United Technologies Corporation

United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

Edward C Able

Martin J Gibler

Thomas J Madden

A brush seal includes an outer retainer ring and a plurality of layers of wire fibers extending inward at a skewed angle from the outer retainer ring and forming a center opening to accommodate an igniter plug therein. The brush seal is mounted onto a combustor wall to allow movement of the igniter plug relative to the combustor wall without damaging the igniter plug and to prevent leakage of air into the combustor.

Brush igniter seal

A gas turbine engine combustor liner with improved high temperature capability is achieved by embedding ceramic tiles into a fiber reinforced glass ceramic matrix composite substrate, so as to incorporate a space between the tiles and the substrate, the space serving to eliminate a direct heat conductive path between the tile and the substrate. The space is created by inserting a fugitive layer between the tiles and the substrate prior to compaction of the substrate, followed by removal of the fugitive layer. A fugitive material sprayed on the supportive region of the tiles prior to liner fabrication prevents the substrate material from bonding to the tiles, and prevents cracking of the tiles during temperature cycling.

Gas turbine engine combustor fiber reinforced glass ceramic matrix liner

A structural connector (40) is disclosed for joining together the inner (30) and outer (22) walls of a combustion chamber (20) of a turbomachine (10), such as a gas turbine engine. The structural connector (40) also provides for cooling or combustion airflow between the combustion chamber (20) and a surrounding atmosphere (12). An outer end (42) of the connector (40) is releasably affixed to the outer wall (22) of the combustion chamber (20) while an inner end (48) is allowed limited lateral and axial displacement relative to the inner wall (30) of the combustion chamber (20), thereby accommodating differential expansion and contraction of the walls (30, 22) relative to each other.

Integrated connector/airtube for a turbomachine's combustion chamber

A combustor shield assembly is provided wherein a plurality of ceramic tiles are mounted on a ceramic support panel, which panel has a plurality of keyhole-shaped apertures therethrough to receive a plurality of ceramic tiles, each of which has a knob upstanding on a neck from the base or shield of such tile, each of the knobs being sized to fit through the larger end of the apertures, but not the smaller end thereof to provide a bearing and support surface for such knob and thus for the tiles. An apertured retaining panel is provided, having apertures slightly larger than the knobs, which panel is positioned over the top of the support panel with the apertures thereof around the respective knobs to secure the tiles in place in the support panel. A plurality of the so-assembled tiles on their respective support panel are mounted in spaced overlapping layers to a combustor liner so as to mount the tiles before the liner as a heat shield therefor. In addition air inlet passages are provided between each such tile assembly so that cooling air can be input between the above tile assembly layers to further cool and protect the combustor liner in concert with such tile assemblies. In a preferred embodiment, an insulating layer or blanket is positioned on the back side of each tile around its support knob, between tile and support panel to further insulate such panel and provide a cushion for the brittle ceramic tiles.

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Tolland, CT, United States of America

Edward C Able