Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130038057 | GAS TURBINE ENGINE APPARATUS - A gas turbine engine arrangement comprises a core engine, a power turbine and a propulsor. The core engine comprises at least one compressor and at least one turbine arranged to drive the at least one compressor and the core engine is arranged in a casing. The power turbine is positioned downstream of the at least one turbine and the power turbine is arranged to drive the propulsor. An electrical machine is arranged upstream of the at least one compressor. The electrical machine comprises a stator and a rotor and the electrical machine comprises a motor/generator. A first clutch selectively connects the rotor of the electrical machine to the power turbine and a second clutch selectively connects the rotor of the electrical machine to the at least one compressor of the core engine. | 02-14-2013 |
20130074588 | POWER PLANT ANALYZER FOR ANALYZING A PLURALITY OF POWER PLANTS - A power plant analyzer for analyzing a plurality of power plants, comprising:
| 03-28-2013 |
20130082518 | SUPERCONDUCTING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - This invention relates to a superconducting electrical network, comprising: an electrical system including a plurality of superconducting electrical equipment; a cryogenic system including one or more refrigeration units for providing coolant to the plurality of superconducting electrical equipment; a controller configured to control the flow of coolant to the plurality of superconducting electrical equipment, wherein the controller is configured to isolate the supply of refrigerant to one or more of the plurality of electrical equipment upon demand and increase the flow of coolant to one or more of the non-isolated plurality of electrical equipment. | 04-04-2013 |
20130083443 | MAGNETIC SHIELD - A magnetic shielding arrangement, including: at least one magnetic flux source; a superconductor magnetic shield at least partially surrounding the magnetic flux source; a second shield at least partially surrounding the superconductor magnetic shield. | 04-04-2013 |
20130084167 | WEAR-RESISTANT COATING AND USE THEREOF - A rotor blade | 04-04-2013 |
20130084170 | GAS TURBINE ENGINE MOUNTING ARRANGEMENTS - A clamp suitable for use in an anti-icing system of a gas turbine engine is provided is disclosed. The clamp has a clasping portion for clasping a heating element. Two resilient arms extend from the clasping portion to a substantially rigid outer collar. Translational movement of the clasping portion, which may be created by radial expansion of an annular heating element being clasped thereby, can be accommodated by the clamp by elastic deformation of the resilient arms. This allows radial expansion of the heating element to be accommodated without relative rotation between the clasping portion and the heating element. | 04-04-2013 |
20130085069 | SUPERCONDUCTING SWITCH - This invention is a high voltage superconductor switch comprising: a length of superconductor having a switching portion located within an air gap; a magnetic circuit including at least one flux guide having ferrite pole pieces defining an air gap in which a switching portion of a superconductor can reside in use and at least one primary magnetic flux source located within the circuit so as to provide a quenching magnetic field across the air gap via the ferrite pole pieces. | 04-04-2013 |
20130086909 | OIL COOLING SYSTEM - A system for cooling one or more circulating flows of oil, the system including: one or more fuel-oil heat exchangers, the fuel-oil heat exchangers using fuel for an engine to cool at least one of one or more circulating flows of oil; and a fuel return line in flow communication with a point downstream of the fuel-oil heat exchangers and a point upstream of the fuel-oil heat exchangers, wherein the fuel return line is arranged so that at least a portion of the fuel exiting the fuel-oil heat exchangers may be diverted to the point upstream of the fuel-oil heat exchangers. Furthermore, a system for cooling a circulating flow of oil may include one or more fuel-oil heat exchangers and one or more air-fuel heat exchangers, the fuel-oil heat exchangers using fuel to cool the circulating flow of oil and the air-fuel heat exchangers using air to cool the fuel. | 04-11-2013 |
20130087661 | PROPULSIVE UNIT FOR AN AIRCRAFT - This invention relates to a propulsive unit for an aircraft, comprising: a nacelle which defines a duct for channeling an airflow when in use and which provides an outwardly facing surface of the propulsive unit, the outwardly facing surface having an aerodynamic shape; a fan unit for accelerating the airflow within the duct when in use; wherein the duct has an inlet and an outlet and the nacelle is operable to adjust the either or both of the area of the inlet and outlet whilst substantially retaining the aerodynamic shape of the outwardly facing surface. | 04-11-2013 |
20130089458 | METHOD AND EQUIPMENT FOR SHAPING A CAST COMPONENT - A method for shaping a component cast from a titanium alloy including firstly heating the component to a plastic temperature such that it becomes plastically deformable and subsequently subjecting the component to a deformation process to thereby plastically deform the component to a desired geometric shape. | 04-11-2013 |
20130089702 | METHOD OF PROVIDING THROUGH-THICKNESS REINFORCEMENT OF A LAMINATED MATERIAL - A laminated composite material comprising a polymeric matrix material and plurality of fibre layers is heated to a first pre-determined temperature which is defined as the temperature at which there is a first pre-determined time interval until the matrix material reaches its gel point. The first pre-determined time interval being defined as the time required to insert the required quantity of through-thickness reinforcement fibres into the laminated material. A plurality of holes is formed in the laminated material; each hole being formed by inserting a needle having a conical tip, into the laminated material. A reinforcing element is then inserted into each of a respective one of the plurality of holes. | 04-11-2013 |
20130091703 | LEAF SEAL MANUFACTURING METHOD - A process is provided for manufacturing leaf seals for effecting seals between coaxial, relatively rotating components. Each leaf seal has an annular pack of leaves which are stacked face-to-face, and are mountable to one of the components at respective root portions of the leaves. The annular pack has a pack radius at the wiping contact edges which is matched within tolerance limits to the radius of the sealing surface, The process includes: determining production parameters for the production of a plurality of leaf seals, the parameters being determined such that at least a portion of the produced leaf seals will have pack radii which violate the tolerance limit; producing the leaf seals using the determined production parameters; and modifying the pack radii of the portion of the produced leaf seals which violate the tolerance limit such that the modified pack radii match the sealing surface within the tolerance limits. | 04-18-2013 |
