Abstract: A wall arrangement for the main gas path of a gas turbine engine, including: a wall segment which defines the main gas path, the wall segment having a gas path side, an outboard side and a support wall extending from the outboard side towards a supporting structure, and a channel member abutting the support wall and having one or more channels defined by the abutment of the support wall and channel member, the one or more channel having radially separated inlet and outlet.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting a turbomachine includes a plurality of boroscopes, a device to rotate the rotor of the turbomachine and a processor having reference measurements of the rotor blades and/or reference measurements between the rotor blades and the boroscopes. A boroscope is inserted in a casing aperture upstream of the blades to view the leading edge and a portion of one of the surfaces of each blade as the rotor is rotated. A boroscope is inserted in a casing aperture downstream of the blades to view the trailing edge and a portion of one of the surfaces of each blade as the rotor is rotated. The boroscopes supply the images of each of the blades to the processor. The processor analyses the images of the blades and uses the reference measurements to determine the position and size of any defect on any of the rotor blades.

Abstract: A method for predicting fault occurrence in a mechanical system and an electrical system. The method comprises: receiving a first dataset of mechanical system condition data, the first dataset being imbalanced by having more data points in a first category than in a second category; generating a plurality of chromosomes from the second category data points in the first dataset; the plurality of chromosomes including information to enable the creation of new datasets; generating a second dataset using the plurality of chromosomes and an evolutionary algorithm, the second dataset being less imbalanced than the first dataset; and predicting fault occurrence in the mechanical system using the second dataset and a machine learning algorithm.

Abstract: The invention provides a drain to allow water to flow out of a pressure sensing line. The drain comprises a tube including a plurality of restrictors in flow series, each restrictor comprising a constriction whose internal diameter is less than the internal diameter of the tube.

Abstract: A method of CT scanning a plurality of aerofoil blades. The method includes the steps of: providing a rotatable support arranged for rotation about an axis of rotation and within an energy beam; mounting a plurality of aerofoil blades to the support in spaced-apart relationship to one another so as to form at least one array around the axis of rotation; and rotating the support about the axis within the beam. Each blade has an aerofoil section and is mounted to the support such that the span of its aerofoil section is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation, and the blades are arranged such that no line orthogonal to the axis of rotation intersects the aerofoil section of more than one blade.

Abstract: A method for providing a component, the method comprising; defining the geometry of the component, defining a second geometry which incorporates a component geometry portion (1) and a sacrificial geometry portion (2) and using an ALM method, manufacturing an intermediate (1,2) having the second geometry. Prior to removal of the sacrificial geometry portion, a heat treatment is applied to the intermediate.

Abstract: An aircraft including trailing edge flaps, a wing mounted propulsor positioned such that the flaps are located in a slipstream of the first propulsor in use when deployed. The aircraft further including a thrust vectorable propulsor configured to selectively vary the exhaust efflux vector of the propulsor in at least one plane. The thrust vectorable propulsor includes a ducted fan configurable between a first mode, in which the fan provides net forward thrust to the aircraft, and a second mode in which the fan provides net drag to the aircraft. The fan is positioned to ingest a boundary layer airflow in use when operating in the first mode.

Abstract: A bladed rotor includes rotor disc having a peripheral region, and a plurality of rotor blades attached to and extending radially outwardly from peripheral region. Each rotor blade has a root portion which is located in a correspondingly shaped axially-extending slot provided in the peripheral region of rotor disc, and the root portion of each blade is axially retained in its respective slot by a plate located axially adjacent the root portion and rotor disc, and which extends circumferentially across respective slot. Retention plate is held in position by seal member having a first surface which engages radially-inwardly directed surface of rotor disc, and second surface which is located radially-outwardly of first surface and engages the retention plate. Seal member has a curved profile in radial cross-section so as to define a concavity located radially between first and second engaging surfaces and which is directed axially towards the rotor disc.

Abstract: A hollow cylindrical rotary bearing shaft for a planet gear of an epicyclic gear train, has a cylindrical outer surface accommodating the planet gear, and a wall thickness. The wall thickness of the bearing shaft varies circumferentially around a diameter of the bearing shaft so as to produce a pre-determined circumferential variation in the wall thickness.

Abstract: A method of CT scanning a plurality of aerofoil blades that includes providing a rotatable support arranged for rotation about an axis of rotation and within an energy beam; mounting a plurality of aerofoil blades to the support in spaced-apart relationship to one another to form at least one array around the axis of rotation; and rotating the support about the axis within the beam. Each blade has an aerofoil section and is mounted to the support. The method also provides an elongate identification element on the rotatable support, the identification element being arranged such that its longitudinal axis is parallel to the axis of rotation and having a transverse cross-sectional shape along at least part of its. Each edge feature corresponds to and is directed towards a respective said blade to thereby facilitate identification of individual the blades in a CT output obtained via the method.

