Abstract: A pump includes an outer body; and a wall within said outer body. The outer body and the wall define a pumping cavity and an excitation cavity within the outer body. An excitable medium is contained within the excitation cavity. An excitation source is coupled to said excitable medium. This excitation source is operable to excite the excitable medium and create a standing wave therein. The standing wave acts through the wall to pump said fluid through said pumping cavity. Advantageously, the excitable medium is isolated from the pumped fluid by the wall.

Abstract: An anti-rotation clip is adapted to be attached to a fastener or connector assembly to ensure the tightened threaded connection of the assembly. The anti-rotation clip in one embodiment of the invention includes one or more co-axial clips to radially and forcibly grip one or more hexagonal parts rotatable to a body, and a pair of tang members extending from one clip to engage a pair of grooves having flat bottoms on the body to prevent the hexagonal parts from rotation and the clip from axially moving away relative to the body. In another embodiment of the invention, two co-axially connected clips are adapted to radially and forcibly grip two connectors, having hexagonal exteriors, which are in a tightly threaded connection to a body and may be loosened in opposite rotary directions. The two clips lock the two connectors together to prevent the loosening of either one. An axially spaced apart tang member restrains a flange member on the body to prevent the clip from displacement from its axial position.

Abstract: An electric machine including a magnetic component, forming part of its rotor or stator that loses its magnetic characteristics above a certain chosen temperature is disclosed. This magnetic material forms part of a magnetic circuit that guides flux about the stator. As a result, any magnetic flux emanating with the rotor stops circulating about the stator above this temperature, and the machine stops acting as generator. The component is thermally coupled to windings carrying current from the machine's stator. The material forming the component is selected so that the chosen temperature is lower than the temperature at which the machine would be thermally damaged. This, in turn, limits the operating temperature of the windings, and thus prevents overheating of the machine during operation, typically caused by a fault. Preferably this magnetic material is formed from a ferrite material, such as a Manganese Zinc ferrite material.

Abstract: There is provided a method of assembling a gas turbine engine using a concentricity ring to compensate for assembly tolerances. The blade tips of the gas turbine during turbine rotation define a tip surface of rotation concentric the shaft axis. Due to cumulative tolerances in part manufacture and assembly, the shaft axis is invariably radially eccentric the engine axis at the axial position of the turbine an assembly eccentricity within the range between zero and a predetermined allowable assembly tolerance.

Abstract: The present invention is addressed to a control logic for determining the occurrence of shaft decoupling in a gas turbine engine. The control logic in the preferred embodiment receives inputs for shaft rotational speed and/or compressor pressure and uses these parameters for making a determination of shaft decoupling in fractions of a second, before serious damage to the gas turbine engine can occur. The control logic also utilizes multiple interval sampling, and sampling over multiple channels to verify any determination of shaft decoupling. Once a shaft decouple has been verified, fuel flow to the engine is cut off, thus shutting down the engine.

Abstract: A disposable closure for covering an opening of a first component during handling and shipping. The disposable closure comprises a body from which an offset interference member extends to prevent a second component from being erroneously connected to the first component while the disposable protective closure is still installed.

Abstract: A fuel injector for a combustor and a gas turbine engine, wherein the combustor includes a combustor wall defining a combustion chamber tube surrounded by pressurized air. The injector comprises a nozzle tip assembly protruding through the combustor wall into the chamber, the nozzle tip including a first air passage forming an annular array of individual air passages spaced radially from the first air passage and communicating the pressurized air from outside the combustor wall into the combustor. A fuel gallery extends through the fuel injector tip and defines an annular fuel nozzle radially within the first air passages, whereby the first air passages are arranged to atomize the fuel emanating from the annular fuel nozzle, and second fuel passages are arranged in annular array in the injector tip spaced radially outwardly from the first air passages whereby the second passages are arranged to shape the mixture of atomized fuel and air and to add supplemental air to the mixture.

Abstract: A fuel injector for a combustor presented either as a simplex or duplex pressurized fuel injector, wherein the fuel is introduced into the injector to provide a swirl to the fuel in a first annular channel which communicates with a coaxial conical fuel swirl chamber and then the primary nozzle. In a duplex version, a secondary annular swirl channel is provided for spinning the fuel and communicating downstream with a conical fuel swirl chamber and eventually an annular nozzle whereby the fuel is atomized as it exits the nozzle. An air swirler is also provided with the fuel injector, and the air swirler includes air passages arranged in an annular array about the fuel injector tip. A second array of auxiliary air passages can be arranged spaced radially from the first array and also to provide an air swirl and to control the spray cone of the fuel air mixture.

Abstract: The invention relates to a radial split diffuser with an inner casing and an outer casing joined together along a cylindrical joint. Each diffuser passage is intersected by and extends transversely across the joint. The advantages of this design include: the elimination of a transition within the initial portion of the passages where air flow speeds are supersonic and minute surface discontinuities can significantly effect performance; and the simplification of manufacturing through use of metal castings to replace sheet metal fabrications in the manufacture of diffusers. The joint in the present invention can be located downstream from the diffuser inlet a sufficient distance in a lower velocity area. The joint is located to enable access for precise machining of the critical initial portion of the passages within the inner casing, and to minimize air flow disturbance in the initial portion.

