Blade tip clearance control using material with negative thermal expansion coefficients
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsNaveena K.P., Ravindra Shankar Ganiger, Kishore Budumuru, Kudum Shinde
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Abstract
Clearance control systems with thermal actuators are disclosed. An example thermally-actuated clearance control system for a gas turbine engine includes a compliant material; a high-conductive material coupled to a first surface of the compliant material, the high-conductive material thermally coupling the compliant material to a heated substance, the compliant material to expand radially-inward toward a fan blade when the high-conductive material provides heat; and an abradable material coupled to a second surface of the compliant material facing the fan blade.
Claims15
A thermally-actuated clearance control system for a gas turbine engine, the thermally-actuated clearance control system comprising:
- a thermally-actuated shroud;
- a sensor to measure a clearance between the thermally-actuated shroud and a fan blade;
- and
- a controller to at least:
- heat the thermally-actuated shroud in response to the measured clearance being more than a threshold;
- and
- cool the thermally-actuated shroud in response to the measured clearance being less than the threshold,
- wherein the thermally-actuated shroud is positioned with respect to a protective material, the protective material including a compliant material, an abradable material, and a high-conductive material, the high-conductive material thermally coupling the compliant material to a heated substance, the high-conductive material providing a barrier to the compliant material against the heated substance.
A gas turbine comprising:
- a compressor including a compressor casing and a plurality of compressor blades;
- a turbine, comprising a turbine casing and a plurality of turbine blades;
- a shaft rotatably coupling the compressor and the turbine;
- and
- a thermally-actuated clearance control system comprising:
- a shroud;
- a sensor to measure a clearance between the shroud and a fan blade;
- and
- a controller to at least:
- heat the shroud in response to the measured clearance being more than a threshold;
- and
- cool the shroud in response to the measured clearance being less than the threshold,
- wherein the shroud is positioned with respect to a protective material the protective material including a compliant material, an abradable material, and a high-conductive material, the high-conductive material thermally coupling the compliant material to a heated substance, the high-conductive material providing a barrier to the compliant material against the heated substance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.