Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes an inner shaft extending axially along the gas turbine engine, a plurality of disks extending radially inwardly and toward the inner shaft, at least one hole in at least one of the plurality of disks, and an obstruction positioned between the inner shaft and an end of the disk having the at least one hole, such that a bore flow that flows along an axial length of the inner shaft is obstructed from flowing along the shaft by the obstruction, and forced to flow radially outward from the obstruction, through the at least one hole, and radially inward toward the inner shaft.

Abstract: A chamber fluid removal system including a pump and an ejector is disclosed. The system is arranged in use to pump fluid from a chamber using the pump and deliver it to the ejector as a motive fluid and the system being further arranged to draw fluid from the chamber or from a second chamber as an entrained fluid by entraining it using the ejector and the motive fluid.

Abstract: A seal assembly arranged adjacent to a primary flow region, the seal assembly including: first and second components; a seal arranged between the first and second components to seal a secondary flow region from the primary flow region; and a first recess portion provided in the first component and arranged adjacent to the seal and the primary flow region, the first recess portion further being arranged to receive flow from at least one of the primary flow region and the secondary flow region and shed flow to the primary flow region, wherein the first recess portion is configured to promote a first flow feature within the first recess portion, the first flow feature flowing with a portion of the first flow feature adjacent to the primary flow region and the portion of the first flow feature being shed to the primary flow region in substantially the same direction as the flow in the primary flow region.

Abstract: A method of forming a fully consolidated joint between first and second components comprising the steps of forming a slot in the first component; inserting at least part of the second component into the slot; inserting a powder material into the slot; heating the powder material to form a pressure tight skin; and applying hot isostatic pressure to the pressure tight skin to form a fully consolidated joint. Also a method of repairing a component.

Abstract: A sensor is provided that includes a first optical body having at opposing, spaced sides an incident surface and a reflecting surface. The sensor includes an optical pathway for carrying incident light to the incident surface. The first optical body acts as a Fabry-Pérot etalon, such that a portion of the incident light passes through the incident surface, reflects from the reflecting surface, and then returns along the optical pathway. The first optical body is formed of a material whose optical absorbance increases depending on the neutron fluence experienced by the material, such that a corresponding characteristic attenuation is produced in the reflected light returned along the optical pathway depending on the neutron fluence experienced by the first optical body. The sensor may measure pressure in combination with the measurement of temperature and neutron fluence, and a further sensor is provided for combined measurement of pressure and neutron fluence.

Abstract: An adhesive fastening element includes a first member and a second member adjacent to the first member and movable relative to the first member along a longitudinal axis of the adhesive fastening element, wherein a bond is formed by an adhesive between the workpiece and the first and second members of the adhesive fastening element. A method for de- bonding a workpiece from an adhesive fastening element includes moving the second member away from the workpiece and breaks the bond between the second member and the workpiece and moving the first and second members such that the second member moves towards the workpiece and applies a force to the workpiece so as to break the bond between the first member and the workpiece, and lo de-bond the workpiece from the adhesive fastening element.

Abstract: A fan blade for a gas turbine engine has an aerofoil part and a root part. The root part includes a root former; the root former includes a zone of weakness, which reduces the ability of the root part to withstand an impact force. Thus, in an impact situation in which the fan blade has separated from the fan rotor and the fan blade has itself separated into fragments, the root part will fracture or buckle more easily than would be the case with conventional arrangements. This will lower the impact force of the root part upon the fan casing, thus permitting the fan casing to be designed to withstand lower impact forces. The fan casing can therefore be made lighter, and cheaper, than in conventional arrangements.

Abstract: A fuel injector comprises a swirler and the swirler comprises a plurality of vanes, a first member and a second member. The second member is arranged coaxially around the first member and the vanes extend radially between the first and second members. The vanes have leading edges and the second member has an upstream end. The leading edges of the vanes extend with radial and axial components from the first member to the upstream end of the second member and the radially outer ends of the leading edges of the vanes form arches with the upstream end of the second member. The arrangement of the swirler enables the fuel injector to be built by direct laser deposition.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a component. The method includes the steps of heating a working region of a substrate with a heating means; directing a material into the working region to bring the material into a temporary molten state, and depositing said material on the substrate such that when the material solidifies it forms at least part of the component. The heating means power output, stand off, orientation, speed and direction of travel relative to the substrate are adjustable and controlled throughout the material deposition process to control the shape and/or size of the working region to thereby control the distribution and rate of heat delivery to the substrate.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine has in flow series: a compressor section, a combustion chamber, and a turbine section. The engine further has a steam generator. The combustion chamber has a steam reservoir located at the upstream end thereof. The steam reservoir receives steam from the steam generator, and delivers the received steam into a combustion zone of the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A magnetic gear arrangement comprises: a first gear system having a plurality of first gear members, each first gear member generating a respective first magnetic field for that gear member; a second gear system having a second gear member generating a second magnetic field; and a coupling device which provides arrangements of interpoles between the first gear system and the second gear system. The first gear members are changeably selectable by the coupling device such that the interpoles couple the first magnetic field of a selected first gear member to the second magnetic field to produce a gear ratio between the first gear system and the second gear system, the gear ratio being changeable by changing the selected first gear member.

