Abstract:
Improved fuel atomization for turbine engines operating at low fuel flows and at high altitudes is accomplished in an engine (10) having an annular combustor (12) by utilizing fuel injectors (18) provided with fuel supply tubes (24) disposed within air tubes (20) wherein the fuel supply tubes (24) each have an exit orifice (26) internally of the corresponding air tube (20) and upstream of an exit orifice (22) thereof with a fuel impingement surface (28) being provided within the air tube (20) in confronting relation to the exit orifice (26) of the fuel supply tube (24) to produce a conical fuel film (36) subjected to pressurized air to enhance fuel atomization.
Abstract:
A gas turbine engine (10) having a rotor (12) with turbine blades (14), a turbine nozzle (16), an annular combustor (18) with a concentric annular combustor housing (30) and a compressor (34). A fuel injection system includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced fuel injectors (68) disposed in an outer wall (20) of the combustor (18) together with a generally oval shaped manifold (70)in fluid communication with a primary fuel source. A turbine shroud (36) extends radially outward from the rotor to the outer wall of the combustor on the side of the nozzle (16) opposite the combustion space (28). The turbine shroud (36) is cooled by a film of air which passes through a plurality of circumferentially spaced orifices (40) in the outer wall (20) of the combustor (18). The engine (10) also includes an abutment member (38, 60) and a spacing member (66) between the combustor (18) and the housing (30) so that the combustor (18) and the housing (30) can be maintained in generally concentric preselected axial relation.
Abstract:
In order to reduce noise transmission through the air inlet duct (16) of a turbine engine (10), the air inlet duct (16) provides a non-linear path defined by a bend (24) for air from a source, and the turbine engine (10) includes a sound attenuation assembly (26) in the form of a splitter dissipative silencer disposed near the bend (24) in the air inlet duct (16). More specifically, the turbine engine (10) is such that the splitter dissipative silencer (26) can be formed as a modular assembly (42) removably securable near the bend (24) in the air inlet duct (16) upstream of a radial compressor (12) for removal and/or replacemnt or availability as an optional component of the turbine engine (10).
Abstract:
A vapor control system (10) utilizes a variable speed compressor (11) driven by a motor (12) or the like. A condenser (13) is provided downstream of the compressor (11). Multiple evaporators (14, 15, etc.) are arranged in parallel with stepper motor controlled thermal expansion valves (16, 17, etc.) located upstream thereof. Refrigerant exit temperatures (Tr1, Tr2, etc.) are sensed at the exits of the evaporators (14, 15, etc.) and source exit temperatures (Ts1, Ts2, etc.) are also sensed. A function generator (18) calculates refrigerant dewpoint temperature (Tdew) is substracted from each of the refrigerant exit temperatures (Tr1, Tr2, etc.) to determine a minimum superheat temperature which is used to calculate an error signal for providing a speed signal (Nc). The loads on the evaporators (14, 15, etc.) are individually controlled with the thermal expansion valves (16, 17, etc.) whose positions are responsive to signals (Xc1, Xc2, etc.) which are generated by calculating an error signal based upon comparisons of the individual source exit temperatures (Ts1, Ts2, etc.) with preselected setpoint temperatures (T¿s1 SETPOINT, Ts2, SETPOINT?, etc.).
Abstract:
In order to enhance the effectiveness of an air turbine starter (12), an auxiliary or emergency power unit (16) is adapted to deliver air through a bleed duct (18). This bleed duct (18) is in communication with the air turbine starter (12) which, in turn, is operatively associated with a main turbine engine (14). By placing a combustor (20) within the bleed duct (18) at a point upstream of the air turbine starter (12), it is possible to combust fuel from a source with air from the auxiliary or emergency power unit (16). This substantially increases the available power by elevating air temperature rather than increasing size of the auxiliary or emergency power unit (16). Since it is possible to preheat the air in the bleed duct (18), the air turbine starter (12) can be driven by a smaller auxiliary or emergency power unit (16) to start the main turbine engine (14).
Abstract:
Improved combustor volume in turbine engines without an increased engine envelope is accomplished in an engine (10) having a radial compressor (12), an axial turbine (16), and a radial combustor (20) in which a generally radial flow path extends between a compressed air inlet (30) and a turbine nozzle (22) for gases of combustion produced by combusting fuel introduced through a fuel injector (34) with air introduced through the compressed air inlet (30).
Abstract:
A control system (100) for a hydraulically controlled clutch (18) for coupling a source of rotary power (12) to a load (102) for accelerating the load from a first velocity to a second velocity within a time measured from a beginning of the acceleration and ending between first and second times measured from the beginning of acceleration with the load being variable during acceleration of the load in accordance with the invention includes a source of pressurized hydraulic fluid (38), a servo valve (42), a speed sensor (112) for producing a speed signal proportional to the speed of the output shaft, a stored program (108) controlling a programmed acceleration of the load, a controller (110) for producing the control signal which is a function of a difference (E) between the velocity signal and a velocity controlled by the stored program.
Abstract:
The problem of excessive weight in an aircraft (10) powered by at least one turbine engine (12) as a result of the incorporation of both a starter for the turbine engine (12) and a source of emergency power is avoided by utilizing a turbine wheel (62) to alternatively start the engine 12 or drive an emergency power generator (102). The turbine wheel (62) may be driven either by compressed air from a ground source (34) or an engine bleed (32) or, in the alternative, by hot gases of combustion from a stored energy source (36) in an emergency situation.
Abstract:
Improved performance in a hot gas generator (10) is achieved by providing a pair of hemispherical liners (22) and (24) loosely positioned within an interior wall (14) of a vessel (12) so as to be disposed above a combustion chamber (20) therein. The hemispherical liners (22) and (24) normally have a groove (26) at an interface therebetween and are formed of a material adapted to thermally expand under heat. Specifically, the hemispherical liners (22) and (24) expand to close the groove (26) at the interface in a manner producing relatively little stress thereon.
Abstract:
An actuator (10) comprises a housing having sections (11, 11') joined by a band clamp (12). A high torque, low speed motor (14) is provided in the housing and has a rotor (17) associated with a ballscrew rod (18) which is received in the hollow end of a ballnut/rod (20). The ballscrew rod (18) and the ballnut/rod (20) are provided with grooves (19, 20 respectively) between which ceramic balls (20) are entrained. The rod (20) translates in only a rectilinear direction and the grooves (19) of the ballscrew rod (18) are protected from the environment by the ballnut/rod (20) which covers the free end of the ballscrew rod (18).