General Electric Company

Naveena K P

Ravindra Shankar Ganiger

Kudum Shinde

Kishore Budumuru

Abhishek Goverdhan

Domala Uma Maheshwar

Disclosed herein are example variable flowpath casings for blade tip clearance control. An example casing for a turbine engine includes an annular substrate extending along an axial direction, the annular substrate including a first surface and a second surface that is radially inward relative to the first surface; an actuator structure coupled to the second surface of the annular substrate; and a smart structure cantilevered from the second surface of the annular substrate, the smart structure including: a support structure, a first region of the support structure coupled to the second surface of the annular substrate, a second region of the support structure coupled to the actuator structure; and a radially inward surface defining a variable surface, the support structure to move the variable surface in a radial direction.

Variable flowpath casings for blade tip clearance control

Clearance control systems with thermal actuators are disclosed. An example thermally-actuated clearance control system for a gas turbine engine includes a compliant material; a high-conductive material coupled to a first surface of the compliant material, the high-conductive material thermally coupling the compliant material to a heated substance, the compliant material to expand radially-inward toward a fan blade when the high-conductive material provides heat; and an abradable material coupled to a second surface of the compliant material facing the fan blade.

Blade tip clearance control using material with negative thermal expansion coefficients

Disclosed herein are example variable flowpath casings for blade tip clearance control. An example casing for a turbine engine includes an annular substrate extending along an axial direction, the annular substrate defining a cavity at a radially inward surface of the annular substrate, and a smart structure coupled to the annular substrate, the smart structure including a support structure; an actuator structure to at least one of expand or contract in response to a change in temperature of the actuator structure, and a variable surface coupled to the support structure, the support structure to move the variable surface in a radial direction.

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Bengaluru, India

Naveena K P