Abstract: The turbine engine may be started without the use of start injectors by a method including the steps of initiating rotation of a compressor and turbine wheel by applying an external angular accelerating force thereto, introducing fuel through a minority of the fuel injectors employed at about 5-10% of rated engine speed while continuing the application of the accelerating force, introducing fuel through the remainder of the injectors after ignition of the fuel introduced by the prior step and when the engine reaches 15-25% of rated speed while maintaining injection through the minority of injectors, and thereafter modulating fuel flow through all of the injectors to operate the engine in a desired fashion. Also disclosed is a turbine engine practicing the foregoing method.

Abstract: Laminar flow tubes of uniform inner diameter and length are individually incorporated in each of plural fuel lines leading from a distributor to the various fuel injectors in a gas turbine combustor to provide generally uniform fuel distribution over a wide range of fuel flow rates, thus eliminating the need for a variable fuel metering valve in each fuel line.

Abstract: A dual manifold fuel supply system for the combustor of gas generator in a turbofan engine wherein alternating circumferentially aligned fuel injectors are alternately supplied with fuel by a first or second fuel manifold. Fuel flow to both manifolds are controlled by a fuel control, preferably a full authority digital electronic control, and the second manifold has an off valve interposed between it and the fuel control.

Abstract: Manifold head effects at low fuel flows in a fuel injected air breathing turbine are minimized by utilizing fuel injectors having fuel injecting tubes 66 with open ends 70 for fuel injection and provided with elongated capillary tubes 99 upstream thereof and connected to receive fuel from a fuel manifold 48.

Abstract: A fuel gas injector for a gas turbine engine employs a plurality of closely spaced parallel venturi tubes disposed in a pair of spaced-apart header plates. The venturi tubes are brazed to the header plates and the perimeters of the header plates are sealed to form a plenum into which pressurized gaseous fuel is supplied. Orifices lead from the plenum to throats of the venturi tubes thereby injecting the gaseous fuel at right angles into the high-velocity air stream existing at the throats of the venturi tubes. High shear is imposed on the injected fuel for providing complete mixing with the air. The high air velocity in the throats of the venturi tubes avoids flashback and flameholding. The combined flow from the plurality of venturi tubes mixes downstream thereof to provide a uniform velocity and fuel-air mixture across the flow field. This flow field is suitable for use in a catalyst bed which may be disposed downstream of the venturi tubes.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine combustor has a plurality of circumferentially fuel injectors. Two lower nozzles are pilot nozzles and are of the fuel pressure atomized type, and the majority of nozzles are of the air atomized type. A pressurizing valve maintains high fuel pressure to the pilot nozzles at all operating conditions. The fuel/air ratio for the pilot nozzles is optimized facilitating start up and increased stability during transient conditions.

Abstract: An optical sensor (40) located in the manifold area (20) of an augmentor senses the presence of liquid. The engine control provides a high fuel flow rate from remotely located augmentor fuel control (58) until liquid is sensed. Flow is then reduced to the desired metered rate.

Abstract: The expense of fabricating an annular combustor for use with a small diameter gas turbine engine is minimized in a construction including a bell-shaped housing 52, an axially extending sleeve 66 within the housing 52, an annular liner 74 within the housing 52 and about the sleeve 66 and including inner, outer and radial walls 80, 76, 78, respectively, spaced from the sleeve 66 and the housing 52 and all being formed of sheet metal. A circular fuel manifold 108 with angularly spaced fuel dispensing openings 122 is disposed between the housing 52 and the outer wall 76 and a plurality of open ended, elongated tubes 112 extend through the outer wall 76 and are in fluid communication with respective openings 122 in the fuel manifold 108 to introduce air and fuel generally tangentially into the liner 74.

Abstract: The fuel distributing and metering assembly provides separate multiple metered fuel flows from a common fuel reservoir by including a rotary valve having multiple valve metering slots for generating separate multiple fuel flows, a valve seat having multiple seat orifices relative to which the valve metering slots are moved for metering the multiple fuel flows, and multiple fuel discharge paths for conducting multiple fuel flows to each of a plurality of fuel injection devices. Each fuel discharge path to each fuel injection device includes multiple upstream transversely spaced discharge passages and multiple downstream discharge passages nested longitudinally one inside the other with the inner downstream discharge passage aligned beneath its associated upstream discharge passage and another downstream discharge passage therearound being transversely displaced relative to its associated upstream discharge passage.

Abstract: A fuel system for a gas turbine engine is arranged to schedule fuel flow between primary and secondary fuel injectors in order to obtain good ignition and light round when the engine is operating on diesel fuel. The system includes either two solenoid valves in parallel with flow restrictors or a single solenoid operated valve and two flow restrictors. The two valves or the diverter valve schedule the fuel flow so that at engine start up, the flow to the primary and secondary fuel injectors is according to requirement proportioned. At a certain engine speed the flow to the secondary fuel injectors is reduced to purge flow and the major part of the fuel flow passes to the primary fuel injectors.

