Segregated impeller shroud for clearance control in a centrifugal compressor
First Claim
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1. A compressor shroud assembly in a turbine engine, said compressor shroud assembly comprising:
- a static compressor casing;
an actuator carried by said casing, said actuator comprising a driving member extending along a radius of the axis of rotation of a rotatable centrifugal compressor and being rotatable about the axis, and a driving mechanism coupled to said driving member to rotate said driving member about the axis of rotation when said actuator is activated; and
an impeller shroud carried by said casing for encasing the rotatable centrifugal compressor, said shroud being threadably coupled to said driving member so that rotation of said driving member about the axis of rotation of the rotatable centrifugal compressor effects translation of at least a portion of said shroud relative to the rotatable centrifugal compressor in an axial direction while maintaining a radial alignment of said portion of said shroud.
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Abstract
A system for controlling the clearance distance between an impeller blade tip of a centrifugal compressor and a radially inner surface of a segregated impeller shroud in a turbine engine. The system comprises a driving mechanism coupled to a portion of a segregated impeller shroud. The driving mechanism comprises a driving arm and threaded axial member configured to translate motion of an actuator ring into axially forward and aft motion of the portion of the segregated impeller shroud.
19 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A compressor shroud assembly in a turbine engine, said compressor shroud assembly comprising:
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a static compressor casing; an actuator carried by said casing, said actuator comprising a driving member extending along a radius of the axis of rotation of a rotatable centrifugal compressor and being rotatable about the axis, and a driving mechanism coupled to said driving member to rotate said driving member about the axis of rotation when said actuator is activated; and an impeller shroud carried by said casing for encasing the rotatable centrifugal compressor, said shroud being threadably coupled to said driving member so that rotation of said driving member about the axis of rotation of the rotatable centrifugal compressor effects translation of at least a portion of said shroud relative to the rotatable centrifugal compressor in an axial direction while maintaining a radial alignment of said portion of said shroud. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A compressor shroud assembly in a turbine engine, said compressor shroud assembly comprising:
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a static compressor casing; an actuator carried by said casing; an impeller shroud for encasing a rotatable centrifugal compressor, said shroud comprising an inducer portion mounted to said casing; and an exducer portion coupled to said inducer portion and said actuator, said actuator being operable to rotate about the axis of the centrifugal compressor to effect translation of said exducer portion relative to the rotatable centrifugal compressor in an axial direction while maintaining a radial alignment of said exducer portion. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method of dynamically changing a clearance gap between a rotatable centrifugal compressor and an impeller shroud encasing the rotatable centrifugal compressor, said method comprising:
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coupling an actuator to a static casing; coupling an impeller shroud to the actuator by a threaded coupling, the impeller shroud being positioned to encase a rotatable centrifugal compressor; and rotating the actuator about the rotation axis of the centrifugal compressor to thereby effect translation of at least a portion of the shroud relative to the centrifugal compressor in an axial direction. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A compressor section in a gas turbine engine, said compressor section comprising:
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a static casing; a rotatable centrifugal compressor; and a compressor shroud assembly comprising; an actuator carried by said casing, said actuator comprising a driving member extending along a radius of the axis of rotation of a rotatable centrifugal compressor and being rotatable about the axis, and a driving mechanism coupled to said driving member to rotate said driving member about the axis of rotation when said actuator is activated; and an impeller shroud carried by said casing for encasing said rotatable centrifugal compressor, said shroud being threadably coupled to said driving member so that rotation of said driving member about the axis of rotation of the rotatable centrifugal compressor effects translation of at least a portion of said shroud relative to the rotatable centrifugal compressor in an axial direction while maintaining a radial alignment of said portion of said shroud.
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Specification