Abstract: Seal assembly for sealing a clearance gap between a boundary of an aperture formed in a housing and a member extending through the aperture. The seal assembly comprises a seal member and a seal member mounting means disposed around the sealing member and is configured to engage with the aperture boundary. The seal member mounting means is configured to seal an alignment interspace provided in the clearance gap between the seal member and aperture boundary. The seal member mounting means is configurable to permit the seal member to be located at a position relative to the aperture boundary in dependence upon the relative positions of the member and aperture boundary to thereby accommodate misalignment between the member and aperture boundary. The seal member mounting means is configurable to lock the seal member relative to the aperture boundary in said position.

Abstract: A mobile aeroengine washing cart, and a method of their operation, comprises a platform having two lateral walls, a front wall and a drip tray for capturing washing medium during an engine washing operation. The lateral and front walls and the drip tray are moveable between a stowed position, for transportation, and a deployed position for engine washing.

Abstract: It is necessary to provide inspection arrangements in order to facilitate prototype design of assemblies such as gas turbine engines as well as insitu testing of such assemblies. Previously endoscope type arrangements have been utilised, but the flexible or rigid stems in such endoscopes can cause fouling and snagging in use. By providing an inspection arrangement in which the inspection element is combined with a positioning tool such that the inspection element can be detached from the positioning tool through a releasable element, it is possible to avoid such snagging problems. The inspection element will be relatively self-sufficient and incorporate possibly a camera or other sensor for temperature of otherwise. The inspection element will typically incorporate a wireless link arrangement, or possibly incorporate a storage device for data such that the inspection element can be retrieved later with that data.

Abstract: A furnace for heat treating components, especially relatively long components such as main shafts of gas turbine engines, comprises means for mounting a number of components vertically and conveying them repeatedly around a circular path surrounding one or more heating elements, while simultaneously rotating the components about their vertical axes. This allows uniform heat treatment of the components, even when long treatment times are needed. Loading and unloading chambers adjacent to the main chamber permit automated loading and unloading of components without disturbing the environment within the main chamber.

Abstract: With regard to gas turbine engines it will be appreciated that blades are typically cooled in order to ensure that the materials from which the blades are formed remain within acceptable operational parameters. Coolant is judiciously used in order to maintain engine operational efficiency. Unfortunately with regard to rotor blades horseshoe vortices tend to increase heating towards a pressure side of a blade resulting in localised overheating. Such localised overheating may result in premature failure of the blade component. Traditionally coolant flows have been presented over a forward projection of a blade platform. In such circumstances coolant flow will not be used as efficiently as possible with regard to protecting a pressure side of a platform in a blade assembly and arrangement. By provision of a deflector element on the forward blade platform coolant flow can be proportioned either side of a leading edge of the blade.

Abstract: A clamping system for clamping aerofoils. The clamping system has pivotally mounted engagement members that engage the aerofoil mounted on a pivotally mounted arm either side of the pivotal mounting. The arm can pivot as required relative to the item, to accommodate differences in shape in the item, whilst providing a substantially equal clamping force by both engagement members.

Abstract: A method of mitigating the system-level effect of a fault detected in a vehicle system during a vehicle mission, the method comprising: using a processor to automatically prognose the system-level effect of said fault in terms of the residual capability of the vehicle system during the remainder of the mission, on the basis of predetermined stored data; using a processor to automatically generate a corresponding set of alternative reversionary or investigative action plans for mitigating said system-level effect during the remainder of the vehicle mission, on the basis of said prognosis; submitting the set of alternative reversionary action plans to a decision-making authority for determination by the decision-making authority of a preferred one of the reversionary action plans suitable for achieving a mission objective; and using a control unit, operably connected to the vehicle system, to implement the preferred reversionary action plan in accordance with said determination.

Abstract: A composite component such as a fan casing liner panel for a gas turbine engine comprises an abradable layer and a layer. The layer is provided with a septum layer, to which the abradable layer is bonded. The septum layer is perforated by holes, which enable air to be extracted from the region between the septum layer and the abradable layer during the process of bonding the components together, for example by a vacuum bonding process.

Abstract: A pocket (6) is machined into the surface of a component (9) by pressurising a fluid (1) and directing a jet (11) of the pressurised fluid (1) at the surface to be machined. Continuous relative movement is provided between the component (9) and the pressurised jet (11) of fluid (1) during machining. Material is removed from the component (9) in a series of layers, whereby the path of the fluid jet (11) in one of the layers is perpendicular to the path of the fluid jet (11) in the subsequent layer. The fluid jet (11) operates continuously until the required amount of material has been removed from the component (9).

Abstract: A wall cooling arrangement comprising on one side of a wall a multiplicity of cooling fluid inlet apertures and on the opposite of the wall a multiplicity of cooling fluid exit apertures, and in the body of the wall linking said inlet and exit apertures a network of multiply branched cooling passages. Flow of cooling fluid through a network is controlled by a throat positioned either at or close to the inlet to the passage network or at a location part way through the network, in which case there may be a plurality of inlet apertures feeding through a single throat to a plurality of outlet apertures.

