Abstract: A turbine nozzle is constructed from a plurality of associated circumferential turbine nozzle segments each of which incorporates at least one pre-formed annular-segment passage bounded at a first azimuthal boundary by a first portion of a first bounding nozzle vane, and at a second azimuthal boundary by a second portion of a second bounding nozzle vane, with the at least one pre-formed annular-segment passage therebetween, wherein when assembled in the turbine nozzle, a first portion of a first bounding nozzle vane of one circumferential turbine nozzle segment is joined to a second portion of a second bounding nozzle vane of another adjacent circumferential turbine nozzle segment so as to form therebetween a nozzle vane of the turbine nozzle, wherein the minimum through-flow area of the associated at least one pre-formed annular-segment passage is substantially unaffected by the assembly of the circumferential turbine nozzle segments to form the turbine nozzle.

Abstract: A bearing housing of a rotor shaft support assembly of a turbocharger core mounts to and closes a forward end of a cavity that both receives and discharges exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine. A turbine rotor operatively coupled to a rotor shaft and a compressor rotor of an associated turbocharger rotor assembly rotates within a turbine rotor shroud portion of an associated turbine nozzle cartridge assembly, wherein the rotor shaft is rotationally supported by at least one bearing within the bearing housing. The turbine nozzle cartridge assembly provides for directing exhaust gases from the cavity through a peripheral inlet leading to a plurality of vanes between forward and aft walls, through the turbine rotor shroud portion, and then through a nozzle exhaust portion incorporating an external sealing surface on an aft portion thereof that cooperates with a sealing element where the exhaust gases are discharged from the cavity.

Abstract: A shroud portion of a fluid-conduit housing provides for concentrically shrouding a portion of bladed rotor operatively coupled to a rotor shaft rotationally supported by at least one bearing operatively coupled to the centerbody. An internal cylindrical surface at an end of the fluid-conduit housing mates with a corresponding external cylindrical surface on a corresponding side of the centerbody. The fluid-conduit housing is operatively coupled to the centerbody with a plurality of radial pins, wherein each radial pin slideably engages with at least one of a corresponding radial bore in the fluid-conduit housing or a corresponding radial bore in the centerbody so as to provide for substantially maintaining the concentricity of the shroud portion of the fluid-conduit housing relative to the bladed rotor regardless of a thermal expansion of the fluid-conduit housing relative to the centerbody.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine cylinder head is based upon a one-piece structure including a number of exhaust runners, an exhaust collector, and a turbocharger exhaust turbine housing, all formed as one-piece.

Abstract: Fuel (12) supplied to a rotary fluid trap (42) is centrifugally accelerated within a first cavity (46) adjacent a first side (48) of a rotor (24), and is then directed though a plurality of first passages (66) extending through the rotor (24) between and proximate to the blades (26), and shaped so as to at least partially conform to the shape of the blades (26). Second passages (100) extend within the blades (26) from the first passages (66) and terminate within associated cavities (110) proximate to the tips (112) of the blades (26). Relatively cooler fuel (12.2) in the first passages (66) is thermosiphon exchanged for relatively hotter fuel (12.3) in the second passages (100) so as to cool the blades (26). The heated fuel (12.3) flows into a second cavity (74) adjacent to a second side (72) of the rotor (24) and is discharged from the rotating frame of reference directly into the combustion chamber (16) through a second rotary fluid trap (96).

Abstract: A controller receives a power-level command representative of a level of power to be transmitted by a single-spool turboshaft engine to a controllable load. A torque command determined responsive to a measure of inlet pressure, from a control schedule responsive to the power-level command, is representative of a level of torque to be transmitted by an element to drive the controllable load. Under some operating conditions, a rotational speed command provides for at least nearly minimizing a measure of associated fuel consumption when the transmitted torque is regulated to the level corresponding to the torque command by controlling one of the controllable load and a fuel flow to the engine, and the other of the controllable load and the fuel flow to the engine is controlled so as to regulate an associated rotational speed to a level corresponding to the rotational speed command.

Abstract: Lubrication fluid is discharged through an axial gap between a outer bearing race and a bearing housing from an enclosed volume bounded in part by a forward surface of the outer bearing race that is axially slideable within the bearing housing so as to provide for changing the axial gap. The pressure in the enclosed volume is automatically controlled responsive to an axial force on outer bearing race by an axial position of the outer bearing race that determines a size of the axial gap, so as to provide for increasing the pressure responsive to increasing axial force over at least a portion of an operating range. The lubrication fluid in the axial gap provides for isolating axial vibrations of the outer bearing race relative to the bearing housing.

