US 2006/0140756 A1Published application

Gas turbine engine blade tip clearance apparatus and method

AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation

InventorsFrederick Schwarz, J. Smith

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A zero running clearance system for gas turbine engines includes a gas turbine engine compressor having one or more first rotor assemblies and one or more first stator assemblies disposed adjacent the one or more first rotor assemblies; a gas turbine engine turbine having one or more second rotor assemblies and one or more second stator assemblies disposed adjacent the one or more second rotor assemblies; one or more shroud segments having blade seal surfaces disposed radially outside of the tips of blades of both the first and second rotor assemblies and a clearance distance extending between the blade tips and blade seal surfaces; and, an actuator selectively operable to axially move the first and said second rotor assemblies to alter the clearance distance.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A zero running clearance system for gas turbine engines, comprising:

one or more first rotor assemblies of a gas turbine engine compressor rotatable around an axially extending rotational axis, each first rotor assembly having a plurality of blades with each blade having a tip;
one or more first stator assemblies of said gas turbine engine compressor disposed adjacent said one or more first rotor assemblies;
one or more first shroud segments having blade seal surfaces disposed radially outside of said one or more first rotor assemblies;
one or more second rotor assemblies of a gas turbine engine turbine rotatable around said axially extending rotational axis, each second rotor assembly having a plurality of blades with each blade having a tip;
one or more second stator assemblies of said gas turbine engine turbine disposed adjacent said one or more second rotor assemblies;
one or more second shroud segments having blade seal surfaces disposed radially outside of said one or more second rotor assemblies;
wherein said blade tips and said blade seal surfaces have mating geometries and a clearance distance extending between said blade tips and said blade seal surfaces;
and
an actuator selectively operable to axially move said first rotor assemblies and said second rotor assemblies to alter said clearance distance.

6 more elements

A method for controlling blade tip clearance within a gas turbine engine, comprising:

providing a compressor having one or more first rotor assemblies, each first rotor assembly having a plurality of blades with each blade having a blade tip, one or more first stator assemblies disposed adjacent said one or more first rotor assemblies, and a shroud having one or more blade seal surfaces disposed radially outside of said one or more first rotor assemblies, wherein said blade tips in each of said one or more first rotor assemblies has a mating geometry with at least one of said one or more blade seal surfaces, and a clearance distance extending between said blade tips and said blade seal surfaces;
providing a turbine having one or more second rotor assemblies, each second rotor assembly having a plurality of blades with each blade having a blade tip, one or more second stator assemblies disposed adjacent said one or more second rotor assemblies, and said shroud having one or more blade seal surfaces disposed radially outside of said one or more second rotor assemblies, wherein said blade tips in each of said one or more second rotor assemblies has a mating geometry with at least one of said one or more blade seal surfaces, and a clearance distance extending between said blade tips and said blade seal surfaces;
providing an actuator selectively operable to axially move said one or more rotor assemblies relative to said shroud;
and
axially moving said one or more first rotor assemblies and second rotor assemblies relative to said shroud using said actuator to alter said clearance distance.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/253,235Filed 17 Oct 2005
Priority: 29 Dec 2004
Published: 29 Jun 2006
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification13 codes

F01D 11/122
Using a rubstrip, e.g. erodible. deformable or resiliently-biased part: with erodable or abradable material
F01D 11/22
Actively adjusting tip-clearance: by mechanically actuating the stator or rotor components, e.g. moving shroud sections relative to the rotor
F01D 21/04
Shutting-down of machines or engines, e.g. in emergency; Regulating, controlling, or safety means not otherwise provided for: responsive to…
F04D 29/052
Shafts or bearings, or assemblies thereof, specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps: axially shiftable rotors

Family

Application11/025,435Continuation in part · filed 29 Dec 2004
Application11/253,235Continuation in part · filed 17 Oct 2005
US 2006/0140755 A1Published application
US 7,341,426 B2Related patent
US 7,407,369 B2Related patent
US 2006/0140756 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.