Abstract: A manifold is provided surrounding the casing of a combustion chamber for a gas turbine engine, and the manifold is mounted in spaced aligned segments with couplings between the segments. Each coupling includes a removable tube connector extending between passageways forming the fuel line in the manifold. The tube connector is provided with a radial collar thereon, and a sleeve which is adapted to enclose the space between ends of respective manifold segments is also provided with a mating collar adapted to receive the radial collar on the tube connector. The sleeve is retractable over the ends of the manifold segments, and movement of the sleeve in one direction or the other will also move the tube connector by virtue of the interlocking collars. The manifold segments are provided with a second passageway for draining leaked fuel. The space defined by the sleeve is sealed, and fuel can communicate through to the second passageway for drainage outboard of the engine.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine fuel distribution system includes a fuel distribution valve having a single fuel inlet and a plurality of fuel discharge ports, each of which are connected by an individual fuel manifold to the inlet of an engine fuel injector. The distribution valve has identical fuel metering holes for distributing meter fuel flow to each manifold and injector and an adjustable flow control plug located downstream of the fuel metering holes is accessible during fuel flow through the system to adjust for system inequalities to balance the system during its operation.

Abstract: A segmented, zoned fuel injection system for use within the entrance area of a combustor. The fuel injection system has a plurality of spray bars formed as part of closely-spaced apart segments. The spray bars are zoned to permit additional control of profile and flow rate of fuel injected into the combustor. This design permits radial profile control within the combustor, maintains higher efficiency at low fuel flows and easy replacement and/or maintenance of the components thereof.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided with an improved fuel system that features a fuel manifold with a primary and secondary fuel flowpath circumventing a combustor section of the engine. The manifold is formed with a double-walled construction for the purpose of withstanding high temperatures or fires around the combustor section and, additionally, to provide a secondary flowpath for draining any fuel leakage from the manifold. The two walls of the manifold include an inner wall that encloses the primary fuel flowpath through the fuel system. A concentric outer wall encloses the inner wall and protects the primary fuel flowpath. The double-walled system is made possible with a unique manifold assembly utilizing double-walled manifold segments that interconnect fuel flowpaths through fuel injector base sections. When assembled, these parts connect together to form an integral double-walled fuel manifold assembly.

Abstract: A device for priming an empty or partially full burner manifold of a gas turbine engine with fuel before it is required to supply from the burner manifold to the associated burners comprises a fuel accumulator and a control valve.A fuel pressure signal supplied to the control valve terminates the supply of relatively high pressure fuel to the fuel accumulator via the control valve. A metered quantity of fuel is supplied via the control valve to the burner manifold from the fuel accumulator by the motive force of a spring acting on a piston in the accumulator. The metered quantity of fuel is supplied via the control valve to the burner manifold, to fill the burner manifold and to prevent undesireable drops in the quantity of fuel being supplied to other manifolds when the regulated fuel is supplied to the burner manifold.

Abstract: A split type fuel manifold for gas turbine engines which includes a simple check valve rather than the heretofore used individual valves or complex central valve for uniformly distributing fuel to an array of liquid fuel injectors supplied by the manifold.

Abstract: A low profile fuel injection system for a thrust augmenter to a gas turbine engine, for example, a turbofan engine, comprising fuel manifolds secured with the outer surface of the augmenter casing and arranged to receive fuel under pressure from a fuel source, fuel-connecting members containing flow channels and secured with the inner surface of the casing, injector valve heads containing fuel metering means and spaced circumferentially on the outer surface of the casing, and injector tubes having spray orifices and extending from the injector valve heads into the flow ducts within the casing. The elements are in communication with each other such that fuel from the fuel source is injected from the injector tubes into the gas flow within the augmenter to achieve additional engine thrust.

Abstract: The invention concerns a fuel distribution device in a high velocity gase flow. The device consists of two coaxial, toric injection manifolds placed in close proximity with respect to each other, pierced by small diameter uniformly distributed orifices and arranged to introduce fuel into the flow. The orifices in the manifold located downstream with respect to the direction of the flow of gases, are arranged on the face turned upstream of the manifold, in a circular row coaxial with it.It is the object of the invention to reduce the drag induced in the flow by the devices presently in use, while improving the distribution of the fuel; it finds particularly advantageous applications in the afterburner ducts of gas turbine engines.

Abstract: An improved combustor for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. Techniques for reducing the level of noxious pollutants emitted by the combustor are developed. In one embodiment, a combination of serpentine geometried, fuel-mixing tubes discharging to the radially outward area of the combustor and an axially oriented, fuel-mixing tube near the center of the combustor are adapted to generate a strong centrifugal force field within the combustor. The tube near the center of the combustor has a convergent section at the upstream end thereof and a divergent section at the downstream end thereof. Fuel supply means is adapted to discharge fuel into the convergent section of the tube. Vaporization of the fuel in the tube is aided by maintaining a differential axial velocity over the length of the tube. The force field promotes rapid mixing and combustion within the chamber to reduce both the magnitude of the combustor temperature and the period of exposure of the medium gases to that temperature.

Abstract: A combustion chamber for a gas turbine is provided with a prechamber connected at the input end of the flame tube. The dimensions of the flame tube and prechamber, and the location of the air inlet openings are selected so that the flame in the flame tube flashes back and burns as a stable rich flame in the prechamber when the turbine is in a high-load condition. The result is a variation in the combustion properties of the chamber which reduces pollutant emission levels over a wide range of engine load conditions.