Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes divergent mixing cones disposed substantially within the combustion chamber proper to provide a flow restriction which separates the combustion chamber into primary and secondary combustion zones. Placement of the mixing cones within the chamber enhances vaporization of the fuel and permits combustion to take place in the primary zone at flame temperatures below the stoichiometric temperature thereby reducing formation of nitrous oxides. The mixing cones have external cooling shrouds to prevent autoignition, and the mixing cones for the primary zone provide tangential swirl of the vaporized fuel/air charge in a direction opposite that of the secondary mixing cones. The mixing cones together with an associate fuel nozzle sub-assembly form an integrated unit separable from the combustor for calibration and setting of the fuel/air ratio.

Abstract: A low cost, low fuel consumption, twin-spool turbine engine with external power take-off essentially exclusively from the high pressure (H.P.) spool uses a radial in-flow turbine and a centrifugal compressor in the H.P. spool and a flow-optimized L.P. spool to achieve pressure ratios above 12/1 for simple cycle engines. Intercooled and recuperated versions are included. The turbine engine according to this invention is ideally suited for applications up to about 1000 KW and will provide some 20% less fuel consumption in this power range compared with conventional designs.

Abstract: A combustor for a gas turbine engine includes divergent mixing cones disposed within the combustion chamber proper to provide a flow restriction which separates the combustion chamber into primary and secondary combustion zones. Placement of the mixing cones within the chamber enhances vaporization of the fuel and permits combustion to take place in the primary zone at flame temperature below the stoichiometric temperature thereby reducing formation of nitrous oxides.

Abstract: A movable spike, variable entrance geometry annular pipe-type diffuser has, for prevention and suppression of flow-induced vibrations, a gear assembly for imparting rotational motion about the axis of a rod member supporting the spike in the diffuser channel, and damper guides fixed to the spike and cooperating with guide slots in the diffuser housing for opposing the rotational motion to create a biasing torque between the spike and housing to increase rigidity and damping.

Abstract: An inlet guide vane apparatus for the adjustable insertion and retraction of a guide vane into the inlet passage of a compressor and the adjustable varying of the flow direction of the fluid downstream of the vane body by varying the angle of attack of the vane body includes a longitudinal vane body protruding part way across the inlet passage of the compressor through an aperture in the inlet shroud, and a winglet attached to the end of the vane body extending inboard the compressor inlet shroud. The degree of insertion of the vane body into the passage may be controlled by a pneumatically actuated slidable plunger attached to the vane body and responsive to the compressor discharge pressure. The angle of attack of the vane body may be controlled by a rotatable plunger cylinder having a longitudinally extending groove engaging a pin radially extending from a lateral portion of the body of the plunger.

Abstract: Aerodynamically tapered spike is positioned for controlled axial movement in the conical portion of a composite gas turbine engine diffuser controlling engine air mass flow rate by adjusting diffuser area ratio. Also, a straight pipe transition diffuser portion is positioned between the conical portion and a flat plate diffuser portion to flatten the velocity profile.

Abstract: A composite diffuser for a radial compressor has a straight pipe transition portion positioned between a conically diverging upstream portion and a downstream flat plate diffuser portion to flatten the velocity profile prior to entrance into the plate diffuser portion.

Abstract: The improved dual-entry radial compressor rotor of the present invention has two sets of alternating full length and partial length blades on a symmetrical hub, with the partial length blades on one hub side terminating at the rotor high velocity exit coincident with the full length blades on the other hub side, to smooth the gas velocity profile in the tangential direction. Aerodynamically shaped sawtooth-profiled reliefs are provided in the hub radial portion between the blade tips to allow induced pressure differentials between the flow paths to smooth the axial velocity profile.

Abstract: Two sets of guide vanes are positioned in the combustion air flow path in the inlet duct of a rotary compressor of a gas turbine engine for controllably varying the air mass flow rate according to turbine load conditions. The upstream set which provides a fixed, initial degree of swirl relative to compressor rotational direction and axis and the controllably moveable downstream set which provides a final degree of swirl cooperate to provide controllable swirl over the range of about 0.degree. to 32.degree. in the inlet air incident upon the turbine blades. The two guide vane sets are separated by a distance sufficient to allow turbulence induced by the first set to fully decay before the second set is encountered.

Abstract: Two sets of guide vanes are positioned in the combustion air flow path in the inlet duct of a rotary compressor of a gas turbine engine for controllably varying the air mass flow rate according to turbine load conditions. The upstream set which provides a fixed, initial degree of swirl relative to compressor rotational direction and axis and the controllably moveable downstream set which provides a final degree of swirl cooperate to provide controllable swirl over the range of about 0.degree. to 32.degree. in the inlet air incident upon the turbine blades. The two guide vane sets are separated by a distance sufficient to allow turbulence induced by the first set to fully decay before the second set is encountered.