General Electric Company

Adrian M Ablett

Ambrose A Hauser

Hubert S Roberts, Jr

Narendra Digamber Joshi

Sridhar Adibhatla

John Michael Koshoffer

Charles William Carrier

Edward E Ekstedt

Kiyoung Chung

Robert Dzugan

Brian J Humke

Steven C Steffens

Steven Andrew Strang

William F Burke

Stephen J Lotz

Clyde R Draper

Timothy R Gresla

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is directed to a control system for controlling an engine. The control system includes a schedule memory for storing a schedule representing target values for a controlled variable. The control system also includes a processor coupled to the schedule memory. The processor receives a reference input and generates a control signal in response to the reference input and the schedule. The schedule in the schedule memory may be updated to account for engine deterioration so that accurate control is performed. Another exemplary embodiment of the invention is a method for controlling an engine. The method includes updating a schedule to account for deterioration of the engine.

Control system and method for controlling an engine in response to deterioration of the engine

First and second superalloy workpieces are inertia welded together by rotating the first workpiece to an initial contact speed greater than about 750 surface feet per minute, and frictionally engaging under a weld load the first and second workpieces to effect an inertia weld therebetween.

Superspeed inertia welding

A vacuum centrifugally cast combustion liner suitable for use in a gas turbine engine operating at temperatures ranging from ambient up to about 1700.degree. F. is provided. The combustion liner is formed by centrifugally vacuum casting a precipitation hardened nickel-based superalloy having controlled, low amounts of aluminum and titanium. The combustion liner is characterized by a homogeneous grain structure having enhanced strength and creep resistance particularly at elevated temperatures. In addition, the preferred elemental composition, particularly the relatively small amounts of aluminum and titanium, enhance the weldability and overall manufacturability of the combustion liner.

Method for forming a thin-walled combustion liner for use in a gas

A gas turbine engine combustor includes radially spaced outer and inner liners disposed coaxially about an engine longitudinal centerline axis with each liner having forward and aft ends. An annular dome is fixedly joined to the forward ends of the outer and inner liners. The outer liner has a substantially uniform thickness and is arcuate in a longitudinal plane from the forward to aft ends for providing buckling resistance of the outer liner.

Arched combustor

A combustor dome assembly includes an annular support plate fixedly joined to a combustion liner which confines combustion gases. The support plate includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced support openings for supporting respective carburetors, and respective splashplates fixedly joined coaxially to each of the support openings. Each of the splashplates includes an intermediate flared portion spaced axially downstream from an intermediate portion of the support plate to define a plenum, and a distal end spaced radially away from the liner to define a circumferential extending outlet gap in flow communication with the plenum. The support plate intermediate portion has a plurality of impingement holes disposed between the support openings and a proximal end of the support plate for channeling a first portion of compressed air as impingement air into the plenum to impinge against the splashplate intermediate portion. A plurality of circumferentially spaced air slots are disposed between the support plate proximal end and the liner for channeling a second portion of the compressed air therethrough and into the plenum for mixing with spent impingement air to form a cooling air film extending from the outlet gap along the liner for film cooling thereof.

Combustor dome assembly

Double dome arched combustor

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a combustor is disclosed having three separate domes, each dome having disposed therein a plurality of circumferentially spaced mixers for uniformly mixing air and fuel. The combustor utilizes a high percentage of the total available combustion air at the dome area in order to maintain a lean mixture of air and fuel during all levels of engine output. Besides providing an unobstructed area in the diffuser dump region upstream of the mixers for the combustion air, sealing means is included to prevent cooling air from entering the combustion chamber until downstream of the primary combustion zone. Heat shields having radial centerbodies are also included between each dome to isolate each primary combustion zone.

Triple annular combustor for gas turbine engine

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Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Adrian M Ablett