System and method for modulating airflow into a bore of a rotor to control blade tip clearance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11512594-B2
Application number	US-202016893546-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2020
Priority date	Jun 5, 2020
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

A system for modulating airflow into a bore defined by a rotor of a gas turbine engine defining an axial direction, a circumferential direction, and a radial direction is provided. The system includes a movable member positioned forward of a first stage of rotor blades of the rotor. The movable member is movable between at least a first position and a second position to modulate airflow into the bore via a plurality of opening in fluid communication with the bore.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for modulating airflow into a bore defined by a rotor of a gas turbine engine defining an axial direction, a circumferential direction, and a radial direction, the system comprising:
a movable member positioned on the rotor forward of a first stage of rotor blades of the rotor, the movable member movable between at least a first position and a second position to modulate airflow into the bore via a plurality of openings in fluid communication with the bore,
wherein the movable member comprises a sleeve defining the plurality of openings, the sleeve rotatable along the circumferential direction between at least the first position and the second position or movable along the axial direction between at least the first position and the second position.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is rotatable along the circumferential direction between at least the first position and the second position, wherein the system comprises one or more rotary actuators configured to rotate the sleeve along the circumferential direction between at least the first position and the second position.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
when the sleeve is in the first position, each of the plurality of openings defined by the sleeve is aligned with a corresponding opening of the plurality of openings in fluid communication with the bore defined by the rotor; and
when the sleeve is in the second position, the sleeve covers at least a portion of the plurality of openings in fluid communication with the bore defined by the rotor.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein:
when the sleeve is in the first position, air flows into the bore via the plurality of openings at a first mass flow rate; and
when the sleeve is in the second position, air flows into the bore via the plurality of openings at a second mass flow rate that is different than the first mass flow rate.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is movable along the axial direction between at least the first position and the second position, wherein the system comprises a linear actuator configured to move the sleeve along the axial direction between at least the first position and the second position.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is movable along the axial direction between at least the first position and the second position.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is rotatable along the circumferential direction between at least the first position and the second position.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of openings are in fluid communication with a heating and/or cooling circuit.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the movable member is configured to modulate heated and/or cooled air flowing into the bore of the rotor via the plurality of openings.

10. A gas turbine engine defining an axial direction, a circumferential direction, and a radial direction, the gas turbine engine comprising:
a low pressure compressor drivingly coupled to a low pressure turbine of the gas turbine engine via a low pressure shaft;
a high pressure compressor drivingly coupled to a high pressure turbine of the gas turbine engine via a high pressure shaft, the high pressure compressor comprising a rotor defining a bore and a plurality of openings in fluid communication with the bore; and
a movable member positioned forward of a first stage of rotor blades of the rotor, the movable member movable between at least a first position and a second position to modulate airflow into the bore of the rotor via the plurality of openings,
wherein the plurality of openings are spaced apart from one another along the circumferential direction, and
wherein the movable member comprises a plurality of flaps spaced apart from one another along the circumferential direction, each of the plurality of flaps rotatable about the axial direction between at least the first position and the second position.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of openings are positioned forward of the first stage of rotor blades of the rotor.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein the movable member is disposed on the rotor.

13. A system for modulating airflow into a bore defined by a rotor of a high pressure compressor of a gas turbine engine, the gas turbine engine defining an axial direction, a circumferential direction, and a radial direction, the system comprising:
a movable member positioned on the rotor forward of a first stage of rotor blades of the rotor, the movable member movable between at least a first position and a second position to modulate airflow into the bore via a plurality of openings in fluid communication with the bore,
wherein the plurality of openings are spaced apart from one another along the circumferential direction, and
wherein the movable member comprises a plurality of flaps spaced apart from one another along the circumferential direction, each of the plurality of flaps rotatable about the axial direction between at least the first position and the second position.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of openings are positioned forward of the first stage of rotor blades of the rotor.

15. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:
a plurality of actuators, each of the plurality of actuators configured to rotate a corresponding flap of the plurality of flaps about the axial direction between at least the first position and the second position.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein:
when a flap of the plurality of flaps is in the first position, the flap is oriented in a first plane; and
when the flap is in the second position, the flap is oriented in a second plane that is different than the first plane.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein when the flap is in the first position, the flap is spaced apart from a corresponding opening of the plurality of openings along the radial direction.

18. The system of claim 16 , wherein:
when the flap is in the first position, the flap covers a portion of a corresponding opening of the plurality of openings such that air flows through the corresponding opening at a first mass flow rate; and
when the flap is in the second position, air flows through the corresponding opening at a second mass flow rate that is different than the first mass flow rate.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of openings are in fluid communication with a heating and/or cooling circuit.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Shinde Kudum
• Verma Ajit Kumar

Classifications

• F04D27/002 Primary

  by varying geometry within the pumps, e.g. by adjusting vanes · CPC title

• F05D2240/63

  Glands for admission or removal of fluids from shafts · CPC title

• F02C9/18

  by bleeding, bypassing or acting on variable working fluid interconnections between turbines or compressors or their stages {(F02C3/113 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• F04D27/008

  Stop safety or alarm devices, e.g. stop-and-go control; Disposition of check-valves · CPC title

• F02C9/20

  by throttling; by adjusting vanes · CPC title