaneously regulated by a mechanical assembly mounted entirely within the oxidizer chamber.

Abstract: A cooled turbine blade for a gas turbine engine having a platform cooling supply channel that supplies cooling air to a plurality of cooling holes in the surface of the blade platform adjacent the trailing edge of the blade.

Abstract: A compressor blade that has a blade root, an airfoil having a first end, and a second end opposite the first end, the second end having at least one edge, and the airfoil is made of a first material having a first modulus of elasticity. A blade platform connects the blade root to the first end of the airfoil, and a flexible seal is connected to the airfoil adjacent the second end, and the seal is made of a second material having a modulus of elasticity that is substantially less than the first modulus of elasticity.

Abstract: A convectively cooled turbine blade has two distinct cooling air passage systems. The first system cools the blade leading edge and emits cooling air through outlet passageways in the leading edge arranged in showerhead array. The second system includes a five-pass series flow passage comprising five cooling passage sections that extend in series through the remainder of the blade. Cooling air resupply passages inject additional cooling air into the third and fifth cooling passage sections.

Abstract: A method of making a rocket thrust chamber is described in which molten metal is sprayed onto the outer shell of a cooling tube bundle, and the ends of tubes are covered with predetermined thicknesses of the metal. Circumferentially extending manifold channels that intersect each of the tube ends are then machined into the predetermined thicknesses of metal, and mating assemblies are attached to enclose the manifold channels.

Abstract: A method of making a rocket thrust chamber from an anomalistic tube bundle includes providing an anomalistic tube bundle including a plurality of tubes and a plurality of bonds, at least one of the bonds is discontinuous, defining a gap between one of the tubes and another of the tubes immediately adjacent thereto, filling the gap with a bridging material, the bridging material in the gap defining a patch, heating the tube bundle and the patch to a conditioning temperature, maintaining the conditioning temperature until the particles have become sintered and the binder material has vaporized, spraying molten metal onto the patch and the tube bundle outer shell until a predetermined thickness of the metal covers the tube bundle outer shell, and machining the predetermined thickness of metal to the predetermined dimensions of the structural jacket.

Abstract: An ignition system for a rocket engine which improves the reliability of engine re-ignition by supplying additional oxygen to the ignitor directly from the rocket engines main fuel/oxygen injector elements, thereby eliminating the need for a supplemental oxygen supply system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of detecting an engine stall based on the intensity of ultraviolet light being sensed in the augmentor. The method is used to confirm a stall when the gas generator burner pressure sensor is operating properly, and as a back-up detection method when the burner pressure sensor fails, or when the burner pressure line to the control system ruptures and fails.

Abstract: A seal, and method of using same, for an inlet guide vane in a gas turbine engine includes a longitudinally extending tubular portion that has a longitudinal axis defined therethrough, a dovetail portion including a rib portion and a retaining feature. The rib portion is integral with the tubular portion and extends parallel to the axis, and the rib portion extends in a direction radially outward from the axis. The retaining feature is integral with the rib portion and tapers toward the axis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of maintaining fan airflow at 100% for throttle transients from 100% military power to 30% thereof by increasing exhaust nozzle area as the fuel flow the engine decreases until the exhaust nozzle reaches its fully open position. Subsequent reductions in fuel flow produce a commensurate reduction fan airflow.

Abstract: A convectively cooled turbine blade has two distinct cooling air passage systems. The first system cools the blade leading edge and emits cooling air through outlet passageways in the leading edge arranged in showerhead array. The second system includes a five-pass series flow passage comprising five cooling passage sections that extend in series through the remainder of the blade. One of the passage sections includes a plurality of recesses near the trailing edge of the turbine blade to retain cooling air flow to the trailing edge adjacent the root portion of the blade.

Abstract: A responder mounted to the exhaust nozzle support structure of a gas turbine engine includes a pressure switch and a sensor tube connected thereto. The sensor tube encircles the nozzle flaps seals in spaced relation thereto, and the pressure switch is connected to a fire warning alarm.

Abstract: A centerbody for a tangential entry fuel nozzle includes a base having at least one air supply port extending therethrough, a radially outer surface including a frustum portion and a cylindrical portion, an internal passageway which communicates with an internal chamber through a swirler, and a fuel lance extending through the base, the internal chamber, and the swirler, and terminating within the second cylindrical passage.

Abstract: A tangential air entry fuel nozzle has a longitudinal axis and two cylindrical-arc scrolls with the centerline of each offset from that of the other. Overlapping ends of these scrolls form an air inlet slot therebetween for the introduction of an air/fuel mixture into the fuel nozzle. A combustor-end endplate has a central opening to permit air and fuel to exit into a combustor, while at the opposite end another endplate blocks the nozzle flow area. The scrolls are secured between these endplates. A centerbody is located between the scrolls coaxial with the axis. The centerbody has a base which includes at least one air supply port extending therethrough, and an internal passageway. The centerbody includes a frustum portion and aerodynamic ramps that prevent flow reversal and flame stabilization between the endplates.

Abstract: A method of reducing the tendency of the combustion flame to stabilize within the mixing zone of a tangential entry nozzle is disclosed which comprises mixing fuel and air in a mixing zone within a fuel nozzle assembly, thereby producing a first fuel/air mixture which is isolated from the combustion products by maintaining sufficiently high axial velocities throughout the mixing zone and using a combination of a second internal passageway within a centerbody (either fueled or unfueled) and the surfaces of the combustor inlet port.

Abstract: A tangential air entry fuel nozzle has a combustor inlet port to permit air and fuel to exit into a combustor. The port includes a convergent surface, a combustor surface, and a cylindrical surface extending therebetween. The convergent surface extends a first distance along the longitudinal axis of the nozzle, the cylindrical surface extends a second distance along the axis, and the second distance is at least 30% of the first distance.

Abstract: The deployable wing of the present invention comprises an internal structure having diverging leading edge spars attached to a keel spar and cross spars to form a delta wing configuration. This internal structure is enclosed within a volume defined by a fabric sail having an upper section, a lower section, and fabric ribs disposed therebetween. This fabric sail volume is internally pressurized through a ram air intake at the nose stagnation point. This deployable wing can be folded, extracted from an aircraft and deployed in the air.