# US 12,180,846 B2 · Electric heating for turbomachinery clearance control powered by hybrid energy storage system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,180,846 B2 - Document ID: US12180846B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/866,841 - Filed: 2022-07-18 - Published: 2023-05-04 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-14 - Assignees: Rtx Corporation - Applicants: Raytheon Technologies Corporation - Inventors: Neil Terwilliger; Christopher J Hanlon; Sorin Bengea; Zubair Ahmed Baig - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12180846B2 ## CPC - F01D 11/24: by selectively cooling-heating stator or rotor components - B64D 2221/00: Electric power distribution systems onboard aircraft - F05D 2240/24: for turbines - F05D 2240/55: Seals - F05D 2260/201: by impingement of a fluid - F05D 2270/62: Electrical actuators - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A method for active bi-directional control of an outer structure of a gas turbine engine comprises sending, by a controller, a first control signal to a power electronics for varying an electric current supplied to a heating element to cause the outer structure to move in a first radial direction, and sending, by the controller, a second control signal to a valve assembly for varying a cooling air flow supplied to the outer structure to cause the outer structure to move in a second radial direction. The first radial direction is opposite the second radial direction. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for active bi-directional control of an outer structure of a gas turbine engine, comprising: sending, by a controller, a first control signal to a power electronics for varying an electric current supplied to a heating element to cause the outer structure to move in a first radial direction; sending, by the controller, a second control signal to a valve assembly for varying a cooling air flow supplied to the outer structure to cause the outer structure to move in a second radial direction, the second radial direction is opposite the first radial direction; receiving, by the controller, an electrical current value currently being supplied to the heating element; receiving, by the controller, a current valve position; and determining, by the controller, a current blade tip clearance value based upon the electrical current value and the current valve position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising varying a blade tip clearance in response to the outer structure moving. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, by the controller, a target blade tip clearance value; wherein the first control signal and the second control signal are based upon the current blade tip clearance value and the target clearance value. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein sending, by the controller, the first control signal to the power electronics comprises sending, by the controller, the first control signal to a converter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the converter comprises at least one of a DC/DC converter, a DC/AC converter, or an AC/AC converter. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein the converter is configured to supply the electric current to the heating element. ### Claim 7 A bi-directional clearance control system, comprising: a power electronics; a heating element; a valve assembly; and a controller in electronic communication with the power electronics and the valve assembly, wherein the controller is configured to: send a first control signal to the power electronics for varying an electric current supplied to the heating element to cause an outer structure to move in a first radial direction; and send a second control signal to the valve assembly for varying a cooling air flow supplied to the outer structure to cause the outer structure to move in a second radial direction, the first radial direction is opposite the second radial direction; receive an electrical current value currently being supplied to the heating element; receive a current valve position; determine a current blade tip clearance value based upon the electrical current value and the current valve position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The bi-directional clearance control system of claim 7, wherein a blade tip clearance is configured to be varied in response to the outer structure moving. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The bi-directional clearance control system of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to: receive a target blade tip clearance value; wherein the first control signal and the second control signal are based upon the current blade tip clearance value and the target clearance value. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The bi-directional clearance control system of claim 7, wherein sending, by the controller, the first control signal to the power electronics comprises sending, by the controller, the first control signal to a converter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The bi-directional clearance control system of claim 10, wherein the converter comprises at least one of a DC/DC converter, a DC/AC converter, or an AC/AC converter. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The bi-directional clearance control system of claim 10, wherein the converter is configured to supply the electric current to the heating element. ### Claim 13 A method for active bi-directional control of an outer structure of a gas turbine engine, comprising: sending, by a controller, a first control signal to a converter of a power electronics for varying an electric current supplied to a heating element to cause the outer structure to move in a first radial direction; and sending, by the controller, a second control signal to a valve assembly for varying a cooling air flow supplied to the outer structure to cause the outer structure to move in a second radial direction; wherein the first radial direction is opposite the second radial direction. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising varying a blade tip clearance in response to the outer structure moving. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the converter comprises at least one of a DC/DC converter, a DC/AC converter, or an AC/AC converter. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the converter is configured to supply the electric current to the heating element. ### Claim 17 A bi-directional clearance control system, comprising: a power electronics comprising a converter; a heating element; a valve assembly; and a controller in electronic communication with the power electronics and the valve assembly, wherein the controller is configured to: send a first control signal to the converter of the power electronics for varying an electric current supplied to the heating element to cause an outer structure to move in a first radial direction; and send a second control signal to the valve assembly for varying a cooling air flow supplied to the outer structure to cause the outer structure to move in a second radial direction, the first radial direction is opposite the second radial direction. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The bi-directional clearance control system of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to vary a blade tip clearance in response to the outer structure moving. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The bi-directional clearance control system of claim 17, wherein the converter comprises at least one of a DC/DC converter, a DC/AC converter, or an AC/AC converter.