Abstract: An air-cooled gas turbine blade providing improved cooling characteristics is disclosed. The turbine blade includes several internal passages for conveying cooling air therethrough during turbine operation to provide the desired cooling effect. Two distinct passages are provided to cool the airfoil leading and trailing edges, respectively. Two serpentine cooling passages are disposed so as to efficiently cool each side of the airfoil. Disposed in the middle of the airfoil is an additional, distinct passage. The platform is cooled by three serpentine cooling passages. Two of these passages are in outlet fluid communication with the inlet to the middle airfoil passage. As cooling air traverses these two passages, heat is transferred, from the base simultaneously cooling it and warming the air. This warmed air is next directed through the middle airfoil passage, providing a slight warming effect to the center portion of the airfoil.

Abstract: A cast article having a reinforced structural composite core is disclosed. The cast article includes a structural element which is embedded in the otherwise cast metal article. The structural element is comprised of a metal matrix composite structural core. It includes a plurality of reinforcing fibers within a metal matrix. The fibers are generally a non-metallic material such as a ceramic which degrade at a temperature below the melting temperature of the cast metal comprising the article. The metal matrix composite structural core is encased with a sheath. The sheath, attached to and completely surrounding the core, is made of the same metal as the cast metal article. In a preferred embodiment, the article is a titanium alloy strut for a gas turbine engine.

Abstract: A cast article having a reinforced structural composite core is disclosed. The cast article includes a structural element which is embedded in the otherwise cast metal article. The structural element is comprised of a metal matrix composite structural core. It includes a plurality of reinforcing fibers within a metal matrix. The fibers are generally a non-metallic material such as a ceramic which degrade at a temperature below the melting temperature of the cast metal comprising the article. The metal matrix composite structural core is encased with a sheath. The sheath, attached to and completely surrounding the core, is made of the same metal as the cast metal article. In a preferred embodiment, the article is a titanium alloy strut for a gas turbine engine.

Abstract: A rotor tip bleed air tailoring system in which a rotor blade is located upstream from an outer stator vane and an inner stator vane. The inner stator vane and outer stator vane are separated by a splitter which extends to the tip region of the rotor blade and separates air exiting the rotor blade into regions of distinctly different pressures.

Abstract: An impingement-cooled gas turbine blade includes an impingement baffle which, during engine operation, is subject only to shear loading. A tubular baffle body is provided with a pair of mounting flanges which are bonded between a forward portion of the turbine blade and an aft portion of the turbine blade. The bond extends from the blade dovetail to the blade tip.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustor is provided, having a single wall sheet metal liner which is generally annular in shape which may be corrugated and a multi-hole film cooling means which includes at least one pattern of a great many small closely spaced sharply downstream angled film cooling holes disposed essentially along portion of the liner to be cooled. Another embodiment provided a corrugated aircraft engine afterburner sheet metal liner having at least one pattern of great many small closely spaced sharply downstream angled film cooling holes disposed essentially along the entire surface of the liner.

Abstract: A combustor includes spaced outer and inner liners defining therebetween a combustion zone, and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced tubular domes disposed between forward ends thereof. Each of the domes includes an annular inlet for receiving pilot airflow, a swirler having a tubular ferrule and primary swirl vanes for receiving the pilot airflow, and an outlet disposed in flow communication with the combustion zone. A pilot fuel injector is disposed in each of the domes for injecting pilot fuel into the pilot airflow for generating a pilot fuel/air mixture dischargeable from the dome outlet. A plurality of main fuel spraybars inject main fuel into compressed airflow channeled between the domes and the outer and inner liners for generating a main fuel/air mixture dischargeable concentrically around the pilot fuel/air mixture.

Abstract: A rotor disk for a gas turbine engine includes a central load-bearing web portion and a centrifugal pump portion located externally of the load-bearing web portion for pumping cooling air into an array of turbine blades. The pump portion includes an enlarged material section formed homogeneously with the web portion and extends axially forwardly and radially inwardly from the rim of the disk.

