Patents Assigned to Rolls-Royce plc
  • Stability and response of control systems
    Publication number: 20050033500
    Abstract: A control system is disclosed in which the error signal (e) is used to select a gain value (k) for use in the controller (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2004
    Publication date: February 10, 2005
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC.
    Inventor: Andrew Moss
  • Method of determining thrust
    Patent number: 6851303
    Abstract: A method for determining the free-field thrust of a gas turbine engine using an enclosed gas turbine engine test facility without recourse to an outdoor gas turbine engine test facility. The method includes calculating the gas turbine engine intake momentum drag and cradle drag generated and compensating for these losses. In a further embodiment, the base drag is calculated and also compensated for.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: Robert N Parfitt, Colin A. Whittle, Martin R Turville
  • Hose assembly
    Publication number: 20050011570
    Abstract: A hose assembly comprising a flexible hose and at least one co-extending flexible member. The hose and the member are secured together for tandem movement by means of at least one intermediate resilient mounting means. In operation tension and/or compression induced in the hose assembly by relative motion of the hose and co-extending flexible member is reduced by the compression and/or expansion of the at least one resilient mounting means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Publication date: January 20, 2005
    Applicant: ROLLS ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Paul Hayton
  • Inlet guide vane
    Publication number: 20050008482
    Abstract: A vane provided with at least one spindle, said at least one spindle configured to engage in operation with a support means such that in operation said vane pivots about said at least one spindle. The vane is further provided with an electrically operable heater which is communicable with an electrical supply via an electrical connection node located in the said at least one spindle. The electrical connection node comprises a female portion and a corresponding male portion. The support means is defined by a casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Peter Allford, Gary Olds
  • Sealing arrangement
    Publication number: 20050008473
    Abstract: The invention relates to a sealing arrangement. The sealing arrangement can be employed to maintain a seal in any suitable pressure vessel including but not limited to a gas turbine engine. The sealing arrangement is for sealing a leakage gap between at least two relatively moveable parts that are adjacent to each other in a flow path between a region of high fluid pressure and a region of low fluid pressure. The sealing arrangement comprises at least two resilient sealing strips, each strip having a portion formed along at least part of its width to locate in a groove provided along adjacent faces of the relatively moveable parts. The remaining portion of each of the sealing strips has a substantially flat surface which, in operation, abuts a corresponding flat surface of an adjacent sealing strip, thereby forming a seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Julian Balsdon
  • Image-based measurement
    Publication number: 20050008214
    Abstract: The present invention provides an image-based measurement system or method wherein there is provided (101) an active image of a subject of measurement, showing the subject when active or in use, and there is provided (104, 105) a reference image of the subject of measurement, the reference image being of an image type different from the active image, and wherein the reference image and the active image are combined (106), matched in scale and keyed together, and measurement (107) of the active image relative to the reference image is effected to provide measurements of dimensions of components and/or spacings between components of the subject of measurement, when active or in use. The invention further provides an image-based measurement system or method in which active images of a subject of measurement can be used to derive a reference image, for example a CAD design image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Jeffrey Willis
  • Gas turbine cooling system
    Patent number: 6840737
    Abstract: A stage of guide vanes (20) are cooled by compressor air delivered via piping (36,38) and by leakage air in the space volume (28) bounded by the combustion apparatus (14) and turbine shafting. The leakage air is drawn through tubing (40) by the compressor air which is directed over the exit ends of tubing (40) to create the necessary pressure drop in the tubing (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Richard J Flatman
  • Compressor for a gas turbine engine
    Publication number: 20050002781
