Abstract: A gas turbine engine fuel heat shield configured to shield fuel from high temperatures of surrounding turbine components to prevent coking of the fuel is disclosed. The gas turbine engine fuel heat shield may be formed from a generally elongated member having a first collar at a first end and a second collar at a second end opposite to the first end. One or more recesses may be positioned in an outer surface of the generally elongated member between the first and second collars. A sleeve is positioned around the generally elongated member and radially outward of the recess to form one or more sealed chambers. The sleeve may be sealed to prevent fuel from entering the recess and coking. Such design, therefore, prevents the formation of carbon particles from the fuel that could clog the fuel injectors.

Abstract: An igniter assembly (10) of a gas turbine (12) is presented, including an igniter (14) disposed within an igniter housing (16). The igniter is extendable from the igniter housing through an opening (18) in a combustion liner (19) to an extended position, and is retractable from the extended position back through the opening to a retracted position (22). The igniter assembly further includes a compressible assembly (24) disposed between a base (26) of the igniter housing and the combustion liner to form a sealed interface (15) with a perimeter (28) of the opening (18). The compressible assembly is configured to restrict an air flow from passing between the igniter housing base and the perimeter of the opening. The compressible assembly is variable in length to accommodate a respective variation in a separation between the igniter housing base (26) and the opening (18).

Abstract: A hot gas path system for a gas turbine including a stepped inlet ring at an intersection between a downstream end of a combustor basket and an upstream end of a transition is disclosed. The heat shield may be positioned downstream from a combustor basket and proximate to an intersection between the collar and the axially extending cylindrical wall. The stepped inlet ring may be coupled to the transition section and may extend upstream from the transition section. An upstream end of the stepped inlet ring may be positioned radially outward from the combustor basket such that at least a portion of the stepped inlet ring overlaps a portion of the combustor basket. A spring clip may be positioned between the combustor basket and the stepped inlet ring such that the spring clip seals at least a portion of a gap between the combustor basket and the stepped inlet ring.

Abstract: A fuel delivery system for a turbine engine includes a fluid supply conduit. The conduit has an inner peripheral surface that defines a flow supply passage. A fuel strainer is received in the conduit. The strainer has a hollow, generally frusto-conical body with an outer peripheral surface. The strainer has a longitudinal axis. A plurality of holes extends through the body substantially radially to the longitudinal axis. The holes have an associated effective flow area. The outer peripheral surface of the body is radially spaced from the inner peripheral surface of the conduit along the length of the strainer such that a flow area is defined between the outer peripheral surface of the strainer body and the inner peripheral surface of the fluid supply conduit. The flow area is equal to or greater than the effective flow area of the strainer holes along the length of the strainer.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine fuel heat shield configured to shield fuel from high temperatures of surrounding turbine components to prevent coking of the fuel is disclosed. The gas turbine engine fuel heat shield may be formed from a generally elongated member having a first collar at a first end and a second collar at a second end opposite to the first end. One or more recesses may be positioned in an outer surface of the generally elongated member between the first and second collars. A sleeve is positioned around the generally elongated member and radially outward of the recess to form one or more sealed chambers. The sleeve may be sealed to prevent fuel from entering the recess and coking. Such design, therefore, prevents the formation of carbon particles from the fuel that could clog the fuel injectors.

Abstract: A support for the first row turbine vanes (12) in a gas turbine engine, the support including a support framework (18). The support framework (18) includes an outer vane carrier (34), and an inner vane carrier (36) connected to the outer vane carrier (34) by a plurality of struts (44, 46). The outer vane carrier (34) is mounted to an inner casing (16) of the engine and the struts (44, 46) support the inner vane carrier (36) in cantilevered relation to the outer vane carrier (34). An aft outer flange (94) of each first row vane (12) is supported on the outer vane carrier (34) and a forward inner flange (114) of the vane (12) is support on the inner vane carrier (36).