Abstract: A drain includes a vortex throttle, to remove water from a pressure sensing line. The vortex throttle resists the flow of air through it. Therefore, for a given diameter of inlet and outlet ports the mass flow rate through the vortex throttle is much smaller than through a plain hole of the same diameter. The inlet and outlet ports may therefore be made larger than in known arrangements (so reducing the risk of blockage), but the operation of the vortex throttle restricts the mass flow of air through the drain pipe (so minimising the detrimental effects on the engine's operation). Collected water effectively drains from the pressure sensing line, without the disadvantages of known arrangements.

Abstract: A method and apparatus (2) for masking a portion (36) of a component (30), the apparatus (2) comprising: a sacrificial masking element (4) for masking the portion (36); and a locating jig (6) detachably connectable to the sacrificial masking element (4) and configured to position the sacrificial masking element (4) over the portion (36) of the component (30).

Abstract: A method of determining blade tip timing measurement uncertainty comprising measuring time of arrival of each of a set of blades at each of a reference set of stationary probes. A reference blade tip parameter is derived from the measurements and the position of each of the probes. A reference condition number is calculated from the position of each of the probes and each targeted engine order, and then a mean calculated. Combinations of fewer probes are determined. For each combination, a condition number is calculated and then a mean condition number is calculated. The combination means are ordered relative to the reference mean and a predetermined number of combinations are selected. A blade tip parameter is derived for the selected combinations. Finally uncertainty of the blade tip parameter for each selected combination is calculated as a percentage of the reference blade tip parameter.

Abstract: An electrical raft is provided comprising a rigid material having multiple electrical conductors embedded therein. An electrical connector is provided to the raft that has a back-shell which is embedded in the rigid material and which joins to a connector body to enclose a first end of a housing of the connector body. The housing also has a second end at which electrical contacts are provided for connection to another component. The connector body is detachable from the back-shell to electrically disconnect it from the embedded electrical conductors and allow removal of the connector body from the electrical raft. In this way, the connector body may be readily removed, for example for upgrade or repair, while retaining a robust and reliable connection.

Abstract: A vibration damping insert configured to seat within a cell of a cellular structure and to span the cell cavity. The insert comprises a first portion formed of a first material and a second portion formed of a second material having lower stiffness than the first material. The first portion is arranged to constrain deformation of the second portion to be in a predetermined direction. The invention also comprises a vibration damping body comprising a cellular structure formed of a plurality of tessellating cells and a vibration damping insert as described. The vibration damping insert is mounted in at least one of the cells in the cellular structure. The invention also comprises a method of manufacturing a vibration damping body.

Abstract: A pulsed pressure, heat recovery system includes a pressure vessel for holding a vaporisable first fluid. The vessel contains a heat exchanger, and provides communication to the heat exchanger for flow of a heated second fluid. The heat exchanger enables heat transfer from the second fluid to vaporise the first fluid. The system also includes a flow loop for the first fluid extending from an outlet of the vessel to an inlet to the vessel, having in series: a first non-return valve, a turbine and a second non-return valve. The first non-return valve allows the vaporised first fluid to flow from the vessel to the turbine when the pressure of the vaporised first fluid in the vessel exceeds a predetermined limit. The turbine extracts energy from expansion of the vaporised first fluid. The second non-return valve prevents flow reversal around flow loop between the turbine and the inlet.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling velocity of aircraft during landing roll-out and/or taxiing, the apparatus comprising: a generator for absorbing kinetic energy from a landing gear of the aircraft to generate electrical energy; and a component of the aircraft for receiving and consuming electrical energy from the generator, the generator and the component being electrically connected to one another without an intervening electrical energy storage device.

Abstract: A method of controlling turbine tip clearance includes measuring turbine speed; measuring turbine temperature; measuring parameters indicative of current operating conditions; determining limits for the turbine speed and turbine temperature; calculating target tip clearance from the turbine speed, turbine temperature and parameters, to optimise turbine efficiency within the turbine speed and turbine temperature limits; and controlling turbine tip clearance apparatus to the calculated target tip clearance.

Abstract: A dual output accelerometer having first and second output channels, comprises a supporting base, a first transducer comprising a plurality of inter-connected first piezoelectric elements, a second transducer comprising a plurality of inter-connected second piezoelectric elements and a seismic mass. Each of the first piezoelectric elements and the second piezoelectric elements are interleaved with one another, and are co-located with the seismic mass, the co-located first and second piezoelectric elements and the seismic mass being fastened to the supporting base by a rigid mechanical coupling. The interleaved first and second piezoelectric elements provide an improved first output channel to second output channel matching.

Abstract: A transfer coupling includes a static component and a rotatable component arranged concentrically, the static component including a first number of radially extending ports and the rotatable component having a second number of radially extending ports the radially extending ports arranged in a common circumferential plane wherein the ports are configured and arranged, in use, to homogenise a flow area for a fluid being transferred through the ports and thereby create a homogenous volume flow.