20130091860 | FLUID SEPARATOR - The invention relates to a fluid separator | 04-18-2013 |
20130094963 | DISTRIBUTED PROPULSION SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CONTROL - This invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling power distribution in an electrical aircraft propulsive system having at least one electrical propulsion unit which includes a plurality of rotatable blades, each blade having an adjustable pitch; a pitch adjusting mechanism for adjusting the pitch of the blades; at least one electrical machine electrically connected to the electrical propulsion unit so as to provide electrical power when in use; and, a control system, the method comprising the steps of: determining the required propulsion; determining whether the propulsive units are delivering the required propulsion; and, adjusting the pitch angle of the blades of at least one propulsive unit so as to increase or decrease the propulsion provided by that propulsive unit. | 04-18-2013 |
20130095734 | GRINDING APPARATUS WITH A SLOT NOZZLE - Apparatus for high speed grinding comprises a grinding wheel having a circumferential grinding surface, a machine for mounting and rotating the grinding wheel about the axis, a coolant supply system including a slot nozzle arranged to direct coolant fluid secantly to the grinding surface, the slot nozzle having an exit with an elongate axis and a short axis wherein the elongate axis is tilted relative to the axis of the grinding wheel. | 04-18-2013 |
20130101392 | PROPULSIVE SYSTEM - This invention relates to an aircraft comprising: a first propulsive unit having a first fan with an axis of rotation; and a second propulsive unit local to the first propulsive unit, the second propulsive unit having a second fan with an axis of rotation, wherein the rotational axis of the first fan is proximate to the surface of the aircraft relative to the rotational axis of the second fan such that the first fan ingests boundary layer air when in use. | 04-25-2013 |
20130101434 | SUPPORT RING FOR A ROTARY ASSEMBLY - A support ring for a rotary assembly such as a propeller assembly includes support cups for receiving blade roots of propeller blades. The support cups are interconnected by bridging structures. Each bridging structure includes bridging walls which extend radially from a bridging web. The bridging structures thus have a channel-shaped cross-section. The bridging walls have a scalloped configuration at their radially outer edges. As a result of this configuration, the neutral axes of the bridging structures are straight, so that the support ring behaves, in structural terms, as a polygon. | 04-25-2013 |
20130111872 | ELECTRICAL HARNESSES - An aircraft gas turbine engine has first and second electrical harnesses formed from respective first and second flexible printed circuit boards which each provides a plurality of spaced conductive tracks. The conductive tracks carry signal types which either (i) provide engine control and can cause hazardous engine conditions in the event of their failure, (ii) detect or prevent hazardous conditions of the engine, or (iii) are not of type (i) and/or of type (ii). The first flexible printed circuit board provides all the conductive tracks which carry signals of type (i) or the first flexible printed circuit board provides all the conductive tracks which carry signals of type (ii). The second flexible printed circuit board provides all the remaining conductive tracks. The first electrical harness is fire-resistant for a period of five minutes without any exposure of its conductive tracks so that the conductive tracks can carry their signals. | 05-09-2013 |
20130111922 | FLEXIBLE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD HARNESS - A gas turbine engine installation is provided that has a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) harness to transfer electrical signals, including electrical power, around a gas turbine engine. The FPCB harness is held to the gas turbine engine installation using clips. The clips have a jaw that has two sets of opposing teeth extending from a base, and a mouth through which the FPCB harness is inserted. The teeth point in a direction that has a component from the mouth to the teeth. This means that the force required to insert the FPCB harness into the clip is lower than the force required to pull the FPCB harness out of the clip in the opposite direction. This means that the FPCB harness can be secured in place whilst aiding ease of assembly. | 05-09-2013 |
20130111924 | FLEXIBLE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD HARNESS - A gas turbine engine installation is provided that has a plurality of flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) harnesses to transfer electrical signals, including electrical power, around a gas turbine engine. The plurality of FPCB harnesses is held to the gas turbine engine installation using generally U-shaped clips that have a base from which first and second sidewalls extend. The FPCB harness is held between the tips of base-teeth extending from the base, and side-teeth extending from the first and second sidewalls. In this way, the FPCB harness can be held securely in position by the clip. | 05-09-2013 |
20130112474 | ELECTRICAL HARNESS - A gas turbine engine has an electrical harness formed from a flexible printed circuit board which provides a plurality of spaced conductive tracks. The conductive tracks are grouped into plural layers of tracks, the track layers being spaced apart and extending substantially parallel to each other. The tracks of each track layer form respective circuits which all have impedances lying within a respective range for that track layer. The impedances ranges are non-overlapping. The highest voltage differentials between tracks produced during indirect lightning strikes will thus tend to be between tracks of different track layers rather than between tracks of the same track layer. | 05-09-2013 |
