Abstract: A brush seal is provided having a plurality of bristle layers sandwiched between a pair of circumferential plates with the upstream layers of bristles having a higher first fundamental vibration frequency than downstream seal layers. Such a seal has bristles in the upstream layer or layers that have a greater cross sectional area, a lesser lay angle, are shorter, or some combination of the foregoing.

Abstract: A seal assembly includes first and second segments spaced from a frame and defining between each other an elongate lateral gap. A plurality of radially adjoining leaf seals bridge the lateral gap between the segments and are supported by a plurality of spaced apart pins, with each pin having an enlarged head on one side of the frame and a root on an opposite side of the frame fixedly joined to a bottom one of the leaf seals. A compression spring is disposed around each of the pins between the frame and a top one of the leaf seals for urging the top leaf seal toward the bottom leaf seal to seal flow radially therebetween and between adjacent support pins, and for urging the bottom leaf seal in sealing contact with the first and second segments to seal flow radially therebetween through the lateral gap.

Abstract: A superalloy article has a nickel-based superalloy substrate containing TCP-phase forming elements such as rhenium, chromium, tantalum and tungsten. A carbide precipitate-containing region is formed within the substrate extending to a carbide depth below a surface of the substrate, preferably by depositing carbon on the surface of the substrate and diffusing the carbon into the substrate. An aluminum-rich diffusion layer extends from the surface of the substrate to an aluminide depth below the surface of the substrate. Preferably, the carbide depth is about the same as the aluminide depth. The presence of the carbide precipitates inhibits the formation of the deleterious TCP-phase.

Abstract: A wear shim assembly is provided which includes a substantially U-shaped wear shim for protecting selected wear surfaces on the engine casing of a gas turbine engine. The wear shim advantageously simultaneously protects multiple surfaces of the engine casing, namely, a radial seating surface and an axial seating surface of the engine casing, from undesired differential thermal expansion wear and vibrational wear.

Abstract: A scramjet engine for powering an aircraft at supersonic velocities is disclosed. The scramjet engine includes supersonic compressed airflow in a combustor along with a fuel for providing combustion. A monopropellant is also supplied adjacent to the airflow and fuel. The monopropellant is effective for expanding in the combustor for mixing the airflow and the fuel for the combustion of the airflow and fuel for generating combustion gases. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the monopropellant is hydrazine and is effective for obtaining a specific volumetric increase of about 20,000:1.

Abstract: A reversing marine drive utilizing a gas generator prime mover provided with first and second counter-rotating power turbines. The first turbine is connectable by a differential gear set and a pinion and reduction gear assembly to the ship's shaft to drive the shaft and the screw thereon in the forward thrust direction. The second turbine is connectable by the differential gear set and the pinion and reduction gear assembly to the ship's shaft to drive it and the screw thereon in the reverse thrust direction. A brake assembly is provided in association with each of the first and second power turbines so that when one of the power turbines is driving the screw, the other power turbine is stopped. A master computer may be provided to control the reversing marine drive.

Abstract: A stator seal assembly for a gas turbine engine of a type having a high pressure compressor section and a high pressure turbine section, the stator seal having a seal segment extending between a stator vane support structure and disk seal teeth, the stator seal segment having an arm for forming a cavity, a retaining segment attached to the seal segment and the arm for sealing the cavity to form a dead air space, a control ring located in the cavity having a coefficient of thermal expansion lower than a coefficient of thermal expansion for the seal segment, and a honeycomb pad located between the arm and the seal teeth, whereby thermal expansion clearance between the stator vane and the rotor disk is minimized.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine stator vane includes a groove extending laterally in an outer surface at one end thereof between leading and trailing edges for receiving a brazing material. The vane may be joined to an arcuate band having a complementary groove extending colinearly with the airfoil groove to collectively define therebetween an enlarged crevice for receiving the brazing material to form a reinforcing pin therein.

Abstract: An impact resistant cowl structure for a gas turbine engine mounted in front of the combustor dome of the engine having a concave dish-like center for capturing incident debris which is bounded by a pair of forward protruding elbows that transition into outwardly and rearwardly extending mounting legs.

Abstract: A seal support assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a stator seal support having an annular seal backing extending axially away therefrom and having an integral retention flange at one end thereof. The retention flange includes a retention groove. An annular seal block is supported radially inwardly of the seal backing for cooperating with rotor seal teeth to define a fluid seal. A control ring is disposed radially outwardly of the seal backing and is supported thereby, with the control ring having a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart retention tabs cooperating with the retention flange for axially retaining the control ring on the seal backing. An annular heat shield is fixedly joined at one end to the seal support, and includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart retention tabs cooperating with the retention flange for axially retaining the heat shield to the seal backing while permitting unrestrained differential radial movement therebetween.

