Abstract:
A remote active multipoint fiber laser sensor includes a plurality of fiber lasers (12, 14, 16), each having a pair of Bragg gratings (18, 20), embedded in a fiber (10) and excited by a common pump light (30). The lasers (12, 14, 16) lase at different longitudinal modes (lasing wavelengths) and emit light (32, 34, 36), at their respective wavelengths ( lambda 1, lambda 2, lambda n). The lasing wavelength of each laser shifts due to perturbations, such as strain or temperature, applied thereto. The output light (32, 34, 36) is fed to a spectrum analyzer (50) where the wavelength shift is analyzed. A signal processor (54) reads the wavelength shift and provides a signal on lines (56) indicative of the perturbation at each of the lasers/sensors (12-16). Alternatively, a single laser may be used as a single sensor. Alternatively, birefringent fiber may be used as the fiber cavities (21) and the two polarizations are beat together to form a lower difference or ''beat'' frequency, thereby allowing lower frequency detection devices to be used.
Abstract:
A gas turbine engine having a turbine rotor assembly with a free standing sideplate assembly is disclosed. Various construction details are developed which provide a sideplate assembly which is not radially or axially supported by the web or rim of the adjacent disk. In one particular embodiment, a rotor assembly includes a rotor disk, having a rim, a web (44), and a bore (46) and a sideplate assembly, having a web (54) and a bore (52). The web of the sideplate is radially supported by the bore of the sideplate and includes a disk seal means (62, 86) and an aperture (66). The disk seal means (62, 86) is engaged with the rotor disk and has an axially directed seal force provided by an axially interfering fit between the sideplate and rotor disk. The aperture (68) provides means for fluid communication between a source of cooling fluid and the rotor disk.
Abstract:
A replaceable tip portion (20) for a helicopter rotor blade (14) is selectively swept, tapered and anhedral. The tip portion is formed of an upper and lower composite tip skin layer (35), each tip skin layer having bonded thereto a honeycomb core (38). A channel (recess) (40) is formed in the honeycomb for receiving a rotor spar tip end (30), removably attached (60) to the rotor spar. The honeycomb core is attached to the upper and lower tip skin layers in halves, and is machined along the rotor blade chord plane (70) prior to assembly of the halves on the rotor spar. A composite tip cap (50) is fixed to the extreme tip end of the removable anhedral tip portion, the mating surface of the tip cap which is joined to the removable tip is machined to provide a precise joint.
Abstract:
A method for manufacturing composite articles that have enhanced exterior surfaces, i.e, clean finished surfaces that present a cosmetically smooth visual appearance. The method includes a molding assembly preparation procedure, conventional lay-up and curing steps utilizing a conventional molding assembly, and an improved post-cure finishing procedure. The molding assembly preparation procedure prepares the molding assembly for the lay-up step, and includes the steps of laying-up and conforming surfacing film onto the molding surfaces of the molding assembly. The surfacing films are an integral part of the finished composite article, functioning as the outermost ply layer that defines the exterior surfaces of the cured composite article. The improved post-cure finishing procedure includes, in seriatim, a cleaning step to achieve exterior surfaces having a clean surface finish, a first sanding step to finely texturize the clean surfacing film layer of the exterior surfaces to facilitate the application of a single coat of conventional primer thereto, a testing step wherein the clean, texturized exterior surfaces are waterbreak tested for cleanliness, the sequential application of one or more coats of an environmentally safe, waterborne epoxy filler to the primer-coated exterior surfaces, a second sanding step to remove latent surface defects from the primer-filler coated exterior surfaces, the application of a primer coating to the primer-filler coated, sanded exterior surfaces, and lastly, the application of one or more coats of paint to the primer-coated, exterior surfaces to form a finished composite article having enhanced exterior surfaces.
Abstract:
A composite molding apparatus (10) and method for high pressure co-cure molding of lightweight honeycomb core composite articles having ramped surfaces utilizing low total density, stabilized ramped honeycomb cores. The low total density, stabilized ramped honeycomb core is formed by net shaping stabilized honeycomb core material into a ramped honeycomb core, which is prepped for lay-up and co-cure by applying a layer of low areal weight film adhesive to the upper, lower and ramped surfaces thereof. The honeycomb core material is stabilized for the net shaping operation by a layer of the low areal weight film adhesive applied to the upper and lower surfaces of the material in a predetermined picture frame format. The composite molding apparatus is a semi-rigid molding assembly that includes a rigid base member (12) and a complementary semi-rigid mold (20) member that includes internal rigid reinforcement inserts (22) that provide symmetric pressure distribution over the ramped surfaces of the honeycomb core and the overlaid composite prepregs during the high pressure co-cure process. Composite prepregs and the ramped honeycomb core are laid-up in the semi-rigid molding assembly, which is vacuum bagged and disposed in an autoclave. The vacuum bag is evacuated, and the laid-up molding assembly is subjected to a two stage pressure, temperature cycle for high pressure co-cure. The autoclave is pressurized to a dwell pressure, and the temperature is then raised from ambient to a dwell temperature whereupon the autoclave is stabilized for a dwell period. Next, the autoclave pressure is increased to a high pressure, and the temperature is raised to a co-cure temperature whereupon the autoclave is stabilized for a co-cure period to effect curing of the lay-up. After curing is complete, the autoclave is cooled, and then depressurized for removal of the composite molding apparatus.
