Thermally responsive cooling flow meters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11248490-B2
Application number	US-201816004687-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2018
Priority date	Jun 11, 2018
Publication date	Feb 15, 2022
Grant date	Feb 15, 2022

Abstract

A thermally responsive flow meter may comprise a coil and a plate coupled to the coil. The plate may define a first airflow aperture. The plate may translate in a circumferential direction in response to a thermal expansion of the coil. The thermally responsive flow meter may regulate the flow of air through a second airflow aperture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A thermally responsive flow meter for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
a coil; and
a plate coupled to the coil, the plate including
a first airflow aperture formed through a first surface of the plate and
a second surface of the plate, the first surface and the second surface each extending radially relative to a central longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine, wherein
the coil is coupled to at least one of an inner diameter or an outer diameter of the plate, and wherein the second surface of the plate is oriented away from the first surface, and wherein the plate is coupled to the coil such that the first surface and the second surface of the plate translate in a circumferential direction in response to a thermal expansion of the coil to regulate a flow of cooling air through a flow guide of the gas turbine engine.

2. The thermally responsive flow meter of claim 1 , wherein the plate comprises an annular structure, and wherein the first surface and the second surface of the plate extend radially between the inner diameter and the outer diameter of the plate.

3. The thermally responsive flow meter of claim 2 , wherein the coil is located at the outer diameter of the plate such that the plate extends radially inward from the coil.

4. The thermally responsive flow meter of claim 3 , further comprising a flange extending radially outward from a first end of the coil.

5. The thermally responsive flow meter of claim 1 , further comprising a housing disposed around the plate and the coil, wherein a first face of the housing defines a second airflow aperture.

6. The thermally responsive flow meter of claim 5 , wherein the coil is located between the plate and a second face of the housing, and wherein the coil biases the plate toward the first face of the housing.

7. The thermally responsive flow meter of claim 6 , further comprising an axle extending between the first face of the housing and the second face of the housing, wherein the coil is configured to translate the plate about the axle.

8. An engine section of a gas turbine engine, comprising:
a flow guide configured to receive a cooling airflow, the flow guide defining a first airflow aperture; and
a thermally responsive flow meter coupled to the flow guide, the thermally responsive flow meter including:
a coil; and
a plate coupled to the coil, the plate including a second airflow aperture formed through a first radially extending surface of the plate and a second radially extending surface of the plate, the first radially extending surface and the second radially extending surface each extending in a radial direction relative to a central longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine, the second radially extending surface of the plate being oriented away from the first radially extending surface of the plate, wherein the plate is coupled to the coil such that the first radially extending surface of the plate, the second radially extending surface of the plate, and the second airflow aperture translate in a circumferential direction in response to a change in temperature of the cooling airflow.

9. The engine section of claim 8 , wherein the thermally responsive flow meter is configured to align the second airflow aperture with the first airflow aperture at a first flight condition and to misalign the second airflow aperture relative the first airflow aperture at a second flight condition.

10. The engine section of claim 9 , wherein the first flight condition comprises a take-off condition and the second flight condition comprises a cruise condition.

11. The engine section of claim 8 , wherein
thermal expansion of the coil results in translation of the plate in the circumferential direction.

12. The engine section of claim 11 , wherein the coil is located at an outer diameter of the plate.

13. The engine section of claim 12 , further comprising a flange extending from the coil, wherein a slot defined by the flow guide engages the flange.

14. The engine section of claim 11 , wherein the thermally responsive flow meter further comprises a housing located around the coil and the plate.

15. The engine section of claim 14 , wherein the housing is press fit within the first airflow aperture.

16. A gas turbine engine, comprising:
a combustor section; and
a turbine section downstream of the combustor section, the turbine section comprising:
a flow guide configured to receive an airflow and defining, at least, a portion of an airflow path through the turbine section, wherein the flow guide further defines a first airflow aperture, and
a thermally responsive flow meter coupled to the flow guide, the thermally responsive flow meter including a plate, the plate comprising a radially extending surface, the radially extending surface extending in a radial direction relative to a central longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine, wherein the radially extending surface of the plate defines a second airflow aperture, wherein the thermally responsive flow meter is configured to translate the radially extending surface of the plate and the second airflow aperture circumferentially in response to a change in temperature of the airflow.

17. The gas turbine engine of claim 16 , wherein the thermally responsive flow meter further comprises a coil coupled to plate the plate, wherein thermal expansion of the coil results in circumferential translation of the plate about the central longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine.

18. The gas turbine engine of claim 17 , wherein a first surface of the flow guide restricts radially outward translation of the coil, the first surface extending circumferentially about the flow guide, and wherein a second surface of the flow guide restricts radially inward translation of the plate, the second surface extending circumferentially about the flow guide.

19. The gas turbine engine of claim 17 , wherein the coil is located radially outward of the radially extending surface of the plate.

20. The gas turbine engine of claim 19 , wherein the thermally responsive flow meter further comprises a housing disposed around the coil and the plate, and wherein the coil is configured to bias the plate toward a radially extending face of the housing, the radially extending face defining a third airflow aperture.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp
• Raytheon Tech Corp

Inventors

• Galle Nathan K
• Mclaughlin Brian C

Classifications

• G01F15/04

  of gases to be measured · CPC title

• G01F1/68

  by using thermal effects · CPC title

• F01D21/003

  Arrangements for testing or measuring (for measuring vibrations G01H) · CPC title

• F02C7/12

  Cooling of plants (of component parts, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. F01D; cooling of engines in general F01P) · CPC title

• F02C6/08

  the gas being bled from the gas-turbine compressor · CPC title