Abstract: A gas turbine combustor for producing hot gas by burning a fuel in compressed air comprising a combustor central axis and multiple main swirlers with respective swirler axes disposed about and parallel to the combustor central axis, each main swirler delivering an air fuel mixture flowing through it and about its swirler axis, wherein each swirler imparts rotation to the air fuel mixture flowing through it in a direction opposite that of adjacent swirlers. This combustor configuration reduces shear where the outer edges of adjacent flows meet, allowing for greater tuning of the combustion chamber and reduced NOx and CO emissions.

Abstract: A combustor assembly in a gas turbine engine is provided. The combustor assembly may comprise a combustor device coupled to a main casing, a transition duct and a flow conditioner. The combustor device may comprise a liner having inlet and outlet portions and a burner assembly positioned adjacent to the liner inlet. The transition duct may comprise a conduit having inlet and outlet sections. The inlet section may be associated with the liner outlet portion. The flow conditioner may be associated with the main casing and the transition duct conduit for supporting the conduit inlet section.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling delivery of fuel to a dual stage nozzle in the combustor of a gas turbine. A liquid fuel is conveyed from a single stage fuel supply through a plurality of primary fuel supply lines to a first nozzle stage including a plurality of primary nozzles. A predetermined operating condition of the gas turbine is identified and a signal is produced in response to the identified operating condition. The signal effects actuation of valves located on secondary fuel supply lines extending from each of the primary fuel supply lines to supply fuel to respective secondary nozzles.

Abstract: A fuel modulation system usable in can-annular combustor systems of turbine engines for more efficiently managing fuel flow to reduce the amount of NOx while maintaining appropriate combustor flame temperatures. The fuel modulation system controls individual inline modulation valves in cooperation with a overall stage control valve to bring a turbine engine through the startup phase and to maintain operating conditions at a load set point while reducing NOx variability between baskets by using individual combustor dynamic pressure measurements. The fuel modulation system may be managed such that individual inline modulation valves remain within a predetermined range of positions relative to a nominal position to reduce NOx variability.

Abstract: A fuel injector assembly for use in a turbine engine having a combustion section and a turbine section downstream from the combustion section. The fuel injector assembly includes a flow sleeve defining a pre-mixing passage of the combustion section and including a sleeve wall having a forward end proximate to a cover plate of the combustion section and an opposed aft end. An annular cavity in fluid communication with a source of fuel is formed in the sleeve wall adjacent the aft end. A fuel dispensing structure is associated with the cavity and includes at least one fuel distribution aperture for distributing fuel from the cavity to the pre-mixing passage.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling combustion in a gas turbine combustor (18) includes adjusting an amount of a premix fuel portion (30) of a pilot fuel (28) provided to a premix burner stage (48) of a pilot (46) of the gas turbine combustor. The amount of the premix fuel portion is adjusted from a preset premix fuel portion amount to an adjusted premix fuel portion amount to achieve a desired first operating condition of the combustor. An amount of a diffusion fuel portion (34) of the pilot fuel provided to a diffusion burner stage (50) of the pilot is then adjusted from a preset diffusion fuel portion amount to an adjusted diffusion fuel portion amount to achieve a desired second operating condition of the combustor.

Abstract: A portable tester includes a housing sized to be handheld and adapted to enclose a processor and a non-volatile memory, a communication port adapted to couple a link with a set-top box and a communications port adapted to couple a link with an external computer, and an input/output (I/O) device, non-volatile memory comprising a test initiation application that sends test initiation commands through the communication port over the link to a testing application residing in the multimedia device, non-volatile memory receiving data generated by execution of the testing application and storing the data in non-volatile memory, non-volatile memory further comprising a data download application that sends the stored data through the communication port over the link to the external computer.

