General Electric Company

Marcia Boyle

Robert Joseph Albers

Rafael Jose Ruiz

Christopher Charles Glynn

A turbine engine stator assembly in juxtaposition across a radial gap with a rotary blading assembly includes a radially movable shroud and a gap control member made of at least one shape memory alloy (SMA). The SMA is selected and preconditioned to deform pre-selected amounts to change the radial length of the gap during engine operation responsive to temperature about the SMA. A fluid flow means delivers fluid to the SMA at pre-selected temperatures during engine operation.

Turbine engine stator including shape memory alloy and clearance control method

A method of operating a gas turbine engine is provided. The gas turbine engine includes at least one engine casing and at least one rotor assembly. The method includes directing airflow through a supply pipe and into a heat exchanger, lowering the temperature of the airflow in the heat exchanger, and directing the cooled airflow into the engine casing to cool the casing.

Methods and apparatus for maintaining rotor assembly tip clearances

A method for controlling fluid leakage between a first pressure region and a second pressure region within a gas turbine engine using a first sealing member and a second sealing member. The first sealing member is movably coupled to a portion of the gas turbine engine, and a space defined generally between a portion of the first sealing member and a portion of the second sealing member fluidly couples the first pressure region to the second pressure region. The method includes moving the first sealing member towards the second sealing member using fluid pressure within a portion of the engine, and, using the first and second sealing members, substantially controlling fluid leakage between the first pressure area and the second pressure area through the space generally without contacting the first sealing member with the second sealing member.

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Lebanon, OH, United States of America

Marcia Boyle