Abstract: A joint assembly includes a first component with a flange containing a plurality of spaced through-holes; a second component with a joining portion having an end surface which faces the flange and containing a plurality of spaced elongate cavities; and a plurality of fixation devices. Each cavity extends into the joining portion from the end surface in alignment with one of the through-holes. Each fixation device includes: a bolt which extends through a respective through-hole and the corresponding cavity, and includes a nut which is embedded within the joining portion at the corresponding cavity to receive the bolt such that on tightening the nut and bolt a clamping force is exerted across the flange and the end surface to join the first and second components together. Under axial loads less than that causing bolt failure, each fixation device is deformable to remove the clamping force.

Abstract: An annulus filler for mounting to a rotor disc of a gas turbine engine. The filler comprises a lid for bridging the gap between two adjacent blades attached to the rotor disc, and forward and rearward hook members projecting below the lid and configured to respectively engage with forward and rearward outwardly directed hooks provided on the rotor disc. The filler can further comprise a lip extending from the rear of the lid, the lip being configured to fit beneath a gas-washed element located rearwards of the annulus filler. One or more guide ramps then extend from the rear of the lip, the or each guide ramp being angled down relative to the lip to encourage the lip to slide beneath said fairing when the annulus filler is translated in the generally rearwards direction.

Abstract: In a method for beam welding on components with a laser beam or electron beam generated by a beam source, the heat treatment of the welded component required to remove stresses is integrated into the welding process. In a work cycle combined with the welding process, a regulated heat supply to a selected region takes place, according to its residual heat resulting from the welding process and the predicted stresses in that region, using the residual heat remaining from the welding process following the welding process from the same or other beam source(s). The welding region is cooled in a controlled manner, so that welded components which are likely to be subject to high stress in use, provided for example for a aircraft engine, can be made available without inherent stresses and with the desired microstructure in a single—combined—work step.

Abstract: A mechanical arrangement for an engine having two propeller stages, including: a first epicyclic gear stage including a sun gear, a planet gear, a planet carrier and an annulus, wherein the sun gear is driven by a shaft of the engine, the planet carrier is stationary and thereby permits static structure to be located there through, and the annulus outputs torque and/or drive; a second epicyclic gear stage including a second sun gear, a second planet gear, a second planet carrier and a second annulus, wherein the second sun gear is driven by the annulus of the first epicyclic gear stage and is annular to accommodate the static structure, the second planet carrier includes the output to one of the propeller stages and the second annulus includes the output to the other of the propeller stages; wherein the static structure provides mounting for static components on one or both sides of each epicyclic gear stage.

Abstract: A process is provided for manufacturing leaf seals for effecting seals between coaxial, relatively rotating components. Each leaf seal has an annular pack of leaves which are stacked face-to-face, and are mountable to one of the components at respective root portions of the leaves. The annular pack has a pack radius at the wiping contact edges which is matched within tolerance limits to the radius of the sealing surface. The process includes: determining production parameters for the production of a plurality of leaf seals, the parameters being determined such that at least a portion of the produced leaf seals will have pack radii which violate the tolerance limit; producing the leaf seals using the determined production parameters; and modifying the pack radii of the portion of the produced leaf seals which violate the tolerance limit such that the modified pack radii match the sealing surface within the tolerance limits.

Abstract: This invention relates to the operation of gas turbine engines, and in particular to determining deterioration of components during operation. In a specific embodiment, the invention is concerned with determining the actions to be taken when a foreign body impact has been detected, for example on a fan blade. Accordingly, the invention provides a method to take one or more FOD detection apparatus, analyse the likely (probabilistic) outcome, and provide a system to determine subsequent action that assures safety whilst minimising operational disruption. This invention provides a method and apparatus to identify FOD or bird impact to gas turbine fan blades, assessing the damage that may have occurred whist still in flight and determining post impact actions, including replacement parts.

Abstract: A blade at least part of which is arranged in use to rotate outside of a casing of a gas turbine engine. The blade has a main body, a tip fence and a blend region defining a curve between the main body and the fence. The blend region has a radius of curvature below five inches and the fence extends anhedrally from the blend region with respect to the main body.

Abstract: A combustion chamber comprises an outer wall and an inner wall. The outer wall has mounting apertures extending there-though and the inner wall has threaded studs extending there-from. The threaded studs extend through the mounting apertures in the outer wall. Cooperating nuts locate on the studs. Walls are positioned between the outer wall and the inner wall. Each wall is spaced from and extends around a respective fastener to form a chamber around the respective fastener. Apertures extend through the outer wall. Each aperture is spaced from a respective mounting aperture. Each aperture allows a flow of coolant into the associated chamber and around the associated fastener to cool the fastener. Each wall has an opening at a position diametrically opposite to associated aperture to allow the flow of coolant out of the chamber to a space between the outer wall and the inner wall.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing an article from powder material includes a canister, a sorter, a plurality of hoppers and at least one valve. The canister has a predetermined internal shape to define the shape of the powder metal article. The sorter sorts the powder material by the size of the powder particles, the shape of the powder particles and/or the flow characteristics of the powder particles. The hoppers contain powder material with different sizes of powder particles, different shapes of powder particles and/or powder particles with different flow characteristics. The hoppers are arranged to supply the sorted powder material to the canister. The at least one valve controls the proportions of the different powder materials supplied from the one or more of the different hoppers into the canister to control the packing density of the powder material in the canister at all positions in the canister.