Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a supply air conduit fluidly connected to an inlet of a combustion chamber to convey supply air to the combustion chamber, an exhaust conduit fluidly connected to an exit of the combustion chamber to convey exhaust gases away from the combustion chamber, and a recuperator defining a first flow path and a second flow path therethrough, the second flow path being in heat transfer communication with the first flow path, the first flow path defining part of the supply air conduit, the second flow path defining part of the exhaust conduit. Methods of operating the engine are also provided.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine includes a supply air conduit fluidly connected to an inlet of a combustion chamber to convey supply air to the combustion chamber, an exhaust conduit fluidly connected to an exit of the combustion chamber to convey exhaust gases away from the combustion chamber, and a recuperator defining a first flow path and a second flow path therethrough, the second flow path being in heat transfer communication with the first flow path, the first flow path defining part of the supply air conduit, the second flow path defining part of the exhaust conduit. Methods of operating the engine are also provided.

Abstract: A method of installing a segment of a recuperator within an exhaust duct of a gas turbine engine, including positioning the segment such that its exhaust inlet is in fluid flow communication with the turbine section and its exhaust outlet is adapted to deliver an exhaust flow to atmosphere, engaging its air inlet to a plenum in fluid flow communication with the compressor discharge, and engaging its air outlet to another plenum containing the combustor. One of engaging the air inlet and engaging the air outlet includes forming a rigid connection providing sealed fluid flow communication with the corresponding plenum, and the other of engaging the air inlet and engaging the air outlet includes forming a floating connection providing sealed fluid flow communication with the corresponding plenum. The floating connection allows relative movement of the segment within the exhaust duct.

Abstract: A steel soft wall fan case assembly according to one embodiment configured with a thin-walled steel support structure shell including a plurality of annular axial walls of thin sheet metal reinforced by a plurality of rings interconnecting axially adjacent annular axial walls. The steel support structure shell is structurally integrated with honeycomb materials and an annular metallic inner wall. A fabric containment layer may be wrapped around one of the annular axial walls of the steel support structure shell.

Abstract: An integrally bladed fan (IBF) rotor of a gas turbine engine. The IBF rotor includes a hub and a plurality of fan blades extending radially outwardly from the hub and integral therewith. The hub has a fan attachment flange disposed at an end of the hub on a trailing edge side thereof for mounting a booster rotor to a trailing edge side of the fan. The fan attachment flange is disposed at a radial distance from a longitudinal center axis of the integrally bladed fan rotor. The hub has an outer hub surface disposed radially inward from the radial distance of the fan attachment flange.

Abstract: A method of applying a nanocrystalline metal coating to a titanium or titanium alloy blade of a gas turbine engine is described. The method includes selecting an intermediate bond coat from the group consisting of nickel, nickel alloy, P, B, Tl and combinations thereof, and applying the intermediate bond coat to at least a portion of the blade. A nanocrystalline metal coating having an average grain size of between 10 nm and 500 nm is then applied to the portion of the blade overtop of the intermediate bond coat.

Abstract: A fan blade of a gas turbine engine is disclosed which is composed of an airfoil having a leading edge and a trailing edge, and a root with a platform and a blade fixing for engaging a fan hub. The fan blade is composed of a core substrate selected from the group consisting of composites and polymers, and an entirety of the airfoil and the root of the fan blade has a nanocrystalline metal outer layer thereon which forms an outer surface fully enveloping the fan blade. The nanocrystalline metal layer formed of a nanocrystalline metal coating has an average grain size of between 10 nm and 500 nm, and the nanocrystalline metal outer layer forms a structural element of the fan blade.

Abstract: A method for providing an anti-icing airflow, including extracting a compressed airflow from a core flow path of an engine, heating the compressed airflow, mixing the heated compressed airflow with air extracted from a bypass flow path to create the anti-icing airflow having a higher temperature and pressure than that of the air extracted from the bypass flow path, and circulating the anti-icing airflow away from the bypass flow path. Also, an assembly located at least in part inside a turbofan engine and including a heat exchanger, a flow mixing device having a first inlet in the bypass flow path, a second inlet and an outlet, a first conduit providing fluid communication between the heat exchanger and a compressed air portion of the core flow path, a second conduit providing fluid communication between the heat exchanger and the second inlet, and a third conduit in fluid communication with the outlet.

Abstract: The structural case has an annular body having a central axis and including a plurality of boss sections circumferentially interspaced from one another around the axis by a plurality of arcuate panel sections, each panel section having: two parallel arcuate structural flange members being axially interspaced from one another; a sheet metal wall extending between and interconnecting the two flange members; and at least one rib having an edge welded to the sheet-metal wall.

Abstract: A steel soft wall fan case assembly according to one embodiment configured with a thin-walled steel support structure shell including a plurality of annular axial walls of thin sheet metal reinforced by a plurality of rings interconnecting axially adjacent annular axial walls. The steel support structure shell is structurally integrated with honeycomb materials and an annular metallic inner wall. A fabric containment layer may be wrapped around one of the annular axial walls of the steel support structure shell.