20130114220 | ELECTRICAL HARNESS - An electrical harness is formed from a flexible printed circuit board which provides a plurality of conductive tracks. The harness has one or more harness connectors at respective terminating regions of the flexible printed circuit board for joining the harness to complementary connectors. The or each harness connector includes a back-shell and one or more elongate terminals which are supported at a position within the back-shell such that, in use, when the harness connector joins with a complementary connector, the elongate terminals are presented for electrical connect at first ends thereof with mating terminals of the complementary connector. The or each terminating region of the harness has one or more receiving holes extending to respective conductive tracks of the harness. | 05-09-2013 |
20130114236 | FLEXIBLE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD HARNESS - A gas turbine engine installation is provided that has a plurality of flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) harnesses to transfer electrical signals, including electrical power, around a gas turbine engine. The plurality of FPCB harnesses is held to the gas turbine engine installation using clips that have at least two jaws. Each jaw has two sets of opposing teeth that do not intermesh, and cannot intermesh when pushed together. This allows more than one FPCB harness to be held by one clip without the risk of damaging the FPCB harnesses. Preventing the teeth from intermeshing also allows subsequent FPCB harnesses to be inserted into the clip without undue difficulty even after a first FPCB harness has already been inserted. | 05-09-2013 |
20130115126 | HOT ISOSTATIC PRESSING TOOL AND A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN ARTICLE FROM POWDER MATERIAL BY HOT ISOSTATIC PRESSING - A hot isostatic pressing tool includes a plurality of canister members and the hot isostatic pressing tool including at least one set of adjacent canister members. The plurality of canister members form a chamber to receive a powder material to be hot isostatically pressed. The at least one set of adjacent canister members have interlocking features forming a U-shaped, or a Z-shaped, leakage flow path between the at least one set of adjacent second canister members. The adjacent canister members are welded together to form a joint and the U-shaped, or Z-shaped, leakage flow path reduces the likelihood of failure of the welded joint during hot isostatic pressing. | 05-09-2013 |
20130115127 | HOT ISOSTATIC PRESSING TOOL AND A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN ARTICLE FROM POWDER MATERIAL BY HOT ISOSTATIC PRESSING - A hot isostatic pressing tool comprises a canister and a support structure. The canister forming an annular chamber to receive a powder material to be hot isostatically pressed, the annular chamber having an annular portion having a predetermined radial dimension and at least one annular sub portion at a predetermined axial position having a radial dimension greater than the predetermined radial dimension. The support structure comprising at least one annular member arranged radially within the canister. The at least one annular member is located radially within the at least one annular sub portion of the annular chamber to support the canister at the predetermined axial position. | 05-09-2013 |
20130115788 | ELECTRICAL HARNESS CONNECTOR - A connector is provided for joining two electrical harnesses. Each harness is formed from a flexible printed circuit board which provides a plurality of conductive tracks, and each harness has a substantially planar terminating region at which the conductive tracks of the harness fan out. One or more receiving holes are formed in each terminating region to extend to respective conductive tracks. Each receiving hole extends in a direction substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the respective terminating region. When in use, the connector includes a connection formation between respective terminating regions of the two electrical harnesses. The connector further includes a housing configured to hold the respective terminating regions of the two electrical harnesses in face-to-face relationship with the connection formation. The housing has one or more apertures through which the harnesses can exit the housing as they extend away from their terminating regions. | 05-09-2013 |
20130118915 | SACRIFICIAL ANODE - This invention relates to a sacrificial anode, comprising: a first layer of a first material; and, a second layer of a second material which is electrically connected to the first layer, wherein the first material is more anodic with respect to a galvanic series than the second material. The invention also relates to a body including the sacrificial anode. | 05-16-2013 |
20130119612 | LEAF SEAL - A leaf seal is provided for effecting a seal between two coaxial, relatively rotating components. The leaf seal has a pair of annular packs of stacked leaves. Each pack is mountable to one of the components with its leaves extending towards the other component such that the leaf edges of at least one of the packs are presented for wiping contact with the other component. The packs are axially spaced from each other by a controlled axial clearance. Within each pack the leaves are stacked face-to-face such that neighbouring leaves are separated from each other by interleaf gaps which allow an axial leakage flow through the seal. Further, within each pack the packs are positioned such that, when viewed in the axial direction, the leaves of each pack of the pair substantially obscure the interleaf gaps of the other pack of the pair. The controlled axial clearance is the dominant flow restriction in the seal determining the amount of leakage flow through the seal. | 05-16-2013 |
20130119613 | LEAF SEAL - A leaf seal is provided for effecting a seal between two coaxial, relatively rotating components. The leaf seal has an annular pack of leaves which are stacked face-to-face within the pack, and which are mountable to one of the components at respective root portions of the leaves such that the leaves extend towards the other component and respective edges of the leaves are presented for wiping contact with the other component. The pack includes a plurality of spacers, each spacer separating the root portions of neighbouring leaves to form therebetween interleaf gaps which allow an axial leakage flow through the pack. The spacers are distributed around the pack such that the leaves are divided into blocks of two or more leaves sandwiched at their root portions between nearest-neighbour spacers. | 05-16-2013 |
