Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation

Mark M Harris

Anthony C Jones

Eric J Alexander

Patrick M Lydon

Malcolm John McArthur

Robert O Barkley

Buzz Hagshenas

David R Ripley

A rotational system for a miniature gas turbine engine includes a rotor shaft rotationally mounted to a forward bearing and an aft bearing. The rotor shaft is located axially with a single threaded rotor nut which provides an axial preload maintained by a fixed compressor wheel and spacers. A preload spring provides dynamic compensation for tolerance variation and undesirable axial movement during rotation of the shaft. A permanent magnet generator is mounted to the rotor shaft behind the forward bearing to generate electrical power for the engine and other accessories. The rotor shaft is inertia welded to a turbine wheel to form a cavity which provides a thermally conductive path away from the aft bearing. A seal ring mounted within a groove within the rotor shaft provides a pneumatic seal to further protect the aft bearing from thermal transfer between the turbine section and the compressor section.

Rotational system for an expendable gas turbine engine

A static structure for a miniature gas turbine engine includes a forward housing, a forward cover, a diffuser housing, a diffuser, a turbine nozzle, a combustor liner, a combustor housing and an exhaust pipe with relatively uncomplicated assembly interfaces. The static structure defines airflow and lubrication passages which communicate lubricant and airflow to each shaft bearing such that an adequate measured quantity of lubricant is supplied to the bearings in response to engine speed. The airflow through the airflow passage carries the lubrication supplied to the forward bearing toward the aft bearing to further lubricate the aft hot section bearing.

Static structure for an expendable gas turbine engine

A turbofan engine includes a combined stage rotor mounted for common rotation with a shaft, a compressor stage, and a turbine stage. Each of the plurality of fan blades of the combined stage rotor are contiguous with a respective compressor blade. The combined stage rotor is located at a junction between a fan bypass duct and a core duct. The fan bypass stage portion includes a plurality of the fan blades which communicate incoming airflow into fan bypass airflow through the fan bypass duct. The compressor stage portion includes a plurality of the compressor blades which communicated airflow into core airflow through the core duct. The plurality of fan blades extend substantially perpendicular to the plurality of compressor blades such that the plurality of compressor blade portions extend at least partially into the core duct and preferably will include splitters for enhanced efficiency.

Combined stage single shaft turbofan engine

A dampening system for a miniature high-speed turbojet engine provides single or multiple resilient mountings for forward and aft bearings which mount a rotor shaft. The self-induced first engine order of the rotating rotor shaft is transmitted through the forward and aft bearing and is then absorbed in the resilient mountings.

Damping system for an expendable gas turbine engine

A combustor system for a miniature gas turbine engine includes fuel injection via orifices which direct fuel into fuel-air injection tubes which feed a fuel-rich mixture of fuel and air into a leading end of the combustor liner to form a primary burning region. Fuel system pressures are kept low and controlled by control of the fuel injection port size and number. Fuel breakup is via airblast and tube wall impingement. The fuel-air injection tubes are directed circumferentially, radially outward and toward the front end of the combustor. Air is fed into the combustor such that two distinct burning regions are created. Each region approximates a 'well-stirred reactor' and the combination of the two regions results in an efficient use of combustion volume.

Combustor system for an expendable gas turbine engine

A dampening system for a miniature high-speed turbojet engine provides single or multiple resilient mounting which includes a seal with an at least partially encapsulated spring for forward and aft bearings which mount a rotor shaft. The self-induced first engine order of the rotating rotor shaft is transmitted through the forward and aft bearing and is then absorbed in the resilient mountings. Dependable seal and vibration reduction is thereby provided irrespective of long term storage.

Long term storage capable damping system for an expendable gas turbine engine

Accuracy and predictability are provided in a fuel control system for an engine system including a fuel supply and a combustion chamber. The fuel control system includes at least one fuel injector having a calibrated nozzle to direct a fuel flow from the fuel supply into the combustion chamber of the engine, a servo valve connected between the fuel supply and the calibrated nozzle to meter the fuel flow from the fuel supply to the calibrated nozzle, a pressure transducer operably associated with the calibrated nozzle to measure a pressure drop in the fuel flow across the calibrated nozzle, and a controller operably associated with the pressure transducer and the servo valve to control the metering of the fuel flow by the servo valve. The calibrated nozzle has a known fuel flow vs. pressure drop characteristic. The controller controls the metering of the fuel flow by the servo valve based on the pressure drop measured by the pressure transducer and the known fuel flow vs. pressure drop characteristic of the calibrated nozzle.

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La Jolla, CA, United States of America

Mark M Harris