# US 10,119,476 B2 · Thrust bearing system with inverted non-contacting dynamic seals for gas turbine engine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,119,476 B2 - Document ID: US10119476B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/234,338 - Filed: 2011-09-16 - Published: 2013-03-21 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2011-09-16 - Assignees: United Technologies Corporation - Applicants: Joseph T. Caprario - Inventors: Joseph T. Caprario - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10119476B2 ## CPC - F02C 9/18: by bleeding, bypassing or acting on variable working fluid interconnections between turbines or compressors or their stages {(F02C3/113 takes precedence)} - F01D 3/00: Machines or engines with axial-thrust balancing effected by working-fluid - F01D 5/081: {Cooling fluid being directed on the side of the rotor disc or at the roots of the blades (F01D5/087 takes precedence)} - F01D 11/025: {Seal clearance control; Floating assembly; Adaptation means to differential thermal dilatations} - F02C 7/12: Cooling of plants (of component parts, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. F01D; cooling of engines in general F01P) - F02C 7/28: Arrangement of seals - F16J 15/441: {with floating ring} - F05D 2240/55: Seals - F05D 2260/15: Load balancing - Y10T 29/49229: Prime mover or fluid pump making - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - F16J: PISTONS {(specially adapted for dampers F16F9/32)}; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A gas turbine engine includes a first non-contacting dynamic rotor seal interfaced with a spool, the first non-contacting dynamic seal operates to seal adjacent to an outer diameter and a second non-contacting dynamic rotor seal with respect to the spool, the second non-contacting dynamic seal operates to seal adjacent to an inner diameter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gas turbine engine comprising: a spool defining an axis and including a thrust bearing supporting a hub and a compressor mechanically coupled to a turbine by said hub; a first non-contacting dynamic seal including a first body attached to a first floating shoe configured to seal first rotatable inner surfaces of said spool to define a first flow cavity, the first floating shoe radially inward of said first rotatable inner surfaces with respect to said axis; a second non-contacting dynamic seal including a second body attached to a second floating shoe configured to seal second rotatable inner surfaces of said spool to define a second flow cavity, the second floating shoe radially inward of said second rotatable inner surfaces with respect to said axis; and a third non-contacting dynamic seal including a third body attached to a third floating shoe configured to seal rotatable outer surfaces of said hub and is positioned in an axial direction relative to said axis between said first and second floating shoes to define said first flow cavity and said second flow cavity, the third floating shoe radially outward of said rotatable outer surfaces with respect to said axis; and wherein each of said first non-contacting dynamic seal, said second non-contacting dynamic seal and said third non-contacting dynamic seal is a hydrostatic seal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, wherein said first flow cavity and said second flow cavity are dimensioned in a radial direction with respect to said axis to reduce net thrust loads exerted on said thrust bearing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said first and second non-contacting dynamic seals are positioned radially outward of said third non-contacting dynamic seal with respect to said axis. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 3, wherein each of said first, second and third floating shoes is moveable in a radial direction with respect to said axis in response to rotating at least one of said first rotatable inner surfaces, said second rotatable inner surfaces and said outer rotatable surfaces. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, wherein said first flow cavity and said second flow cavity are positioned axially between said compressor and said turbine. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said first body, said second body, and said third body is fixedly attached to and extends from a static structure of said spool. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 6, wherein said third non-contacting dynamic seal is positioned radially between an outer shaft of said spool and an inner diffuser case, said third body of said third non-contacting dynamic seal extends from and is fixedly attached to said inner diffuser case, and said rotatable outer surfaces are located along said outer shaft. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 7, wherein said second non-contacting dynamic seal is positioned radially inboard of a high pressure turbine vane, and said second rotatable inner surfaces are located along a platform of a turbine blade. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 7, wherein said second non-contacting dynamic seal is positioned aft of a high pressure turbine rotor of said spool. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 7, wherein said second non-contacting dynamic seal is positioned radially inboard of a high pressure turbine vane, said second rotatable inner surfaces are located along a platform of said high pressure turbine vane, and said first non-contacting dynamic seal is positioned forward of said turbine. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said second non-contacting dynamic seal and said third non-contacting dynamic seal is positioned aft of a high pressure compressor of said spool. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 11, wherein said first non-contacting dynamic seal is positioned radially inboard of a high pressure compressor vane, and said first rotatable inner surfaces are located along a platform of a compressor blade. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 12, wherein said third non-contacting dynamic seal is positioned between an outer shaft of said spool and an inner diffuser case. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 11, wherein each of said first non-contacting dynamic seal, said second non-contacting dynamic seal and said third non-contacting dynamic seal is positioned forward of a high pressure turbine of said spool. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 1, further comprising a low spool along an axis of said spool. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 15, wherein said gas turbine engine is a high bypass engine. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 16, further comprising a geared architecture driven by said low spool.