IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,234,736
Granted Patent B2
US 12,234,736 · App. 18/209,805 · Granted Feb 25, 2025

Clearance design process and strategy with CCA-ACC optimization for EGT and performance improvement

Inventors: Taehong Kim (West Chester, OH); Marcia Boyle Johnson (Clarksville, OH); Daniel E. Reisenauer (West Chester, OH)
Assignee: General Electric Company
F01D11/14F01D11/10F05D2220/32F05D2270/20
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,234,736
App. No.
18/209,805
Granted
Feb 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to illustrate a clearance design process and strategy with CCA-ACC optimization for exhaust gas temperature (EGT) and performance improvement. In some examples, an apparatus includes a case surrounding at least part of a turbine engine, the at least part of the turbine engine including a turbine or a compressor. The apparatus further includes a first source to obtain external air; a second source to obtain cooled cooling air; a heat exchanger to control temperature of cooled cooling air; and a case cooler to provide active clearance control air to the case to control deflection of the case, wherein the active clearance control air is a combination of the external air and the cooled cooling air, the case cooler coupled to the heat exchanger using a first valve, the first valve triggered by a first control signal.

Claims (38)

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause at least one processor to at least:

obtain condition parameters from sensor devices in a turbine engine;

monitor the condition parameters;

determine when the condition parameters indicate an increase in temperature or a decrease in clearance between a blade tip and a case, the case surrounding at least part of the turbine engine;

in response to determining that the condition parameters indicate an increase in temperature or a decrease in clearance between the blade tip and the case:

transmit a first control signal to adjust a flow rate of a first valve to increase airflow in a first case cooler;

transmit a second control signal to adjust temperature of the airflow through the at least part of the turbine engine; and

transmit a third control signal to trigger a second valve to mix external air in the airflow; and

transmit a fourth control signal to trigger a third valve to route a portion of the airflow to a second case cooler.

2. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the at least part of the turbine engine includes a turbine or a compressor.

3. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the condition parameters include at least one of temperature measurements, pressure measurements, or air density measurements.

4. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to adjust the temperature of the airflow through the at least part of the turbine engine using a heat exchanger or a mixer.

5. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to monitor the condition parameters by comparing the condition parameters from the sensor devices to condition model estimates.

6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:

determine when condition parameters indicate an exhaust gas temperature overshoot; and

in response to determining that the condition parameters indicate the exhaust gas temperature overshoot:

transmit the first control signal to adjust the flow rate of the valve to increase the airflow; and

transmit the second control signal to adjust the temperature of the airflow through the at least part of the turbine engine.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the at least one processor to:

combine external air with cooled cooling air to form the airflow.

8. A method comprising:

obtaining condition parameters from sensor devices in a turbine engine;

monitoring the condition parameters;

determining when the condition parameters indicate an increase in temperature or a decrease in clearance between a blade tip and a case, the case surrounding at least part of the turbine engine;

in response to determining that the condition parameters indicate an increase in temperature or a decrease in clearance between the blade tip and the case:

transmitting a first control signal to adjust a flow rate of a first valve to increase airflow in a first case cooler;

transmitting a second control signal to adjust temperature of the airflow through the at least part of the turbine engine; and

transmitting a third control signal to trigger a second valve to mix external air in the airflow; and

transmitting a fourth control signal to trigger a third valve to route a portion of the airflow to a second case cooler.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least part of the turbine engine includes a turbine or a compressor.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the condition parameters include at least one of temperature measurements, pressure measurements, or air density measurements.

11. The method of claim 8 , further including adjusting the temperature of the airflow through the at least part of the turbine engine using a heat exchanger or a mixer.

12. The method of claim 8 , further including monitoring the condition parameters by comparing the condition parameters from the sensor devices to condition model estimates.

13. The method of claim 8 , further including:

determining when condition parameters indicate an exhaust gas temperature overshoot; and

in response to determining that the condition parameters indicate the exhaust gas temperature overshoot:

transmitting the first control signal to adjust the flow rate of the valve to increase the airflow; and

transmitting the second control signal to adjust the temperature of the airflow through the at least part of the turbine engine.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 15, 2023
From: KIM, TAEHONG; JOHNSON, MARCIA BOYLE; REISENAUER, DANIEL E.
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 063958/0042 →
Continuity (2)
Division 17151474 · Jan 18, 2021
Related Publication 20240084709A1 · Mar 14, 2024
References Cited (34)
US 4161101A · Drummond · 1979 [cited by examiner]
US 4856272A · Putman et al. · 1989 [cited by applicant]
US 4928240A · Davison · 1990 [cited by examiner]
US 5399066A · Ritchie et al. · 1995 [cited by applicant]
US 6401460B1 · Xia · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6435823B1 · Schroder · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6487491B1 · Karpman · 2002 [cited by examiner]
US 8210801B2 · Ballard, Jr. et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 9255492B2 · Bacic · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9909441B2 · Schelfaut · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10294811B2 · Morrill · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10323535B2 · Davis et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10822991B2 · Clarke · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 11125165B2 · Niergarth et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20050276690A1 · Amiot · 2005 [cited by examiner]
US 20080008593A1 · Zagar et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20090037035A1 · Hershey · 2009 [cited by examiner]
US 20120070266A1 · Schaberg · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20170122208A1 · Kessler · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170130602A1 · Schelfaut · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20190024527A1 · Skertic et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190078459A1 · Eastwood · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190085710A1 · van der Merwe · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190136708A1 · Sebastian · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190242303A1 · Menheere et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20220228503A1 · Kim et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
CN 105222616A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
CN 107120146A · 2017 [cited by applicant]
EP 3382156A1 · 2018 [cited by applicant]
RU 2738523C1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
United States Patent and Trademark Office, “Notice of Allowance,” issued in connection with U.S. Appl. No. 17/151,474, mailed on Mar. 15, 2023, 8 pages. [cited by applicant]
United States Patent and Trademark Office, “Non-Final office action,” issued in connection with U.S. Appl. No. 17/151,474, mailed on Oct. 3, 2022, 7 pages. [cited by applicant]
United States Patent and Trademark Office, “Restriction Requirement,” issued in connection with U.S. Appl. No. 17/151,474, mailed on Jun. 16, 2022, 7 pages. [cited by applicant]
China National Intellectual Property Administration, “First Office Action and First Search,” issued in connection with Chinese Patent Application No. 202210046362.9, dated Jun. 21, 2024, 12 pages. [cited by applicant]