Compressor Bleed Valve Seal With Adjustable Leakage Gap

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing bleed valve assemblies in gas turbine engines suffer from air leakage and fixed flow rate issues due to tolerances and unevenness at the interface between the piston and manifold, impacting engine performance and flow control.

Innovation Solution

A bleed valve assembly with a manifold, valve housing, piston, and valve seal that includes a conformable sheet metal seal to prevent leakage and adjustable shims to vary the flow rate, enhancing sealing and flow control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a piston is used to close the air passageway, then air leakage is prevented, but leakage occurs due to tolerances and unevenness at the interface

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidair leakage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

A seal element is introduced as an intermediary component between the piston and manifold. This seal element compensates for tolerances and unevenness at the interface, preventing air leakage while allowing the piston to maintain its closing function without requiring perfect manufacturing precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The seal element is designed as a flexible component that can deform to conform to the interface between the piston and manifold. This flexibility allows it to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and surface unevenness, creating an effective seal without requiring tight tolerances on the rigid piston and manifold components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Ease of manufacture

If the gap between piston and manifold is fixed, then manufacturing is simplified, but flow rate cannot be adjusted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegap dimensioningVSAvoidflow rate adjustment

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The gap between the piston and manifold is made adjustable rather than fixed. This allows the system to adapt to different flow rate requirements by modifying the gap dimension, providing operational flexibility while maintaining simple manufacturing of the base components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The gap dimension parameter can be changed to adjust the flow rate. By providing mechanisms to modify this geometric parameter, the system achieves adaptability for different operating conditions without requiring complete redesign of the components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution effectively minimizes air leakage and allows adjustable flow rates, improving engine performance and operational flexibility.

Implementation Method 1

The valve seal may be configured to compress axially between the piston and the outer surface of the manifold in response to the piston moving axially downward to a closed position to provide a seal between the piston and the manifold

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCompression: Compression

Data Source

PatentUS20250389229A1Bleed valve assembly with valve seal for gas turbine engine compressors

Publication Date: 2025.12.25 ROLLS ROYCE NORTH AMERICAN TECHNOLOGIES INC

AI summary

A bleed valve assembly includes a manifold coupled to a case of a compressor of a gas turbine engine to control a flow of bleed air exiting the compressor, a valve housing coupled with the manifold, a piston configured to move selectively relative to the valve housing and the manifold, and a valve seal configured to block bleed air from passing between the piston and the manifold when the piston is in a closed position.