Abstract: The combustion equipment of a gas turbine engine comprises an annular flame tube and a support casing both subjected to relatively high temperatures. Engine acceleration or engine deceleration causes the temperature in the combustion equipment to increase or decrease respectively, and this results in either expansion or contraction of the annular flame tube and the support casing.The annular flame tube has a greater rate of thermal expansion/contraction than that of the support casing and this results in distortion or cracking of the combustion equipment if the annular flame tube and support casing are rigidly mounted to each other.

Abstract: A structure and method for providing cooling fluids from a compression section 10 to a turbine section 14 of an axially flow rotary machine is disclosed. Various construction details and steps of the method enable the machine to minimize the effect that unscheduled variations in the temperature of the cooling fluids have on operating clearances in the turbine section. These unscheduled variations may result from changes in ambient temperature and component deterioration. An internal cooling fluid from the discharge region 52 of the rearmost compressor 18 is used to modulate the flow of a second fluid impinged on the exterior of the outer case 24 for controlling the clearance between an array of rotor blades 26 and a coolable stator shroud 64 spaced radially outwardly of the rotor blades. In one embodiment, a valve 32 for modulating the flow of the second fluid has at least one thermostatic bimetallic spring 86 for transducing a change in temperature into a displacement.

Abstract: An anti-icing system for a rotating blunt nose bullet of a gas turbine engine uses a rotating thermosyphon effect to create a circulation within a chamber connected for rotation with the nose bullet which draws hot air from a downstream region of the engine forwards to impinge on the nose bullet over a small region close to the engine axis. This avoids complications with separate hot air supplies or electrical heaters. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings, in one embodiment of the invention the chamber consists simply of a tube closed off by the nose bullet and in combination with an engine main shaft which extends to the turbine region of the engine to draw hot gas from this region. Alternatively, the chamber may extend only to the downstream end of the first compressor.

Abstract: A thrust reversal system for reducing, neutralizing and/or reversing the thrust vector resultant of a solid propellant rocket motor utilizes a movable conical piston or plenum cover that fits over a plurality of small ports that are arranged in a circumferential band around the aft dome of the rocket motor. Before actuation, the cover seals the ports. When actuated, the cover is retracted aft a pre-set distance to uncover the ports, shock and the stroke time being controlled by a shock absorber which in one embodiment of the invention is of the hydraulic type and in other embodiments is of the mechanical type. The cover becomes a baffle which directs the combustion chamber gas exiting the ports outward and forward. Suitable control of the flow characteristics may be exercised by the setting of the travel distance of the piston cover and the number, size and orientation of the ports.

Abstract: A gas fuel injector for a gas turbine engine power plant is arranged to reduce the sensitivity of combustion efficiency to variations in gas fuel velocity injector exit at engine idle. The injector comprises a gas fuel duct which discharges gas fuel into a swirler assembly having passages of decreasing cross-sectional area, the passages also receiving a flow of compressor delivery air from the compressor of the power plant. There is an energy interchange between the gas fuel which may have a velocity of between 80 fps to 1000 fps depending on type of fuel, and the air such that the gas and air leave the injector at similar velocities. It has been found that if these velocities are matched, the combustion efficiency is less sensitive to gas velocity and produces higher combustion efficiencies than an arrangement whereby the velocity of the gas entering the system is dictated by the heat input requirements.

Abstract: A portable power device, light and fan including a chassis provided with a light, electric receptacle and switch structure, together with a motor fan unit forming a blower received in a housing supported from the chassis for pivotal movement about a tansverse axis with the blower housing including an outlet oriented above the portion of the chassis having the light, electrical receptacle and switch structure with the outlet in the blower housing being rotatable in a vertical plane about the pivot axis connecting the blower housing to the chassis. A carrying handle is attached to or otherwise provided on the assembly to facilitate its portability. The connection between the blower housing and chassis is uniquely formed by a venturi forming flange on each side wall of the chassis extending into and being closely received in an air inlet in each end wall of the blower housing, thereby forming air inlets for the blower housing and also pivotally supporting the blower housing from the chassis.

