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

Abstract:

A clearance control system for a gas turbine engine may include a rotor blade, an outer structure disposed radially outward from the rotor blade, a heating element, a hybrid electric power source, and a controller. The heating element is configured to cause the outer structure to be heated in response to electric current being supplied to the heating element. A gap between the rotor blade and the outer structure is at least one of increased, decreased, and maintained in response to the outer structure being heated. The hybrid electric power source is configured to supply the electric current to the heating element. The controller is configured to regulate the electric current being supplied to the heating element.