Clearance control of fan blades in a gas turbine engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12110800-B2
Application number	US-202318321491-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2023
Priority date	Apr 25, 2022
Publication date	Oct 8, 2024
Grant date	Oct 8, 2024

Abstract

Clearance control systems with electromagnetic actuators are disclosed. An example electromagnetically-actuated clearance control system for a gas turbine engine comprises an electromagnetic coil coupled to a first end of a facesheet, the electromagnetic coil to generate a magnetic field in response to a connection of a power supply, a ferromagnetic sheet coupled to a second end of the facesheet, the ferromagnetic sheet drawn radially-inward toward the electromagnetic coil when the magnetic field is generated, a first end of the ferromagnetic sheet coupled to a first compression spring and a second end of the ferromagnetic sheet coupled to a second compression spring, the first and second compression springs to compress in response to the ferromagnetic sheet being drawn radially-inward.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electromagnetically-actuated clearance control system, comprising:
a first electromagnet in a fan case;
a kinetic plate coupled to a second electromagnet arranged in a magnetically repelled position relative to the first electromagnet;
a controller to generate a signal that causes the kinetic plate to move radially in response to a measured clearance between the kinetic plate and a blade tip;
a third electromagnet in the fan case; and
a fourth electromagnet coupled to the kinetic plate, the fourth electromagnet arranged in a magnetically repelled position relative to the third electromagnet.

2. The electromagnetically-actuated clearance control system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second electromagnets are to repel with a different displacement than the third and fourth electromagnets to provide a variable clearance from the kinetic plate to the blade tip.

3. The electromagnetically-actuated clearance control system of claim 1 , wherein the measured clearance is measured by a proximity sensor placed along an edge of the kinetic plate.

4. The electromagnetically-actuated clearance control system of claim 1 , wherein an electromagnetic field generated to repel the first and second electromagnets is changed by an electric supply from the controller.

5. The electromagnetically-actuated clearance control system of claim 4 , wherein the measured clearance is measured by a proximity sensor placed along an edge of the kinetic plate, the measured clearance input to the controller.

6. The electromagnetically-actuated clearance control system of claim 1 , wherein the first electromagnet is suspended by a spring.

7. The electromagnetically-actuated clearance control system of claim 1 , further including an abradable layer on the kinetic plate.

8. The electromagnetically-actuated clearance control system of claim 1 , further including an electromagnetic shield on the kinetic plate.

9. The electromagnetically-actuated clearance control system of claim 1 , wherein the kinetic plate includes a fiber material.

10. A gas turbine engine with a controllable clearance between a fan case and a fan blade, the gas turbine engine including:
a first electromagnet in the fan case;
a kinetic plate coupled to a second electromagnet, the second electromagnet arranged in a magnetically repelled position relative to the first electromagnet;
a full authority digital engine control system to measure a clearance from the kinetic plate to a tip of the fan blade, the full authority digital engine control system to generate a signal that causes the kinetic plate to move radially in response to the measured clearance;
a third electromagnet in the fan case; and
a fourth electromagnet coupled to the kinetic plate, the fourth electromagnet arranged in a magnetically repelled position relative to the third electromagnet.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein the first and second electromagnets are to repel with a different displacement than the third and fourth electromagnets to enable a variable clearance from the kinetic plate to the tip of the fan blade.

12. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein the measured clearance is measured by a proximity sensor placed along an edge of the kinetic plate.

13. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein an electromagnetic field generated to repel the first and second electromagnets is changed by an electric supply from the full authority digital engine control system.

14. The gas turbine engine of claim 13 , wherein the measured clearance is measured by a proximity sensor placed along an edge of the kinetic plate, the measured clearance input to the full authority digital engine control system.

15. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein the first electromagnet is suspended by a spring.

16. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , further including an abradable layer on the kinetic plate.

17. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , further including an electromagnetic shield on the kinetic plate.

18. The gas turbine engine of claim 10 , wherein the kinetic plate includes a fiber material.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Nedunuri Venkata Jayateja
• Yadav Abhijeet
• Riley Shawn P
• Awasthi Richa
• Varote Nilesh Vilas
• Ganiger Ravindra Shankar
• Raychaudhuri Anusrita

Classifications

• F05D2220/323

  for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines · CPC title

• F05D2240/515

  Electromagnetic · CPC title

• F01D11/12

  using a rubstrip, e.g. erodible. deformable or resiliently-biased part · CPC title

• F01D11/16

  by self-adjusting means (F01D11/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F05D2300/507

  Magnetic properties · CPC title