A flow transfer apparatus for transferring cooling flow from a primary gas flowpath to a turbine rotor. The apparatus includes a first supply plenum communicating with the primary gas flowpath and first inducers, the first inducers configured to accelerate a first fluid flow from the first supply plenum and discharge it toward the rotor with a tangential velocity; a second supply plenum communicating with the primary gas flowpath and second inducers, the second inducers configured to accelerate a second fluid flow from the second supply plenum towards the rotor with a tangential velocity; and a cooling modulation valve operable to selectively permit or block the second fluid flow from the primary gas flowpath to the second supply plenum. The valve includes a flow control structure disposed in the primary gas flowpath and an actuation structure extending to a location radially outside of a casing defining the primary gas flowpath.

An HVAC system includes a variable-speed compressor which compresses refrigerant flowing through the HVAC system, a blower which provides a flow of air through the HVAC system at a controllable flow rate, and a controller communicatively coupled to the variable-speed compressor and the blower. The controller receives a demand request, which includes a command to operate the HVAC system at a predefined setpoint temperature. In response to receiving the demand request, a setpoint temperature associated with the HVAC system can be adjusted to the predefined setpoint temperature. A speed of the variable-speed compressor is decreased to a low-speed setting. Based on the decreased speed of the variable-speed compressor, an air-flow rate can be determined to provide by the blower. The controllable flow rate of the flow of air provided by the blower can be adjusted based on the determined air-flow rate.

A computer-controlled motorized pump system is provided. A generator is mechanically connected to a power takeoff. A first controller receives AC power from the generator and converts the AC power to DC power and provides DC power to a computing system that has one or more processors and one or more computer-readable hardware storage media and a user interface. A second controller is directly coupled to the first controller and provides AC power to a motor. The motor is mechanically connected to a pump, and the motor is in communication with, or controlled by, the computing system.

A compressor case to blade tip clearance system comprising a rotor having blades with tips, the case including an inner case comprising at least one surface feature fluidly coupled to a distribution manifold disposed in a cooling air passageway, the at least one surface feature configured to interact with the cooling air, and a tip clearance located between the tips and the inner case; wherein the tip clearance is maintained responsive to a flow of the cooling air over the at least one surface feature.

An HVAC system includes a variable-speed compressor which compresses refrigerant flowing through the HVAC system, a blower which provides a flow of air through the HVAC system at a controllable flow rate, and a controller communicatively coupled to the variable-speed compressor and the blower. The controller receives a demand request, which includes a command to operate the HVAC system at a predefined setpoint temperature. In response to receiving the demand request, a setpoint temperature associated with the HVAC system is adjusted to the predefined setpoint temperature. A speed of the variable-speed compressor is decreased to a low-speed setting. Based on the decreased speed of the variable-speed compressor, an air-flow rate is determined to provide by the blower. The controllable flow rate of the flow of air provided by the blower is adjusted based on the determined air-flow rate.

An annular fluid flow control or metering device comprises: first and second annular plates disposed in an annular flow path, the first annular plate and second annular plates being made of different first and second materials, the first annular plate having a lower first coefficient of thermal expansion than a second coefficient of thermal expansion of the second annular plate, the first annular plate abutting or in contact with the second annular plate, the first annular plate including at least one first metering aperture, and the second annular plate being more thermally responsive than the first annular plate wherein the second annular plate being configured to radially grow and shrink to at least partly obstruct the at least one first metering aperture for metering or controlling a flow of fluid through the at least one first metering aperture.

The invention relates generally to gas turbine engines used for electrical power generation. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide systems and ways for improving gas turbine engine reliability through an electric motor backup system for cooling features of the turbine section.

A gas turbine engine includes a main compressor section and a turbine section. The turbine section has a first turbine blade and vane and a downstream turbine component. A tap is configured to tap air from the compressor section at a location upstream of a most downstream location. The tap is connected to a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is connected to a cooling compressor. The cooling compressor is connected to the downstream turbine component. A second tap is configured to tap air from a location in the main compressor section. The second tap is connected through a check valve to a line leading to the downstream turbine component. A control operates the cooling compressor such that when the cooling compressor is operating, air downstream of the cooling compressor is at a pressure higher than the pressure of the second tap, and the control is operational to selectively drive the cooling compressor at high power operation of an associated gas turbine engine, and to stop operation of the cooling compressor at lower power operations, such that air is delivered through the cooling compressor to the downstream turbine component at the high power operations, and air is delivered from the second tap at least some time when the cooling compressor is not operational. A method is also disclosed.

A computer-implemented method for optimizing control of a process includes a computer receiving a process definition and a collection of elements to be arranged in a way that optimizes the utility of the process; initializing the process using a collection of discrete elements (stops, events, work orders, tasks, locations, etc.), and producing a solution for said collection by inserting the elements into the solution using the Minimum Insertion Heuristic; modifying the order of the elements to be inserted and continuing the process to produce solutions with better scores; and continuing to produce solutions based on improving the order of insertion until the process is determined to be sufficiently optimized.

A gas turbine engine has a core engine including: a compressor, combustion equipment which receives compressed air from the compressor, a circumferential row of nozzle guide vanes, and a turbine. The nozzle guide vanes defines a throat receiving hot working gases from the combustion equipment into the turbine. The gas turbine engine further has an air system which is switchably operable between an on-position which opens a diversion pathway along which a portion of the compressed air exiting the compressor bypasses the combustion equipment to join the hot working gases at re-entry holes located between the nozzle guide vanes and a rotor at the front of the turbine, thereby increasing the semi-dimensional mass flow ω(T30).sup.0.5/(P30) of the core engine at the exit of the compressor, and an off-position which closes the diversion pathway, thereby decreasing the semi-dimensional mass flow of the core engine at the exit of the compressor.