Abstract: An auxiliary power unit (“APU”) system and methods used to bring such system on-line and off-line are disclosed. An APU generator forming part of an APU system, is brought “on-line” smoothly in order to replace a primary generator operating at a steady-state rotational speed that is interconnected with a load. A controller forming part of the APU system controls rotational speed of the APU and thereby the generator so that it approaches a rotational speed beneath the steady-state rotational speed of the primary generator. The controller then connects the APU generator to the load and the primary generator. This causes the APU generator to motor at the steady-state rotational speed dictated by the primary generator. Thereafter, the controller may increase rotational speed of the APU generator until it provides power to the load and the primary generator may be disconnected from the load.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to gas turbine engines in which distinct components are integrally cast so as to increase resistance to thermal stress and thus decrease the amount of cooling airflow required to maintain the structural integrity of the components. The inner duct wall of a reverse airflow duct is integrally cast with a circumferentially extending shroud surrounding the stator vanes forming the turbine nozzle. The integral casting permits the inner duct wall to withstand greater degrees of thermal stress and thus require less cooling.

Abstract: A combined oil tank and oil accumulator vessel having an internal chamber, and a moveable spring-loaded barrier within the internal chamber defining a low pressure oil tank portion and a high pressure accumulator portion separated by the moveable barrier. The combined oil tank accumulator provides the advantages of more consistent oil flow supply as a result of the integral accumulator, but with reduced weight, reduced oil volume requirements, and constant oil levels when compared with conventional external accumulators.

Abstract: The invention relates to a simple low cost fuel nozzle support stem that can be manufactured to meet extremely close tolerances with enhanced structural rigidity through use of a cylindrical stem body machined from solid bar stock. Superior thermal control to regulate thermal displacement of the stem body and to prevent fuel coking is provided by a concentric secondary fuel bore and a primary fuel tube disposed within the bore. The low pressure secondary fuel flow encircles the high pressure primary flow tube and serves to cool the fuel tube and cylindrical stem body in a uniform symmetric manner. An outer cylindrical insulating sleeve mounted on shoulders extending from the cylindrical body of the stem defines an elongate annular insulating air gap between the sleeve and cylindrical stem body. The support stem includes a dual fuel spray nozzle and a fuel adapter/mounting flange that are mounted to the stem body with simple cylindrical sockets.

Abstract: A cooled gas turbine engine airfoil comprises a flow deflector arrangement adapted to re-direct a cooling fluid away from an unfilled opening left by a support member of a casting core used during the casting of the airfoil. The provision of the flow deflector arrangement advantageously allows for a larger core support, thereby facilitating the manufacture of the airfoil.

Abstract: A method and device are provided to enable optimizing combustion conditions of a continuous combustion device to produce low emissions of nitric oxide, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons at all operative conditions. The continuous combustion device includes a slidable baffle to regulate, according to power levels, not only an airflow directly into a primary combustion zone and a secondary combustion zone but also an airflow into a fuel/air premix device to maintain the fuel/air ratio in the primary combustion zone optimized both at an average level and in local areas. Such that, low objectionate or harmful emissions can be reached without performance penalties of the combustion device, such as anti-ignition, flashback or flameout.

Abstract: A fuel injector for a gas turbine engine, including an axial fuel chamber and a spiral metering valve in the chamber.

Abstract: The invention relates to an oil pump driven by a hydraulic motor, that is itself driven by fuel pumped by a remote fuel pump through the engine fuel line. The hydraulic fuel driven oil pump is particularly advantageous for use in a gas turbine engine, to reduce dependence on or completely eliminate the auxiliary gear box (AGB) conventionally used to mechanically connect various engine systems with an engine shaft. Separating the oil pump and other fuel/oil system components from the AGB enables the rationalization of these systems and allows designers to reconfigure systems into a compact unit including the oil pump, separator, oil tank, heat exchanger and filters for fuel and oil. Using pressurized fuel to hydraulically drive the oil pump frees the oil system from location restraints and operating limitations, and permits recovery of otherwise wasted energy from the fuel bypass circuit during idling and takeoff.

Abstract: There is provided a hardwall fan case for encasing a forward fan in a gas turbine engine. The fan case has a stiff annular shell spaced radially outward from the tips of the fan blades and a flexible ring which is an integral structural part of the shell. The flexible ring has a frusto-conical shape with a lip adjacent to the blade trailing edge. The ring extends axially rearwardly from the fixed root to the free inner edge forming a cantilevering resilient ring. A hollow cavity defined between an inner surface of the shell and an outer surface of the flexible ring provides clearance for the flexible ring to deform radially outwardly on impact with a released blade, or to elastically flex on contact with the trailing edge blade tip during bird strike events.

Abstract: A turbine engine having improved high pressure turbine cooling is disclosed. In the engine, relatively cool intermediate pressure (P2x) air is diverted from a region of a compressor section and over a high work turbine blade at a lower static pressure than the diverted air to cool the blade. Advantageously, as the diverted air is relatively cool, use of a conventional TOBI nozzle may be eliminated. Similarly, showerheads on the blade may be eliminated. As well, the diverted air may conveniently be used to seal a rear bearing compartment within the engine.

Abstract: An improved rotary engine, engine lining and engine casing and lining combination are disclosed. The engine is preferable a turbofan engine and includes a fan blade, rotatably mounted within a generally cylindrical casing for rotation about a lengthwise extending central axis. An annular lining is mounted within the casing between a tip of the fan blade and the casing. The lining seals the tip of the fan blade within the casing. The lining includes a brush seal that extends around an inner circumference of the casing, and has a plurality of bristles that extend radially inward from the seal. A retaining membrane extends around the brush seal, preventing the bristles from extending substantially in a radial direction from the brush seal. The retaining membrane is adapted to release the bristles to extend radially inward to occupy a region between the tip of the fan blade and the casing upon a radial excursion of the fan blade.