Patent ID: 11879411
Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Field: Engines, pumps, turbines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC F | IPC F

Claim 18:
19. A gas turbine engine defining an axial direction and a radial direction extending perpendicular from the axial direction, the gas turbine engine comprising:
a casing;
a rotor assembly rotatably mounted within the casing, the rotor assembly comprising a forward rotor portion defining a forward rotor cavity and an aft rotor portion defining an aft rotor cavity, the aft rotor cavity being fluidly isolated from the forward rotor cavity; and
a cooling system comprising:
a forward cooling fluid supply;
a forward supply line providing fluid communication between the forward cooling fluid supply and the forward rotor cavity for urging a flow of forward cooling fluid through the forward rotor cavity;
an aft cooling fluid supply;
an aft supply line providing fluid communication between the aft cooling fluid supply and the aft rotor cavity for urging a flow of aft cooling fluid through the aft rotor cavity; and

a flow control system fluidly coupled to the forward supply line and the aft supply line for regulating the flow of forward cooling fluid and the flow of aft cooling fluid;
an aft bleed port defined in the casing and being in fluid communication with the aft rotor cavity;
an aft bleed line fluidly coupled to the aft bleed port for receiving a flow of aft bleed air from the aft rotor cavity, wherein the flow control system comprises a bleed control valve fluidly coupled to the aft bleed line for regulating a flow of aft bleed air,
wherein the aft supply line is fluidly coupled to the aft bleed port, and wherein the flow control system further comprises an aft control valve fluidly coupled to the aft supply line for regulating the flow of aft cooling fluid through the aft supply line and through the aft rotor cavity.