Gas Turbine Engine Including Temperature Control Device and Method Using Memory Metal

Abstract

The gas turbine engine includes a compressor section, a combustion section downstream from the compressor section and a turbine section downstream from the combustion section. The turbine section includes a rotor shaft, a plurality of turbine blades, and a plurality of discs coupling corresponding ones of the plurality of turbine blades to the rotor shaft. Each disc has a plurality of disc cooling fluid passages therein associated with cooling the turbine blades, and a respective thermal shape memory sleeve is in at least some of the disc cooling fluid passages. The thermal shape memory sleeve defines a sleeve throat opening that changes based upon a temperature to adjust a flow of cooling fluid therethrough. Part load efficiency may be increased by supplying only the needed cooling fluid to areas of the blades.

1 . A gas turbine engine comprising:
 a compressor section;   a combustion section downstream from said compressor section;   a turbine section downstream from said combustion section including
 a rotor shaft, 
 a plurality of turbine blades, and 
 a plurality of discs coupling corresponding ones of the plurality of turbine blades to the rotor shaft, each disc having a plurality of disc cooling fluid passages therein associated with cooling the turbine blades, and 
 a respective thermal shape memory sleeve in at least some of the disc cooling fluid passages and defining a sleeve throat opening that changes based upon a temperature to adjust a flow of cooling fluid therethrough. 
   
     
     
         2 . The gas turbine engine according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermal shape memory sleeve comprises a thermal shape memory metal sleeve. 
     
     
         3 . The gas turbine engine according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermal shape memory sleeve comprises a thermal shape memory polymer sleeve. 
     
     
         4 . The gas turbine engine according to  claim 1 , further comprising a cooling system including a cooler to cool at least a portion of compressed air from the compressor section and to provide cooling fluid to the plurality of disc cooling fluid passages. 
     
     
         5 . The gas turbine engine according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of turbine blades has a plurality of blade cooling fluid passages therein coupled in fluid communication with the disc cooling fluid passages. 
     
     
         6 . The gas turbine engine according to  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve throat opening has a cylindrically shape. 
     
     
         7 . The gas turbine engine according to  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve throat opening of the thermal shape memory sleeve is larger when the temperature is relatively high, and the sleeve throat opening is smaller when the temperature is relatively low. 
     
     
         8 . The gas turbine engine according to  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve throat opening of the thermal shape memory sleeve has a shape transition temperature in a range of 175-400° C. 
     
     
         9 . A gas turbine engine comprising:
 a combustion section;   a turbine section downstream from said combustion section including
 a rotor shaft, 
 a plurality of turbine blades, and 
 a plurality of discs coupling corresponding ones of the plurality of turbine blades to the rotor shaft, each disc having a plurality of disc cooling fluid passages therein associated with cooling the turbine blades, and 
 a respective thermal shape memory metal sleeve in each of the cooling fluid passages and defining a cylindrical sleeve throat opening that changes based upon a temperature to adjust a flow of cooling fluid therethrough. 
   
     
     
         10 . The gas turbine engine according to  claim 9 , further comprising a cooling system including a cooler to provide cooling fluid to the plurality of disc cooling fluid passages. 
     
     
         11 . The gas turbine engine according to  claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of turbine blades has a plurality of blade cooling fluid passages therein coupled in fluid communication with the disc cooling fluid passages. 
     
     
         12 . The gas turbine engine according to  claim 9 , wherein the cylindrical sleeve throat opening of the shape memory sleeve is larger when the temperature is relatively high, and the cylindrical sleeve throat opening is smaller when the temperature is relatively low. 
     
     
         13 . A method of controlling blade tip clearance in a gas turbine engine including a compressor section, a combustion section downstream from the compressor section, and a turbine section downstream from the combustion section and including a rotor shaft, a plurality of turbine blades, and a plurality of discs coupling corresponding ones of the plurality of turbine blades to the rotor shaft, the method comprising:
 forming a plurality of disc cooling fluid passages in each disc for cooling the turbine blades; and   positioning a respective thermal shape memory sleeve in at least some of the cooling fluid passages to define a sleeve throat opening that changes based upon a temperature to adjust a flow of cooling fluid therethrough.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the thermal shape memory sleeve comprises a thermal shape memory metal sleeve. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the thermal shape memory sleeve comprises a thermal shape memory polymer sleeve. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising cooling at least a portion of compressed air from the compressor section to provide cooling fluid to the plurality of disc cooling fluid passages. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising providing each of the plurality of turbine blades with a plurality of blade cooling fluid passages therein coupled in fluid communication with the disc cooling fluid passages. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein each the sleeve throat opening has a cylindrical shape. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the sleeve throat opening of the thermal shape memory sleeve is larger when the temperature is relatively high, and the sleeve throat opening is smaller when the temperature is relatively low. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the sleeve throat opening of the thermal shape memory sleeve has a shape transition temperature in a range of 175-400° C.