Compressor airfoil tip clearance optimization system

A compressor airfoil tip clearance optimization system for increasing efficiency of a turbine engine by reducing the clearance between a tip of a compressor airfoil and a radially adjacent component of the turbine engine, comprising:

• at least one generally elongated blade having a leading edge, a trailing edge, the tip section at a first end, and a root coupled to the blade at an end generally opposite the first end for supporting the blade and for coupling the blade to a disc of a rotor assembly;
• at least one generally elongated compressor vane affixed to a stationary component such that the at least one generally elongated compressor vane does not rotate with a rotor assembly during turbine engine operation;
• an ID flowpath boundary extending from generally an upstream end of a compressor to generally a downstream end of the compressor, wherein the ID flowpath boundary is formed in part from a compressor rotor assembly;
• an OD flowpath boundary extending from generally the upstream end of the compressor to generally the downstream end of the compressor, wherein the OD flowpath boundary is formed in part from a compressor casing;
• at least one clearance reduction system configured to move the rotor assembly axially to reduce tip clearance of the at least one generally elongated blade and the at least one generally elongated compressor vane;
• wherein the ID flowpath boundary increases in distance radially outward from a longitudinal axis when moving axially downstream in a direction from the upstream end to the downstream end;
• wherein the OD flowpath boundary increases in distance radially outward when moving axially downstream in a direction from the upstream end to the downstream end in an axially downstream section of the OD flowpath boundary formed from less than 40 percent of an axial length of the compressor extending upstream from the downstream end of the compressor;
• and
• wherein the ID flowpath boundary increases in distance radially outward when moving axially downstream in a direction from the upstream end toward the downstream end in an axially downstream section of the inward flowpath boundary formed from less than 40 percent of an axial length of the compressor extending upstream from the downstream end of the compressor.

A compressor airfoil tip clearance optimization system for increasing efficiency of a turbine engine by reducing the clearance between a tip of a compressor airfoil and a radially adjacent component of the turbine engine, comprising:

• at least one generally elongated blade having a leading edge, a trailing edge, the tip section at a first end, and a root coupled to the blade at an end generally opposite the first end for supporting the blade and for coupling the blade to a disc of a rotor assembly;
• at least one generally elongated compressor vane affixed to a stationary component such that the at least one generally elongated compressor vane does not rotate with a rotor assembly during turbine engine operation;
• an ID flowpath boundary extending from generally an upstream end of a compressor to generally a downstream end of the compressor, wherein the ID flowpath boundary is formed in part from a compressor rotor assembly;
• an OD flowpath boundary extending from generally the upstream end of the compressor to generally the downstream end of the compressor, wherein the OD flowpath boundary is formed in part from a compressor casing;
• at least one clearance reduction system configured to move the rotor assembly axially to reduce tip clearance of the at least one generally elongated blade and the at least one generally elongated compressor vane;
• wherein a midsection of the ID flowpath boundary is generally aligned with a longitudinal axis when moving axially downstream in a direction from the upstream end to the downstream end;
• wherein the OD flowpath boundary increases in distance radially outward when moving axially downstream in a direction from the upstream end to the downstream end in an axially downstream section of the outward flowpath boundary formed from less than 40 percent of an axial length of the compressor extending upstream from the downstream end of the compressor;
• wherein the ID flowpath boundary increases in distance radially outward when moving axially downstream in a direction from the upstream end toward the downstream end in an axially downstream section of the inward flowpath boundary formed from less than 40 percent of an axial length of the compressor extending upstream from the downstream end of the compressor;
• wherein the OD flowpath boundary decreases in distance radially outward when moving axially downstream in a direction from the upstream end to the downstream end in an axially upstream section formed from less than 20 percent of an axial length of the compressor extending downstream from the upstream end of the compressor;
• and
• wherein the ID flowpath boundary decreases in distance radially outward when moving axially downstream in a direction from the upstream end toward the downstream end in an axially upstream section formed from less than 20 percent of an axial length of the compressor extending downstream from the upstream end of the compressor.