Compressor tip clearance management for a gas turbine engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9097133-B2
Application number	US-201213487632-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2012
Priority date	Jun 4, 2012
Publication date	Aug 4, 2015
Grant date	Aug 4, 2015

Abstract

A compressor tip clearance management system includes a compressor section having a low pressure compressor and a high pressure compressor arranged downstream from the low pressure compressor. A variable stator vane is arranged upstream from the high pressure compressor. The variable stator vane is connected to an actuator, and a controller is in communication with the actuator. The controller is configured to provide a command to the actuator to move the variable stator vane in response to a high pressure compressor clearance condition. A high pressure compressor rotor speed is altered, and the high pressure compressor clearance condition is changed to a desired clearance.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of managing a tip clearance in a high pressure compressor on a high spool, wherein a low spool includes a low pressure compressor, comprising the steps of:
identifying a high pressure compressor clearance condition; and
adjusting a variable stator vane arranged upstream from the high pressure compressor and in the low pressure compressor;
thereby altering a high pressure compressor rotor speed with the variable stator vane for changing the high pressure compressor clearance condition.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the high pressure compressor clearance condition corresponds to a clearance between an engine static structure and high pressure compressor rotor blade tips that is outside a predetermined clearance range.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein a tip clearance is electronically calculated, by a controller, based on predictive determinations and/or sensed conditions of the high pressure compressor.

4. A method of managing a tip clearance in a high pressure compressor on a high spool, wherein a low spool includes a low pressure compressor, comprising the steps of:
identifying a high pressure compressor clearance condition;
adjusting a variable stator vane arranged upstream from the high pressure compressor and in the low pressure compressor;
thereby altering a high pressure compressor rotor speed with the variable stator vane for changing the high pressure compressor clearance condition;
the high pressure compressor clearance condition corresponds to a clearance between an engine static structure and high pressure compressor rotor blade tips that is outside a predetermined clearance range;
the high pressure compressor clearance condition is a tip clearance that is less than a predetermined minimum clearance, thereby anticipating a blade rub condition; and
the adjusting step includes the step of closing the variable stator vanes;
thereby decreasing the high pressure compressor rotor speed for increasing clearance between the engine static structure and the high pressure compressor rotor blade tips.

5. A method of managing a tip clearance in a high pressure compressor on a high spool, wherein a low spool includes a low pressure compressor, comprising the steps of:
identifying a high pressure compressor clearance condition;
adjusting a variable stator vane arranged upstream from the high pressure compressor and in the low pressure compressor;
thereby altering a high pressure compressor rotor speed with the variable stator vane for changing the high pressure compressor clearance condition;
the high pressure compressor clearance condition corresponds to a clearance between an engine static structure and high pressure compressor rotor blade tips that is outside a predetermined clearance range;
the high pressure compressor clearance condition is a tip clearance that is greater than a predetermined maximum clearance; and
the adjusting step includes opening the variable stator vanes;
thereby increasing the high pressure compressor rotor speed for decreasing clearance between the engine static structure and the high pressure compressor rotor blade tips.

6. A compressor tip clearance management system comprising:
a compressor section including a low pressure compressor and a high pressure compressor arranged downstream from the low pressure compressor;
a variable stator vane arranged upstream from the high pressure compressor and in the low pressure compressor, the variable stator vane connected to an actuator; and
an electronic controller in communication with the actuator, the controller configured to command the actuator to move the variable stator vane in response to a high pressure compressor clearance condition, to thereby alter a high pressure compressor rotor speed and change the high pressure compressor clearance condition.

7. The system according to claim 6 , comprising:
an engine static structure; and
the high pressure compressor clearance condition corresponds to a clearance between an engine static structure and high pressure compressor rotor blade tips that is outside a predetermined clearance range.

8. The system according to claim 6 , wherein:
the controller communicates with an electronic clearance control module that determines the high pressure compressor clearance condition, based on predictive determinations and/or sensed conditions of the high pressure compressor.

9. The system according to claim 8 , comprising sensors in communication with the controller configured to provide characteristics relating to the high pressure compressor.

10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein:
at least one of said sensors is a rotational speed sensor; and
the high pressure compressor condition is predicted based on the sensed rotational speed of the high pressure compressor.

11. The system according to claim 6 , comprising:
plural shafts, including an inner shaft and an outer shaft; and
the low pressure compressor and the high pressure compressor are respectively mounted to the inner and outer shafts.

12. The system according to claim 11 , comprising:
a fan section; and
a geared architecture operatively coupling the inner shaft to the fan section.

13. The system according to claim 12 , wherein:
the fan section is arranged in a bypass flow path and is configured to provide a bypass ratio greater than six, and the geared architecture provides a gear reduction ratio of at least 2.3.

14. A compressor tip clearance management system comprising:
a compressor section including a low pressure compressor and a high pressure compressor arranged downstream from the low pressure compressor;
a variable stator vane arranged upstream from the high pressure compressor and in the low pressure compressor, the variable stator vane connected to an actuator;
an electronic controller in communication with the actuator, the controller configured to command the actuator to move the variable stator vane in response to a high pressure compressor clearance condition, to thereby alter a high pressure compressor rotor speed and change the high pressure compressor clearance condition;
an engine static structure;
the high pressure compressor clearance condition corresponds to a clearance between an engine static structure and high pressure compressor blade tips that is outside a predetermined clearance range;
the high pressure compressor clearance condition is a tip clearance that is less than a predetermined minimum clearance, thereby anticipating a blade rub condition; and
the controller command closes the variable stator vane, thereby decreasing the high pressure compressor rotor speed and increasing clearance between the engine static structure and the high pressure compressor rotor blade tips.

15. A compressor tip clearance management system comprising:
a compressor section including a low pressure compressor and a high pressure compressor arranged downstream from the low pressure compressor;
a variable stator vane arranged upstream from the high pressure compressor and in the low pressure compressor, the variable stator vane connected to an actuator;
an electronic controller in communication with the actuator, the controller configured to command the actuator to move the variable stator vane in response to a high pressure compressor clearance condition, to thereby alter a high pressure compressor rotor speed and change the high pressure compressor clearance condition;
an engine static structure;
the high pressure compressor clearance condition corresponds to a clearance between an engine static structure and high pressure comp

Assignees

• Dong Yuan
• Brilliant Lisa I
• Carminati Daniel
• Sirica Steven J
• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Dong Yuan
• Brilliant Lisa I
• Carminati Daniel
• Sirica Steven J

Classifications

• F04D29/563

  specially adapted for elastic fluid pumps · CPC title

• F01D11/08 Primary

  for sealing space between rotor blade tips and stator (specially-shaped blade tips therefor F01D5/20) · CPC title

• F04D27/0246

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

• F04D27/004

  by varying driving speed · CPC title

• F02C9/20

  by throttling; by adjusting vanes · CPC title