Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation

Bing Tong

Michael E Mehrer

Daih-Yeou Chen

Tarrence LaMar Mack

Paul E Hilgeman

Carlos Oncina

Pete Suttie

Timothy J Sullivan

William Dornfield

The system and method of the present invention provides stepping speed control of a gas turbine engine to reliably light-off a gas turbine engine. During starting, the speed of the gas turbine engine is incremented by stepped amounts through the light-off window from a minimum speed value to a maximum speed value, with the speed of the gas turbine dwelling at each stepped value for a period of time before incrementing the speed of the engine to the next stepped level. If the gas turbine engine is stepped through the entire light-off window without success, the controller decreases the speed of the gas turbine engine to the minimum value and begins the process again. The process continues until successful light-off is initiated or until the light-off window is traversed a certain number of times, after which the start process is aborted.

Gas turbine starting with stepping speed control

An active thrust management system varies pressure responsive to changes in rotor assembly thrust to maintain a desired position. The system includes a bearing supporting rotation of a rotor assembly within a pressurizing chamber. The rotor assembly is supported on a cushion of air generated between the bearing and the rotor assembly. Pressure within a cavity adjacent the rotor assembly opposes a thrust force to maintain a desired position of the rotor assembly. Modulating airflow into the pressurizing chamber adjacent the rotor assembly compensates for changes in the thrust generated by the rotor assembly to maintain the desired rotor assembly position.

Active thrust management system

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

Bing Tong