초록 ▼

A gas turbine engine (10) has a compressor (14) which includes a rotary stage (16) supported for rotation by a plurality of wire wound stators (34). When the stators (34) are electrically energised, they exert Maxwell type magnetic forces on a magnetically permeable ring (18) joining the tips of com

A gas turbine engine (10) has a compressor (14) which includes a rotary stage (16) supported for rotation by a plurality of wire wound stators (34). When the stators (34) are electrically energised, they exert Maxwell type magnetic forces on a magnetically permeable ring (18) joining the tips of compressor blades (21) in the stage (16), and lift it into a position in space where it can rotate on a common axis with the turbine of the engine (10).

대표청구항 ▼

1. A fluid displacement apparatus comprising for use with a gas turbine engine comprising:a single ring; a drum; a circular array of blades, the single ring being held co-axially with and around the drum by the circular array of blades; a casing, the single ring being magnetically permeable and sur

1. A fluid displacement apparatus comprising for use with a gas turbine engine comprising:a single ring; a drum; a circular array of blades, the single ring being held co-axially with and around the drum by the circular array of blades; a casing, the single ring being magnetically permeable and sur rounded by the casing; a circular array of electromagnetic stators that include wire wound poles, the circular array of electromagnetic stator protruding from the casing; a stator power supply; sensors that sense a magnitude of any gap defined between the electromagnetic stators and the ring, the sensors generating a signal based on the gap; and a controller between the sensors and the stator power supply, the controller receiving signals from the sensors and causing the stator power supply to power at least one electro-magnetic stator of the array of electro-magnetic stators such that at least one stator pole generates sufficient magnetism across appropriate gaps such that the ring is equidistant from all of the stator poles.