United Technologies Corporation

Dale Robert Reilly

Francis L DeTolla

Bertrand Hirsch Brown

Methods and apparatus for controlling the radial clearance between the rotor and stator elements in the turbine section of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. A cooling air valve is operatively disposed at the upstream end of the turbine section to control the admission of cooling air to the turbine in response to engine operating temperatures. In one specific embodiment the thermal growth of the case and the stator elements supported thereby is controlled by the valve. At low power conditions the case and the supported elements grow radially with the rotor in response to increasing gas path temperatures. At elevated conditions cooling air is flowable to the case to retard the thermal growth of the case and allow the rotor to grow radially toward the stator elements.

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Marlborough, CT, United States of America

Dale Robert Reilly