Abstract: A gas turbine engine including a temperature sensor assembly that continuously monitors an operating temperature within a multi-stage rotor assembly of the turbine engine is described. A plurality of cavities are defined within the multi-stage rotor assembly. The temperature sensor assembly includes a plurality of temperature sensor assemblies that monitor the temperature within each of the rotor assembly cavities. Each temperature sensor assembly includes a plurality of support guide tubes attached to the engine and extending from an outer casing of the engine to each cavity. A temperature sensor is inserted through the guide tubes and positioned within each cavity.

Abstract: A method is provided for operating a gas turbine engine that includes a high pressure compressor and a water injection apparatus for injecting water into a flow of the engine upstream from the high pressure compressor. The method includes the steps of operating the engine without injecting water into the gas flow of the engine, injecting water at a first flow rate into the gas flow for power augmentation once engine full power is about reached, and injecting water into the engine at an increased second flow rate for evaporative cooling of engine components downstream from the high pressure compressor.

Abstract: An air bleed assembly for extracting air from a flowpath in a gas turbine engine includes a casing for surrounding a row of circumferentially spaced apart rotor blades and defining at least in part the flowpath for receiving air compressed by the rotor blades. The casing includes a bleed port disposed downstream of a row of the blades for receiving a portion of the compressed air as bleed airflow and a bleed duct extending away from the bleed port. The bleed duct has an annular slot in the casing. The annular slot has annular slot leading and trailing edges and an annular bifurcated splitter disposed along at least a portion of the annular slot trailing edge. The bifurcated splitter has an annular leading edge forebody located upstream of and separated from an annular splitter wall by an annular return channel. In one embodiment of the invention, the rotor blades are fan blades and the annular bleed space is in the flowpath in a fan section of the engine.

Abstract: A method is provided for operating a gas turbine engine that includes a high pressure compressor and a water injection apparatus for injecting water into a flow of the engine upstream from the high pressure compressor. The method includes the steps of operating the engine without injecting water into the gas flow of the engine, injecting water at a first flow rate into the gas flow for power augmentation once engine full power is about reached, and injecting water into the engine at an increased second flow rate for evaporative cooling of engine components downstream from the high pressure compressor.

Abstract: An apparatus and method including a closed-circuit coolable airfoil assembly for use and exposure in a hot fluid flow of a machine portion. The assembly includes a first flange configured to be connected with a casing of the machine portion. A second flange is configured to be connected with the casing. An airfoil is connected with and between the first flange and the second flange, the airfoil including a peripheral portion surrounding a medial portion. At least one channel is disposed in the peripheral portion, the channel extending between the first flange and the second flange and being in flow communication with each. A closed flow path is formed from the casing and through the first flange, the second flange and the channel in which a coolant fluid can pass to cool the airfoil assembly.

Abstract: Hard tooling for consolidation of a workpiece there between is preserved for reuse by disposing between the tooling and a workpiece a plurality of distinct, superimposed sacrificial sheets, for example metal foils, to isolate the workpiece from the tooling. The sacrificial sheets are substantially non-adherent one to another; and a sheet in contact with a workpiece surface is substantially chemically non-reactive with such workpiece surface.

Abstract: A coolable airfoil for use in gas turbine engine component such as a turbine blade or vane is provided with a radially extending airfoil having an outer wall surrounding at least one radially extending cavity and extending chordwise through at least a portion of the airfoil. The outer wall has ribs disposed on an inner surface of the outer wall and cooling passages formed between the outer wall and an insert disposed in the cavity against and in abutting sealing relationship with the ribs, wherein the outer wall is formed from two radially and chordwise extending sections, preferably suction and pressure side sections, bonded together while the insert was disposed inside the cavity. The insert provides an inner wall surrounding a hollow chamber generally conforming to the cavity the insert is disposed in and the insert includes a spring to force the inner wall out against the ribs during the bonding process.

Abstract: An impinqement cooled airfoil is fabricated by diffusion bonding a pair of airfoil half-sections together using an insert which is prefabricated from diffusion bonding foil. The insert is perforated so as to act as an impingement baffle. Axially-extending ribs may be formed on the internal walls of the airfoil half-sections or on the insert to support and accurately space the insert member from the internal walls so as to optimize impingement cooling.

Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the clearance between the tips of a row of rotor blades and an array of surrounding shroud segments in a gas turbine engine. A torque tube is rotatably mounted on the engine casing and has a cam positioned inside the casing. First and second members are positioned inside the casing so as to be only axially moveable and so as to have their cam-engaging surfaces axially surround the cam, and they are biased such that the cam-engaging surfaces engage the cam. A shroud hanger, to which a shroud segment may be attached, includes axially spaced apart hooked flanges positioned to be engaged by hooked flanges of the first and second members. The flanges have axially inclined slide surfaces for such engagement, and the shroud hanger is biased radially inward to engage such slide surfaces. Clearance is controlled by rotation of the torque tube which axially moves the first and second members which radially moves the shroud segment.

Abstract: Cooling passages are accurately formed along the faying surfaces of a pair of diffusion bonded members such as a pair of half sections used to fabricate an airfoil. A particularly advantageous application of the invention is the photoetching of cooling air grooves into the opposed surfaces of a diffusion bonding foil used to form a diffusion bond between the faying surfaces of a trailing edge portion of a turbine blade or turbine vane. Such grooves may be made extremely small and in high numbers to promote efficient cooling of the trailing edge portions of these airfoils.