Abstract:
A computer (21) processes the time between ultrasonic echoes received at a transducer (19) indicative of the outer radius and wall thickness of a workpiece (10) by subtracting (69) the weighted average (80-90) wall thickness from the weighted average outer radius to generate an internal radius for a large number of points around a spiral slice of the workpiece. The internal radii and angles are converted (69) to x and y coordinates. The centroid (X, Y) of each slice of data indicating workpiece cavity internal radii is determined (71) as twice the summation of the x coordinates and twice the summation of the y coordinates of all of the datum points of the slice. The least squares fit (73) of the X coordinates of the centroids of all of the slices and the least squares fit (74) of the Y coordinates of the centroids of all of the slices are then used to determine the average axis of the cavity of the workpiece. The X &cir& NOt and Y &cir& NOt coordinates of the end points of the average axis of the cavity are then converted (75) to polar coordinates to permit offsetting the end points of the workpiece commensurate amounts, whereby further machining will cause the internal cavity of the workpiece to end up more nearly centrally located, on average.
Abstract:
A computer (21) processes the time between ultrasonic echoes received at a transducer (19) indicative of the outer radius and wall thickness of a workpiece (10) by subtracting (69) the weighted average (80-90) wall thickness from the weighted average outer radius to generate an internal radius for a large number of points around a spiral slice of the workpiece. The internal radii and angles are converted (69) to x and y coordinates. The centroid (X, Y) of each slice of data indicating workpiece cavity internal radii is determined (71) as twice the summation of the x coordinates and twice the summation of the y coordinates of all of the datum points of the slice. The least squares fit (73) of the X coordinates of the centroids of all of the slices and the least squares fit (74) of the Y coordinates of the centroids of all of the slices are then used to determine the average axis of the cavity of the workpiece. The X &cir& NOt and Y &cir& NOt coordinates of the end points of the average axis of the cavity are then converted (75) to polar coordinates to permit offsetting the end points of the workpiece commensurate amounts, whereby further machining will cause the internal cavity of the workpiece to end up more nearly centrally located, on average.
Abstract:
A fuel delivery system (10) incorporates a fuel splitter valve assembly (30) including a first valve (40) having a selectively positionable spool (42) disposed therein for controllably metering fuel flow therethrough for delivery to a first combustion chamber (22) and a second valve (50) operative to pass a second portion of the fuel flow to a second combustion chamber (24) while maintaining at least a desired minimum pressure upstream of the first valve (40) whenever the second combustion chamber is in operation, and to shut-off fuel flow to the second combustion chamber whenever the second combustion chamber is not in operation.
Abstract:
A substrate can be coated with boron carbide by contacting the substrate with a reaction mixture of a boron source and a carbon source at a temperature of at least about 1050 DEG C such that the boron source and carbon source react with each other to produce a boron carbide coating on the substrate. The boron carbide coating comprises up to about 45 atomic percent boron.
Abstract:
A turbine airfoil (32) having a cut-back trailing edge (62) and a plurality of diffusing flow dividers (68) upstream of the cut-back trailing edge (62) is disclosed. Various construction details are developed which provide ejection of a diffusing film of cooling fluid over a cut-back trailing edge (62). In one particular embodiment, a turbine airfoil (32) includes a plurality of radially spaced flow dividers (68) extending between a pressure wall (56) and a suction wall (58). Each flow divider (68) includes a rounded leading edge (74), a pair of parallel sidewalls (82) downstream of the leading edge (74), and a pair of converging sidewalls (86) downstream of the parallel sidewalls (82). Adjacent sidewalls of adjacent flow dividers form flow channels (72) having a constant area channel (76) and a diffusing section. The diffusing section includes a covered portion (94) upstream of the cut-back trailing edge (62) and an uncovered portion (96) extending over the cut-back trailing edge (62).