Thermal Expansion Actuator for Turbine Clearance Adjustment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas turbine engine components face challenges due to conflicting thermal expansion rates, leading to clearance issues and potential collisions, which affect efficiency and safety, and require temperature-dependent adjustments that existing actuators fail to address effectively.
Innovation Solution
A thermal expansion actuator with alternating actuating members having different thermal expansion coefficients, connected in series, and a thermal barrier layer, allowing for controlled displacement in response to temperature changes, without external control or wear, and enabling flexible design for desired responses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If clearance between blade tips and stator casing components is kept as low as possible, then fluid leakage is minimized and efficiency is improved, but collision risk between components increases due to thermal expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the clearance between blade tips and stator casing components adjustable rather than fixed. The actuator allows the clearance to dynamically change based on thermal expansion conditions, maintaining low clearance during steady state operation to minimize fluid leakage, while increasing clearance during transient operations to prevent component collision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the parameter changes principle by using thermal expansion coefficients as a controlling parameter. The actuator is designed with members having different thermal expansion coefficients, allowing the clearance to automatically adjust in response to temperature variations. This enables the system to adapt the clearance parameter based on thermal conditions without requiring external control systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If thermal expansion actuator uses alternating first and second actuating members with different thermal expansion coefficients, then controlled movement in response to temperature changes is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the thermal expansion principle as the core mechanism. The actuator utilizes the differential thermal expansion between first and second actuating members to generate controlled movement. When temperature changes, the members expand or contract at different rates, automatically driving the actuator to adjust the clearance between blade tips and stator casing components in response to thermal conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the composite materials principle by combining different materials with distinct thermal expansion coefficients in the actuator structure. The first and second actuating members are made from composite or dissimilar materials that exhibit different thermal responses, enabling the actuator to convert thermal expansion differences into useful mechanical movement for clearance adjustment.
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 actuator provides precise, wear-resistant, and cost-effective adjustments to clearance and fuel delivery, enhancing gas turbine engine efficiency and safety by accommodating thermal expansion differences.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of actuating members, configured to expand and retract in the actuation direction in response to temperature variations
Data Source
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AI summary
A thermal expansion actuator includes a first actuation interface (18), configured to couple to a first body, a second actuation interface (20), configured to be moved toward or away from the first actuation interface (18) in an actuation direction (D), and a plurality of actuating members (21, 22), configured to expand and retract in the actuation direction (D) in response to temperature variations. The actuating members (21, 22) include first actuating members (21) and second actuating members (22) connected alternated in series between the first actuation interface (18) and the second actuation interface (20) and arranged so that expansion of the first actuating members (21) tends to move the second actuation interface (20) away from the first actuation interface (18) in the actuation direction (D) and expansion of the second actuating members (22) tends to retract the second actuation interface (20) toward the first actuation interface (18) in the actuation direction (D). The first actuating members (21) and the second actuating members (22) have respective different thermal expansion coefficients (K1, K2).