General Electric Company

Bala Corattiyil

Kenneth Lee Fisher

Duane Howard Anstead

Gary Paul Moscarino

Ning Fang

Barry Lynn Allmon

Scott Francis Wolfer

Morris Green Penn

Mark Eden Zentgraf

Prasad Laxman Kane

Ray Harris Kinnaird

Christopher Charles Glynn

Christopher Edward Wolfe

Jan Christopher Schilling

Randy M Vondrell

Robert Proctor

Hua Xia

Richard William Albrecht, Jr

Daniel Edward Mollmann

Kevin Thomas McCarthy

Eric John Ruggiero

Pradeep Hemant Sangli

Frederic Gardner Haaser

Bradley Willis Fintel

Stephen Anthony Wilton

Stephen Eugene Melton

Ramon Themudo

Jonothan Allen Scheetz

Michael Joseph Gambone

Eric John Rubbiero

Dave William Pugh

Edward William Grace

Rebecca J Schmidt

David William Pugh

Richard William Albrecht

Rebecca Jean Schmidt

Randy Marinus Vondrell

A sump pressurization system for a gas turbine engine comprises a first hollow shaft and a second hollow shaft disposed within the first hollow shaft and defining a cavity therebetween. Each of the first and second hollow shafts has a common axis of rotation. Also included is a source of pressurized air to pressurize the cavity and a plurality of hollow tubes disposed in the cavity. The tubes are oriented perpendicular to the axis of rotation and are connected to and rotatable with the first hollow shaft. A plurality of apertures in the second hollow shaft are in fluid communication with the tubes, such that pressurized air flowing through the tubes passes through the apertures into the interior of the second hollow shaft.

Gas turbine engine sump pressurization system

A device operating in an environment includes a fiber optic sensing system having one or more fiber optic sensors disposed in the device and configured to detect one or more parameters related to the device. The parameters may include temperature, strain, pressure, vibration, or combinations thereof.

Embedded fiber optic sensing device and method

A fiber-optic based thrust load measurement system is coupled to a bearing housing. The measurement system includes at least one fiber optic sensor configured to detect one or more parameters related to the bearing housing. An optical coupler is configured to regulate light signals emitted from a light source and light signals reflected from the fiber optic sensor. A detector system is configured to receive light signals from the optical coupler. A processor is configured to receive an output from the detector system and to determine a thrust load on a thrust bearing based on the detected one or more parameters related to the bearing housing.

Fiber-optic based thrust load measurement system

A rotating seal for a gas turbine engine includes: (a) an annular seal body; (b) a sealing component carried by the seal body which is adapted to form one-half of a rotating seal interface; and (c) an impeller carried by the seal body which comprises a plurality of radially-inwardly-extending impeller blades.

Dynamic impeller oil seal

The present invention provides a free vortex air-oil separator that may be used in systems for separating oil from air oil mixtures. The free vortex air-oil separator comprises a free vortex chamber having a first chamber wall, a second chamber wall located axially aft from the first chamber wall and a rim located in a radially outer region from an axis of rotation, a plurality of vent holes in the rim and a cavity formed by the first and second chamber walls, and the rim, wherein a free vortex is created when there is a flow into the cavity through the plurality of vent holes.

Free vortex air-oil separator

The present invention provides a vortex generator that may be used in systems for separating oil from air oil mixtures. The vortex generator comprises a rotating disk having a rim having a plurality of passages extending through it and a cavity formed by the rotating disk and a cavity wall wherein a vortex is created when there is a flow through the plurality of passages into the cavity.

Vortex air-oil separator system

An active air pressure control apparatus for a bearing sump cavity in a gas turbine engine includes a bearing assembly supporting a rotatable shaft that connects a rotatable power turbine and a rotatable compressor. The active air pressure control apparatus also includes a sump cavity surrounding the bearing assembly, a sump pressurization cavity in flow communication with a source of pressurized air and in flow communication with the sump cavity, and a sump vent tube in flow communication with the sump cavity and an air/oil separator. The active air pressure control apparatus includes an adjustable valve in the sump vent tube, and a controllable blower in flow communication with the sump vent tube.

Supercore sump vent pressure control

A rotor assembly for a gas turbine engine includes a bearing assembly that reduces dynamic loads to a support frame and static bending to the rotor assembly during periods of rotor unbalance. The rotor assembly includes a rotor shaft coupled to a fan and supported longitudinally with a plurality of bearing assemblies on a support frame. A number two bearing assembly includes a paired race, a rolling element, and a mounting race. The mounting race includes a spherical face and is secured to the bearing assembly with a retainer that plastically fails at a pre-determined moment load.

Method and apparatus for supporting rotor assemblies during unbalances

A rotor assembly for a gas turbine engine including a bearing centering sub-assembly that facilitates reduces an effect of radial forces transmitted to a bearing assembly is described. The bearing assembly supports a rotor shaft with a rolling element positioned radially inward from an outer race. The bearing centering sub-assembly is coupled to the outer race and includes a plurality of first springs and a plurality of second springs extending circumferentially in rows. Each first springs is coupled between a second spring and the outer race such that each first spring is radially aligned with respect to each second spring.

Method and apparatus for centering rotor assembly damper bearings

A rotor assembly for a gas turbine engine including a bearing centering sub-assembly that facilitates reduces radial forces transmitted to a bearing assembly is described. The bearing assembly supports a rotor shaft with a rolling element positioned radially inward from an outer race. The bearing centering sub-assembly is coupled to the outer race and includes a plurality of first springs and second springs arranged circumferentially in a row. Each first spring is positioned between adjacent second springs and coupled between the outer race and annular ring. Each second spring is coupled between a support frame and the annular ring.

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Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Bala Corattiyil