Difficulties in adapting centrifugal pumps for use as fuel pumps for turbine powered aircraft are avoided in a system including a centrifugal volute pump (22) on a common shaft (18) with a regenerative pump (24). A pressure responsive throttling valve (46) is connected to the inlet (50) of the regenerative pump (24) so as to cause the regenerative pump (24) to provide fuel at a desired, substantially constant pressure while a check valve (80) is connected to the outlet (72) of the centrifugal vo...

A fuel pressurization and pumping system for use in a turbine powered aircraft or the like makes use of the advantages of centrifugal pumps, even in a high pressure mode and includes a centrifugal volute pump (24) having a fuel inlet (28) and fuel outlet (32) along with a regenerative pump (34) having a fuel inlet (36) and a fuel outlet (38). The fuel outlet (32) of the centrifugal volute pump (24) is connected to the fuel inlet (36) of the regenerative pump (34) and a valve (50) is provided for...

Undesirably high stresses are minimized in a magnetic thrust bearing (15) having a disc (52) mounted on a shaft (54). The disc (52) is flanked on both sides (60,62) by respective armatures (68,70) which act to apply a magnetic field to the disc (52) to locate the same at a desired location along the axis (66) of the rotor (14) of the machine in which the thrust bearing (15) is employed. A peripheral, radially outwardly opening, annular groove (76) is disposed in the outer periphery (64) of the t...

An integrated inductive assembly includes first and second inductive elements each comprising a winding wherein winding axes of the windings are perpendicular to one another. In addition, the first and second inductive elements are carried adjacent one another by a bracket.

A semiconductor package includes a plurality of semiconductor devices disposed in an array surrounding a central electrode structure carried by a package support member. The package is capable of withstanding high voltages and currents and includes a heat exchanger integral therewith.

The weight and volume of a centrifugal fuel pump ideally suited for use in a fuel system for a turbine engine (12) may be reduced in a construction including a single shaft (10) mounting an inducing impeller (18), an impeller (22) for a regenerative pump, and an impeller (24) for a centrifugal volute pump. Hydrostatic bearings (26), (28) journal the shaft (10) within a pump housing (14) and are provided with fuel under pressure via a conduit (30) connected to the outlets of the regenerative pump...

A power conversion system allows for redundant starting and generating functions and eliminates equipment normally found in a conventional system so that size and weight are reduced.

This invention relates to a piston for reciprocating and simultaneously rotating through a predetermined length of movement within a piston bore having a piston bore surface, and a method for reducing wear on a piston bore surface operatively associated with a piston which is subject to cocking forces. The piston includes a means on its extreme portion for providing continuous, tangential cooperation with the piston bore surface within the predetermined length of piston movement to reduce wear o...

A fluid circulation system in accordance with the invention includes a first fluid utilizing device (12) requiring a minimum fluid flow having an input (14) for receiving the minimum flow and an output (16) for discharging fluid received from the input; a second fluid utilizing device (24) having an input (26) for receiving fluid and an output (31) for outputting fluid; and a valve (80) having a first input (32) for receiving the fluid flow flowing from the output of the second device, a first o...

An electromagnetic thrust bearing having reduced windage losses, improved structural integrity, and enhanced electromagnetic flux density. The present invention provides an electromagnetic thrust bearing having a first annular stator segment and a second annular stator segment joined thereto to define an annular electromagnetic coil chamber having an L-shaped cross-section. By employing first and second stator segments, the electromagnetic coil can be precision wound onto one segment without int...