Abstract: A fuel injection apparatus (10) for a gas turbine engine (110) comprising a prefilmer (26), the prefilmer (26) comprises a body (50), the body (50) defines an axis (51), an annular surface (40) and a downstream edge (44), the prefilmer (26) arranged so that when working in operative association with the fuel injection apparatus (10) fuel impinges on the surface (40) and flows, by means of a passing airflow, to the downstream edge (44), from where the fuel is shed, characterized in that the fuel injector (10) further comprises a means for circumferentially varying the residence time of the fuel across the surface (40).

Abstract: A variable geometry pre-mixing fuel injector (50) for injecting a fuel/air mix in a downstream direction, comprising: an air inlet (60); a fuel inlet (58) positioned downstream of the air inlet (60); a duct (56) extending at least downstream of the fuel inlet (58) to define a fuel and air pre-mixing zone (62), that narrows to form an opening (64); and means for varying the flow of fuel/air mix from the pre-mixing zone (62) through the opening (64).

Abstract: The gas turbines of the present invention have multiple combustion chambers, and within each chamber are multiple fuel nozzles. Each nozzle has its own fuel control valve to control the fuel flowing to the nozzles. To minimize the pressure drop through the fuel control valves, multiple manifolds are employed. Each manifold supplies at least one fuel nozzle in multiple combustion chambers with fuel. The fuel control valves are mounted on the manifolds such that the weight of the fuel control valves and nozzles are carried by the manifolds, not the multiple combustion chambers. A plurality of thermocouples for measuring exhaust gas from said multiple combustion chambers are employed to sense gas exhaust temperature. In carrying out the methods of the present invention for tuning a gas turbine, it is essential to note that the most efficient gas turbine is one which has the least nitrous oxides, the least amount of unburned hydrocarbons, and the least amount of carbon monoxide for a specified energy output.

Abstract: A method for operating a gas turbine engine, including a first compressor, a second compressor, a combustor and a turbine, coupled together in serial flow arrangement, and an intercooler coupled between the first compressor and the second compressor, the intercooler including a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger. The method includes channeling compressed airflow from the first compressor to the first heat exchanger, extracting energy from the compressed airflow using a first working fluid flowing through the first heat exchanger to facilitate reducing an operating temperature of the compressed airflow and to facilitate increasing an operating temperature of the first working fluid, and channeling the first working fluid to a process heat exchanger, and channel the compressed airflow form the first heat exchanger to the second compressor.

Abstract: An afterburner includes an exhaust duct with a fixed area outer nozzle at an aft end thereof, and an ablative inner nozzle therein. The smaller inner nozzle is consumed during reheat operation to expose the larger outer nozzle for increased propulsion thrust.

Abstract: A plate-fin type regenerative heat exchanger is provided which can prevent clogging of a flow passage caused by a drift of liquid phase water even when compressed air contains a large amount of moisture and liquid droplets. The plate-fin type regenerative heat exchanger comprises a corrugated fin channel for heating compressed air containing liquid droplets and a corrugated fin channel to which the compressed air containing no liquid droplets is supplied. A pitch of fin members of the former corrugated fin channel is set to the Laplace length, whereby bridging of the liquid droplets between the fin members can be prevented.

Abstract: Pressure and density of a gaseous mixture are increased in the process of introducing the gaseous mixture into the combustor of an air-breathing pulse detonation engine employing atmospheric oxygen as an oxidizer. The exit valve 20 able to be opened and closed is provided at the outlet of the combustor 15, an air cooler 12 is provided in the exit of the intake, and density is increased by exchange of heat of the air received at the intake with a coolant in the air cooler 12. Furthermore, by closing the exit valve 20 provided in the outlet of the combustor during the process of loading the gaseous mixture, transition to the detonation process is possible without expansion of the high-pressure high density air obtained by ram-compression at the intake.

Abstract: A fuel injector system provides an air assist fuel nozzle which includes a fuel shroud and an air portion. Air passes around the fuel shroud to air jets in the air portion to provide a focused application of air directly onto a fuel spray from each of a multiple of main fuel jets to impart additional velocity to the fuel as it is flowing out of the fuel nozzle. The air jets increase the resulting fuel spray velocity to a level high enough to reach a prefilmer wall of a swirler even during snap deceleration conditions.

Abstract: A fuel delivery system for use, for example in a gas turbine engine system, includes a fuel metering unit including a main fuel inlet. The fuel metering unit includes fuel pressure and temperature sensors. A cavitating venturi is in fluid communication with the main fuel inlet and includes venturi characteristics such as throat diameter. A fuel nozzle is in fluid communication with the venturi for delivering fuel to the gas turbine engine. A controller is connected to the pressure temperature sensors and is operable to calculate a flow rate of fuel through the nozzle based upon the signals from the pressure and temperature sensors and the fuel and venturi characteristics. A variable cavitating venturi may be arranged within the throat to vary the area and adjust the flow rate through the venturi. The cavitating venturi can also be used at the fuel nozzle to further simplify the fuel delivery system.

Abstract: The gas turbine comprises an annular combustion chamber having inner and outer walls made of ceramic matrix composite material, and a high pressure turbine nozzle secured to a downstream end of the combustion chamber and comprising a plurality of stationary airfoils extending between the inner and outer walls of an annular flow path through the nozzle for the gas stream coming from the combustion chamber. The turbine nozzle is made of ceramic matrix composite material and it is connected to the downstream end of the combustion chamber by brazing.

