Abstract: Transition duct assemblies and gas turbine engine systems involving such assemblies are provided. In this regard, a representative a transition duct assembly for a gas turbine engine includes: an impingement sheet having cooling holes formed therethrough, an inlet end and a non-flanged outlet end, the impingement sheet being operative to be positioned about an exterior of a transition duct such that cooling air is directed to flow about the transition duct; the non-flanged outlet end of the impingement sheet being operative to attach the impingement sheet to the transition duct such that the inlet end is positioned adjacent to an intake end of the transition duct and the outlet end is positioned adjacent to an exhaust end of the transition duct.

Abstract: Gas turbine engine systems involving rotatable annular supports are provided. In this regard, a representative support assembly for a gas turbine engine includes: a rotatable member having a first end located about a first annulus; and a stationary member located about a second annulus; the first end of the rotatable member being rotatably coupled with the stationary member, with at least a portion of the first annulus being coextensive with at least a portion of the second annulus, the first end being operative to rotate locally with respect to a corresponding portion of the stationary member.

Abstract: Inlet guide vanes and gas turbine engine systems involving such vanes are provided. In this regard, a representative an inlet guide vane for a gas turbine engine includes: a fixed strut; and a variable flap located downstream of the fixed strut and being movable with respect thereto; the fixed strut having a leading edge, a trailing edge and side surfaces extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge, the side surfaces being asymmetric with respect to each other.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining heat transfer characteristics are provided. In this regard, a representative system for determining heat transfer characteristics includes: a stereolithographic model of a component, the model having a surface; and a test article mounted to the surface such that an extension of the test article protrudes from and is thermally insulated from the surface of the model.

Abstract: Systems and methods reducing thermo-acoustic coupling of a gas turbine engine augmentors are provided. In this regard, a representative method includes: determining acoustic resonances and heat release phase relationships associated with the augmentor; and determining relative axial positions of a fuel injector and a flame holder of the augmentor that result in reduced thermo-acoustic coupling of the augmentor during operation.

Abstract: Systems and methods for diagnosing gas turbine engine faults are provided. In this regard, a representative method includes: dynamically assessing detected symptoms based, at least in part, on failure rates of components of the gas turbine engine as functions of usage of the components such that suspected faults are identified.

Abstract: Systems and methods for filtering analog signals corresponding to sensed parameters are provided. In this regard, a representative method includes: sampling the analog signal to acquire a sequential series of data points; determining a first cumulative change in value with respect to a first of the data points relative to at least two subsequent data points in the series, the subsequent data points including a second of the data points; determining a second cumulative change in value with respect to the second of the data points relative to at least two data points adjacent to the second of the data points in the series, the at least two adjacent data points including an immediately preceding and an immediately succeeding one of the data points relative to the second of the data points; comparing the first cumulative change and the second cumulative change to respective data thresholds; and outputting a filtered analog signal based, at least in part, on results of the comparing.

Abstract: Gas turbine engine systems and methods involving enhanced fuel dispersion are provided. In this regard, a representative method for operating a gas turbine engine includes: providing a gas path through the engine; introducing a spray of fuel along the gas path downstream of a turbine of the engine; and impinging the spray of fuel with a relatively higher velocity flow of air such that atomization of the fuel is increased.

Abstract: Gas turbine airfoil assemblies and methods of repair are provided. In this regard, a representative method includes: separating the airfoil from the platform; forming a depression in the platform, the depression being sized and shaped to receive a replacement airfoil; and affixing the replacement airfoil within the depression such that the replacement airfoil is attached to the platform.

Abstract: Methods for repairing abradable seals of gas turbine engines include providing an abradable seal component of a gas turbine engine, the seal component having a structural substrate; providing a first preform to restore the structural substrate; and providing a second preform to form an abradable layer of the component. Preforms include a multilayer stack having a first layer and a second layer.

Abstract: Systems and methods involving improved fuel atomization in air-blast fuel nozzles of gas turbine engines are provided. In this regard, a representative method includes: providing fuel to a chamber defined by an inner surface; and continuously atomizing a portion of the fuel via interaction of the fuel with the inner surface.

Abstract: Gas turbine engine systems involving baffle assemblies are provided. In this regard, a representative baffle assembly for a gas turbine engine includes: a cooling plenum defining a cooling air path; and a baffle sized and shaped to extend between surfaces of the cooling plenum such that a cooling air path of reduced cross-section is formed between the baffle and the surfaces, the baffle being operative to increase a flow rate of cooling air as the cooling air directed to the cooling air path is redirected through the cooling air path of reduced cross-section.

Abstract: Cooled airfoils and gas turbine engine systems involving such airfoils are provided. In this regard, a representative cooled airfoil includes: an exterior surface defining a leading edge, a trailing edge, a suction side and a pressure side; an interior surface defining an interior cavity; trenches in the exterior surface oriented spanwise along the leading edge; and cooling holes communicating between the interior cavity and the trenches such that cooling air provided to the interior cavity flows from the interior cavity though the cooling holes into the trenches, the cooling holes having exterior apertures located in the trenches and interior apertures located at the interior surface.

Abstract: Platforms with curved side edges and gas turbine engine systems involving such platforms are provided. In this regard, a representative airfoil assembly for a gas turbine engine includes: a platform having a gas path side, a non-gas path side, a leading edge, a trailing edge, a first side edge extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge and exhibiting a first curve along a length thereof, and a second side edge extending between the leading edge and the trailing edge and exhibiting a second curve along a length thereof; and an airfoil extending from the gas path side of the platform; the platform and the airfoil exhibiting a unitary construction such that a continuous exterior surface blends from the airfoil to the platform.

Abstract: Systems and methods for communicating aircraft data are provided. In this regard, a representative system includes a data reduction system operative to: receive aircraft data; store a first set of the aircraft data; analyze a next set of the aircraft data; and store the next set of the aircraft data if the next set of aircraft data differs from the first set of the aircraft data.

Abstract: Repair methods involving conductive heat resistance welding includes repairing a crack of a gas turbine engine component using a conductive heat resistance welding technique and a welding technique other than conductive heat resistance welding.

Abstract: Heater assemblies, gas turbine engine systems involving such heater assemblies and methods for manufacturing such heater assemblies are provided. In this regard, a representative method includes: providing a substrate; forming a heating element using a thermal sprayed metal process such that the metal heater comprises an aggregation of sprayed metal particles; attaching the heating element to the substrate; and consolidating at least some of the metal particles located at an exterior of the heating element to form an electrical contact pad of the heating element.

Abstract: Gas turbine engines systems and methods involving oil flow management are provided. In this regard, a oil pressure analysis system for a gas turbine engine is operative to: receive information corresponding to measured oil pressure and rotational speed during a start up of the engine; correlate the information into data sets, each of the data sets containing a measured oil pressure and a corresponding rotational speed; and determine whether the oil flow valve is functioning properly based on the information contained in the data sets.

Abstract: Systems and methods for forming components with thermal barrier coatings are provided. In this regard, a representative method includes: providing a component having a first side and an opposing second side; and using a preformed mask to obstruct vapors from being deposited on the second side of the component while moving the component relative to the vapors such that the vapors form a thermal barrier coating on the first side of the component.

Abstract: Computed tomography (CT) systems and related methods involving forward collimation are provided are provided. In this regard, a representative method involving forward collimation of X-rays includes: emitting X-rays from a housing in which an X-ray source is mounted; collimating the X-rays downstream of the housing; and directing the collimated X-rays at a target.