Zero running clearance centrifugal compressor

• US 20080134659A1
• Filed: 12/06/2006
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Schwarz, Frederick M., Smith, Jesse W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,824,151 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/39.34
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/08 for sealing space between rotor blade tips and stator specially-shaped blade tips therefor F01D5/20
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/22 by mechanically actuating the stator or rotor components, e.g. moving shroud sections relative to the rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/08 the compressor comprising at least one radial stage F02C3/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/06 Arrangements of bearings bearings F16C; Lubricating of turbo machines F01D25/18; of machines or engines in general F01M
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/051 Axial thrust balancing
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/052 Axially shiftable rotors F04D29/051 takes precedence ; control by creating a by-pass F04D27/0246
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/059 Roller bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/622 Adjusting the clearances between rotary and stationary parts
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/624 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/52 Axial thrust bearings

Abstract

A turbine engine includes an engine housing enclosing: a centrifugal compressor having a rotor; at least one centrifugal compressor bore mounted to the rotor; at least one blade mounted to each of the at least one centrifugal bore and disposed proximate to at least one static wall; a turbine disposed in connection with the centrifugal compressor; a thrust bearing disposed in connection with the rotor; and means for moving said rotor with reference to the at least one static wall attached to the thrust bearing.

Claims

1. A turbine engine, comprising:

an engine housing enclosing;

a centrifugal compressor including;

a rotor;

at least one centrifugal compressor bore mounted to said rotor;

at least one blade mounted to each of said at least one centrifugal bore and disposed proximate to at least one static wall;

a turbine disposed in connection with said centrifugal compressor;

a thrust bearing disposed in connection with said rotor; and

means for moving said rotor with reference to said at least one static wall attached to said thrust bearing.

2. The turbine engine of claim 1, wherein said at least one blade is disposed proximate to a first static wall.

3. The turbine engine of claim 1, wherein said means for moving said rotor comprises a rotor shifting apparatus.

4. The turbine engine of claim 1, further comprising a tower shaft disposed in connection with a rotor shaft of said rotor, and a tower shaft engagement device disposed in connection with said tower shaft.

5. The turbine engine of claim 4, wherein said tower shaft device is disposed in contact with at least one gear disposed between said rotor and said tower shaft.

6. The turbine engine of claim 1, wherein a first end of said thrust bearing is connected to a second static wall and a-second end of said thrust bearing is connected to said rotor.

7. The turbine engine of claim 1, further comprising a sensor mounted to said at least one static wall and disposed proximate to said at least one blade.

8. The turbine engine of claim 1, further comprising an electronic engine controller.

9. The turbine engine of claim 1, further comprising an electronic engine controller disposed in communication with a sensor mounted to said at least one static wall and disposed proximate to said at least one blade.

10. The turbine engine of claim 1, wherein said means for moving said rotor further comprises means for moving said rotor axially with reference to said at least one static wall.

11. A process for generating a zero running clearance in a centrifugal compressor of a turbine engine, comprising the steps of:

providing a centrifugal compressor having a clearance between at least one blade of a rotor of said centrifugal compressor and at least one static wall disposed proximate to said at least one blade;

operating a turbine engine at a steady state operating efficiency;

decelerating said turbine engine to a transient maximum state from said steady state or a transient minimum state;

rebursting said turbine engine to said transient minimum state from said steady state or said transient maximum state; and

adjusting said clearance in response to said deceleration or said reburst to maintain said steady state operating efficiency.

12. The process of claim 11, further comprising monitoring said clearance using a sensor.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein monitoring comprises monitoring said clearance using a sensor mounted to said at least one static wall and disposed proximate to said blade.

14. The process of claim 11, wherein adjusting further comprises shifting said rotor in an axial motion to substantially decrease said clearance.

15. The process of claim 14, wherein adjusting further comprises shifting said rotor in an axial motion to substantially decrease said clearance in response to said deceleration.

16. The process of claim 14, wherein adjusting further comprises shifting said rotor in an axial motion to substantially decrease said clearance in response to said reburst.

17. The process of claim 11, further comprising maintaining said steady state operating efficiency through adjusting said clearance in response to said deceleration or said reburst.