Abstract: This invention concerns an aircraft propulsion system in which an engine has an engine core comprising a compressor, a combustor and a turbine driven by a flow of combustion products of the combustor. At least one propulsive fan generates a mass flow of air to propel the aircraft. An electrical energy store is provided on board the aircraft. At least one electric motor is arranged to drive the propulsive fan and the engine core compressor. A controller controls the at least one electric motor to mitigate the creation of a contrail caused by the engine combustion products by altering the ratio of the mass flow of air by the propulsive fan to the flow of combustion products of the combustor. The at least one electric motor is controlled so as to selectively drive both the propulsive fan and engine core compressor.

Abstract: A convergent-divergent nozzle arranged to convey fluid from an upstream zone to a downstream zone via a throat aperture, wherein the nozzle includes an assembly movable to vary the size of the throat aperture of the nozzle, thereby regulating the flow of fluid to the downstream zone.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine has a fan tip air angle and/or a fan blade tip air angle in a defined range to achieve improved over all performance, taking into account fan operability and/or bird strike requirements as well as engine efficiency. The defined ranges of fan tip air angle and/or a fan blade tip air angle may be particularly beneficial for gas turbine engines in which the fan is driven by a turbine through a gearbox.

Abstract: An electrical connector arrangement comprises a metal mounting bracket for securing the arrangement to a structure; an electrically insulating mounting block abutting the mounting bracket; a clamp to secure an electrical cable to the mounting block, the electrical cable comprising a plurality of electrical conductors; and a plurality of spaced-apart terminals to accommodate the respective electrical conductors.

Abstract: A de-oiler for separating oil from an air/oil mixture comprises a housing, and a rotatable porous element accommodated within the housing. The housing has a first axial face and a second, opposite, axial face, the first axial face being separated from the second axial face by an axial length. The housing has an inlet positioned on the first axial face, a first outlet positioned on the second axial face, and a second outlet positioned on a radially outwardly facing surface. In use, the inlet is adapted to receive a first flow comprising an air/oil mixture, and rotation of the porous element separates the oil from the air/oil mixture, with the first outlet being adapted to exhaust a second flow comprising de-oiled air, and the second outlet being adapted to exhaust a third flow comprising separated oil.

Abstract: The present disclosure concerns an oil distribution assembly for a system having rotating components requiring a supply of oil, such as bearing components of a gas turbine engine. Example embodiments include an oil distribution assembly for a gas turbine engine, comprising: an oil distributor mounted for rotation about a rotation axis of the assembly and comprising an internal volume having a plurality of channels extending along an inner radial surface of the oil distributor; and an oil injector disposed arranged to direct a supply of oil to the plurality of channels in a direction having a component in a first direction along the rotation axis; wherein each of the plurality of channels is angled relative to the rotation axis such that a radial distance between each channel and the rotation axis increases along the rotation axis.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine (10) for an aircraft (90) comprises an engine core (11, 60) comprising a turbine (19), a compressor (14), and a core shaft (26) connecting the turbine to the compressor; an engine casing (61) arranged to at least partially surround the engine core (11), the engine casing comprising at least one first elongate formation (67) on its outer surface, the first elongate formation extending in an axial direction; and a housing (55) arranged to surround the engine core (11, 60), the housing (55) comprising at least one second elongate formation (57) on an inner surface of the housing, the second elongate formation (57) extending in the axial direction. The engine casing (61) is detachably connected to the housing (55) by interengagement of the first and second elongate formations (57, 67).

Abstract: There is disclosed a containment assembly (500 for a gas turbine engine, comprising: an outer impact structure (56); an inner impact structure (54) disposed radially within the outer impact structure; wherein the outer impact structure and the inner impact structure axially extend between a fan portion (4) of the containment assembly corresponding to an axial location of a fan and a forward portion (2) of the containment assembly axially forward of the fan portion; and wherein at least one of the outer impact structure and the inner impact structure has a discontinuous profile between the forward portion and the fan portion so that there is a local reduction in compressive strength in the fan portion.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine for an aircraft comprising an engine core comprising a turbine, a compressor, and a core shaft connecting the turbine to the compressor; a fan located upstream of the engine core, the fan comprising a plurality of fan blades; a gearbox that receives an input from the core shaft and outputs drive to the fan so as to drive the fan at a lower rotational speed than the core shaft, and a front mount and a rear mount, the front and rear mounts being configured to connect the gas turbine engine to the aircraft, wherein the front mount is coupled to a casing of the engine core and the front mount is located at substantially the same axial position as a centre of gravity (CG) of the gas turbine engine or forward of the centre of gravity of the gas turbine engine.

Abstract: A method of extracting cross-sections for performing vortex detection in a flow volume is provided. The method includes the steps of: (i) providing a simulated flow field for a meshed volume, the flow field providing discrete values of a selected flow parameter at respective positions distributed throughout the volume as determined by the meshing of the volume, the selected flow parameter being one of Q-criterion, vorticity magnitude, velocity magnitude and lambda2; (ii) calculating, for each position, a direction of slowest change of the selected flow parameter; (iii) identifying one or more of the positions for 2D cross-section extraction; and (iv) extracting for the, or each, identified position a respective 2D cross-section from the volume, the extracted cross-section containing the respective identified position and being perpendicular to the calculated direction of slowest change at the respective identified position.

