Systems and methods for monitoring thermal growth and controlling clearances, and maintaining health of turbo machinery applications

• US 7,455,495 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2005
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Jalbert, Peter L., Leogrande, John A., Schryver, Matthew J., Wood, C. Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): EDGAR, RICHARD A
• Application Number:
  US11/204,490
• Publication Number:
  US 20070043497A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,197 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 415/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/24 by selectively cooling-heating stator or rotor components
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/003 Arrangements for testing or measuring for measuring vibrations G01H
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 21/04 responsive to undesired position of rotor relative to stator or to breaking-off of a part of the rotor, e.g. indicating such position
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/36 specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/304 Spool rotational speed
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2270/305 Tolerances
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 15/06 for measuring the deformation in a solid
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 7/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B7/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/88 Radar or analogous systems specially adapted for specific applications electromagnetic prospecting or detecting of objects, e.g. near-field detection, G01V3/00

Abstract

A system and method for determining thermal growth of motor or engine parts to thereupon control the clearance of motor or engine fan blades is disclosed herein. In addition, a system and method for monitoring the health of a turbine engine, its components and sub-components is also described herein. The system(s) and method(s) described herein permit continuous monitoring during the life of the engine for radial clearances and blade and rotor vibration problems, which will assist in correcting and retaining performance for a longer on-wing time in operation. In addition, inconsistent engine-to-engine performance variations due to component tolerances, engine operation characteristics, and operation during extremes in ambient temperatures can be eliminated or significantly minimized when employing the system(s) and method(s) described herein.

Claims

1. A method of controlling clearance in a turbomachine, comprising:

providing a closed loop sensed active clearance control system comprising three or more microwave-based sensors disposed adjacent to and opposing at least one blade of the turbomachine;

determining from a measurement an actual amount of thermal growth of said at least one blade using said three or more microwave-based sensors;

determining from a measurement an actual amount of clearance between each of said at least one blade and a wall adjacent to and opposing said one or more components and sub-components where thermal growth is present using said three or more microwave-based sensors; and

controlling said amount of clearance based on a difference between a desired amount of clearance and said actual amount of clearance for each of said at least one blade as determined by said thermal growth.

2. The method of controlling clearance of claim 1, wherein said three or more microwave based sensors are disposed in the same plane as a centerline of a turbine engine of the turbomachine.

3. The method of controlling clearance of claim 2, wherein said three or more microwave-based sensors are axially disposed in the same plane as said centerline of said turbine engine of the turbomachine.

4. The method of controlling clearance of claim 2, wherein said three or more microwave-based sensors are disposed at an angle to said centerline of said turbine engine of the turbomachine.

5. The method of controlling clearance of claim 1, wherein controlling said amount of clearance comprises modulating an amount of fluid stream flow adjacent to said wall in response to the amount of thermal growth.

6. The method of controlling clearance of claim 5, wherein the modulating step comprises:

controlling a valve using a closed loop sensed active clearance control system employing said microwave-based sensors;

diverting said fluid stream adjacent to said wall in response to the amount of thermal growth;

cooling said wall in order to provide a desired clearance between said wall and said at least one blade of said turbine engine.

7. The method of controlling clearance of claim 1, wherein the turbomachine comprises a turbine engine.

8. A method for monitoring the health of a turbomachine, comprising:

providing a closed loop sensed active time-of-arrival monitoring system disposed in a wall adjacent to and opposing at least one blade of the turbomachine;

determining from a measurement a speed of a rotor of a turbine engine of the turbomachine;

determining from said rotor speed an expected time-of-arrival of said at least one blade using said active time-of-arrival monitoring system;

determining from a measurement an actual time-of-arrival of said at least one blade at one or more positions using said active time-of-arrival monitoring system;

comparing said actual time-of-arrival with said expected time-of-arrival of said at least one blade using said active health monitoring system;

determining from said comparison an absence of or a presence of a change in time-of-arrival of said at least one blade using said active time-of-arrival monitoring system; and

assessing from said comparison the health of said at least one blade using said active time-of-arrival monitoring system.

9. A system for controlling clearance in a turbomachine, the system comprising:

means for determining from a measurement an actual amount of thermal growth on at least one blade using three or more microwave-based sensors of an active clearance control system;

means for determining from a measurement an actual amount of clearance between each of said at least one blade and a wall adjacent to and opposing said at least one blade where thermal growth is present using said three or more microwave-based sensors; and

means for controlling said amount of clearance based on a difference between a desired amount of clearance and said actual amount of clearance for each of said at least one blade as determined by said thermal growth.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for controlling comprises means for modulating an amount of fluid stream flow adjacent to said wall in response to the amount of thermal growth.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said means for modulating comprises:

means for controlling a valve using a closed loop sensed active clearance control system employing said microwave-based sensors;

means for diverting said fluid stream adjacent to said wall in response to the amount of thermal growth; and

means for cooling said wall in order to provide a desired clearance between said wall and said at least one blade a turbine engine of said turbomachine.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for determining from said measurement said actual amount of thermal growth comprises a closed loop sensed active clearance control system employing said microwave-based sensors.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for determining said tip clearance of said at least one blade comprises a closed loop sensed active clearance control system employing said microwave-based sensors.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein said means for controlling comprises a means for modulating an amount of said fluid stream adjacent to the wall in response to said amount of thermal growth measured.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein said means for modulating comprises:

a closed loop sensed active clearance control system employing said microwave-based sensors;

a torque motor in communication with said active clearance control system; and

an actuator in communication with said torque motor, wherein said actuator modulates an amount of fluid stream adjacent to a wall of the engine housing in response to an amount of thermal growth present.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the turbomachine comprises a gas turbine engine, and the wall opposing the tips of the blades comprises a case of said gas turbine engine.

17. A turbine engine system, comprising:

a turbine engine including a case and at least one blade rotatable within said case;

means for determining from a measurement an actual amount of thermal growth on at least one blade using said active clearance control system;

means for determining from a measurement an actual amount of clearance between each of said at least one blade and a wall adjacent to and opposing said at least one blade where thermal growth is present using said active clearance control system; and

means for controlling said amount of clearance based on a difference between a desired amount of clearance and said actual amount of clearance for each of said at least one blade as determined by said thermal growth using said active clearance control system.

18. The turbine engine system of claim 17, wherein said means for determining from said measurement said actual amount of thermal growth comprises a closed loop sensed active clearance control system employing said microwave-based sensors.

19. The turbine engine system of claim 17, wherein said means for determining said turbomachine tip clearance comprises a closed loop sensed active clearance control system employing said microwave-based sensors.

20. The turbine engine system of claim 17, wherein said means for controlling comprises a means for modulating an amount of said fluid stream adjacent to said case in response to said amount of thermal growth measured.

21. The turbine engine system of claim 20, wherein said means for modulating comprises:

a closed loop sensed active clearance control system employing said microwave-based sensors;

a torque motor in communication with said active clearance control system; and

an actuator in communication with said torque motor, wherein said actuator modulates an amount of fluid stream adjacent to a wall of the engine housing in response to an amount of thermal growth present.

22. The turbine engine system of claim 17, further comprising:

at least one sensor for measuring engine speed;

at least one sensor for measuring burner pressure, wherein measurements are generated by said sensors for determining a temperature of at least one blade, a temperature of a fluid stream, and a fluid stream rate.

23. The turbine engine system of claim 17, wherein said turbine engine is a gas turbine engine.