United Technologies Corporation

James Allen Eley

Carl Brian Klinetob

Ming-Ta Yang

Christian A Carroll

James M Bleeg

The Aeroelastic Model using the Principal Shapes of modes (AMPS) is a method used to predict flutter in gas turbine engines. Modern gas turbine engines often include rotors with flexible disks and/or significant blade geometry variations. The AMPS method accounts for the varying blade mode shapes associated with flexible disks as well as changing blade geometry, providing accurate flutter predictions for a large number of modes from a relatively small number of CFD (computational fluid dynamics) simulations. The AMPS method includes determining a smaller set of principal shapes that approximates a larger set of structural modes of interest. Using linear superposition, aerodynamic forces associated with the vibration of the principal shapes can be used to construct the full aerodynamic coupling matrix associated with the structural modes of interest. An eigenvalue equation is solved to determine a damping distribution associated with the structural modes of interest. The damping distribution is predictive of flutter.

Aeroelastic model using the principal shapes of modes (AMPS)

An inlet guide vane provides improved, smooth airflow and avoids separation of flow even at high incidence angles. The inlet guide vane includes a strut having opposite side surfaces that are continuously curved to provide a controlled velocity distribution at the trailing edge of the strut. The inlet guide vane further includes a flap having a leading edge aligned behind the trailing edge of the strut. Generally, the strut and the flap are designed together so that low momentum air in the gap between the strut and the flap will be energized and entrained in the boundary layer of the flap. The airflow from the gap will remain attached to the flap to improve the flow from the flap.

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Middletown, CT, United States of America

James Allen Eley