Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprises a compressor, an inner casing and a turbine arranged to drive the compressor via a shaft. The compressor comprises a rotor and a stage of compressor outlet guide vanes. The stage of vanes comprises a plurality of vanes extending radially between inner and outer annular walls. The rotor has a stub shaft and the shaft is joined to the stub shaft at a welded joint. The inner casing surrounds the shaft and stub shaft to define an annular chamber and an annular bleed duct is defined between the upstream end of the wall of the stage of vanes and the downstream end of the compressor rotor. The upstream end of the wall of the stage of vanes has a concave surface between its radially inner and radially outer ends to produce a counter clockwise flow of air over the welded joint.

Abstract: A mount structure for mounting an ancillary engine unit to a gas turbine engine is provided. The mount structure has plural elongate struts which each extend from a connector portion at one end of the strut to a fastening portion at the other end of the strut. The housing of the ancillary engine unit is formed of a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion, and the elongate struts are formed of a second material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion. Each elongate strut extends away from its connector portion in a direction which is crosswise to the direction of the hypothetical differential thermal strain at that connector portion. The mount structure further has a containment bracket which is configured to contain each connector portion.

Abstract: A nozzle for a gas turbine engine. An array of convergent petals hingedly coupled to a nozzle exit of fixed diameter. An array of divergent petals, each divergent petal hingedly coupled to one of the array of convergent petals. A cam surface associated with the array of convergent petals. A pivot point coupled to the array of divergent petals by a first linkage and to a fixed point by a second linkage. A cam follower coupled to the second linkage by a third linkage, the cam follower arranged to abut and travel in contact with the cam surface. An actuator coupled to the cam follower and arranged to translate the cam follower along the cam surface to move the convergent and divergent petals.

Abstract: There is disclosed a variable guide vane device for a gas turbine engine comprising first and second vanes arranged in axial flow series. The first and second vanes are spaced apart so as to define a radially extending slot for fluid flow therebetween.

Abstract: A combustion chamber comprising an upstream end wall, at least one annular wall, at least one fuel injector and at least one seal. The at least one annular wall being secured to the upstream end wall. The upstream end wall having at least one aperture. Each fuel injector being arranged in a corresponding one of the apertures in the upstream end wall and each seal being arranged in a corresponding one of the apertures in the upstream end wall and around the corresponding one of the fuel injectors. Each seal having an inner surface facing the corresponding one of the fuel injectors and an outer surface facing away from the corresponding one of the fuel injectors. Each seal abutting the corresponding one of the fuel injectors. The downstream end of each seal increasing in diameter in a downstream direction and the upstream end of each seal having a radially extending flange.

Abstract: Disclosed is an insulated container 2 for cooling a heated tooling component 4. The insulated container 2 comprises: a housing including a thermally insulated base 6, an insulated side wall 10 and an insulated upper wall 12 which define a chamber 36 for receiving the tooling component 4; an inlet port 30 passing through the insulated base 6, the inlet port 30 allowing ambient air to enter the chamber 36; and a vent 18 passing through the insulated upper wall 12, the vent 18 allowing air heated by the heated tooling component 4 to be ejected such that a convective air flow through the chamber 36 cools the tooling component 4, wherein a flow area of the vent 18 can be varied to allow an air flow rate through the chamber 36 to be controlled. There is also disclosed a method of cooling a heated tooling component 4.

Abstract: A rotor disc having an enlarged radially outer rim defining a circumferentially-extending dovetail groove for housing the root portion of a rotor blade. The groove has a groove axis and the groove is unsymmetrical about the groove axis. For example, the dovetail groove may have a restricted radially outer opening extending to an enlarged radially inner bulb profile having a pair of axially opposed curved surfaces and the opposing curved surfaces may unsymmetrical about the groove axis.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine exhaust panel mounting system comprising a panel, a casing and an attachment assembly for removably connecting the panel to the casing comprises a retaining portion, a clamping portion, and a ‘C’-shaped connecting link. The connecting link has a first attachment portion and an opposite second attachment portion with the first and second attachment portions being connected to one another by a center portion. Each of the first and second attachment portions is substantially parallel to one another and extends in the same direction from respective ends of the center portion. The first attachment portion is fixedly connected to the casing by the clamping portion, and the second attachment portion is slidingly connected to the panel by the retaining portion.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an article, the method comprising: controlling an additive manufacturing printer to build an article in a cavity of a build chamber from a powdered material, the build chamber being removable from the additive manufacturing printer and including one or more heaters configured to provide thermal energy to the cavity of the building chamber; and controlling the one or more heaters of the build chamber to heat the article to a predetermined temperature while building the article to prevent the article from cracking while the build chamber and the article are transferred from the additive manufacturing printer to a heater, the predetermined temperature being between the upper temperature of the ductility drop temperature range of the powdered material and the sintering temperature of the powdered material.

Abstract: A method of reinforcing a fibre reinforced resin matrix composite structure, the method including: providing a composite structure having one or more holes formed therein, and feeding a reinforcement rod through a passageway having one or more walls defining an inlet to the passageway. The inlet to the passageway is dimensioned to prevent a rod having a maximum cross sectional dimension greater than a predetermined dimension from passing through the passageway. In the event of the rod impacting the wall defining the inlet to the passageway, operation of the rig is stopped. In the event of the rod passing through the passageway without impacting the wall defining the inlet to the passageway, a portion of the rod is inserted into a hole in a composite structure.

