Patent ID: 7708518

Claim:
A blade tip clearance control system comprising a turbine engine having a compressor section, a combustor section having a chamber receiving compressed air from the compressor section, and a turbine section, wherein the turbine section includes a plurality of discs mounted to a rotor, wherein a plurality of blades are attached to the discs, each blade extending radially outward from the respective disc to a tip; a stationary support structure substantially surrounding at least a portion of the blades, wherein a clearance is defined between the tips of the blades and the stationary support structure, the stationary support structure being at a first temperature; a rotor cooling air circuit including a fluid conduit and a cooler disposed along the fluid conduit, the fluid conduit being connected in fluid communication with the chamber of the combustor section such that a portion of the compressed air in the chamber is received within the fluid conduit, wherein the portion of compressed air passes in heat exchanging relation with the cooler such that the temperature of the portion of air is reduced to a second temperature, wherein the second temperature is less than the first temperature, wherein the cooler is external to the chamber of the combustor section, and wherein the fluid conduit downstream of the cooler is initially external to the chamber of the combustor section and then enters the chamber of the combustor section; and a supply conduit connected in fluid communication with the fluid conduit at a point within the chamber and extending therefrom, the supply conduit extending entirely within the chamber, wherein the supply conduit routes at least a portion of the air at the second temperature to the stationary support structure so that the air passes in heat exchanging relation with the stationary support structure, whereby the stationary support structure contracts to reduce the clearance.