Abstract: The cross-sectional area of the airflow duct on at least one face of the fan housing is larger than the cross-sectional area of a cylindrical portion of duct which cooperates with the impeller. A junction portion having an S-shaped cross-section in an axial plane is provided on at least part of the duct periphery between the cylindrical portion and that housing face. The fan duct progressively increases in width from the cylindrical portion to the housing face and the S-shaped junction portion has a point of inflection substantially at the midpoint of its axial length. A reduction in noise level is thus achieved during operation of the fan.

Abstract: A turbo-compressor apparatus in which the turbine section and the compressor section are placed back-to-back. A non-rotating shaft axially supported in the apparatus supports an anti-friction bearing which, in turn, rotationally supports a rotor assembly. A separating member preferably comprised of a material of low thermal conductivity is provided between the turbine section and the compressor section. A fully floating, non-rotating sleeve bearing incorporating both thrust and radial surfaces is allowed to float freely on the shaft. Thus, thrust forces from the spinning rotor are initially absorbed at the large radial bearing surfaces located at approximately the center of the bearing and are thereby transferred to the small areas at either end of the sleeve bearing. The thrust forces are finally transferred from the sleeve bearing to the stationary shaft. The mechanically locked sleeve bearing also serves to retain the rotor on the stationary shaft.

Abstract: A compression intensified thermodynamic gas process that includes a compressor rotor having a series of passage forming blades between which a process gas is conducted during compression. A coolant metering system is contained within the rotor structure which is arranged to introduce a liquid coolant directly into the gas flow as the gas is being compressed. Coolant nozzles are strategically positioned throughout the rotor so that coolant droplets that are introduced into the flow stream will pass freely out of the rotor without impacting the rotor blades.

Abstract: A cooling system 44 for an electrical generator 42 is disclosed. The cooling system rejects excess heat to the engine fuel through a primary heat exchanger 46 and at low fuel flow rates, supplementarily rejects heat to fan air at a secondary heat exchanger 48 located remotely from the fan duct 30. In one embodiment, the secondary heat exchanger is disposed in a nacelle fan compartment 14. In another embodiment, the secondary heat exchanger is disposed in a nacelle core compartment 16.

Abstract: Combustors utilizable in a variety of sizes, configurations, and applications in which vortex induced centrifugal forces and hot gas recirculation are employed for flame stabilization. Both gas and liquid fuels can be burned, and low emission as well as other modes of operation are available.

Abstract: A device is provided for passing a fluid flow across a static or rotating barrier wherein there is relative rotation between the flow and the barrier and wherein it is necessary to pass the maximum of flow through the device while keeping the diameter of the device as small as possible.One embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 2 is a device for use in a gas turbine engine for supplying cooling air across a bolted joint 19 to a space behind a cover plate 6 for cooling an engine disc. The device comprises a cylindrical receiver 11 having helical slots 13 running through it from one axial end face to the other the helix angle being the same as the angle of the relative velocity vector between the flow and the slots.The helical shape of the slots ensures that the radius of the axis of each slot is constant along the length of the slots and allow greater slot height and hence greater flow area.

Abstract: A turbine driven pump wherein a multi-stage centrifugal pump unit is coaxial with and mounted on a common shaft with a turbine unit. The two units are connected to each other by a low-pressure section which defines a hydrostatic seal between the interior of the pump unit and the interior of the turbine unit. The inlet and outlet of the turbine unit are connected with each other by a conduit containing a regulating valve, and the inlet of the pump unit is connected with chambers at the outer sides of relief pistons disposed at the high-pressure sides of the two units. The diameters of the relief pistons are proportional to pressures in the high-pressure portions of the respective units. The inlet of the pump unit is coaxial with the outlet of the turbine unit.