Abstract: A fuel supply system includes a metering and splitting arrangement receiving a fuel flow and controllably meters and splits the received fuel flow into metered pilot and mains flows for injecting at injector pilot and mains fuel discharge orifices to perform combustor staging control. The system includes mains isolation valves and a mains fuel distribution pipework has fuel lines connected to one of the orifices and extending therefrom to a respective one of the valves. Each valve has a closed position for removing the mains fuel from its injector through its line when the mains distribution pipework is deselected for pilot-only operation, and isolates its line from the metering and splitting arrangement. Each valve has an open position for refilling its injector with mains fuel through its line when the mains distribution pipework is selected for pilot and mains operation, and reconnects its line to the metering and splitting arrangement.

Abstract: Apparatus for insertion into a cavity of an object, the apparatus comprising: a first tube comprising a first end, a second end and a first cavity extending between the first end and the second; a member positioned within the first cavity of the first tube and configured to enable an action to be performed; a heat pipe including a first end, a second end, and a second cavity extending between the first end and the second end, the first tube being positioned within the second cavity of the heat pipe; and an actuator configured to move the first tube relative to the heat pipe.

Abstract: The fuel supply system includes mains pressurising and metering arrangement including a positive displacement ecology pump and an ecology valve piston chamber and a piston slidably movable in the chamber between de-prime and re-prime positions, the chamber forming a fuel sink to one side of the piston which increases in volume when the piston moves to de-prime position and reduces in volume when the piston moves to re-prime position. The ecology valve is fluidly connected to the ecology pump for pilot-only operation reverse direction operation of the ecology pump causes the piston to move to de-prime position removing mains fuel from injectors through a mains fuel distribution pipework and into the fuel sink, and for pilot and mains operation the forward direction operation of the ecology pump causes the piston to move to re-prime position refilling injectors with mains fuel from the fuel sink.

Abstract: A fuel supply system includes a metering and splitting arrangement receiving a fuel flow and controllably meters and splits the received fuel flow into metered pilot and mains flows for injecting at injector pilot and mains fuel discharge orifices to perform combustor staging control. The system includes an ecology valve having a piston chamber and a piston slidably movable in the chamber between de-prime and re-prime positions, the chamber forming a fuel sink to one side of the piston which increases in volume when the piston moves to its de-prime position and reduces in volume when the piston moves to its re-prime position. The system includes an actuator for actuating the piston. The valve is fluidly connected to a mains fuel distribution for operating the piston to its de-prime position to remove the mains fuel from the injectors through the mains fuel distribution pipework and into the fuel sink.

Abstract: A fuel supply system for fuel injectors of a multi-stage combustor of a gas turbine engine. The fuel supply system includes a metering and splitting arrangement which receives a total fuel flow and controllably meters and splits the received total fuel flow into metered pilot and mains flows. The fuel supply system further includes a de-priming sub-system, one or more fuel lines of a mains fuel distribution pipework being fluidly connected to the mains fuel discharge orifices and extending to the de-priming sub-system, and the de-priming sub-system being configured to remove the mains fuel from the injectors. A re-priming sub-system, the one or more fuel lines of the mains fuel distribution pipework also extending to the re-priming sub-system, and the re-priming sub-system being configured to refill the injectors with mains fuel through the one or more fuel lines when the mains distribution pipework is selected for pilot and mains operation.

Abstract: An aircraft comprises at least first and second gas turbine engines arranged in a line extending generally normally to an aircraft longitudinal axis (A), each engine comprising at least one compressor or turbine rotor disc defining a respective rotational plane (D32-D42). The rotational plane (D32-D42) of at least one of the rotors of at least one of the engines is angled relative to the aircraft longitudinal line (A) such that a burst disc plane of the respective engine is nonintersecting with another engine.

Abstract: A combustion chamber including a first fuel injector and a second fuel injector, the first and second fuel injectors being arranged to inject fuel into a mainstream flow of air with the second fuel injector arranged downstream of the first fuel injector. A method of mixing fuel and air in a combustion chamber, including injecting fuel into a mainstream flow of air with a first fuel injector; injecting fuel into the mainstream flow of air with a second fuel injector, which is arranged downstream of the first fuel injector; injecting fuel into the mainstream flow with the first fuel injector such that the resulting mixture between the first and second fuel injectors has an equivalence ratio less than the lean flame stability limit; and injecting fuel into the mainstream flow with the second fuel injector such that a combustion zone is provided downstream of the second fuel injector.

Abstract: An axial flux permanent magnet machine including a pair of axially spaced first components. A second component positioned axially between and equidistant from the first components. Either the pair of first components or the second component is arranged to rotate about a shaft. A translation mechanism coupled to each of the first components. The translation mechanism configured to translate the first components axially away from the second component. Also a method of controlling an axial flux permanent magnet machine.

Abstract: A lock apparatus securing a blade to a hub, the lock apparatus comprising a planar element having a spring actuable between an expanded position and a compressed position without deviation from the plane of the element, wherein in the expanded position of the spring the planar element is partly located in a slot provided in the blade, the spring being compressible to its compressed position to disengage the planar element from the slot.

Abstract: A hyper redundant robot comprising: a first disk; a second disk positioned adjacent to the first disk, the first disk and the second disk having a longitudinal axis; a first joint arrangement positioned between the first disk and the second disk, the first disk and/or the second disk being in sliding contact with the first joint arrangement to enable the first disk and the second disk to rotate relative to one another; and a second joint arrangement positioned between the first disk and the second disk, the second joint arrangement being less stiff than the first joint arrangement.