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EP-4737736-A1 - A BLOWER COMPRESSOR ASSEMBLY

EP4737736A1EP 4737736 A1EP4737736 A1EP 4737736A1EP-4737736-A1

Abstract

A blower compressor assembly (402) comprises: a flow modifier (412) comprising an array of nozzle guide vanes (525) and an array of diffuser vanes (515), wherein the flow modifier is movable relative to a rotor (410) between a turbine configuration and a compressor configuration; and an actuator assembly (600) for moving the flow modifier relative to the rotor between the turbine configuration and the compressor configuration, wherein the actuator assembly comprises: a first actuator (610) comprising a first chamber (613), a first valve (616) configured to selectively supply pressurised air to the first chamber (613) or vent pressurised air from the first chamber, and a piston (614) arranged to one side of the first chamber and coupled to the flow modifier such that the flow modifier is moved into the turbine configuration or the compressor configuration based on the pressure of air within the first chamber; and a second actuator, configured to controllably adjust the position of the piston when the blower compressor is in the compressor configuration.

Inventors

  • MURRAY, CHRISTOPHER A

Assignees

  • Rolls-Royce plc

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20250929

Claims (15)

  1. A blower compressor assembly (402) comprising: a flow modifier (412) comprising an array of nozzle guide vanes (525) and an array of diffuser vanes (515), wherein the flow modifier is movable relative to a rotor (410) between a turbine configuration, in which the array of nozzle guide vanes is arranged about the rotor in fluidic communication with one or more flow channels through the rotor, and a compressor configuration, in which the array of diffuser vanes is arranged about the rotor in fluidic communication with the flow channels through the rotor; and an actuator assembly (600) for moving the flow modifier (412) relative to the rotor (410) between the turbine configuration and the compressor configuration, wherein the actuator assembly comprises: a first actuator (610) comprising a first chamber (613), a first valve (616) configured to selectively supply pressurised air from a pressurised air source (470) to the first chamber or vent pressurised air from the first chamber, and a piston (614) arranged to one side of the first chamber and coupled to the flow modifier such that the flow modifier is moved into the turbine configuration or the compressor configuration based on the pressure of air within the first chamber; and a second actuator (620, 700), configured to controllably adjust the position of the piston (614) when the blower compressor is in the compressor configuration, in order to adjust a flow area of the diffuser vane array (515) in fluidic communication with the flow channels through the rotor (410).
  2. The blower compressor assembly (402) of claim 1 further comprising the rotor (410) defining the one or more flow channels therethrough.
  3. The blower compressor assembly (402) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the second actuator (620) comprises a second chamber (622), provided on an opposite side of the piston (614) from the first chamber (613), and a second valve (624) configured to controllably supply pressurised air to the second chamber in order to adjust the position of the piston.
  4. The blower compressor assembly (402) of claim 3, wherein the second valve (624) is a variable pressure valve configured to controllably modulate the pressure of air supplied to the second chamber (622), in order to selectively vary a flow area of the diffuser vane array (515) in fluidic communication with the flow channels through the rotor (410).
  5. The blower compressor assembly (402) of claim 3 or 4, wherein the second valve (624) is arranged to receive a supply of pressurised air from an outlet of the blower compressor, to selectively supply to the second chamber (622).
  6. The blower compressor assembly (402) of claim 1 or 2, wherein the second actuator (700) comprises an electro-mechanical actuator coupled to the piston (614) and configured to controllably adjust the position of the piston, in order to selectively vary a flow area of the diffuser vane array (515) in fluidic communication with the flow channels through the rotor (410), and optionally wherein the electro-mechanical actuator is configured to be driven by the piston (614) to enable the vane array to move into the turbine configuration when pressurised air is supplied to the first chamber (613).
  7. The blower compressor assembly (402) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the first valve (616) comprises a 2-way valve configured to either supply pressurised air to the first chamber (613) or vent the first chamber (613), and/or wherein the first valve (616) is configured to vent air from the first chamber (613) when the blower compressor assembly (402) is in the compressor configuration.
  8. The blower compressor assembly (402) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the flow modifier (412) is biased towards the compressor configuration, and/or wherein the first actuator (610) is configured to move the flow modifier (412) into the turbine configuration when pressurised air is supplied to the first chamber (613).
  9. The blower compressor assembly (402) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the flow modifier (412) comprises a movable plate (514), wherein the movable plate is movable relative to the array of diffuser vanes (515) in order to adjust a flow area through the diffuser, wherein the movable plate is coupled to the piston (614), and wherein the flow area though the diffuser is thereby selectively varied by the second actuator (620, 700).
  10. The blower compressor assembly (402) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the piston (614) is biased to move towards a position in which a flow area through the diffuser vane array (510) is at a maximum.
  11. The blower compressor assembly (402) of claim 10 when depending on claim 8, wherein a bias force configured to bias the piston (614) to move towards the position in which a flow area through the diffuser is at a maximum is less than a bias force configured to move the flow modifier (412) into the compressor configuration.
  12. An actuator assembly (600) for the blower compressor assembly (402) of any of the preceding claims, the actuator assembly (600) for moving the flow modifier (412) relative to the rotor (410) between the turbine configuration and the compressor configuration, wherein the actuator assembly (600) comprises: a first actuator (610) comprising a first chamber (613), a first valve (616) configured to selectively supply pressurised air from a pressurised air source (470) to the first chamber or vent pressurised air from the first chamber, and a piston (614) arranged to one side of the first chamber and coupled to the flow modifier (412) such that the flow modifier is moved into the turbine configuration or the diffuser configuration based on the pressure of air within the first chamber (613); and a second actuator (620, 700), configured to controllably adjust the position of the piston (614) when the blower-compressor is in the compressor configuration, in order to adjust a flow area of the diffuser vane array (515) in fluidic communication with the flow channels through the rotor (410).
