Engine core speed reducing method and system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11530653-B2
Application number	US-202117528670-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2021
Priority date	Nov 16, 2017
Publication date	Dec 20, 2022
Grant date	Dec 20, 2022

Abstract

A method for reducing an engine core speed is disclosed, which includes determining a condition of an engine during operation of the engine, and controlling an engine turbine clearance based on the condition of the engine so as to influence the engine core speed. An engine system comprising an engine core speed reducing system is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An engine system, comprising:
at least one turbine; and
a turbine active clearance controller comprising:
a processor configured to determine a condition of the engine system based on engine parameters received from sensors of the engine system during operation of the engine system, and
a controller configured to control an engine turbine clearance based on the condition of the engine system to influence an engine core speed, wherein
the processor is configured to compare the engine parameters from the sensors with predetermined thresholds, wherein
the turbine active clearance controller is configured to obtain the condition of the engine system based on compared results, wherein
the turbine active clearance controller is configured to bias open the engine turbine clearance by a bias amount, wherein
the bias amount is an amount of the engine turbine clearance, wherein,
when an exhaust gas temperature is less than a predetermined temperature threshold and the engine core speed is larger than a predetermined first speed threshold, the engine system is determined to be in a first condition, and wherein:
if the engine core speed is not larger than a predetermined higher second speed threshold, the bias amount of the engine turbine clearance is determined by a predetermined bias clearance multiplied by a ratio of a difference between the engine core speed and the predetermined first speed threshold and a difference between the predetermined second speed threshold and the predetermined first speed threshold; and if the engine core speed is larger than the predetermined second speed threshold, the bias amount is the predetermined bias clearance.

2. The engine system according to claim 1 , wherein the engine parameters comprise at least one of the engine core speed and the exhaust gas temperature.

3. The engine system according to claim 1 ,
wherein, when the exhaust gas temperature is less than a predetermined temperature threshold and the engine core speed is less than a predetermined first speed threshold, the engine system is determined to be in a second condition, and the bias amount of the engine turbine clearance is equal to zero; and
wherein, when the exhaust gas temperature is no less than the predetermined temperature threshold, the engine system is determined to be in a third condition, and the bias amount of the engine turbine clearance is equal to zero.

4. The engine system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the processor is configured to predict an engine core speed trend according to historical engine core speed data, and
wherein the processor is configured to obtain the condition of the engine system based on the engine core speed trend.

5. The engine system according to claim 4 , wherein when the engine core speed trend is predicted to exceed a maximum speed threshold, the engine system is determined to be in a fourth condition, and the turbine active clearance controller is configured, at idle, to bias open the engine turbine clearance to the predetermined bias clearance.

6. The engine system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one turbine is a high pressure turbine.

7. The engine system according to claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured, at idle, to bias open the engine turbine clearance to the predetermined bias clearance, based on receipt of a manual command.

8. A turbine active clearance controller for an engine system, comprising:
a processor; and
a controller,
wherein the processor is configured to receive sensed engine parameters indicative of operation of the engine system and to determine a condition of the engine system based on the engine parameters,
wherein the processor is configured to compare the sensed engine parameters with predetermined thresholds,
wherein the processor is configured to obtain the condition of the engine system based on compared results,
wherein the controller is configured to influence an engine core speed by controlling an engine turbine clearance based on the condition of the engine system,
wherein the turbine active clearance controller is configured to bias open the engine turbine clearance by a bias amount,
wherein the bias amount is an amount of the engine turbine clearance,
wherein, when the exhaust gas temperature is less than a predetermined temperature threshold and the engine core speed is larger than a predetermined first speed threshold, the engine system is determined to be in a first condition, and
wherein:
if the engine core speed is not larger than a predetermined higher second speed threshold, the bias amount of the engine turbine clearance is determined by a predetermined bias clearance multiplied by a ratio of a difference between the engine core speed and the predetermined first speed threshold and a difference between the predetermined second speed threshold and the predetermined first speed threshold, and
if the engine core speed is larger than the predetermined second speed threshold, the bias amount is the predetermined bias clearance.

9. The turbine active clearance controller according to claim 8 , wherein the engine parameters comprise at least one of the engine core speed and an exhaust gas temperature.

10. The turbine active clearance controller according to claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured control the engine turbine clearance by determining the bias amount to bias open the engine turbine clearance.

11. The turbine active clearance controller according to claim 10 ,
wherein controller is further configured to generate a bias instruction that, when executed, bias opens the engine turbine clearance according to the bias amount.

12. The turbine active clearance controller according to claim 10 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
communicate the bias amount; and
in response to receiving a manual control, to bias open the engine turbine clearance.

13. A method for reducing an engine core speed via a turbine active clearance controller, the turbine active clearance controller comprising:
a processor; and
a controller,
wherein the processor is configured to receive sensed engine parameters indicative of operation of the engine system and to determine a condition of the engine system based on the engine parameters,
wherein the processor is configured to compare the sensed engine parameters with predetermined thresholds,
wherein the processor is configured to obtain the condition of the engine system based on compared results,
wherein the controller is configured to influence an engine core speed by controlling an engine turbine clearance based on the condition of the engine system,
wherein the turbine active clearance controller is configured to bias open the engine turbine clearance by a bias amount,
wherein the bias amount is an amount of the engine turbine clearance,
wherein, when the exhaust gas temperature is less than a predetermined temperature threshold and the engine core speed is larger than a predetermined first speed threshold, the engine system is determined to be in a first condition,
wherein:
if the engine core speed is not larger than a predetermined higher second speed threshold, the bias amount of the engine turbine clearance is determined by a predetermined bias clearance multiplied by a ratio of a difference between the engine core speed and the predetermined first speed threshold and a difference between the predetermined second speed threshold and the predetermined first speed threshold, and
if the engine core speed is larger than the predetermined second speed threshold, the bias amount is the predetermined bias clearance,

the method comprising:

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Lambert Robert William

Classifications

• F02C9/28 Primary

  Regulating systems responsive to plant or ambient parameters, e.g. temperature, pressure, rotor speed (F02C9/30 - F02C9/38, F02C9/44 take precedence) · CPC title

• F01D21/02

  Shutting-down responsive to overspeed · CPC title

• G05B23/0232

  based on qualitative trend analysis, e.g. system evolution · CPC title

• F02C9/38

  characterised by throttling and returning of fuel to sump · CPC title

• F02C9/34

  Joint control of separate flows to main and auxiliary burners · CPC title