20130122594 | DETERMINATION OF COMPONENT TEMPERATURE - Determining a temperature experienced by a region of a component comprising the steps of: providing a component with a temperature sensitive detection material in a first state and exhibiting a first chemical characteristic prior to its exposure to a thermal environment; exposing the component to a thermal environment such that the detection material is converted to a different state in which at least one region of the detection material exhibits at least one chemical characteristic different to the first chemical characteristic; identifying at least one region of the component in which the detection material exhibits the at least one chemical characteristic which is different to the first chemical characteristic; and determining the temperature experienced by the component in the or each region by relating the detection material chemical characteristic in the or each region to a temperature value by reference to a correlation of detection material chemical characteristic and temperature. | 05-16-2013 |
20130124114 | METHOD FOR DETERMINING A FLOW BEHAVIOUR OF A MEDIUM - A method for determining a flow behavior of a medium uses at least one analysis device placed inside the medium. The at least one analysis device is freely moveable in the medium and supplies data characterizing at least one property of the medium flow behavior to a data evaluation device. The at least one property of the medium flow behavior is determined by the data evaluation device on the basis of the data in selected areas or in all areas through which the at least one analysis device flows with the medium. | 05-16-2013 |
20130125994 | SWARF EXTRACTION TOOL - A swarf extraction device for use with a cutting machine, includes: a body having at least one conduit for receiving a flow of cutting fluid; a connector for connecting the conduit to a source of cutting fluid; a suction tube in fluid communication with the conduit, the suction tube having an suction inlet and a suction outlet; and a swarf outlet through which the swarf is ejected from the device, wherein the conduit is arranged to create a pressure drop at the suction tube inlet using the flow of cutting fluid when in use. | 05-23-2013 |
20130126141 | HEAT EXCHANGER - A heat exchanger | 05-23-2013 |
20130129501 | STUD RETENTION - A gas turbine engine having two components attached together via a stud retention arrangement. The stud retention arrangement includes a stud having a shaft and an integral collar that is located between two engagement sections. A recess and a groove are defined in one of the components and an anti-rotation element; the collar defines a retention surface and is located within the collar recess, the anti-rotation element is located within the groove and engages the retention surface to prevent rotation of the stud during assembly of the components. | 05-23-2013 |
20130129516 | AEROFOILS - An aerofoil having a leading edge point within a leading edge region and a pressure surface with a profile wherein within the leading edge region the pressure surface profile has a local minimum. The local minimum reduces the loss which may be caused by high negative incidence on to the blade. | 05-23-2013 |
20130133333 | SHAFT BREAK DETECTION - The present invention provides a method of detecting shaft break in a shaft system comprising a shaft coupled between two masses. The method comprises a number of steps. Firstly, to define a time-dependent rotational speed equation for the shaft in terms of system inertia for an engine transient event. Then to discretize the rotational speed equation in terms of a discrete time constant in the discrete domain. Then to recursively define the discretized equation to give a recursive equation and to solve the recursive equation to determine the discrete time constant. Then to define a threshold as a function of engine power and then to set a shaft break signal to TRUE if the discrete time constant is greater than the threshold. A shaft break detection system is also provided by the present invention. | 05-30-2013 |
20130134265 | AIRCRAFT - An aircraft ( | 05-30-2013 |
20130134682 | SEAL ARRANGEMENT AND A METHOD OF REPAIRING A SEAL ARRANGEMENT - The seal arrangement is arranged between the casing portions and a fluoropolymer O-ring seal is positioned between the casing portions. A first protecting member is positioned between the fluoropolymer O-ring seal and the casing portion and the first protecting member consists of a polymer and hydroxyapatite. The first protecting member consists of 50 to 80 wt % polymer and 20 to 50 wt % hydroxyapatite and incidental impurities. The first protecting member is located in an annular groove and is thus arranged between the casing portion and the fluoropolymer O-ring seal. The first protecting member is substantially U-shaped in cross-section and the fluoropolymer O-ring seal is positioned between the legs of the U-shaped cross-section first protecting member. The first protecting member prevents corrosion of the casing portion by the fluoropolymer O-ring seal. | 05-30-2013 |
20130135457 | APPARATUS AND A METHOD OF INSPECTING A TURBOMACHINE - An apparatus for inspecting a turbomachine includes a plurality of horoscopes, a device to rotate the rotor of the turbomachine and a processor having reference measurements of the rotor blades and/or reference measurements between the rotor blades and the horoscopes. A boroscope is inserted in a casing aperture upstream of the blades to view the leading edge and a portion of one of the surfaces of each blade as the rotor is rotated. A boroscope is inserted in a casing aperture downstream of the blades to view the trailing edge and a portion of one of the surfaces of each blade as the rotor is rotated. The boroscopes supply the images of each of the blades to the processor. The processor analyses the images of the blades and uses the reference measurements to determine the position and size of any defect on any of the rotor blades. | 05-30-2013 |
20130136577 | TURBOMACHINE CASING ASSEMBLY - A turbomachine casing assembly includes a first casing element locatable radially outward of one or more rotating aerofoil elements of a turbomachine and a second casing element located radially distal to the first casing element, with a void being defined between the first and second casing elements. Each of the first and second casing elements includes, at a first end thereof, respective co-operating first and second interface portions. In the event that an aerofoil element becomes detached from the turbomachine and impacts the first casing element, the second interface portion; slides along the first interface portion and the first end of the first casing element enters the void. | 05-30-2013 |
20130136599 | AEROFOIL COOLING ARRANGEMENT - An aerofoil typically for a blade or vane for a gas turbine engine comprises a pressure wall and a suction wall, at least one of the pressure and suction walls comprise corrugations and a coolant hole on an inner surface, the corrugations define a downstream surface and the coolant hole having an inlet defined in the downstream surface. | 05-30-2013 |
