IP Library Granted Patent US 12,560,120
Granted Patent B2
US 12,560,120 · App. 16/448,775 · Granted Feb 24, 2026

High pressure clearance control system for gas turbine engine

Inventors: Enzo DiBenedetto (Berlin, CT); Philip Robert Rioux (Lisbon Falls, ME)
Assignee: RTX CORPORATION
F02C7/18F01D25/24F02C6/08F02K3/06F05D2220/32F05D2260/232F05D2260/606
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,560,120
App. No.
16/448,775
Granted
Feb 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A high pressure compressor for a gas turbine engine. The high pressure compressor including: a clearance control system, the clearance control system including: a control valve fluidly coupled to a source of bleed air of the high pressure compressor, the control valve configured for movement between a first position and a second position; an insulated pipe fluidly coupled to the control valve; and wherein the control valve redirects a portion of the source of bleed air towards an inner case structure of the high pressure compressor and thereafter to the insulated pipe when it is in the first position and wherein the source of bleed air is not redirected towards the inner case structure of the high pressure compressor and the insulated pipe when the control valve is in the second position.

Claims (35)

1 . A high pressure compressor for a gas turbine engine, comprising:

a clearance control system, the clearance control system comprising:

a control valve fluidly coupled to a source of bleed air of the high pressure compressor, the control valve configured for movement between a first position and a second position;

an insulated pipe fluidly coupled to the control valve; and

wherein the control valve redirects a portion of the source of bleed air towards an inner case structure of the high pressure compressor and thereafter to the insulated pipe when the control valve is in the first position and wherein the source of bleed air is not redirected towards the inner case structure of the high pressure compressor and the insulated pipe when the control valve is in the second position, wherein the insulated pipe is located between the inner case structure and an outer case structure of the high pressure compressor.

2 . The high pressure compressor as in claim 1 , wherein the source of bleed air is from a stage 3 of the high pressure compressor.

3 . The high pressure compressor as in claim 1 , wherein the inner case structure is a stage 6 inner case structure of the high pressure compressor.

4 . The high pressure compressor as in claim 1 , wherein the control valve is one of a plurality of control valves and the insulated pipe is one of a plurality of insulated pipes, each of the plurality of insulated pipes being fluidly coupled to the one of the plurality of control valves.

5 . The high pressure compressor as in claim 1 , wherein the control valve is only a single control valve and the insulated pipe is one of a plurality of insulated pipes, each of the plurality of insulated pipes being fluidly coupled to the single control valve.

6 . The high pressure compressor as in claim 1 , wherein the source of bleed air is redirected to the control valve without being mixed with any other source of bleed air.

7 . The high pressure compressor as in claim 1 , wherein the insulated pipe thermally insulates the redirected portion of the source of bleed air from other sources of bleed air that are at a higher temperature than the redirected portion of the source of bleed air.

8 . The high pressure compressor as in claim 1 , wherein the control valve mixes the redirected portion of the source of bleed air with a portion of the source of bleed air that has not been redirected to provide a source of mixed bleed air, when the control valve is in the first position.

9 . A gas turbine engine, comprising:

a fan section;

a compressor section, the compressor section having a low pressure compressor and a high pressure compressor;

a combustor section;

a turbine section; and

wherein the high pressure compressor includes a clearance control system, the clearance control system comprising:

a control valve fluidly coupled to a source of bleed air of the high pressure compressor, the control valve configured for movement between a first position and a second position;

an insulated pipe fluidly coupled to the control valve; and

wherein the control valve redirects a portion of the source of bleed air towards an inner case structure of the high pressure compressor and thereafter to the insulated pipe when the control valve is in the first position and wherein the source of bleed air is not redirected towards the inner case structure of the high pressure compressor and the insulated pipe when the control valve is in the second position, wherein the insulated pipe is located between the inner case structure and an outer case structure of the high pressure compressor.

10 . The gas turbine engine as in claim 9 , wherein the source of bleed air is from a stage 3 of the high pressure compressor.

11 . The gas turbine engine as in claim 9 , wherein the inner case structure is a stage 6 inner case structure of the high pressure compressor.

12 . The gas turbine engine as in claim 9 , wherein the control valve is one of a plurality of control valves and the insulated pipe is one of a plurality of insulated pipes, each of the plurality of insulated pipes being fluidly coupled to the one of the plurality of control valves.

13 . The gas turbine engine as in claim 12 , wherein the control valve is only a single control valve and the insulated pipe is one of a plurality of insulated pipes, each of the plurality of insulated pipes being fluidly coupled to the single control valve.

14 . The gas turbine engine as in claim 9 , wherein the source of bleed air is redirected to the control valve without being mixed with any other source of bleed air.

15 . The gas turbine engine as in claim 9 , wherein the insulated pipe thermally insulates the redirected portion of the source of bleed air from other sources of bleed air that are at a higher temperature than the redirected portion of the source of bleed air.

16 . The gas turbine engine as in claim 9 , wherein the control valve mixes the redirected portion of the source of bleed air with a portion of the source of bleed air that has not been redirected to provide a source of mixed bleed air, when the control valve is in the first position.

17 . The gas turbine engine as in claim 16 , wherein the source of mixed bleed air is provided to the turbine section.

18 . A method of cooling a portion of a high pressure compressor of a gas turbine engine, comprising:

fluidly coupling a control valve fluidly of a clearance control system to a source of bleed air of the high pressure compressor, the control valve configured for movement between a first position and a second position;

fluidly coupling an insulated pipe to the control valve; and

redirecting a portion of the source of bleed air towards an inner case structure of the high pressure compressor and thereafter the insulated pipe when the control valve is in the first position and wherein the source of bleed air is not redirected towards the inner case structure of the high pressure compressor and the insulated pipe when the control valve is in the second position, wherein the insulated pipe is located between the inner case structure and an outer case structure of the high pressure compressor.

19 . The method as in claim 18 , wherein the source of bleed air is from a stage 3 of the high pressure compressor, and wherein the control valve is one of a plurality of control valves and the insulated pipe is one of a plurality of insulated pipes, each of the plurality of insulated pipes being fluidly coupled to the one of the plurality of control valves.

20 . The method as in claim 18 , wherein the inner case structure is a stage 6 inner case structure of the high pressure compressor, and wherein the control valve is only a single control valve and the insulated pipe is one of a plurality of insulated pipes, each of the plurality of insulated pipes being fluidly coupled to the single control valve.

Assignments (4)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 27, 2023
From: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RTX CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 064402/0837 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE SPELLING ON THE ADDRESS 10 FARM SPRINGD ROAD FARMINGTONCONNECTICUT 06032 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 057190 FRAME 0719. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CORRECT SPELLING OF THE ADDRESS 10 FARM SPRINGS ROAD FARMINGTON CONNECTICUT 06032. Recorded Aug 19, 2021
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057226/0390 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 16, 2021
From: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
To: RAYTHEON TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 057190/0719 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 14, 2020
From: DIBENEDETTO, ENZO; RIOUX, PHILIP ROBERT
To: UNITED TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 052394/0388 →