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: 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 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: 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 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: 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: 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 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: 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: 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 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.

Abstract: A method of predicting the condition of a compressor with respect to rotating stall is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: i) comparing the difference between the largest and smallest values of a variable occurring during a time period with a difference threshold, the variable at any given time being dependent on the compressor exit pressure at that time, and ii) predicting either that the compressor is in rotating stall or that the compressor is not in rotating stall in dependence upon the result of the comparison.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine comprising first and second axially spaced turbine rotor stages (46, 48) and a turbine casing (56) radially outside the rotor stages. A first seal segment arrangement (58) forms a cavity (64) radially between the first turbine rotor stage (46) and the turbine casing (56). A first air source (82) is coupled to the first seal segment arrangement (58). A second seal segment arrangement (70) forms a cavity (74) radially between the second turbine rotor stage (48) and the turbine casing (56). A heating chamber (84) is provided radially between the second seal segment arrangement (70) and the turbine casing (56). A duct (86) is coupled between the first air source (82) and the heating chamber (84).

Abstract: A rigid raft is provided for a gas turbine engine. The raft has an electrical system and/or a fluid system embedded in the material of the raft. The raft further has one or more first mounts for mounting the raft to the gas turbine engine, and one or more second mounts for mounting a gas turbine engine component to the raft. The raft further has one or more tethers which extend between respective first and second mounts and are embedded in the material of the raft.

Abstract: A bevel gear shroud assembly comprises a frustum shaped shroud portion, first and second rib portions and one or more fin portions. The frustum shaped shroud portion has a cut-out sector, the cut-out sector having opposing, radially extending first and second sides. The first and second rib portions project inwardly from an upper base of the shroud frustum and normal to the inner surface of the shroud portion, and are spaced apart from one another to form an annular trough therebetween. The or each rib portion projects inwardly from an inner surface of the frustum shaped shroud portion between the first and second rib portions, and the or each rib portion extends circumferentially around the shroud portion.

Abstract: Nozzle for engine has coaxial arrangement of inner pilot and outer mains airblast fuel injectors and intermediate air-swirler passage sandwiched between the outer and inner air-swirler passages of the pilot and mains airblast fuel injectors, respectively. The nozzle has an annular first-splitter wall separating the pilot outer air-swirler passage from the intermediate one. An outer surface profile of the first-splitter wall defines radially inner side of the intermediate air-swirler passage. The nozzle has an annular second-splitter wall separating the intermediate air-swirler passage from mains inner air-swirler passage. An inner surface profile of second-splitter wall defines radially outer side of intermediate air-swirler passage. The outer and inner surface profile of the first and second splitters walls, respectively, have convergent sections facing each other forming convergent portion of the intermediate air-swirler passage.

Abstract: Methods of controlling a hyper redundant manipulator, the hyper redundant manipulator including: a plurality of sections comprising a first free end section and a second end section; and a base arranged to receive the plurality of sections in a coiled configuration, the base being coupled to the second end section of the plurality of sections, the method comprising: receiving a trajectory for movement of the plurality of sections; determining an error in position and/or orientation relative to the trajectory for one or more sections of the plurality of sections, the error being caused at least in part by the coiled configuration; and controlling movement of the one or more sections using the determined error to compensate for the error in position and/or orientation of the one or more sections.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine may include a high pressure compressor coupled to a high pressure turbine by a high pressure shaft, a core combustor located downstream of the high pressure compressor and upstream of the high pressure turbine, and a low pressure compressor provided upstream of the high pressure compressor. The low pressure compressor may be configured to direct core airflow to the high pressure compressor and first bypass airflow which bypasses the high pressure compressor, core combustor and high pressure turbine through a first bypass duct. The engine may further include a mixer downstream of the high pressure turbine and low pressure compressor, the mixer being configured to mix the core and first bypass airflows. The engine also may include a re-heat combustor configured to combust fuel with both core airflow and first bypass airflow.

Abstract: A method of detecting delamination of a composite component, the composite component having a plurality of plies and a plurality of z-pins extending through the composite component in a direction transverse to the plies. The method includes measuring one or more material properties of one or more of the z-pins. The measured material properties are compared to reference material properties. An estimation of whether delamination has occurred is performed based upon the comparison of the measured material properties and the reference material properties.

Abstract: The present invention provides a mounting arrangement for mounting a variable stator vane within a gas turbine engine. The mounting arrangement comprises an inner shroud having a radially- and circumferentially-extending slot and at least one insert which, in use, is retained within said slot. The or each insert has at least one bore for receiving a spindle portion of the variable stator vane. The at least one insert is formed of a plastics material and/or the slot and the at least one insert each have a respective axial cross section with a respective first width (axial dimension) which is greater than and radially inwards from a respective second width, the first width of the at least one insert being greater than the second width of the slot and there being a smooth transition between the respective first and second widths.