Siemens Energy, Inc.

Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Siemens Aktiengsellschaft

Barton M Pepperman

Jiping Zhang

Abdullatif M Chehab

Chad Garner

Kevin L Hines

Matthew D Bogdan

A gas turbine engine having a turbine blade tip clearance control system for increasing the efficiency of the engine by reducing the gap between turbine blade tips and radially outward ring segments is disclosed. The turbine blade tip clearance control system may include one or more clearance control bands positioned radially outward of inner surfaces of ring segments and bearing against at least one outer surface of the ring segments to limit radial movement of the ring segments. During operation, the clearance control band limits radial movement of the ring segments, and the turbine blade tips do not have a pinch point during start-up transient conditions. In addition, the smallest gap during turbine engine operation may be found at steady state operation of the gas turbine engine. Thus, the clearance control system can set the gap between turbine blade tips and ring segments to be zero at steady state operation.

Gas turbine engine with a turbine blade tip clearance control system

A high-efficiency compressor section () for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The compressor section includes a vane carrier () adapted to hold ring segment assemblies () that provide optimized blade tip gaps () during a variety of operating conditions. The ring segment assemblies include backing elements () and tip-facing elements () urged into a preferred orientation by biasing elements () that maintain contact along engagement surfaces (). The backing and tip-facing elements have thermal properties sufficiently different to allow relative growth that strategically forms an interface gap () therebetween, resulting in blade tip gaps that are dynamically adjusted operation.

Gas turbine compressor with adaptive blade tip seal assembly

A high-efficiency compressor section () for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The compressor section includes a vane carrier () adapted to hold ring segment assemblies () that provide optimized blade tip gaps () during a variety of operating conditions. The ring segment assemblies include backing elements () and tip-facing, elements () urged into a preferred orientation by biasing elements () that maintain contact along engagement surfaces (). The backing and tip-facing, elements have thermal properties sufficiently different to allow relative growth and geometric properties strategically selected to strategically form an interface gap therebetween () resulting in blade tip gaps that are dynamically adjusted operation.

Adaptive blade tip seal assembly

A measuring assembly for use in a gas turbine engine includes an indicia portion that extends radially inwardly from an inner surface of a ring seal structure to a location radially inwardly from tips of blades mounted on a rotor. The indicia portion of the measuring assembly comprises a section that is abraded by the blades during rotational movement of the rotor to provide a visual indication of a distance between the tips of the blades and the inner surface.

Turbine tip clearance measurement

A turbine airfoil support system for supporting a turbine blade to prevent wear during turning gear operation when a rotor assembly supporting the turbine blade rotates at about two revolutions per minute (RPM) to keep the turbine ready for quick startup requirements. The turbine airfoil support system may be formed from a radial biasing spring positioned between a radially outermost point of a disk steeple extending from a rotor assembly and a radially inner surface of the platform. The radial biasing spring may be formed from a first flat member with a disk steeple engaging surface, a second flat member with a blade platform engaging surface, a bent biasing section extending from the first flat member to the second flat member and biasing the first and second flat members away from each other, and a stress reducing member extending from the second flat member toward the first flat member.

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Winter Springs, FL, United States of America

Barton M Pepperman