20130140348 | APPARATUS FOR FRICTION WELDING - Rotary friction welding apparatus comprising a clamp having a backstop for locating a part to be welded by rotary friction welding and a lateral clamp for applying lateral loads to the part to be welded; and a forge for applying forge pressure to the part to be welded when the part is located in the clamp, the clamp securing the part to be welded through a combination of forge pressure and lateral loads. The clamp has friction elements at the interface of either the lateral clamp and/or the backstop and the part to be welded. | 06-06-2013 |
20130142620 | METHOD OF POSITIONING A CONTROL SURFACE TO REDUCE HYSTERESIS - A method of determining the actual position of a control surface ( | 06-06-2013 |
20130142661 | NICKEL-BASED ALLOY - Adding silicon, in a defined range of weight percentage, to the composition of a known nickel-based alloy improves oxidation, hot corrosion and dwell crack growth resistance without the detrimental effects on the thermal stability of the microstructure and on other material properties that have been found with known alloys. In a particular preferred embodiment the alloy has the following composition (in weight percent): chromium 14.6-15.4%; cobalt 18-19%; molybdenum 4.75-5.25%; aluminium 2.8-3.2 titanium 3.4-3.8%; tantalum 1.8-2.2%; hafnium 0.4-0.6%; carbon 0.020-0.034%; boron 0.005-0.025%; silicon 0.2-0.6%; the remainder being nickel and incidental impurities. | 06-06-2013 |
20130146210 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FORMING A HOLLOW COMPONENT - A flexible mandrel | 06-13-2013 |
20130147123 | AIR RIDING SEAL ARRANGEMENT - An air riding seal arrangement comprises two components | 06-13-2013 |
20130149063 | METHOD OF FORMING A SLOT IN AN ARTICLE - A method of forming a slot in an disc for use in a gas turbine. The method includes providing a rough formed slot with a V configuration and then milling the slot using a conical milling tool or an angled cylindrical tool to provide undulations in the wall of the slot. The milling tool traverses through the slot following a trochoidal path. | 06-13-2013 |
20130149135 | STATOR VANE ARRAY - A stator vane assembly for a gas turbine engine includes circumferentially spaced vanes about a common axis. The array of vanes further includes three or more sub-arrays, which are configured such that the vane spacing in one sub-array is different from the vane spacing in the other sub-arrays. | 06-13-2013 |
20130149141 | BEARING ARRANGEMENT - A bearing arrangement | 06-13-2013 |
20130149655 | FLUIDISED BED TREATMENT - An apparatus for the treatment of a component using a fluidised bed of powder fluidised by a gas flow has a treatment chamber for receiving at least a treatment part of the component and for containing the fluidised bed. A fluidising gas inlet provides fluidising gas to the treatment chamber and a fluidising gas outlet removes used fluidising gas from the treatment chamber. A powder screen is located between the treatment chamber and the fluidising gas outlet, the powder screen operable substantially to prevent loss of powder from the fluidising bed entrained in the fluidising gas removed from the treatment chamber. The treatment chamber can be small and moveable, and then applied to a part of a component to be treated. Heating of the fluidised bed may be provided by heating of the fluidising gas in a fluidising gas reservoir remote from the treatment chamber. | 06-13-2013 |
20130149656 | FLUIDISED BED TREATMENT - An apparatus and process is disclosed for the treatment of a component using a fluidised bed of powder. The apparatus includes a treatment chamber for receiving at least a treatment part of the component and a powder reservoir. The powder reservoir has heating or cooling means for controlling the temperature of the powder. A flexible powder conveyor (e.g. educator) links the treatment chamber and the powder reservoir, continuously conveying powder from the reservoir to the treatment chamber for use in the fluidised bed. The powder reservoir and the treatment chamber are independently positionable, so that the position of the treatment chamber is variable with respect to the powder reservoir during operation of the apparatus. | 06-13-2013 |
20130149658 | FLUIDISED BED TREATMENT - A component is treated in a fluidised bed by insertion of only a treatment part of the component into the treatment chamber of a fluidised bed apparatus. The non-treatment part of the component is located substantially outside the treatment chamber and out of contact with the fluidised bed. The boundary between the treatment part and the non-treatment part of the component is defined by a boundary containment surface at a fixed location with respect to the component. The boundary containment surface may be a seal which seals between the component to be treated and an aperture in a side wall of the treatment chamber. | 06-13-2013 |
20130152600 | SHAFT BREAK DETECTION - A method to detect shaft break includes monitoring first and second parameters and defining a two-dimensional parameter space that is a function of the first and second parameters, the two-dimensional parameter space includes integration regions. The method also includes defining an integration function for each integration region. For measured values of the first and second parameters, the method determines the applicable integration region and applies the integration function to the first parameter to give an integration result; and then sets a shaft break signal to TRUE when the integration result exceeds a predetermined threshold. The present invention also provides a shaft break detection system. | 06-20-2013 |
20130152601 | CONTROLLER - A gas turbine engine has, in flow series, a compressor section, a combustor, and a turbine section. The gas turbine engine further has a system for cooling the turbine section and providing tip clearance control between turbine blades and circumferentially distributed segments forming an annular shroud surrounding the blades outer tips. The turbine section cooling sub-system diverts a first cooling air flow, regulated by a first valve arrangement, from the compressor section to a heat exchanger and then to the turbine section to cool its components. The tip clearance control sub-system supplies a second cooling air flow, regulated by a second valve arrangement, to an engine case where the segments are mounted, which regulates thermal expansion of the case and controls the clearance between the segments and outer tips. The system further includes a closed-loop controller which issues demand signals to the first and second valve arrangements. | 06-20-2013 |