Abstract: Vane assemblies for gas turbine engines and methods for assembling vane assemblies are disclosed. The vane assemblies may include at least one shroud having at least one vane-receiving portion, at least one vane having at least one end portion received in the vane-receiving portion, and at least one sealing member having an uncompressed cross-section that is substantially circular. The sealing member(s) are disposed between and in contact with the end portion of the vane and the vane-receiving portion of the shroud.

Abstract: A steel soft wall fan case assembly according to one embodiment configured with a thin-walled steel support structure shell including a plurality of annular axial walls of thin sheet metal reinforced by a plurality of rings interconnecting axially adjacent annular axial walls. The steel support structure shell is structurally integrated with honeycomb materials and an annular metallic inner wall. A fabric containment layer may be wrapped around one of the annular axial walls of the steel support structure shell.

Abstract: A turbine case cooling system and a method for supplying a cooling gas flow are provided. The cooling system has a turbine case and a turbine case cooling manifold. The cooling system also has a fluid or cooling conduit. The cooling conduit has an inlet in fluid communication with the bypass duct, and an outlet in fluid communication with the cooling manifold. The cooling conduit also has an ejector section which in use supplies a motive air flow radially into the cooling conduit to draw a bypass air flow from the bypass duct. The motive air flow mixes with the bypass air flow to form the cooling gas flow. The cooling conduit also has a diffuser section which in use conveys the cooling gas flow toward the outlet in a direction substantially perpendicular to the center axis of the gas turbine engine.

Abstract: An integrally bladed fan (IBF) rotor of a gas turbine engine. The IBF rotor includes a hub and a plurality of fan blades extending radially outwardly from the hub and integral therewith. The hub has a fan attachment flange disposed at an end of the hub on a trailing edge side thereof for mounting a booster rotor to a trailing edge side of the fan. The fan attachment flange is disposed at a radial distance from a longitudinal center axis of the integrally bladed fan rotor. The hub has an outer hub surface disposed radially inward from the radial distance of the fan attachment flange.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine recuperator recuperator including exhaust passages providing fluid flow communication between an exhaust inlet and an exhaust outlet, the exhaust inlet being oriented to receive exhaust flow from a turbine of the engine and the exhaust outlet being oriented to deliver the exhaust flow to atmosphere, the exhaust passages having an arcuate profile in a plane perpendicular to a central axis of the recuperator to reduce a swirl of the exhaust flow. Air passages are in heat exchange relationship with the exhaust passages and providing fluid flow communication between an air inlet and an air outlet, design to sealingly respective plenum of the gas turbine engine.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a recuperator segment uses metal tubes deformed into air cells in a waved configuration. The air cells are stacked one to another to form a double skinned recuperator segment providing cold air passages through the respective air cells and hot gas passages through spaces between adjacent air cells.

Abstract: A method for providing an anti-icing airflow, including extracting a compressed airflow from a core flow path of an engine, heating the compressed airflow, mixing the heated compressed airflow with air extracted from a bypass flow path to create the anti-icing airflow having a higher temperature and pressure than that of the air extracted from the bypass flow path, and circulating the anti-icing airflow away from the bypass flow path. Also, an assembly located at least in part inside a turbofan engine and including a heat exchanger, a flow mixing device having a first inlet in the bypass flow path, a second inlet and an outlet, a first conduit providing fluid communication between the heat exchanger and a compressed air portion of the core flow path, a second conduit providing fluid communication between the heat exchanger and the second inlet, and a third conduit in fluid communication with the outlet.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a recuperator disposed in the exhaust duct of a gas turbine engine includes forming a first leading recess adjacent a leading edge of a first thermally conductive sheet and forming a second leading recess adjacent a leading edge of a second thermally conductive sheet, the first and second thermally conductive sheets forming components of a recuperator plate. The first leading recess of the first thermally conductive sheet is mated with the second leading recess of the second thermally conductive sheet, and then the first and second leading edges are joined thereby forming a recuperator plate. The first and second leading recesses form a trough extending along a leading edge of the recuperator plate in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the recuperator plate.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine with a rear mount assembly including link rods interconnecting the bypass duct wall and the core portion and connecting assemblies connected to the bypass duct wall. Each connecting assembly has inner and outer surfaces bordering an opening through which an outer end of a respective link rod extends. The outer surface is accessible from outside the bypass duct wall. A first locking member is engaged to the outer end in a first locked position, and includes an abutment portion located radially inwardly of the inner surface and abutting the inner surface, and an outer portion protruding radially outwardly through the opening beyond the outer surface. A second locking member is engaged the outer end in a second locked position, and has an abutment portion located radially outwardly of the outer surface and abutting the outer surface. A method of supporting a core portion is also discussed.

Abstract: A method of fabricating an inlet assembly for a gas turbine engine, the method including defining an intake duct of the inlet assembly between first and second space apart inlet case portions, locating at least one strut across the intake duct, each strut having a proximal end made integral to the first inlet case portion and an opposed distal end engaged in a respective strut-receiving aperture defined through the second inlet case portion, while maintaining the distal end of each strut in the respective strut-receiving aperture, adjusting the relative position of the first inlet case portion and the second inlet case portion until a predetermined throat dimension of the intake duct is obtained, and locking the adjusted relative position by attaching the second inlet case portion to each strut. An inlet assembly and gas turbine engine with inlet assembly as also disclosed.