Electric heating for turbomachinery clearance control powered by hybrid energy storage system

1. A method for active bi-directional control of an outer structure of a gas turbine engine, comprising:

sending, by a controller, a first control signal to a power electronics for varying an electric current supplied to a heating element to cause the outer structure to move in a first radial direction;

sending, by the controller, a second control signal to a valve assembly for varying a cooling air flow supplied to the outer structure to cause the outer structure to move in a second radial direction, the second radial direction is opposite the first radial direction;

receiving, by the controller, an electrical current value currently being supplied to the heating element;

receiving, by the controller, a current valve position; and

determining, by the controller, a current blade tip clearance value based upon the electrical current value and the current valve position.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising varying a blade tip clearance in response to the outer structure moving.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the controller, a target blade tip clearance value;

wherein the first control signal and the second control signal are based upon the current blade tip clearance value and the target clearance value.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein sending, by the controller, the first control signal to the power electronics comprises sending, by the controller, the first control signal to a converter.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the converter comprises at least one of a DC/DC converter, a DC/AC converter, or an AC/AC converter.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the converter is configured to supply the electric current to the heating element.

7. A bi-directional clearance control system, comprising:

a power electronics;

a heating element;

a valve assembly; and

a controller in electronic communication with the power electronics and the valve assembly, wherein the controller is configured to:

send a first control signal to the power electronics for varying an electric current supplied to the heating element to cause an outer structure to move in a first radial direction; and

send a second control signal to the valve assembly for varying a cooling air flow supplied to the outer structure to cause the outer structure to move in a second radial direction, the first radial direction is opposite the second radial direction;

receive an electrical current value currently being supplied to the heating element;

receive a current valve position;

determine a current blade tip clearance value based upon the electrical current value and the current valve position.

8. The bi-directional clearance control system of claim 7 , wherein a blade tip clearance is configured to be varied in response to the outer structure moving.

9. The bi-directional clearance control system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

receive a target blade tip clearance value;

wherein the first control signal and the second control signal are based upon the current blade tip clearance value and the target clearance value.

10. The bi-directional clearance control system of claim 7 , wherein sending, by the controller, the first control signal to the power electronics comprises sending, by the controller, the first control signal to a converter.

11. The bi-directional clearance control system of claim 10 , wherein the converter comprises at least one of a DC/DC converter, a DC/AC converter, or an AC/AC converter.

12. The bi-directional clearance control system of claim 10 , wherein the converter is configured to supply the electric current to the heating element.

13. A method for active bi-directional control of an outer structure of a gas turbine engine, comprising:

sending, by a controller, a first control signal to a converter of a power electronics for varying an electric current supplied to a heating element to cause the outer structure to move in a first radial direction; and

sending, by the controller, a second control signal to a valve assembly for varying a cooling air flow supplied to the outer structure to cause the outer structure to move in a second radial direction;

wherein the first radial direction is opposite the second radial direction.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising varying a blade tip clearance in response to the outer structure moving.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the converter comprises at least one of a DC/DC converter, a DC/AC converter, or an AC/AC converter.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the converter is configured to supply the electric current to the heating element.

17. A bi-directional clearance control system, comprising:

a power electronics comprising a converter;

a heating element;

a valve assembly; and

a controller in electronic communication with the power electronics and the valve assembly, wherein the controller is configured to:

send a first control signal to the converter of the power electronics for varying an electric current supplied to the heating element to cause an outer structure to move in a first radial direction; and

send a second control signal to the valve assembly for varying a cooling air flow supplied to the outer structure to cause the outer structure to move in a second radial direction, the first radial direction is opposite the second radial direction.

18. The bi-directional clearance control system of claim 17 , wherein the controller is further configured to vary a blade tip clearance in response to the outer structure moving.

19. The bi-directional clearance control system of claim 17 , wherein the converter comprises at least one of a DC/DC converter, a DC/AC converter, or an AC/AC converter.