Active clearance control for a centrifugal compressor
First Claim
1. A gas turbine engine centrifugal compressor and active control system assembly comprising:
- a centrifugal compressor having a plurality of centrifugal compressor blades mounted on an annular centrifugal compressor impeller,an annular blade tip shroud adjacent to blade tips of the blades,a substantially sealed annular cavity bounded in part by the annular blade tip shroud, andan active control system for controlling an annular blade tip clearance between the annular blade tip shroud and the blade tips by controlling a cavity pressure in the cavity.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus and method of operating a centrifugal compressor and active control system includes a centrifugal compressor with compressor blades mounted on an impeller, an annular cavity bounded in part by a shroud adjacent to the blades, and an active control system for controlling a clearance between the shroud and the blades by controlling a cavity pressure in the cavity. An electronic controller for controlling a control pressure valve for pressurizing using a source of compressor discharge pressure air and depressurizing the cavity respectively may open and close the valves using pulse width modulation. Pressure and clearance sensors positioned for measuring the cavity pressure the blade tip clearance respectively in signal supply communication with the electronic controller may be used. The shroud may be supported by radially spaced apart annular radially outer and inner supports connected to a casing by a bolted joint bounding the cavity.
43 Citations
57 Claims
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1. A gas turbine engine centrifugal compressor and active control system assembly comprising:
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a centrifugal compressor having a plurality of centrifugal compressor blades mounted on an annular centrifugal compressor impeller, an annular blade tip shroud adjacent to blade tips of the blades, a substantially sealed annular cavity bounded in part by the annular blade tip shroud, and an active control system for controlling an annular blade tip clearance between the annular blade tip shroud and the blade tips by controlling a cavity pressure in the cavity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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- 47. A method for controlling an annular blade tip clearance between an annular blade tip shroud and adjacent blade tips mounted on an annular centrifugal compressor impeller of a gas turbine engine centrifugal compressor and active control system, the method comprising controlling a cavity pressure in a cavity bounded in part by the annular blade tip shroud.
Specification