    Abstract: A compressor for a gas turbine engine comprising a casing, a mixed flow stage including a first rotor and at least one further mixed or centrifugal flow stage including a second rotor axially spaced apart from the first rotor, and bearing means positioned between the first and second rotors for rotatably mounting the rotors with respect to the casing. The bearing means is positioned closely adjacent the first rotor. The rotors are carried on a common shaft and the bearing means rotatably mounts the shaft with respect to a bearing support which extends radially with respect to the shaft between the bearing and the casing. The bearing support comprises a frusta-conical portion extending from the said bearing means towards the said casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2003
    Publication date: January 6, 2005
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventor: Robert Tonks
  • Temperature indicating paint
    Patent number: 6838286
    Abstract: An irreversible temperature indicating paint comprises 29 wt % to 37 wt % cobalt zinc silicon blue phenacite and a frit, 35 wt % to 45 wt % acrylic resin and 20 wt % to 30 wt % silicone resin excluding solvent. The solvent comprises a mixture of 80% 1-methoxy-2-propanol and 20% dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether. A particular irreversible temperature indicating paint comprises 34.9 wt % cobalt zinc silicon blue phenacite and a frit, 42.5 wt % acrylic resin and 22.6 wt % silicone resin excluding solvent. The irreversible temperature indicating paint is used to determine the temperatures to which various parts of turbine blades, turbine vanes or other components are subjected in operation of a gas turbine engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Hugh M L Watson, Elaine C Hodgkinson
  • Gas turbine engine aerofoil
    Patent number: 6837683
    Abstract: A gas turbine engine blade or vane comprises inner linked chambers. A chamber adjacent the leading edge is provided with an inlet for receiving cooling fluid and a chamber adjacent the trailing edge is provided with an outlet for exhausting cooling fluid. The chambers are arranged in series from the leading edge to the trailing edge so as to direct cooling fluid within the aerofoil blade or vane from the leading edge region to the trailing edge region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Geoffrey M Dailey
  • Gas turbine engine control system
    Patent number: 6837055
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for controlling a gas turbine engine involves calculating a simple corrected speed value for the engine using values of compressor speed and inlet stagnation temperature of the compressor. This simple corrected speed value is then adjusted to take into account the water vapour concentration at the inlet to the compressor. This results in a more accurate value of corrected speed for the compressor, which may be used to modulate the fuel supply to a combustor of the engine or to control the geometry of one or more variable compressors in the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Arthur L Rowe, Michael A Horswill
  • Abradable seals
    Publication number: 20040265120
    Abstract: A sealing element for a turbine of a gas turbine engine includes a radially inner surface region provided with an integrally formed seal structure comprising a plurality of radially inwardly projecting walls. The walls may be abradable and may define cells for receiving an abradable sealing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC.
    Inventors: Martin Tuffs, Mark Henry Shipton, Junfa Mei, Xinhua Wu, Joanne M. Shipton
  • Optimisation of the design of a component
    Publication number: 20040267393
    Abstract: A method of optimising a design of a component by conducting at least one analysis employing a 3D computer model which incorporates empirically obtained data values stored as 2D data sets. Ambiguities between values from different data sets which relate to common nodes, where the nodes define polygonal elements common to both 2D data sets, are resolved by determining an apparent area of said common polygonal elements from each of the at least two 2D datasets. The data value from the 2D dataset associated with the common polygonal element having the greater apparent area is used. An optimum component design is selected on the basis of the results of the analysis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: Steven T. Knight, Graham Harlin
  • Friction welding
    Patent number: 6834790
    Abstract: Blades (20) are friction welded onto a disc (10) to form an integrally bladed rotor. To prevent the formation of defects in the weld interface between the blades (20) and the disc (10) a shielding gas is used. The shielding gas is introduced via two nozzles (22,24). The nozzles (22,24) are circumferentially spaced apart and located on opposite sides of the weld interface. The two gas flows oppose one another to create a curtain of gas, which flows around the weld interface. The gas curtain shields the weld interface from air and so reduces the formation of defects due to oxidation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventor: Alexander J Bagnall