Abstract: Fuel and air are injected in a first poloidal flow in a first poloidal direction within a first annular zone of an annular combustor. A first combustion gas from the at least partial combustion of the fuel and air is discharged into an annular transition zone of the annular combustor and transformed to a second combustion gas therein within an at least partial second poloidal flow followed by an at least partial third poloidal flow in the annular transition zone, wherein the direction of the second poloidal flow is opposite to that of the first and third poloidal flows. The second combustion gas is discharged into a second annular zone of the annular combustor, and then transformed to a third combustion gas therein before being discharged therefrom, responsive to which a back pressure is generated in the annular combustor.

Abstract: A first trailing edge portion of a scarfed jet engine exhaust nozzle aft of a second trailing edge portion relative to a central axis of an associated exhaust duct causes an automatic nozzle-pressure-ratio responsive transverse deflection of the associated exhaust flow away from the first trailing edge portion. When offset from both the center of gravity (CG) and the central longitudinal axis of an aircraft, at a relatively low nozzle pressure ratio, e.g. during takeoff, the thrust vector from the exhaust flow acts relatively close to the CG, whereas at a relatively high nozzle pressure ratio, e.g. during relatively high-speed cruise, the scarfed exhaust nozzle deflects the exhaust flow so that the resulting thrust vector is relatively parallel to the path of the aircraft. With the final portion of the exhaust duct skewed, the primary axis of the jet engine can be relatively parallel to the path of the aircraft.

Abstract: A bearing housing of a rotor shaft support assembly of a turbocharger core mounts to and closes a forward end of a cavity that both receives and discharges exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine. A turbine rotor operatively coupled to a rotor shaft and a compressor rotor of an associated turbocharger rotor assembly rotates within a turbine rotor shroud portion of an associated turbine nozzle cartridge assembly, wherein the rotor shaft is rotationally supported by at least one bearing within the bearing housing. The turbine nozzle cartridge assembly provides for directing exhaust gases from the cavity through a peripheral inlet leading to a plurality of vanes between forward and aft walls, through the turbine rotor shroud portion, and then through a nozzle exhaust portion incorporating an external sealing surface on an aft portion thereof that cooperates with a sealing element where the exhaust gases are discharged from the cavity.

Abstract: Fuel (12) supplied to a rotary fluid trap (42) is centrifugally accelerated within a first cavity (46) adjacent a first side (48) of a rotor (24), and is then directed though a plurality of first passages (66) extending through the rotor (24) between and proximate to the blades (26), and shaped so as to at least partially conform to the shape of the blades (26). Second passages (100) extend within the blades (26) from the first passages (66) and terminate within associated cavities (110) proximate to the tips (112) of the blades (26). Relatively cooler fuel (12.2) in the first passages (66) is thermosiphon exchanged for relatively hotter fuel (12.3) in the second passages (100) so as to cool the blades (26). The heated fuel (12.3) flows into a second cavity (74) adjacent to a second side (72) of the rotor (24) and is discharged from the rotating frame of reference directly into the combustion chamber (16) through a second rotary fluid trap (96).

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect, fuel flow to a recuperated turbine engine is controlled so as to covert heat energy stored in a recuperator to useful work in anticipation of shutting down the recuperated turbine engine. In accordance with another aspect, fuel flow to an operating recuperated turbine engine is shut off, a condition of the recuperated turbine engine is monitored, and fuel flow is resumed prior to a time when the condition would indicate that the recuperated turbine engine would not likely start without requiring a source of external energy to rotate the compressor thereof.

Abstract: A vehicle location sensor such as a GPS, an inertial navigation or dead reckoning system determines location data for a vehicle that travels from a known first destination to a second destination. This location data is processed by a route computer system, and associated vehicle driving patterns are stored in memory. Measured vehicle locations, possibly in combination with stored driving pattern information, are used to anticipate a likely second destination and a likely associated driving pattern from a current location of the vehicle to the likely second destination. The anticipation of a destination or a driving pattern can be responsive to associated likelihoods based upon previous vehicle behavior, which likelihoods can be also dependent upon the time of day, day of week or date. A power generator and an energy storage device of a hybrid electric vehicle can be controlled responsive to the anticipated likely driving pattern, and possibly responsive to information from environment sensors.