20130152602 | CONTROLLER - A gas turbine engine has, in flow series, a compressor section, a combustor, and a turbine section. The engine further has a cooling system which diverts a cooling air flow received from the compressor section to a heat exchanger and then to the turbine section to cool a component thereof. The cooling air flow by-passes the combustor and is cooled in the heat exchanger. The cooling system has a valve arrangement which regulates the cooling air flow. The engine further has a closed-loop controller which estimates and/or measures one or more temperatures of the cooled component, compares values derived from the estimated and/or measured temperatures with one or more corresponding targets, and issues a demand signal to the valve arrangement based on the comparison and a value of the demand signal at a previous time step. | 06-20-2013 |
20130153184 | HEAT EXCHANGER - This invention relates to a heat exchanger, comprising a plurality of stacked corrugated plates, each plate having a plurality of parallel main corrugations each having longitudinal peak ridges and trough ridges, wherein either or both of the peak ridges and trough ridges have an undulating profile so as to define a plurality of summits in a common plane. | 06-20-2013 |
20130154199 | LEAF SEAL - A leaf seal assembly provides a fluidic seal between a first and second member and includes first and second cover plates defining a channel, with a first and second edge, respectively. A plurality of leaf elements are located within the channel, each element having first and second edges adjacent to the first and second cover plates, respectively and a projecting portion of each element extends beyond both edges. A fluid flow in a first direction causes the leaf elements to move away from the first member to create a fluid passage between the elements and the member, allowing a flow through the seal in the first direction; and a fluid flow in a second direction causes the leaf elements to move towards the first member such that a third edge of the projecting portion of each element contacts the member, opposing the flow through the seal in the second direction. | 06-20-2013 |
20130156557 | SHAPING APPARATUS AND METHOD OF SHAPING A WORKPIECE - A shaping apparatus for shaping a workpiece. The apparatus comprises first and second pairs of shaping members and a spacer located between the first and second pairs of shaping members. The first pair of shaping members comprises a material having a first linear coefficient of thermal expansion, and the second pair of shaping members comprises a material having a third linear coefficient of thermal expansion. The first linear coefficient of thermal expansion is higher than the second linear coefficient of thermal expansion such that on heating of the apparatus, thermal expansion of the shaping members causes the first pair of shaping members to expand outwardly, and the second pair of shaping members to expand inwardly. | 06-20-2013 |
20130156603 | AEROFOIL BLADE OR VANE - An aerofoil blade or vane for the turbine of a gas turbine engine is provided. The blade or vane includes an aerofoil portion which, in use, extends radially across a working gas annulus of the engine. A coolant inlet is formed at an end of the aerofoil portion for the entry of a cooling air flow into the portion. A corresponding coolant exhaust is formed at the trailing edge of the aerofoil portion for spent cooling air to flow from the portion. A passage within the aerofoil portion connects the inlet to the exhaust. A fence within the aerofoil portion extends radially and forwardly from a start position at the end of the aerofoil portion adjacent the trailing edge to an end position. The passage forms a loop which extends along one side of the fence, wraps around the end position, and extends along the other side of the fence. | 06-20-2013 |
20130160291 | METHOD OF SERVICING A GAS TURBINE ENGINE - A gas turbine engine 10 is provided with rigid raft assemblies 290, which may be electrical harness raft assemblies 290 comprising electrical conductors embedded in a rigid composite material. The rigid raft assemblies 290 can be provided with engine dressings, such as pipework and ECUs to produce an electrical raft assembly. In order to assemble or dress the gas turbine engine 10, the rigid raft assemblies can be pre-prepared to incorporate at least a part of at least one gas turbine engine system/component before being installed on the gas turbine engine 10. During maintenance, whole raft assemblies can be removed and replaced with corresponding, pre-prepared assemblies. This can save considerable time during engine build and maintenance. | 06-27-2013 |
20130160458 | ELECTRICAL RAFT ASSEMBLY - An electrical raft assembly for a gas turbine engine is provided. The raft assembly comprises a rigid electrical raft formed of a rigid material that includes an electrical system comprising electrical conductors embedded in the rigid material. The raft assembly further comprises an engine component that is mounted to the electrical raft. The electrical raft includes one or more integral cooling passages which guide a coolant fluid through the raft to cool the engine component | 06-27-2013 |
20130160460 | RIGID RAFT - The present invention provides a rigid raft formed of rigid composite material. The raft has an electrical system and/or a fluid system embedded therein. The raft further has a tank for containing liquid integrally formed therewith. The tank can be formed of the rigid composite material. The tank can be for a gas turbine engine. | 06-27-2013 |
20130160461 | ELECTRONIC UNIT MOUNTING - An electrical assembly | 06-27-2013 |
20130160462 | GAS TURBINE ENGINE PART - The present invention provides a gas turbine engine part which has a primary purpose in the engine which is structural and/or aerodynamic. The part is formed of rigid composite material, and has an electrical system comprising electrical conductors permanently embedded in the composite material. This provides advantages in terms of weight, complexity, and build time. | 06-27-2013 |
20130160463 | RAFT ASSEMBLY - A raft assembly for a gas turbine engine is provided. The raft assembly includes a rigid raft formed of a rigid material that has an electrical system and/or a fluid system embedded therein. The raft assembly further includes one or more clamps for mounting tubular members to the raft. The or each clamp has a first clamp block and a second clamp block which, in use, clamp together to grip a tubular member between the blocks. The first block is fixed to the raft. The or each clamp further has a fastener operatively extending between the blocks. The fastener is tightenable to apply a clamping load between the blocks, and releasable to remove the clamping load such that the second block can be moved relative to the first block to allow the tubular member to be received between or removed from between the blocks | 06-27-2013 |