Abstract: A gas turbine component (20) with a layer of ceramic material (22) defining a wear surface (21), in which an array of cross-shaped depressions (26A, 26B) formed in the wear surface (21) define a continuous labyrinth of orthogonal walls (28, 30) of the ceramic material, and reduce the area of the wear surface (21) by about 50%. Within a representative area (36) of the wear surface (21), the depressions (26A, 26B) provide a ratio of a lineal sum of depression perimeters (27) divided by the representative area (36) of the wear surface of least 0.9 per unit of measurement for improved abradability characteristics of the wear surface (21).

Abstract: A combustor-to-transition seal (301) includes a spring clip assembly (322, 422, 522) and a first spring metal ring (340, 441) or a ring assembly (440,540) that includes the first spring metal ring (441) and a second spring metal ring (442). Such combustor-to-transition seal (301) provides a first seal (321) and a second seal (331, 531) when at a junction of a combustor (108, 308, 508) and a transition (114, 314, 514). In an embodiment, the first spring metal ring (340) has a plurality of apertures (342) through the ring (340) that provide effusion cooling of the ring (340). The plurality of apertures (342) regulates a flow of cooling fluid to maintain an acceptable temperature of the ring (340). In an alternative embodiment, the second spring metal ring (442) has grooves (446) that regulate a flow of cooling fluid to maintain an acceptable temperature of the ring assembly (440).

Abstract: A fuel modulation system usable in can-annular combustor systems of turbine engines for more efficiently managing fuel flow to reduce the amount of NOx while maintaining appropriate combustor flame temperatures. The fuel modulation system controls individual inline modulation valves in cooperation with a overall stage control valve to bring a turbine engine through the startup phase and to maintain operating conditions at a load set point while reducing NOx variability between baskets by using individual combustor dynamic pressure measurements. The fuel modulation system may be managed such that individual inline modulation valves remain within a predetermined range of positions relative to a nominal position to reduce NOx variability.

Abstract: A support for the first row turbine vanes (12) in a gas turbine engine, the support including a support framework (18). The support framework (18) includes an outer vane carrier (34), and an inner vane carrier (36) connected to the outer vane carrier (34) by a plurality of struts (44, 46). The outer vane carrier (34) is mounted to an inner casing (16) of the engine and the struts (44, 46) support the inner vane carrier (36) in cantilevered relation to the outer vane carrier (34). An aft outer flange (94) of each first row vane (12) is supported on the outer vane carrier (34) and a forward inner flange (114) of the vane (12) is support on the inner vane carrier (36).

Abstract: Aspects of the invention relate to a system for attaching a ceramic liner to a non-ceramic combustor head-end component while accommodating different rates of thermal expansion of these components. One end of the liner can be received within a slot formed by the combustor head-end component. The liner can be held in place by a plurality of pins with each pin passing through a pair of aligned openings in the liner and the head-end component. The end of the liner can be spaced from each of the walls of the slot so as to form a series of gaps in fluid communication. The gaps and the pins can accommodate differential thermal expansion between the liner and combustor head-end component. If desired, at least some of the gaps can be tightly controlled so as to regulate air leakage around the end of the liner.

Abstract: An annular recuperator for use with an annular combustor. The annular recuperator includes a frame and an enclosure provided about its frame that defines a recuperator chamber. A plurality of involute shaped sealed and open recuperators are received in the recuperator chamber.

Abstract: A dual circuit pilot burner fuel delivery arrangement (60) for a gas turbine engine combustor (18). A first fuel delivery circuit (64) delivers a gaseous fuel from a fuel supply (62) to a first diffusion outlet orifice (74). A second fuel delivery circuit (78) connects a second diffusion outlet orifice (82) to the first fuel delivery circuit through a pressure-regulated valve (86). Fuel is delivered to the second diffusion outlet orifice only when the fuel pressure in the first fuel delivery circuit is above a predetermined fuel pressure. At low fuel flow rates, the valve to the second fuel delivery circuit is closed, thereby generating a relatively high nozzle pressure drop across the first diffusion outlet orifice. This relatively high pressure drop makes the system less susceptible to acoustic instabilities that may otherwise result from feedback between the combustion dynamics and the fuel system.