Abstract: A vehicle location sensor such as a GPS, an inertial navigation or dead reckoning system determines location data for a vehicle that travels from a known first destination to a second destination. This location data is processed by a route computer system, and associated vehicle driving patterns are stored in memory. Measured vehicle locations, possibly in combination with stored driving pattern information, are used to anticipate a likely second destination and a likely associated driving pattern from a current location of the vehicle to the likely second destination. The anticipation of a destination or a driving pattern can be responsive to associated likelihoods based upon previous vehicle behavior, which likelihoods can be also dependent upon the time of day, day of week or date. A power generator and an energy storage device of a hybrid electric vehicle can be controlled responsive to the anticipated likely driving pattern, and possibly responsive to information from environment sensors.

Abstract: Fuel supplied to a rotary fluid trap is centrifugally accelerated within a first cavity adjacent a first side of a rotor, and is then directed though a plurality of first passages extending through the rotor between and proximate to the blades, and shaped so as to at least partially conform to the shape of the blades. Second passages extend within the blades from the first passages and terminate within associated cavities proximate to the tips of the blades. Relatively cooler fuel in the first passages is thermosiphon exchanged for relatively hotter fuel in the second passages so as to cool the blades. The heated fuel flows into a second cavity adjacent to a second side of the rotor and is discharged from the rotating frame of reference directly into the combustion chamber through a second rotary fluid trap. A separate fuel distribution circuit is used for starting and warm-up.

Abstract: Fuel supplied to a rotary fluid trap is centrifugally accelerated within a first cavity adjacent a first side of a rotor, and is then directed though a plurality of first passages extending through the rotor between and proximate to the blades, and shaped so as to at least partially conform to the shape of the blades. Second passages extend within the blades from the first passages and terminate within associated cavities proximate to the tips of the blades. Relatively cooler fuel in the first passages is thermosiphon exchanged for relatively hotter fuel in the second passages so as to cool the blades. The heated fuel flows into a second cavity adjacent to a second side of the rotor and is discharged from the rotating frame of reference directly into the combustion chamber through a second rotary fluid trap. A separate fuel distribution circuit is used for starting and warm-up.

Abstract: A vehicle location sensor such as a GPS, an inertial navigation or dead reckoning system determines location data for a vehicle that travels from a known first destination to a second destination. This location data is processed by a route computer system, and associated vehicle driving patterns are stored in memory. Measured vehicle locations, possibly in combination with stored driving pattern information, are used to anticipate a likely second destination and a likely associated driving pattern from a current location of the vehicle to the likely second destination. The anticipation of a destination or a driving pattern can be responsive to associated likelihoods based upon previous vehicle behavior, which likelihoods can be also dependent upon the time of day, day of week or date. A power generator and an energy storage device of a hybrid electric vehicle are controlled responsive to the anticipated likely driving pattern, and possibly responsive to information from environment sensors.

Abstract: A radially-extending arm is adapted to rotate within a stream of first fluid flowing thereacross. In one embodiment, the arm comprises a plurality of lands located at different radial distances from the axis of rotation, and a port located on each land is operatively coupled to a source of a second fluid. The second fluid is sprayed from the rotating arm into the stream of first fluid that flows across the lands, and is thereby atomized. In another embodiment, the arm comprises a land stepped into the trailing edge thereof, and a port for injecting the second fluid is located on the land. In another embodiment, the land comprises a groove located between the port and an associated riser surface stepped into the trailing edge. In another embodiment, the arm comprises a port in the trailing edge thereof from which the second fluid is injected, and a groove is located on the trailing edge in a radially increasing direction from the port.

Abstract: A part that is subject to at least a cyclic thermal stimulus is numerically simulated to determine extremum states of stress therein that would be suitable for an associated life cycle test. The assembly of the part in a fixture is then numerically simulated to determine a part holding condition by the fixture, and first and second test rotational speeds of the part and fixture as necessary to create states of stress in the part that are comparable to the extremum states of stress. The part is assembled in the fixture in accordance with the part holding condition, and the fixture and part are rotated in accordance with a control schedule by which the rotational speed thereof is isothermally cycled between the first and second test rotational speeds for a predetermined number of cycles so as to simulate a cyclic stress condition in the part that is representative of a life cycle test.

Abstract: A radially-extending arm is adapted to rotate within a stream of first fluid flowing thereacross. In one embodiment, the arm comprises a plurality of lands located at different radial distances from the axis of rotation, and a port located on each land is operatively coupled to a source of a second fluid. The second fluid is sprayed from the rotating arm into the stream of first fluid that flows across the lands, and is thereby atomized. In another embodiment, the arm comprises a land stepped into the trailing edge thereof, and a port for injecting the second fluid is located on the land. In another embodiment, the land comprises a groove located between the port and an associated riser surface stepped into the trailing edge. In another embodiment, the arm comprises a port in the trailing edge thereof from which the second fluid is injected, and a groove is located on the trailing edge in a radially increasing direction from the port.