Back to results
US 10,738,791 B2Granted
Active high pressure compressor clearance control
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsThomas Ory Moniz, Joseph George Rose
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one embodiment, a compressor clearance control system is provided. The compressor clearance control system includes a cooling air source, a compressor casing, and a cooling air flowpath defined through the compressor casing. The flowpath includes an inlet configured to receive cooling air from the cooling air source and an outlet configured to exhaust the cooling air to the cooling air source such that the flowpath defines a closed loop within the compressor.
Claims20
A compressor clearance control system comprising:
- a compressor comprising a rotating assembly and a compressor casing surrounding the rotating assembly, the compressor casing and the rotating assembly defining a primary flowpath therebetween;
- and
- a bypass duct surrounding the compressor casing;
- wherein said compressor casing comprises one or more cavities defining at least a portion of a cooling air flowpath through said compressor casing, said cooling air flowpath comprising a first inlet configured to receive cooling air from said bypass duct and a first outlet configured to exhaust the cooling air back to the bypass duct, wherein said cooling air flowpath channels cooling air in a first direction opposite a direction of said primary flowpath, the cooling air comprising bypass air from the bypass duct;
- wherein said compressor casing comprises an aft portion and a forward portion, and said cooling air flowpath comprises a first circuit flowing through said aft portion and a second circuit flowing through said forward portion, and
- wherein said first circuit comprises the first outlet coupled in flow communication with a second inlet of said second circuit.
3 more elements
A gas turbine engine comprising:
- a rotating component;
- a stationary component positioned radially outward from said rotating component to define a primary flowpath therebetween;
- and
- a bypass duct surrounding the stationary component;
- wherein said compressor casing comprises one or more cavities defining at least a portion of a cooling air flowpath through said stationary component, wherein said cooling air flowpath is positioned proximate said primary flowpath, said cooling air flowpath configured to channel cooling air from said bypass duct therethrough with said cooling air flowing in a first direction opposite a direction of said primary flowpath to facilitate cooling said stationary component and to exhaust said cooling air back to said bypass duct, the cooling air comprising bypass air from the bypass duct;
- wherein said compressor casing comprises an aft portion and a forward portion, and said cooling air flowpath comprises a first circuit flowing through said aft portion and a second circuit flowing through said forward portion;
- and
- wherein said stationary component comprises an aft portion and a forward portion, and said cooling air flowpath comprises a first circuit flowing through said aft portion and a second circuit flowing through said forward portion, and wherein said first circuit comprises a first outlet coupled in flow communication with a second inlet of said second circuit.
5 more elements
A method of assembling a gas turbine engine, said method comprising:
- coupling a stationary component radially outward from a rotating component, the stationary component and the rotating component defining a primary flowpath therebetween, wherein said stationary component comprises one or more cavities defining at least a portion of a cooling air flowpath through said stationary component;
- and
- coupling a bypass duct surrounding the stationary component, with an inlet of the cooling air flowpath in flow communication with the bypass duct to channel cooling air from said bypass duct through the cooling air flowpath to facilitate cooling the stationary component, and an outlet of the cooling air flowpath in flow communication with the bypass duct to exhaust said cooling air back to said bypass duct, wherein the cooling air flowpath channels cooling air in a first direction opposite a direction of said primary flowpath, the cooling air comprising bypass air from the bypass duct;
- wherein said stationary component comprises an aft portion and a forward portion, and said cooling air flowpath comprises a first circuit flowing through said aft portion and a second circuit flowing through said forward portion;
- and
- wherein said first circuit comprises an outlet coupled in flow communication with an inlet of said second circuit.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.