Abstract: A marker paint comprises 42 wt % to 52 wt % pigment, 31 wt % to 37 wt % acrylic resin and 17 wt % to 21 wt % silicone resin excluding solvent. The pigment comprises cobalt titanium oxide, titanium nickel antimony oxide, cobalt aluminum oxide or cadmium sulphide selenium to give a green, yellow, blue or red color respectively. The marker paint is used in conjunction with an irreversible temperature indicating paint to determine if there is any debris and/or dirt on the irreversible temperature indicating paint to affect the accuracy of the temperature measurement of the irreversible temperature indicating paint.

Abstract: Within a power generating arrangement 1 it is typically necessary to provide a coupling with an electrical power distribution cable 5. Previously this was sometimes achieved through use of brush gear and slip rings but such arrangements are subject to regular replacement for wear, maintenance and also there is a requirement to control humidity about the brush gear coupling. Alternatively, a system allowing an amount of rotation, limited by cable wind up was used. By providing a transformer in which windings 15, 16; 36, 37 are physically separated by an air gap 14, 39, but still induce voltage from variation in the magnetic flux, it is possible to create a power generating transfer transformer which can be rotated while driving electrical current for an external load.

Abstract: A fan assembly for a gas turbine, the assembly comprising: a fan surrounded by a fan casing; a resilient, radially flexible containment material wrapped around the outside of the fan casing for containing a fan blade which has breached the casing during a fan blade-off event, and a retaining cable arrangement for resisting separation of a first portion of the casing from a second portion of the casing as a result of said breach occurring between the first and second portion; wherein the cable arrangement comprises: a retaining cable on the outside of the containment material, secured between the first and second portion of the casing, the retaining cable being sufficiently radially compliant for radial deflection to accommodate radial flexing of the containment material caused by impact of said fan blade inbetween the first and second portion; and a locking arrangement operable to subsequently lock the retaining cable between the front and rear portions of the casing whereby separation of the front and rear p

Abstract: A fan assembly of a gas turbine engine, the fan assembly includes an array of radially extending blades defining gaps therebetween and an annulus filler located within at least one gap. The annulus filler includes at least two individual bodies arranged circumferentially adjacent one another with at least one adjacent a blade, one of the bodies includes a flexible wall arranged to centrifuge outwardly against the other body thereby urging both bodies against the blades and securing them during engine operation.

Abstract: A method of analysing measured data, in relation to expected data, from a system which has a plurality of associated system variables, is provided, the method including the steps of: a) optimising an error function which relates said measured data to a predetermined number of the system variables adjusting the system variables; b) selecting a subset of the adjusted variables; and c) re-optimising the error function by adjusting only the variables in said subset. A method of identifying likely contributors to an error cause in measured data from a system which has a plurality of associated system variables, is also provided which uses the above method.

Abstract: An engine mounting apparatus for attaching an engine to a suspension pylon includes a mounting block, first and second links connectable between the engine and the mount block and first and second fixings connectable between the suspension pylon and the mount block. The apparatus further has a catcher link, located between the first and second links, that is connectable to the engine at a first end and to the suspension pylon at a second end via a third fixing with a clearance between the catcher link and the engine such that no load is transferred between the engine and the suspension pylon in normal operation. The apparatus also has a catcher fixing between the mount block and the catcher link, the catcher fixing having a clearance with respect to the mount block such that no load is transferred between the mount block and the catcher link in normal operation.

Abstract: A variable stator vane in a gas turbine engine has a journal provided with a circumferential recess. An aperture extends from the recess to a face of the journal directed towards the aerofoil portion of the vane. In operation of the engine, heated air, for example from a downstream compressor stage of the engine is admitted to the recess and flows through the aperture to, for example, the pressure surface of the aerofoil portion. The aerofoil portion is thereby heated, so preventing ice accretion on the vane.

Abstract: A fan blade for the fan of a gas turbine engine has a radially outer tip portion which, in use, is adjacent to a fan case of the engine. The tip portion includes a movable sealing element for sealing a gap between the tip portion and the fan case. The sealing element movably adapts to changes in the spacing of the gap to maintain a seal between the tip portion and the fan case.

Abstract: Dampers (56, 76, 96) are utilised with regard to mounting arrangements (50, 70, 90) in gas turbine engines (10) in order to facilitate cooling. It is known to provide slotted upper surface or cottage roof dampers to enhance cooling effect. However, cooling efficiency cannot be optimised and improving cooling effectiveness particularly between the parts of a mounting arrangement can be difficult without detrimental reductions in overall efficiency of a gas turbine engine (10) incorporating such a mounting. By provision of impingement jets (54, 75, 94) which extend through the damper (56, 76, 96) into slots (51, 71, 91) which define an upper surface of the damper (56, 76, 96) improvements in cooling efficiency can be achieved. The slots (51, 71 91) are typically closed to reduce requirements with respect to pressure differentials. However, open ended slots (51, 71, 91) with impingement jets (54, 74, 94) can also be provided.

Abstract: A rear fan case for a gas turbine engine includes a main body and a discrete joining arrangement mounted on the outside of the main body towards its rear end. The joining arrangement provides a substantially radial groove around the main body, which can receive a joining blade on a thrust reverser unit to form a joint between the rear fan case and the thrust reverser unit. The joining arrangement may be made of metal while the main body is made of composite material. Features may be provided to ensure proper alignment and location of the joining arrangement.