An electrically powered aerial vehicle includes at least one motor where each motor includes a stator and a rotor, a motor housing having an inlet opening and a discharge opening for airflow, a plurality of rotor blades rotatable by the rotor, each of the plurality of rotor blades having a cavity running from a proximal end of the rotor blade towards a distal end of the rotor blade, and a blade hub coupled to the rotor blades at the proximal end of each rotor blade and coupled to the motor housing at the discharge opening. A chamber is defined in the blade hub and is in fluid communication with the discharge opening of the motor housing and the cavity of each rotor blade. The airflow is centrifugally drawn in from the motor housing through the discharge opening and transported through the chamber and into the cavities of the rotor blades when the rotor blades are rotating.

A method for providing an anti-icing airflow, including extracting a compressed airflow from a core flow path of an engine, heating the compressed airflow, mixing the heated compressed airflow with air extracted from a bypass flow path to create the anti-icing airflow having a higher temperature and pressure than that of the air extracted from the bypass flow path, and circulating the anti-icing airflow away from the bypass flow path. Also, an assembly located at least in part inside a turbofan engine and including a heat exchanger, a flow mixing device having a first inlet in the bypass flow path, a second inlet and an outlet, a first conduit providing fluid communication between the heat exchanger and a compressed air portion of the core flow path, a second conduit providing fluid communication between the heat exchanger and the second inlet, and a third conduit in fluid communication with the outlet.

A method for providing an anti-icing airflow, including extracting a compressed airflow from a core flow path of an engine, heating the compressed airflow, mixing the heated compressed airflow with air extracted from a bypass flow path to create the anti-icing airflow having a higher temperature and pressure than that of the air extracted from the bypass flow path, and circulating the anti-icing airflow away from the bypass flow path. Also, an assembly located at least in part inside a turbofan engine and including a heat exchanger, a flow mixing device having a first inlet in the bypass flow path, a second inlet and an outlet, a first conduit providing fluid communication between the heat exchanger and a compressed air portion of the core flow path, a second conduit providing fluid communication between the heat exchanger and the second inlet, and a third conduit in fluid communication with the outlet.

Aspects of the invention disclosed herein generally provide a heat engine system, a turbopump system, and methods for lubricating a turbopump while generating energy. The systems and methods provide proper lubrication and cooling to turbomachinery components by controlling pressures applied to a thrust bearing in the turbopump. The applied pressure on the thrust bearing may be controlled by a turbopump back-pressure regulator valve adjusted to maintain proper pressures within bearing pockets disposed on two opposing surfaces of the thrust bearing. Pocket pressure ratios, such as a turbine-side pocket pressure ratio (P1) and a pump-side pocket pressure ratio (P2), may be monitored and adjusted by a process control system. In order to prevent damage to the thrust bearing, the systems and methods may utilize advanced control theory of sliding mode, the multi-variables of the pocket pressure ratios P1 and P2, and regulating the bearing fluid to maintain a supercritical state.

Aspects of the invention disclosed herein generally provide a heat engine system, a turbopump system, and methods for lubricating a turbopump while generating energy. The systems and methods provide proper lubrication and cooling to turbomachinery components by controlling pressures applied to a thrust bearing in the turbopump. The applied pressure on the thrust bearing may be controlled by a turbopump back-pressure regulator valve adjusted to maintain proper pressures within bearing pockets disposed on two opposing surfaces of the thrust bearing. Pocket pressure ratios, such as a turbine-side pocket pressure ratio (P1) and a pump-side pocket pressure ratio (P2), may be monitored and adjusted by a process control system. In order to prevent damage to the thrust bearing, the systems and methods may utilize advanced control theory of sliding mode, the multi-variables of the pocket pressure ratios P1 and P2, and regulating the bearing fluid to maintain a supercritical state.

An apparatus for improving heat transfer through a leading portion of an aircraft engine. The apparatus includes a wall that is defined by the leading portion. A surface is defined by the wall and the surface defines a channel through the leading portion of the aircraft engine. A source for a fluid that is fluidly connected to the channel. Pits are defined in the surface of the channel such that the bleed air can flow across the pits.

An apparatus for improving heat transfer through a leading portion of an aircraft engine. The apparatus includes a wall that is defined by the leading portion. A surface is defined by the wall and the surface defines a channel through the leading portion of the aircraft engine. A source for a fluid that is fluidly connected to the channel. Pits are defined in the surface of the channel such that the bleed air can flow across the pits.

A method for shortening the start-up process of a steam turbine is provided which has a turbine housing and turbine components which are provided inside the turbine housing. The turbine components during operation come into contact with hot steam which flows through the turbine housing and include a turbine shaft which passes axially through the turbine housing. Sealing regions, which during operation of the steam turbine are acted upon by seal steam, are formed between the turbine shaft and the turbine housing. Thermal energy is fed to the steam turbine during a shutdown of said steam turbine, wherein seal steam is fed to the interior of the turbine housing during the shutdown of the steam turbine in order to heat and/or to keep warm the turbine components which are provided in the interior of the turbine housing.

A method for shortening the start-up process of a steam turbine is provided which has a turbine housing and turbine components which are provided inside the turbine housing. The turbine components during operation come into contact with hot steam which flows through the turbine housing and include a turbine shaft which passes axially through the turbine housing. Sealing regions, which during operation of the steam turbine are acted upon by seal steam, are formed between the turbine shaft and the turbine housing. Thermal energy is fed to the steam turbine during a shutdown of said steam turbine, wherein seal steam is fed to the interior of the turbine housing during the shutdown of the steam turbine in order to heat and/or to keep warm the turbine components which are provided in the interior of the turbine housing.

A main steam valve includes a cylindrical guide centered about an O-axis, a valve body disposed inside the guide so as to be slidable in the O-axis direction, a valve shaft on which the valve body moves in the O-axis direction between open and closed positions, and a casing having a flow path and a valve seat formed on an inner surface thereof. The flow path guides out a fluid guided into the casing from the inflow direction along the O-axis direction. The valve body abuts against the valve seat when the valve body is in the closed position. A valve chamber, formed in the casing, has a baffle plate provided in a region between an outer circumferential surface of the guide and an inner surface of the casing. The baffle plate interrupts swirling vortex flow with spiral vortex core extending in the circumferential direction of the O-axis of the guide.