20130160464 | ANTI-VIBRATION MOUNT - An anti-vibration mount is provided for mounting a first component to a second component. The mount has an elastomeric body which provides a recess into which the first component is received. The mount further has pair of brackets which fit to opposing sides of the elastomeric body sandwiching the first component received in the recess therebetween. At least one of the brackets is arranged to connect the anti-vibration mount and second component together. The mount further has a clamping arrangement which applies clamping pressure across the brackets and thereby compresses the elastomeric body to secure the first component in the recess. | 06-27-2013 |
20130160465 | GAS TURBINE ENGINE SYSTEMS - A gas turbine engine | 06-27-2013 |
20130161052 | ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS - An electrical raft ( | 06-27-2013 |
20130161093 | ELECTRICAL HARNESS - A gas turbine engine | 06-27-2013 |
20130161094 | ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS - An electrical raft | 06-27-2013 |
20130163848 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INSPECTION OF COMPONENTS - The quality of a dry film lubricant coating or molybdenum based undercoat coating provided on the root of a gas turbine fan blade is determined by a method which includes providing an image of the coating taken under controlled conditions which include diffusing light through a translucent screen. The difference between an RGB value of a group of pixels from the image compared with a known RGB value is determined and used to calculate the quality of the coating. | 06-27-2013 |
20130174557 | COMBUSTOR FOR A GAS TURBINE ENGINE - A combustor in a gas turbine engine has a wall which forms a gap with an outer nozzle guide vane platform. A closure mechanism is operable to open or close the gap. Opening of the gap, for example during cruise conditions, reduces the mass flow rate of air through an open end of the combustor, so enriching the air fuel ratio and improving flame stability and combustion efficiency. Under high power conditions, the gap is closed, causing an increase in air flow rate through the open end to achieve a lean burn air fuel ratio when the fuel flow rate is increased. | 07-11-2013 |
20130174574 | GAS TURBINE ENGINE BEARING CHAMBER SEALS - A gas turbine engine sealing air supply system comprising a bearing chamber seal to prevent lubricant fluid loss from a fluid chamber, the sealing effected by ingress of sealing air. An air supply duct is coupled to the bearing chamber seal to provide the sealing air. A first duct is coupled between a starter air system of the gas turbine engine and the air supply duct to supply sealing air during gas turbine engine starting. | 07-11-2013 |
20130175183 | COMPONENT PRODUCTION METHOD - A method of producing a component includes the steps of: providing a workpiece generated by hot isostatic pressing a powder metal form; and electropolishing a surface of the workpiece to remove a substantially uniform surface layer of the workpiece to produce the component. Following the electropolishing step, the component has substantially the same shape as the workpiece produced by the hot isostatic pressing step. | 07-11-2013 |
20130177406 | GAS TURBINE ENGINE BEARING CHAMBER SEALS - A gas turbine engine sealing air system including a bearing chamber seal to prevent lubricant fluid loss from a fluid chamber, the sealing effected by ingress of sealing air. The system includes an air vent duct coupled to the bearing chamber seal. An ejector is located within the air vent duct to pump sealing air from the bearing chamber seal and through the air vent duct. A first duct is coupled between a starter air system of the gas turbine engine and the ejector to provide motive fluid to the ejector during gas turbine engine starting. | 07-11-2013 |
20130183118 | RETAINING BRACKET FOR THREADED FASTENERS AND A RETAINING ASSEMBLY - A retaining bracket for retaining a plurality of threaded fasteners in position on a component, and a retaining assembly including the retaining bracket and at least one fastener. Each fastener includes a bead having a first face which, in use, lies adjacent a surface of the component against which the fastener is installed, a second face distal from the first face, and a side face extending between the first and second faces. The bracket includes a substantially rigid base member, and a plurality of engagement members extending from the base member at spaced locations therealong. Each engagement member is configured to engage with only the side face of each respective fastener head such that, in an installed condition, the base member extends only along the side faces of the fasteners between the respective first face and second face. | 07-18-2013 |
20130184159 | CRYOGENIC POWER CONTROL - An apparatus | 07-18-2013 |
20130184901 | VEHICLE ENERGY AND POWER MANAGEMENT METHOD AND SYSTEM - A method of managing energy and/or power in a vehicle, including: one or more vehicle power systems adapted to control one or more power consuming components of the vehicle and one or more power producing components of the vehicle; and one or more propulsive power systems adapted to control a propulsive power unit of the vehicle. The method includes: proposing a vehicle route for a predetermined mission and/or destination; determining a time-based operational plan for each of the vehicle power consuming components; determining the power required by the vehicle power consuming components and the propulsive power required by the vehicle; determining the power required from the vehicle power producing components and the propulsive power required by the propulsive power unit as a function of time during the operational plan; and varying the proposed vehicle route and/or the operational plan to optimize a predetermined performance criterion for the vehicle. | 07-18-2013 |
20130185937 | METHOD OF SEALING COOLING HOLES - A method of selectively sealing at least one cooling hole provided on an aerofoil component ( | 07-25-2013 |
20130186606 | HEAT EXCHANGER - A heat exchanger is provided in which heat exchanger shells are formed by electro forming about a mandrel. The shells are attached and joined to provide a heat exchanger module. As the shells are not press formed problems with respect to material elongation to achieve deep grooves in the shells are potentially avoided and shells can be created with more desirable thickness to achieve more efficient heat exchange. Furthermore, reduced shell thickness will also reduce weight and therefore improve the acceptability of heat exchangers in particular applications such as those associated with aerospace and automotive sports. | 07-25-2013 |
