Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a gas turbine engine with a variable area nozzle requiring no large-scale maintenance without largely increasing the total weight of the gas turbine engine. SOLUTION: The gas turbine engine 10 includes a variable area nozzle 30 having a plurality of flaps 38. The flaps 38 are actuated by a plurality of actuating mechanisms 40 to be driven by a shape memory alloy(SMA) actuator 68. The SMA actuator 68 has a deformed shape in a martensitic state and a basic shape in an austenitic state. The SMA actuator 68 is heated to transform from the martensitic state into the austenitic state generating a force to actuate the flaps 38. The variable area nozzle 30 also contains a plurality of return mechanisms 42 for deforming the SMA actuator 68 when in the martensitic state.
Abstract:
A highly sensitive optical fiber cavity coating removal detector employs an optical fiber (18) having a pair of Bragg gratings (20, 30) embedded therein and separated by a section of fiber making up an optical cavity (26). The optical path length of the cavity (26) is sized with the central reflection wavelength of the fiber gratings (20, 30) so as to create an optical resonator. The cavity (26) is coated with a material (40) which corrodes or is otherwise removable, such as aluminum. The coating (40) exerts forces (46) radially inward on the cavity (26) so as to cause the refractive index of the cavity and thus its optical path length to change, thereby causing the resonator to come out of resonance. The forces (46) on the cavity (26) are reduced when the coating (40) corrodes, thereby causing the resonator to re-enter resonance. Additionally, the coating causes optical losses to exist due to non-uniform variations in refractive index caused by non-uniform forces from coating irregularities.
Abstract:
A sensor employs a laser (12) to obtain a collimated light beam for transmission across the gas effluent of a catalytic cracking process. Particulate matter entrained in the gas flow forward scatters light energy to a collecting aperture (18) which, in turn focuses the scattered light on a first photodetector (22). A second photodetector (30) receives directly transmitted light energy. A ratio (64) between the output signals of the two photodetectors is derived and presented to a threshold level detector (70). If the magnitude of the scatter exceeds a predetermined level it is concluded that a catalyst load dump has occurred. The optical system is carefully selected to ensure that only light energy scattered from a sample volume (16) within the entrained gas flow reaches the first photodetector (22). This is important because it prevents particulate matter on the surfaces of the transparent windows (36 and 50) from affecting the operation of the sensor.
Abstract:
An optical corrosion sensor employs an optical fiber Bragg grating 20 embedded within an optical fiber 18 . The grating 20 has a coating 40 made of a material, such as aluminum, which corrodes or can otherwise be removed. The coating 40 exerts forces 46 radially inward around and along the grating 20 so as to cause the wavelength bandwidth of the grating reflectivity profile to become broader and to be shifted relative to its uncoated condition. Also, the forces on the grating 20 are reduced when the coating corrodes, thereby causing the wavelength bandwidth and shift of the reflectivity profile of the grating to narrow and to return to its uncoated condition.
Abstract:
A gas turbine engine (10) includes a variable area nozzle (30) having a plurality of flaps (38). The flaps (38) are actuated by a plurality of actuating mechanisms (40) driven by shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators (68) to vary fan exist nozzle area (36). The SMA actuator (68) has a deformed shape in its martensitic state and a parent shape in its austenitic state. The SMA actuator (68) is heated to transform from martensitic state to austenitic state generating a force output to actuate the flaps (38). The variable area nozzle (30) also includes a plurality of return mechanisms (42) deforming the SMA actuator (68) when the SMA actuator (68) is in its martensitic state.
Abstract:
Forward Scattering Laser Particulate Sensor A sensor employs a laser to obtain a collimated light beam for transmission across the gas effluent of a catalytic cracking process. Particulate matter entrained in the gas flow forward scatters light energy to a collecting aperture which, in turn focuses the scattered light on a first photodetector. A second photodetector receives directly transmitted light energy. A ratio between the output signals of the two photodetectors is derived and presented to a threshold level detector. If the magnitude of the scatter exceeds a predetermined level it is concluded that a catalyst load dump has occurred. The optical system is carefully selected to ensure that only light energy scattered from a sample volume within the entrained gas flow reaches the first photodetector. This is important because it prevents particulate matter on the surfaces of the transparent windows from affecting the operating of the sensor.
Abstract:
The sensor employs a laser to obtain a collimated light beam for transmission across the gas effluent of a catalytic cracking process. Particulate matter entrained in the gas flow forward scatters light energy to a collecting aperture which, in turn focuses the light scattered on a first photodetector. A second photodetector receives directly transmitted light energy. A ratio between the output signals of the two photodetectors is derived and presented to a threshold level detector. If the magnitude of the scatter exceeds a predetermined level it is concluded that a catalyst load dump has occured. The optical system is selected to ensure that only light energy scattered from a sample volume within the entrained gas flow reaches the first photodetector. This prevents particular matter on the surfaces of the transparent windows from affecting the operating of the sensor.
Abstract:
A gas turbine engine (10) includes a variable area nozzle (30) having a plurality of flaps (38). The flaps (38) are actuated by a plurality of actuating mechanisms (40) driven by shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators (68) to vary fan exist nozzle area (36). The SMA actuator (68) has a deformed shape in its martensitic state and a parent shape in its austenitic state. The SMA actuator (68) is heated to transform from martensitic state to austenitic state generating a force output to actuate the flaps (38). The variable area nozzle (30) also includes a plurality of return mechanisms (42) deforming the SMA actuator (68) when the SMA actuator (68) is in its martensitic state.