Abstract: Contaminated air injected by an axial flow fan jet engine is treated by centrifuging the contamination through the surge bleed valves into the fan discharge stream in an efficient manner.

Abstract: A novel rotary prime mover is provided having a generally cylindrical casing including an axial air intake, an axial exhaust outlet and bearing means at each circular end thereof to support a longitudinally arranged shaft. A flywheel block is rotatably mounted within the casing on the longitudinally arranged shaft and is arranged intermediate the air inlet and the exhaust outlet. The longitudinal shaft has a fuel inlet passage concentrically bored therethrough. The flywheel block includes at least two balanced diametrically opposed jet reaction engines recessed and secured in a specifically recited manner at the circumferential edge thereof.

Abstract: A dual fuel injector for a gas turbine engine is arranged to maintain pre-determined air fuel ratios in adjacent upstream and downstream opposite handed vortices and to reduce the deposition of carbon on the injector. The injector comprises a central duct, a deflecting member, a first radially directed outlet, and a shroud which defines an annular duct, and a second radially directed outlet. The ducts receive a supply of compressed air and the central duct receives gaseous fuel from an annular nozzle and the annular duct receives liquid fuel from a set of nozzles.When the injector is operating on liquid fuel, the fuel and air mixture issues from the second outlet and compressed air flows from the first outlet and prevents migration of fuel between the two vortices, thereby maintaining a rich air fuel ratio in the upstream vortex which reduces the emissions of NOx. Also, the flow of air from the first outlet reduces the deposition of carbon from the liquid fuels on the deflecting member.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine terminates at its rear in a jet pipe (14) having a fixed area nozzle (15). The engine is provided with one or more target type deflector doors (18) which in a first position constitute a rearward extension of the jet pipe (14) and define an effective exhaust nozzle (19), downstream of the nozzle (15) of the jet pipe 18, which is of smaller area than that of the jet pipe. The door, or doors 18, are movable from the first position to a second position where the nozzle 15 of the jet pipe 14 is exposed and constitutes the effective exhaust nozzle of the engine. In the second position the door, or doors 18, lie predominantly transverse to the length of the jet pipe 14 to redirect the hot gas efflux from the jet pipe 14 and reduce the forward thrust produced by the engine.

Abstract: A liquid-proofing system for an electric motor, having a casing divided by two partition walls into three coaxially arranged chambers--a top chamber, an intermediate chamber, and a bottom chamber. The partition walls have openings for establishing communication between chambers and for the passage of a shaft interconnecting the shafts of the electric motor and pump. The top chamber is filled with an intermediate liquid, and the lower and the intermediate chambers are filled with the same oil as the oil filling the electric motor. Seals are provided which are formed by rotary and stationary parts and secured to the shaft and partition walls, respectively. The top chamber and the intermediate chamber communicate through pipes directly with the lower part of the bottom chamber, and the seals are installed in the intermediate chamber, the lower part of the bottom chamber and the pipe connecting it to the top chamber being filled with the intermediate liquid.

Abstract: Stall elimination means in a jet turbofan engine includes a plurality of pairs of generally parallel case struts arranged in an annular row in an annular fan bypass duct of the engine, and a series of freely-rotatable vanes, each vane disposed between a pair of the struts and movable between open and closed positions. In its open position, each vane is aligned with the direction of normal, positive air flow in the duct, while in its closed position it extends generally across the duct and blocks most reverse air flow in the duct. The vane automatically rotates to the closed position in response to the onset of an adverse pressure gradient in the duct.

Abstract: A variable inlet vane assembly for use within the inlet area of a combustor, the vane assembly having a plurality of rotatable vanes situated within an annular-shaped opening in the inlet area of the combustor. Each vane is operated by the rotation of a crank assembly and actuator. The actuator meshes with the crank assembly through a sliding interface in order to accommodate axial and/or radial growth of the combustor with no loss in the precision of the control of air entering the combustor during rotation of the vanes. Such an arrangement substantially enhances the relight capability of the combustor.