20130187307 | METHOD OF SEALING COOLING HOLES - A method of sealing a gap between an aerofoil component ( | 07-25-2013 |
20130189095 | TURBOMACHINE CASING ASSEMBLY - A turbomachine casing assembly includes a first casing element, located radially outward of one or more rotating aerofoil elements of a turbomachine, and a second casing element, located radially distal to the first element. A void is provided at a first end of the first element, between radially proximal faces of the first and second elements. The first end of the first element is located against a corresponding first end of the second element by an energy absorbing element. The first element includes a cantilever, arranged in a region extending along the first element from the first end with a pivot axis at its mid-portion. Release of one of the rotating aerofoil elements, resulting in impact with the first element, further results in the cantilever bending into the void between the first and second elements, enabling the rotating aerofoil element to be trapped within the casing assembly. | 07-25-2013 |
20130189868 | ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS - The present invention provides an electrical raft comprising a rigid material having multiple electrical conductors embedded therein. The electrical raft comprises an electrical connector having a first set of electrical contacts connected to at least one of the electrical conductors, a second set of electrical contacts for electrical connection to another component, and a housing having a first end and a second end. The first set of electrical contacts is at the first end and the second set of electrical contacts is at the second end. The first end of the housing is at least partly embedded in the rigid material, and the second end of the housing is accessible from outside the electrical raft, allowing the electrical raft to be electrically connected to said other component. The electrical connector has a back-shell which sealingly encloses the first end of the housing to prevent ingress of contaminants into the connector. | 07-25-2013 |
20130190928 | CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR MACHINES - A control system | 07-25-2013 |
20130191004 | GAS TURBINE ENGINE CONTROL - A gas turbine engine control apparatus comprises a controller | 07-25-2013 |
20130192051 | THREADED FASTENER ASSEMBLY AND METHOD OF LOCKING A THREADED FASTENER - A threaded fastener assembly comprising a threaded fastener ( | 08-01-2013 |
20130194703 | CURRENT LIMITER - This invention relates to a current limiter comprising a first circuit portion arranged in parallel with a second circuit portion, the first circuit portion comprising a superconductor element arranged in series with a switching arrangement, the second circuit portion comprising a load element, the superconductor element being disposed within a cooling chamber, and the cooling chamber and the switch being disposed within a vacuum chamber, wherein the switching arrangement comprises: a mechanical actuator which is operable between a closed condition in which current is conducted through the first circuit portion and an open condition in which current is diverted from the first circuit portion through the second circuit portion and a controller for monitoring and operating the switch. | 08-01-2013 |
20130195392 | BEARING ASSEMBLY - A bearing assembly that includes a substantially circular bearing race with a raceway on one of its radially inner or outer surfaces and a plurality of spherical bearing elements disposed around the raceway, and wherein the bearing race is configured to, in use, bias the bearing elements towards a bearing region of a shaft. | 08-01-2013 |
20130199194 | COMBUSTOR HEAD ARRANGEMENT - A combustor head arrangement including a heatshield including an aperture therethrough. A meter panel having a cold side and a hot side, an aperture and a slot. At least one of the meter panel and the heatshield has a retaining feature on the cold side; one of the meter panel and the heatshield has an anti-rotation feature. The arrangement includes a burner seal sized to fit through the aperture in the meter panel from the hot side towards the cold side. The burner seal has a tang configured to pass through the slot when the burner seal is in a first orientation and to be retained by the retaining feature and the anti-rotation feature when the burner seal is rotated to a second orientation. Also a method of assembling the combustor head. | 08-08-2013 |
20130199624 | GAS TURBINE ENGINE NACELLE - A method of designing a nacelle for a gas turbine engine includes defining an initial geometry for the nacelle, pivoting, at each of one or more positions on a highlight and in a plane of a respective longitudinal section, a front portion of a section of an intake lip lying in the respective longitudinal section about the highlight, and obtaining an altered geometry for the nacelle by adjusting surfaces of the intake neighbouring the pivoted front portion to smoothly blend the surfaces of the pivoted front portion to unadjusted surfaces of the intake further removed from the pivoted front portion. | 08-08-2013 |
20130199721 | CONSOLIDATION DEVICE AND METHOD OF USING THE SAME - A consolidation device has a dispensing assembly configured to dispense a composite precursor material onto a surface of a mould, and a first nozzle assembly configured to direct a fluid stream onto the free surface of the dispensed composite precursor material. The use of a fluid flow to consolidate the dispensed composite precursor material onto the surface of the mould makes the device simpler, more cost effective and causes less damage to the surface of the composite article. | 08-08-2013 |
20130200569 | LEAF SEAL - A leaf seal effects a seal between two, coaxial, relatively rotating components. The leaf seal has an annular pack of stacked leaves or a plurality of axially arranged annular packs of stacked leaves. The or each pack is mountable to one of the components with its leaves extending towards the other component such that the leaf edges of the pack are presented for wiping contact with the other component. The leaf seal further has upstream and downstream coverplates at the respective axial ends of the seal. Each coverplate is spaced from the adjacent annular pack by a respective axial gap. When viewed in the axial direction, each coverplate covers at least a portion of the radial extent of the adjacent pack. The upstream and/or the downstream coverplate is flexible to axially deflect under differential pressures which the seal experiences in operation. | 08-08-2013 |