A system and method provide aircraft-specific customization of gas turbine engine operation. The system includes a gas turbine engine, a first processing unit, and an engine controller. The first processing unit is configured to selectively transmit an activation key. The engine controller is in operable communication with the first processing unit and the gas turbine engine. The engine controller is configured to receive the activation key transmitted by the first processing unit and is operable, upon receipt of the activation key, to: verify the received activation key is correct, enable operational parameters in the gas turbine engine and the engine controller when the received activation key is correct, and control the gas turbine engine using the enabled operational parameters.

Systems and methods for controlling operation of an engine using an engine controller are described herein. A status of the controller is set at an initial state. Pilot input for control of the engine is received and one or more engine parameters are obtained. The status of the controller is updated according to engine specific requirements based on at least one of the pilot input and the one or more engine parameters. The engine specific requirements defining conditions for transitioning the status of the controller for the engine. Operation of the engine is controlled based on the status of the controller, the pilot input, and the one or more engine parameters.

A starter air valve (SAV) system includes a pressure actuated SAV actuator configured to be operatively connected to a SAV, a first pressure valve configured to selectively allow pressure from a pressure source to the SAV actuator when in fluid communication with the SAV actuator, and a second pressure valve configured to selectively allow pressure from the pressure source to the SAV actuator when in fluid communication with the SAV actuator. A manual override (MOR) valve selector is disposed between the first pressure valve, the second pressure valve, and the SAV actuator, the MOR valve selector configured to selectively fluidly connect the first pressure valve and the SAV actuator in a first position and to fluidly connect the second pressure valve and the SAV actuator in a second position.

A control system of a gas turbine engine is provided. The engine has a fuel flow metering valve which regulates a fuel flow to the engine, and one or more variable geometry components which are movable between different set points to vary an operating configuration of the engine. The control system has an engine fuel control sub-system which provides a fuel flow demand signal for controlling the fuel flow metering valve. The control system further has a variable geometry control sub-system which determines current set points to be adopted by the variable geometry components given the current engine operating condition in order to comply with one or more engine constraints. The control system further has an optimiser that receives the current set points and determines adjusted values of the set points which optimise, while complying with the engine constraints, an objective function modelling a performance characteristic of the engine, the objective function adapting to change in engine performance with time. The control system further has a feedback loop in which the adjusted values of the set points thus-determined are sent to the variable geometry control sub-system to vary the current set points.

A system for neural network compensated aero-thermodynamic gas turbine engine parameter/inlet condition synthesis. The system includes an aero-thermodynamic engine model configured to produce a real-time model-based estimate of engine parameters, a machine learning model configured to generate model correction errors indicating the difference between the real-time model-based estimate of engine parameters and sensed values of the engine parameters, and a comparator configured to produce residuals indicating a difference between the real-time model-based estimate of engine parameters and the sensed values of the engine parameters. The system also includes an inlet condition estimator configured to iteratively adjust an estimate of inlet conditions based on the residuals and adaptive control laws configured to produce engine control parameters for control of gas turbine engine actuators based on the inlet conditions.

Turbines and associated equipment are normally cleaned via water or chemical pressure washing via a mist, spray systems. However, these systems fail to reach deep across the gas path to remove fouling materials. Various embodiments herein pertain to apparatus and methods that utilize the water and existing chemicals to generate a foam. The foam can be introduced at that gas-path entrance of the equipment, where it contacts the stages and internal surfaces, to contact, scrub, carry, and remove fouling away from equipment to restore performance.

Systems and methods to control gas turbine firing temperatures during air injection. A method of achieving a desired firing temperature of a gas turbine engine during air injection comprises injecting compressed air into the gas turbine engine using an external source. The external source includes a compressor and a recuperator. The method comprises using a controller of the gas turbine engine to: (a) determine an air injection exhaust bias gain using an inlet temperature of the gas turbine engine; (b) calculate, based on the determined air injection exhaust bias gain and a flow rate of the injected compressed air, an air injection exhaust curve bias; and (c) change a fuel flow of the gas turbine engine by adding the air injection exhaust curve bias to an existing exhaust curve of the gas turbine engine to thereby achieve the desired firing temperature during air injection.

A system and method provide aircraft-specific customization of gas turbine engine operation. The system includes a gas turbine engine, a first processing unit, and an engine controller. The first processing unit is configured to selectively transmit an activation key. The engine controller is in operable communication with the first processing unit and the gas turbine engine. The engine controller is configured to receive the activation key transmitted by the first processing unit and is operable, upon receipt of the activation key, to: verify the received activation key is correct, enable operational parameters in the gas turbine engine and the engine controller when the received activation key is correct, and control the gas turbine engine using the enabled operational parameters.

A scramjet engine has first and second passage forming members. A passage is formed between the first surface and the second surface. The passage has an upstream zone, a combustion zone and a downstream zone. A cavity of a concave shape is provided on the first surface in the combustion zone. The first passage forming member has a convex section located in the upstream zone, a first fuel injection section which injects the fuel into the passage from a fuel nozzle provided for the convex section, and a second fuel injection section which injects the fuel to the cavity. The second passage forming member has a third fuel injection section which injects the fuel to a direction toward the first surface from the second surface in the passage through the second fuel nozzle provided in the downstream zone.

Impeller for a radial fan, the impeller comprising a front side, a rear side and a peripheral edge, a hub element, an annular covering disc positioned on the front side, an intake opening formed on the front side, a support disc positioned on the rear side, blades extending substantially radially from the hub element towards the peripheral edge, and outflow openings formed in the region of the peripheral edge. A first outer diameter of a radially outer edge of the annular covering disc is greater than a second outer diameter of a radially outer edge of the support disc. Openings are formed in the annular covering disc, wherein the openings are positioned between the radially outer edge of the annular covering disc having the first outer diameter and a radially inner edge of the annular covering disc having a first inside diameter.