Movable vane control system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016356172-A1
Application number	US-201514621009-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 12, 2015
Priority date	Feb 12, 2015
Publication date	Dec 8, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A movable vane control system is disclosed for use with a gas turbine engine having a turbine axis of rotation. The system includes a plurality of rotatable turbine vanes in a gas flow path within a turbine case of the gas turbine engine. A first vane position sensor having a first distance sensor is configured to sense the distance between the first distance sensor and a surface portion of a first of said plurality of vanes or a first movable target connected to the first vane. Additionally, the first distance sensor, the first vane surface portion, the first movable target, or a combination thereof is configured to provide a variable distance between the first distance sensor and the first vane surface portion or first movable target that varies as a function of a position of the first vane.

First claim

1 . A movable vane control system for use with a gas turbine engine having a turbine axis of rotation, comprising:
a plurality of turbine vanes in a gas flow path within a turbine case of the gas turbine engine, said vanes being rotatable along a vane axis to provide an angular adjustment of the vane with respect to the gas flow path; an actuator operatively connected to the plurality of vanes; and a first vane position sensor comprising a first distance sensor configured to sense the distance between the first distance sensor and a surface portion of a first of said plurality of vanes or a first movable target connected to the first vane, wherein the first distance sensor, the first vane surface portion, the first movable target, or a combination thereof is configured to provide a variable distance between the first distance sensor and the first vane surface portion or first movable target that varies as a function of a position of the first vane.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first vane position sensor comprises a first movable target connected to the first vane.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the first movable target comprises a first threaded member having threads in rotatable engagement with a second threaded member, wherein (a) one of the first and second threaded members is operatively connected to the first vane such that it rotates about the first vane axis in response to movement of the first vane and the other of the first and second threaded members is rotationally fixed about the first vane axis, and (b) one of the first and second threaded members is movable along the first vane axis and is detectable by the first distance sensor, and the other of the second threaded member is fixed with respect to movement along the first vane axis.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the first distance sensor is mounted at a fixed distance from the first or second threaded member that is fixed along the first vane axis.

5 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the first distance sensor is mounted at a fixed distance from the first or second threaded member that is movable with respect to movement along the first vane axis.

6 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the first threaded member is an outer threaded member affixed to the turbine case and the second threaded member is an inner threaded member operatively connected to rotate with the first vane to provide movement of the second threaded member along the first vane axis.

7 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the first movable target comprises a first member operatively connected to rotate with the first vane, said first member including a surface portion configured to provide a distance between the first member surface portion and the first distance sensor that varies as a function of the position of the first vane.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the first movable target surface portion includes a surface that is angularly offset by greater than 0° and less than 90° from the first vane axis.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein first distance sensor and the first vane surface portion are configured to provide a variable distance between the first distance sensor and the first vane surface portion.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the first vane surface portion includes a surface that is angularly offset by greater than 0° and less than 90° from the first vane axis.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of vanes is disposed in a turbine section of the gas turbine engine.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first distance sensor comprises a first measurement distance sensor configured to detect a distance between the distance sensor and the first vane surface area or the first movable target, and a comprising a reference distance sensor configured to detect a distance between the first distance sensor and a component that is configured to have a distance between itself and the first distance sensor that does not vary with position of the first vane

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first distance sensor and the first vane surface portion or the first movable target are disposed within the turbine case.

14 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller in signal communication with the actuator and the first distance sensor, configured to determine a position of the first vane based on input from the first distance sensor and to actuate the actuator in response to input from the first distance sensor to achieve a target position of the first vane.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the controller is configured to compare a detected distance between the first distance sensor and the first vane surface portion or the first movable target against a detected distance between the first distance sensor and a component that is configured to have a distance between itself and the first distance sensor that does not vary with position of the first vane.

16 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of vane position sensors configured as the first vane position sensor.

17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the distance sensor is a microwave distance sensor.

18 . A method of operating the system of claim 1 , comprising actuating the actuator to rotate the first vane toward a target position, measuring distance between the first distance sensor and the first vane surface portion or first movable target to determine actual position of the first vane, and either confirming that the first vane target position has been achieved or actuating the actuator again to rotate the first vane toward the target position.

Assignees

• Hamilton Sundstrand Corp

Inventors

• Divincenzo Gregory
• Singh Bhupindar
• Marocchini Francis P

Classifications

• F05D2250/25

  helical · CPC title

• F01D17/02

  Arrangement of sensing elements · CPC title

• F04D29/563

  specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title

• F01D21/003

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

• F04D27/001

  Testing thereof; Determination or simulation of flow characteristics; Stall or surge detection, e.g. condition monitoring · CPC title