  13. A gas turbine engine (10) for an aircraft, the gas turbine engine comprising the blower compressor assembly (402) of any one of claims 1 to 11 or the actuator assembly (600) of claim 12.
  14. The gas turbine engine (10) of claim 13, further comprising: an engine core (11) comprising a turbine (19), a compressor (14), and a core shaft (26) connecting the turbine to the compressor; a fan (23) located upstream of the engine core, the fan comprising a plurality of fan blades; and a gearbox (30) that receives an input from the core shaft (26) and outputs drive to the fan so as to drive the fan at a lower rotational speed than the core shaft, and optionally wherein: the turbine is a first turbine (19), the compressor is a first compressor (14), and the core shaft is a first core shaft (26); the engine core further comprises a second turbine (17), a second compressor (15), and a second core shaft (27) connecting the second turbine to the second compressor; and the second turbine, second compressor, and second core shaft are arranged to rotate at a higher rotational speed than the first core shaft, and optionally.
  15. An aircraft comprising: a blower compressor assembly (402) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, an actuator assembly (600) according to claim 12 or a gas turbine engine (10) according to any of claims 13 to 14, and optionally wherein the aircraft further comprises the pressurised air source (470).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a blower compressor assembly for an aircraft. The present disclosure also concerns a gas turbine engine assembly and an aircraft comprising the blower compressor assembly. BACKGROUND It is known to pressurise a cabin of an aircraft using an air pressurisation system which makes use of engine bleed air which is bled from a compressor section of the core of a gas turbine engine. Bleeding high pressure air from the gas turbine engine reduces its efficiency and thereby increases its fuel consumption. It is therefore desirable to provide an improved air pressurisation system. Air pressurisation systems which make use of air which is taken from a lower pressure source of a gas turbine engine, such as a bypass duct, and which subsequently compress the air prior to delivering it to the cabin are also known. Some exemplary air pressurisation systems are described in EP3517436 A1, EP3517437 A1 and EP3517438 A1. SUMMARY According to an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a blower compressor assembly comprising: a flow modifier comprising an array, e.g. a circumferential array, of nozzle guide vanes and an array, e.g. a circumferential array, of diffuser vanes, wherein the flow modifier is movable relative to a rotor between a turbine configuration, in which the array of nozzle guide vanes is arranged about the rotor in fluidic communication with one or more flow channels through the rotor, and a compressor configuration, in which the array of diffuser vanes is arranged about the rotor in fluidic communication with the flow channels through the rotor; and an actuator assembly for moving the flow modifier relative to the rotor between the turbine configuration and the compressor configuration, wherein the actuator assembly comprises: a first actuator comprising a first chamber, a first valve configured to selectively supply pressurised air from a pressurised air source to the first chamber or vent pressurised air from the first chamber, and a piston arranged to one side of the first chamber and coupled to the flow modifier such that the flow modifier is moved into the turbine configuration or the compressor configuration based on the pressure of air within the first chamber; and a second actuator, configured to controllably adjust the position of the piston when the blower compressor is in the compressor configuration, in order to adjust a flow area of the diffuser vane array in fluidic communication with the flow channels through the rotor. The array of diffuser vanes may be spaced apart from the array of nozzle guide vanes in an axial direction of the blower compressor assembly, e.g. of the rotor. The blower compressor assembly may further comprise the rotor defining the one or more flow channels therethrough. The second actuator may comprise a second chamber, provided on an opposite side of the piston from the first chamber, and a second valve configured to controllably supply pressurised air to the second chamber in order to adjust the position of the piston. For example, the actuator assembly may comprise a cylinder and the piston may be arranged within the cylinder. The first chamber may comprise a portion of the cylinder to one side of the piston and the second chamber may comprise a portion of the cylinder on an opposite side of the piston from the first chamber. The second valve may be a variable pressure valve configured to controllably modulate the pressure of air supplied to the second chamber, e.g. in order to selectively vary a flow area of the diffuser vane array in fluidic communication with the flow channels through the rotor. The second valve may be arranged to receive a supply of pressurised air from an outlet of the blower compressor to selectively supply to the second chamber. The second actuator may comprise an electro-mechanical actuator coupled to the piston and configured to controllably adjust the position of the piston, e.g. in order to selectively vary a flow area of the diffuser vane array in fluidic communication with the flow channels through the rotor. The electro-mechanical actuator may be configured to be driven by the piston to enable the vane array to move into the turbine configuration when pressurised air is supplied to the first chamber. The first valve may comprise a 2-way valve configured to either supply pressurised air to the first chamber or vent the first chamber. In other words, the first valve may be configured to the selectively (and alternatingly) perform one of: supply pressurised air to the first chamber and vent the first chamber. The first valve may be configured to vent air from the first chamber when the blower compressor assembly is in the compressor configuration. The flow modifier may be biased towards the compressor configuration. For example, the actuator assembly may further comprise a first resilient member configured to bias the flow modifier into the compressor configuration. The first actuat