Abstract: A combustor dome assembly includes an annular support plate fixedly joined to a combustion liner which confines combustion gases. The support plate includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced support openings for supporting respective carburetors, and respective splashplates fixedly joined coaxially to each of the support openings. Each of the splashplates includes an intermediate flared portion spaced axially downstream from an intermediate portion of the support plate to define a plenum, and a distal end spaced radially away from the liner to define a circumferential extending outlet gap in flow communication with the plenum. The support plate intermediate portion has a plurality of impingement holes disposed between the support openings and a proximal end of the support plate for channeling a first portion of compressed air as impingement air into the plenum to impinge against the splashplate intermediate portion.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method to accurately provide three-dimensional rotary tool point compensation by evaluating a CNC machining center's geometric condition with respect to a trunnioned spindle mechanism of the machining center as it applies to the degrees of freedom of motion that affect the rotary tool point positioning of a cutting tool mounted in a tool holder of the spindle mechanism. The present invention evaluates the geometric condition of the trunnioned spindle mechanism by positioning the tool point in contact with a reference point or datum and recording a first coordinate position, then rotating the spindle mechanism 90.degree. about a trunnion axis and positioning the tool point in contact with the same reference point a second time. A second coordinate location is recorded when the tool point contacts the reference point the second time.

Abstract: A coolable airfoil for use in gas turbine engine component such as a turbine blade or vane is provided with an integrally formed double shell outer wall surrounding at least one radially extending cavity. The inner and the outer shells are integrally formed of the same material together with tying elements which space apart the shells and mechanically and thermally tie the shells together. The present invention contemplates tying elements including pedestals, rods, and/or continuous or intermittent ribs. Impingement cooling means for the outer shell, in the form of impingement cooling holes, is provided on the inner shell to direct the coolant in impingement jet arrays against the outer shell, thereby, cooling the outer shell.

Abstract: A rotor tip bleed air tailoring system in which a rotor blade is located upstream from an outer stator vane and an inner stator vane. The inner stator vane and outer stator vane are separated by a splitter which extends to the tip region of the rotor blade and separates air exiting the rotor blade into regions of distinctly different pressures.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine hot section combustor liner is provided a non-film cooled portion of a heat transfer wall having a hot surface and a plurality of longitudinally extending micro-grooves disposed in the portion of the wall along the hot surface in a direction parallel to the direction of the hot gas flow. The depth of the micro-grooves is very small and on the order of magnitude of a predetermined laminar sublayer of a turbulent boundary layer. The micro-grooves are sized so as to inhibit heat transfer from the hot gas flow to the hot surface of the wall while reducing NOx emissions of the combustor relative to an otherwise similar combustor having a liner wall portion including film cooling apertures. In one embodiment the micro-grooves are about 0.001 inches deep and have a preferred depth range of from about 0.001 inches to 0.005 inches and which are square, rectangular, or triangular in cross-section and the micro-grooves are spaced about one width apart.

Abstract: A butterfly valve comprises a butterfly vane including a radial notch. A seal groove is situated in the vane and a seal including tabs is disposed within the seal groove wherein the tabs are adapted to fit within the notch. The tabs are designed to bear against the sides of the notch. The notch is located on the high pressure side of the butterfly vane and in a position such that the butterfly housing limits the radial motion of the tabs when the valve is in the open position.

Abstract: A switched reluctance machine comprising a housing, a stator attached to the housing and a rotor mounted within the housing. The stator including teeth wound with electrical coils which are connected to form phase windings. The rotor comprising a series of laminates including teeth pressed onto a shaft. According to the present invention, at least one set of opposing phase wound stator teeth comprise permanent magnets.

Abstract: A jet engine component includes a body having a wall portion with an external surface exposed to hot gas flow and an internal surface exposed to a cooling air flow. The engine component incorporates an arrangement of cooling holes defined through the wall portion between the external and internal surfaces thereof to permit flow of cooling air from the hollow interior through the wall portion to the exterior of the component. Each cooling hole includes at least one flow inlet at the internal surface of the wall for receiving the cooling air flow, at least a pair of flow outlets at the external surface of the wall for discharging the cooling air flow, and at least a pair of flow branches extending through the wall portion and between the flow inlet and the flow outlets for permitting passage of the cooling air flow from the flow inlet to the flow outlets. In one V-shaped configuration, the flow branches merge and intersect with one another at the flow inlet.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustor includes radially spaced outer and inner liners disposed coaxially about an engine longitudinal centerline axis with each liner having forward and aft ends. An annular dome is fixedly joined to the forward ends of the outer and inner liners. The outer liner has a substantially uniform thickness and is arcuate in a longitudinal plane from the forward to aft ends for providing buckling resistance of the outer liner.

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a combustor is disclosed having three separate domes, each dome having disposed therein a plurality of circumferentially spaced mixers for uniformly mixing air and fuel. The combustor utilizes a high percentage of the total available combustion air at the dome area in order to maintain a lean mixture of air and fuel during all levels of engine output. Besides providing an unobstructed area in the diffuser dump region upstream of the mixers for the combustion air, sealing means is included to prevent cooling air from entering the combustion chamber until downstream of the primary combustion zone. Heat shields having radial centerbodies are also included between each dome to isolate each primary combustion zone.