United Technologies Corporation

Bruce V Lyon

Steven G Koff

Mark G Duer

Bernard L Koff

Richard J Tiernan, Jr

The cantilevered stator vanes of the compressor section of the gas turbine engine are treated by including a rotating hub having a by-pass passage for removing the low momentum fluid from the main air stream adjacent to the tips of the stator vanes in the compressor and returning it back into the main air stream after having treated the air while avoiding penalties and excessive heating. A plurality of vanes are circumferentially spaced in the by-pass passage for removing vortices and streamlining the flow before injected the air back into the airstream. The vane passage hub treatment is fabricated in a single cast piece in one embodiment, in a three ring configuration in another embodiment and in a segmented ring configuration in still another embodiment.

Vaned passage hub treatment for cantilever stator vanes and method

Vaned passage hub treatment for cantilever stator vanes

A gas turbine engine (10) includes a plurality of rotor blades (24) having a root (33) and a tip (34) and a pressure side (32) and a suction side (30). The rotor blades (24) are enclosed in an engine case (11). A variable position engine case liner (50) is disposed radially inward of the engine case (11) and radially outward of the rotor blade tips (34). Biasing mechanism (60), disposed between the liner (50) and the engine case (11), urge the liner (50) radially inward from the engine case (11). The tips (34) of the rotor blades (24) are angled with respect to the direction of rotation of the blades (24) on the pressure side (32) thereof to deflect pressurized air against the liner (50). The liner (50) adjusts its position to maintain a minimum tip clearance (70) between the liner (50) and the tips (34) of the rotor blades (24) during different operating conditions of the gas turbine engine (10).

Dynamic control of tip clearance

Rotating machinery construction employing one or more split balance rings within a rotating element the circumferential position of a ring being adjustable through associated casing structure without disassembly of the machinery to permit rebalancing or trim balancing of the rotor element.

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Palm Beach Gardens, FL, United States of America

Bruce V Lyon