  • Electrical machine
    Patent number: 6832486
    Abstract: An electrical machine, such as a generator or motor, is incorporated in a gas turbine engine. The engine has compressor blades which are shrouded at. Beyond the shroud, an electrical machine is provided by rotor projections which run in a channel in flux cores, with which excitor coils are associated. The result is an electrical machine which is external to the combustion gas paths of the engine, for ready access, and can have optimised magnetic flux paths for efficiency. High relative speeds within the electrical machine provide further advantages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Ian C D Care, Arnold C Newton
  • Gas turbine engine casing and rotor blade arrangement
    Patent number: 6832890
    Abstract: An arrangement for a gas turbine engine comprises a compressor and its surrounding casing. The casing has a generally cylindrical inner surface, one cylindrical section of the inner casing being provided with a circumferential array of recesses. An axially adjacent cylindrical section of the inner casing surface is provided with an abradable lining. The tips of the rotor blades of the compressor are provided with a treated portion at least partly axially aligned with the recesses in the inner casing, the remaining untreated portion of the rotor blade tips being at least partly axially aligned with the lined section of the inner casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Rolls Royce plc
    Inventor: Richard S Booth
  • Damped aerofoil structure
    Publication number: 20040253115
    Abstract: A damped aerofoil structure comprises an aerofoil having a first wall and a second opposing wall, and vibration damping means for damping relative movement of the first and second wall. The damping means comprises at least two cooperating damping elements, a first damping element mounted to the first wall of the structure and a second damping element mounted to the second wall of the structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE PLC
    Inventors: David A. Williams, Christopher A. Powell
  • Gas turbine aerofoil
    Publication number: 20040253106
    Abstract: A gas turbine aerofoil with at least one internal cavity for conveying cooling fluid through the aerofoil has at least one internal cavity adjacent the aerofoil leading edge, at least one impingement cooling passage extending from, and in flow communication with the cavity, and at least one film cooling hole extending from, and in flow communication with, the cooling passage. The impingement passage extends into the aerofoil wall in the region of the leading edge and opens into the film cooling hole. The cooling hole extends through the aerofoil wall to an external surface of the aerofoil at a position downstream of the leading edge such that, in use, cooling fluid from the cavity exits the cooling passage into the cooling hole as an impingement jet against the internal surface of the cooling hole in the region of the leading edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventors: Kevin P. Self, Paul N. Bennett
  • Vane assembly for a gas turbine engine
    Publication number: 20040253096
    Abstract: An exhaust diffuser unit for a gas turbine engine comprises an outer ring 2, a diffuser cone 4 and vanes 8, all made from a ceramic matrix composite material. Each vane has end components 24, 26 which have apertures 36, 38 through which a metallic support strut 40 extends. The support strut 40 is rigidly secured at its radially outer end to a diffuser casing 10, and is slidably but non-rotatably received at its radially inner end in an aperture 48 in a boss 50 provided on a drum 18. Structural loads between the casing 10 and the drum 18 are transferred through the strut 40 independently of the vane 8. Gas loads on the vane 8 are transferred to the strut 40 by way of metallic end components 24, 26.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Applicant: ROLLS-ROYCE plc
    Inventor: David Thomas Legg
  • Turbo fan gas turbine engine having a rotor containment assembly
    Patent number: 6829883
    Abstract: A joint assembly for limiting an extension of the joint in the direction of a load path derived from an impact comprising a first member having a portion and a second member having a portion, the portions overlapping one another and arranged generally parallel to one another and secured together via securing means disposed through corresponding holes defined therein. One of the overlapping portions further defines, sequentially in the direction of extension, a shear neck, a pocket and a catcher portion. In the event of a worst-case impact load the securing means shears through the shear neck and the pocket and is arrested by the catcher portion, thereby the extension of the joint assembly is limited and the joint assembly remains integral.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce plc
    Inventors: Sivasubramaniam K Sathianathan, Peter E Farrington, Ian G Martindale, Caroline McLachlan, Stephen J Booth, Duncan Auterson, David S Yazdani