Abstract: A strut for an aeroplane wing includes a first part adapted to be connected at one end portion to a fuselage of the aeroplane; a second part connected at a first end portion to a second end portion of the first part and adapted to be connected at a second end portion to either a wing, a pylon or a nacelle of the aeroplane, the second part being angled to the first part to define an inverted gull-strut arrangement.

Abstract: The present invention provides a retention device for applying a radial force to a component (e.g. a rotor blade) within a slot (e.g. on a rotor disc). The device comprises a body having an outer surface for facing the component. The outer surface comprises a recess having a recess base with a first ramped surface extending from a lower end proximal a first lateral end of the body to an upper end. The device further comprises a spring element having a contact surface for contacting the component and a first mounting portion for mounting the spring element on the first ramped surface such that the first mounting portion is slidable along the first ramped surface towards the upper end to increase the spacing of the contact surface above the outer surface of the body.

Abstract: A staged fuel injector comprises a pilot inner air swirler arranged along a centre axis of the injector, a pilot fuel swirler arranged radially outboard of the pilot inner air swirler, a main inner air swirler arranged radially outboard of the pilot fuel swirler and a main fuel swirler arranged radially outboard of the pilot fuel swirler. A fuel feed arm is arranged in fluid communication with the pilot fuel swirler and the main fuel swirler for delivering fuel to the pilot fuel swirler and the main fuel swirler and a heat protective casing enclosing the fuel feed arm, the pilot fuel swirler and the main fuel swirler.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gas turbine engine comprising a tubular containment casing surrounding a rotary fan blade assembly. The radially outer perimeter (and optionally the radially inner perimeter) of the radial cross-sectional profile of the containment casing is non-circular e.g. polygonal, corrugated, fluted or wavy.

Abstract: An automated welding apparatus and computer-implemented method are described which generally perform the steps of: scanning a joint interface of a workpiece using a three-dimensional scanner (S4); determining a volume to be filled by a welding process (S6); determining a specification for the welding process based on the volume to be filled using an algorithm (S8, S10); and controlling a welding device so as to execute the specification by moving the welding device relative to the workpiece (S12).

Abstract: A gimbal expansion joint includes a first clevis adapted to be secured to one end of a first piece of ducting, a second clevis adapted to be secured to an end of a second piece of ducting, and a gimbal arrangement to which the first and second clevises are pivotably connected to form a universal joint between the ends of the pieces of ducting. A flexible duct extends between the first and second clevises to form a passage for fluid communication between the ends of the first and second pieces of ducting. The flexible duct has a respective flange at each end, each flange providing an axially-directed face across which a clamping load is applied to affix the flange to a corresponding axially-directed face of the respective clevis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sensor system for measuring a parameter (e.g. volume, temperature or pressure) of a target, the system comprising a diaphragm, a sensor for measuring the axial spacing between the sensor and the diaphragm, and an axially adjustable mount. The mount has a first axial end for mounting the diaphragm which is axially movable relative to the sensor and an opposing, second axial end which is axially fixed relative to the sensor. The diaphragm and mount define a chamber for receiving the target or for being received within the target. In use, the axial spacing between the first axial end and the second axial end of the mount and thus the axial spacing between the diaphragm and sensor varies as a result of a change in the parameter differential across the diaphragm.

Abstract: A fuel injector comprises a fuel feed arm and a fuel injector head and the fuel injector head has a fuel passage. The fuel feed arm has a fuel supply passage in fluid communication with the fuel passage in the fuel injector head. A first light guide extends through the fuel feed arm and has a distal end arranged to direct light into the fuel passage in the fuel injector head. A light source is arranged to supply light into a proximal end of the first light guide. A second light guide extends through the fuel feed arm and has a distal end arranged to receive transmitted light in the fuel passage in the fuel injector head and a light receiver is arranged to collect light at a proximal end of the second light guide.

Abstract: An igniter seal arrangement for a combustion chamber. The combustion chamber has a wall having first surface and second surfaces. A boss projects from the first surface, and has a platform on its remote end. The platform has an inner surface spaced from the first surface of the wall to define a chamber between the first surface of the wall and the inner surface of the platform. The platform has an outer surface facing away from the first surface of the wall and an aperture extends through the wall from the outer surface of the platform of the boss to the second surface. First and second L-shape rails extend from the platform and a sealing member has a first edge and a second edge locatable between the outer surface of the platform and the first and second L-shape rails and the sealing member has an aperture to receive an igniter.

Abstract: The present disclosure concerns removal of entrained contaminant particles in a coolant airflow for a gas turbine engine. Example embodiments include a coolant airflow assembly for a gas turbine engine, comprising: a coolant feed passage connected between a supply of coolant air and an inlet of a component to be cooled, the coolant feed passage defining a coolant airflow path and comprising first and second opposing internal faces (305, 306), the inlet of the component connected to the coolant airflow path through one of the first and second internal faces (305, 306) of the coolant feed passage; and a particulate filter for removing entrained particles from the coolant airflow path, comprising: a first filter panel extending from the first face into the coolant airflow path upstream of the inlet of the component; and a second filter panel extending from the second face into the coolant airflow path upstream of the first filter panel.