Abstract: A combustion chamber for use in gas turbine engines is provided with a liner formed of a high temperature material. The liner includes a plurality of annular rings of high temperature material mounted by means of flexible mounting arrangement upon a high strength structural frame. As a result of this mounting arrangement, the liner is substantially isolated from structural forces associated with the combustion chamber, while the frame is substantially isolated from thermal stresses associated with the liner. The individual liner rings may be easily removed for repair or replacement without disassembling the frame and associated components. Furthermore, the "decoupling" of thermal and structural stresses provides longer life and more dependable operation.

Abstract: Disclosed are a cooling air modulation apparatus for and method of operation for a gas turbine engine which are effective for increasing engine operating efficiency. According to one embodiment of the invention, the apparatus includes a first inducer means effective for channeling a first portion of cooling air to a rotor component during both first and second modes of operation of the engine. A second inducer means is also provided and is effective for channeling a second portion of the cooling air to the rotor component. Valve means are provided for selectively modulating the amount of cooling air flowing through the second inducer for preventing flow therethrough during the first mode of operation and for allowing unrestricted flow therethrough during the second mode of operation.

Abstract: A sheet metal panel comprising a bent region is disclosed. The region defines a first arc of intersection with a first plane and a second arc of intersection with a second plane. The second arc has a radius of less than twice the thickness of the panel.

Abstract: A method of fabricating sheet metal panels and the article produced thereby. According to one form, the method of fabrication includes the steps of providing a panel of sheet metal, perforating the panel to provide a plurality of holes, forming the panel into a preselected curve about a longitudinal centerline, forming the leading edge portion of the panel into a front flange, forming a shoulder in the panel centered on the holes and extending perpendicularly from a surface thereof, bending an outer portion of the shoulder into a lip, and bonding the portions of the panel comprising the shoulder and lip.

Abstract: Means for axially attaching a variable turbine vane array to a combustor in a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The attachment means are configured so that substantially all of the axial load on the array is transmitted through the walls of the combustor.

Abstract: A method of fabricating sheet metal panels and the article produced thereby. According to one form, the method of fabrication includes the steps of providing a panel of sheet metal, perforating the panel to provide a plurality of holes, forming the panel into a preselected curve about a longitudinal centerline, forming the leading edge portion of the panel into a front flange, forming a shoulder in the panel centered on the holes and extending perpendicularly from a surface thereof, bending an outer portion of the shoulder into a lip, and bonding the portions of the panel comprising the shoulder and lip.

Abstract: A combustion chamber for use in gas turbine engines is provided with a liner formed of a high temperature material. The liner includes a plurality of panels of material mounted by means of a slideable, frictional mounting arrangement upon a high strength structural frame. As a result of this mounting arrangement, the liner is substantially isolated from structural forces associated with the combustion chamber, while the frame is substantially isolated from thermal stresses associated with the liner. Means are provided for positioning and securing individual panel members axially relative to the frame. The panels may be continuous annular bodies, or may be circumferentially segmented. In the latter case, means are provided for mounting individual panels in a slideable, frictional cooperation with laterally adjacent panels, as well as for sealing the abutting junctions. The individual liner panels may be easily removed for repair or replacement without disassembling the frame and associated components.

Abstract: A combustion chamber for use in gas turbine engines is provided with a liner formed of a high temperature material. The liner includes a plurality of panels of the material mounted by means of a lost motion mounting arrangement upon a high strength structural frame. As a result of this mounting arrangement, the liner is substantially isolated from structural forces associated with the combustion chamber, while the frame is substantially isolated from thermal stresses associated with the liner. For the purpose of supplying cooling air to the liner panels and frame and cooling air is passed into a plenum to cool the radially outward side of the panels. Transfer means are provided for directing the same air from the plenum to the liner inner surfaces in a cooling film. The liner mounting arrangement disclosed herein is particularly useful with difficult-to-weld liner materials (e.g., oxide dispersion strengthened materials), but its advantages commend its use with other materials also.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a hollow article, such as a rotor blade, comprising the steps of forming a solid piece of material and establishing a reference datum thereon, cutting the piece into two parts and establishing aligning means for adjacent surfaces of the two parts, separating the two parts and forming at least one cavity in one of the adjacent surfaces, aligning the adjacent surfaces using the aligning means, fastening the two parts together, and forming the external surfaces of the article using the reference datum as a positional reference.