Patent ID: 7096673

Claim:
A method for increasing the efficiency of a turbine engine by controlling blade rip clearances comprising the steps of: operating a turbine engine under a substantially steady state condition and under a transient condition, the turbine engine having at least a compressor section and a turbine section, the turbine section including a rotor with discs on which a plurality of blades are attached; providing air exiting the compressor section at a compressor exit temperature; selectively routing at least a portion of the air exiting the compressor section to the rotor and discs of the turbine section without substantially reducing the temperature of the air portion from the compressor exit temperature as it is presented to the rotor and discs, wherein the selectively routing step is performed during the substantially steady state condition, wherein the selectively routing step is not performed during the transient condition, whereby blade clearances, defined between the tips of the blades and the neighboring ring segments, are minimized due to the thermal expansion of the rotor and discs.