Abstract: In the gas-turbine engine control system having first and second control channels each inputting the outputs of speed sensors and controlling supply of fuel to the engine based on the inputted outputs, four outputs generated by the sensors are compared with each other to determine whether three of the four outputs are within a range that allows the three to be considered identical, and the three are then compared with a remaining one to determine whether the four outputs are within the range that allows the three to be considered identical to the remaining one, and based thereon, each of the four outputs is determined to be the output that is usable in the fuel supply control. With this, through the three-value comparison and the four-value comparison, when the high-pressure turbine speed sensor or the like is installed by plural numbers, it becomes possible to accurately select the sensor output(s) that is usable in the fuel supply control, thereby improving the control accuracy.

Abstract: A heating system for a turbine engine air intake region for preventing the formation of ice on the air intake region, which may be formed from the bell-mouth, one or more vanes, such as inlet guide vanes, a turbine blade assembly formed from one or more blades, such as the first row of rotating blades, and related components. A heat source may be attached to the inlet manifold and positioned to emit thermal radiation toward the air intake region to prevent the formation of ice thereon.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a dome assembly for a gas turbine engine combustor includes forming an annular dome plate including a plurality of substantially circular eyelets circumferentially spaced thereon, coupling a seal plate to the dome plate at each eyelet such that an opening defined in each seal plate is aligned substantially concentrically with respect to a respective eyelet, coupling a baffle to each seal plate such that an opening defined in each baffle is aligned substantially concentrically with respect to a respective eyelet, and coupling a swirler assembly having an integrally formed swirler and flare cone to each seal plate such that the flare cone extends at least partially through the baffle opening, and such that cooling air may be directed towards the flare cone through openings formed in the assembly.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a highly supercharged, regenerative gas-turbine system. The gas turbine comprises a compressor, a regenerator, a combustor, and an expander. A pre-compressor pressurizes air going into the compressor section of the gas turbine. A cooler lowers the temperature of the air going into the compressor. The compressor pressurizes air, which then flows through the regenerator, which heats the air before it enters the combustor. The combustor further heats the air which then flows through the expander and then the regenerator. A post-expander is preferably located downstream of the regenerator. The post-expander is a second expander that receives high-pressure gas exiting the regenerator. The post-expander preferably drives the pre-compressor. The preferred pre-compressor and post-expander are toroidal intersecting vane machines (TIVMs), which are positive-displacement rotary devices. Numerous alternated embodiments of this basic system are described.

Abstract: A method for controlling a combustor of an engine, the combustor having a fuel to oxidant ratio, the fuel to oxidant ratio being defined as a ratio of an amount of fuel supplied to the combustor divided by an amount of oxygen in an oxidant stream supplied to the combustor includes controlling the fuel to oxidant ratio of the combustor as a function of the amount of oxygen in the oxidant stream.

Abstract: A combustion chamber 10 for a gas turbine that operates in a highly diluted mode of combustion has a substantially toroidal plenum 30. At least one combustion fluid injector is located at the periphery of the plenum. The shape of the plenum and the disposition of the combustion fuel injectors are such that a vortex flow 2 is established in the combustion chamber in use. Gasses are entrained in the vortex which provides high enough levels of flue gas re-circulation to allow for the onset of highly diluted combustion.

Abstract: The high pressure turbine nozzle is mechanically connected to a downstream end portion of the combustion chamber and inner and outer connection ferrules connect the combustion chamber and turbine nozzle assembly to inner and outer metal shrouds in order to hold said assembly between the shrouds. Locking members are provided to prevent the turbine nozzle from turning about its axis relative to at least one of the metal shrouds so as to prevent the forces that are exerted on the turbine nozzle vanes by the flow of gas coming from the chamber being taken up by the portions of the connection ferrules that extend between the combustion chamber and turbine nozzle assembly and the metal shrouds.

Abstract: The downstream end portions of the inner and outer walls of the combustion chamber of the gas turbine are pressed against the inner and outer platforms respectively of the vanes of the high pressure turbine nozzle and they extend thereover substantially to the downstream end of the platforms, and the means for mechanically connecting the turbine nozzle to the downstream end portions of the combustion chamber walls are formed by connection screws implanted in the airfoils of the vanes of the turbine nozzle, passing through holes formed in the end portions of the combustion chamber walls. Thus, the downstream end portions of the combustion chamber walls contribute to preventing leakage from the gas stream at the interface between the chamber and the nozzle, and also along the nozzle.

Abstract: In the gas-turbine engine control system having a first control inputting the outputs of sensors and controlling supply of fuel to the engine based on at least one of the inputted outputs, the first control channel includes a comparator inputting the outputs generated by the sensors and comparing change rates of the outputs with corresponding threshold values once every predetermined time period, and a transient/steady-state discriminator discriminating that the engine is in a transient state when the number of the outputs found to be equal to or greater than the corresponding threshold values are equal to or greater than a predetermined value, while discriminating that the engine is in a steady state when the number of times that the outputs are found to be smaller than the threshold values is more than half of number of comparison time.

Abstract: The present invention provides a mixer for a gas turbine combustor comprising a plurality of generally annular walls interconnected by at least a plurality of first vanes. The vanes are oriented at angles, so as to create a shear layer between the two flows. A fuel is then injected so as to penetrate the shear layer for enhanced mixing. The mixture passes through an extended mixing passage to provide sufficient time and distance for improved mixedness prior to ignition. Multiple embodiments of the present invention are disclosed comprising a plurality of first vanes and a plurality of first and second vanes.