# US 10,370,991 B2 · Gas turbine engine and seal assembly therefore

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- Number: US 10,370,991 B2
- Document ID: US10370991B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/830,636
- Filed: 2015-08-19
- Published: 2016-05-12
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-11-07
- Assignees: United Technologies Corporation
- Applicants: United Technologies Corporation
- Inventors: Ross Wilson; Michael G McCaffrey; John R Farris; Theodore W Hall; John J Korzendorfer; Elizabeth F. Vinson; Jeffrey Michael Jacques; Edwin Otero; John E Paul
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10370991B2

## CPC

- F01D 11/001: {for sealing space between stator blade and rotor}
- F01D 11/025: {Seal clearance control; Floating assembly; Adaptation means to differential thermal dilatations}
- F01D 11/16: by self-adjusting means (F01D11/12 takes precedence)
- F16J 15/44: Free-space packings
- F16J 15/442: {segmented}
- F16J 15/445: {with means for adjusting the clearance}
- F02C 7/28: Arrangement of seals
- F05D 2240/55: Seals
- F05D 2260/38: by a spring, i.e. spring loaded or biased towards a certain position
- F05D 2260/96: Preventing, counteracting or reducing vibration or noise
- 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
- 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)
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS

## Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to a hydrostatic advanced low leakage seal having a shoe supported by at least two beams. An anti-vibration beam spacer is disposed in contact with two adjacent beams and operative to mitigate an externally induced vibratory response of the beams.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A seal assembly disposed between a stator and a rotor, the seal assembly comprising:
a hydrostatic advanced low leakage seal including:
a base;
a shoe; and
a spring element including a first spring element end operatively coupled to the base and a second spring element end operatively coupled to the shoe, the spring element further comprising:
a first beam extending between the first and second spring element ends; and
a second beam extending between the first and second spring element ends and radially spaced from the first beam; and
a first beam spacer disposed in contact with the first beam and the second beam and operative to mitigate an externally induced vibratory response of the spring element;
wherein the base is operatively coupled to one of the stator and the rotor and the first beam spacer is held in contact with the first and second beams by friction.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The seal assembly of claim 1, wherein the base is operatively coupled to the stator.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The seal assembly of claim 2, further comprising:
a u-shaped plate defining an interior cavity, the u-shaped plate disposed between the base and the stator, wherein the base and the spring element are disposed within the cavity.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The seal assembly of claim 3, further comprising:
a spacer operatively disposed between the spring element and the u-shaped plate; wherein the u-shaped plate includes a first recess formed therein;
wherein the spacer disposed between the spring element and the u-shaped plate includes a second recess formed therein; and
wherein a first end of the first beam spacer is disposed in the first recess and a second end of the first beam spacer is disposed in the second recess.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The seal assembly of claim 1, wherein the first beam spacer dampens more than one mode of resonant vibration.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The seal assembly of claim 1, wherein the first beam spacer comprises a cross-sectional shape, wherein the cross-sectional shape is one of: rectangular, rectangular with radiused corners, circular, oval, and diamond shaped.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The seal assembly of claim 1, wherein the first beam spacer is disposed substantially equidistant from the first and second spring element ends.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The seal assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
a second beam spacer disposed in contact with the first beam and the second beam;
wherein the first beam spacer and the second beam spacer are disposed asymmetrically about a center equidistant from the first and second spring element ends.

### Claim 9

A gas turbine engine comprising:
a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section in serial flow communication, at least one of the compressor section and turbine section including a stator, a rotor, and a seal assembly, the seal assembly comprising:
a hydrostatic advanced low leakage seal including:
a base;
a shoe; and
a spring element including a first spring element end operatively coupled to the base and a second spring element end operatively coupled to the shoe, the spring element further comprising:
a first beam extending between the first and second spring element ends; and
a second beam extending between the first and second spring element ends and radially spaced from the first beam; and a first beam spacer disposed in contact with the first beam and the second beam and operative to mitigate an externally induced vibratory response of the spring element;
wherein the base is operatively coupled to one of the stator and the rotor and the first beam spacer is held in contact with the first and second beams by friction.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The gas turbine engine of claim 9, wherein the base is operatively coupled to the stator.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The seal assembly of claim 10, further comprising: a u-shaped plate defining an interior cavity, the u-shaped plate disposed between the base and the stator, wherein the base and the spring element are disposed within the cavity.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The seal assembly of claim 11, further comprising:
a spacer operatively disposed between the spring element and the u-shaped plate; wherein the u-shaped plate includes a first recess formed therein; and
wherein the spacer disposed between the spring element and the u-shaped plate includes a second recess formed therein; and
wherein a first end of the first beam spacer is disposed in the first recess and a second end of the first beam spacer is disposed in the second recess.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The seal assembly of claim 9, wherein the first beam spacer dampens more than one mode of resonant vibration..

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The seal assembly of claim 9, wherein the first beam spacer comprises a cross-sectional shape wherein the cross-sectional shape is one of: rectangular, rectangular with radiused corners, circular, oval, and diamond shaped.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The seal assembly of claim 9, wherein the first beam spacer is disposed substantially equidistant from the first and second spring element ends.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The seal assembly of claim 9, further comprising:
a second beam spacer disposed in contact with the first beam and the second beam;
wherein the first beam spacer and the second beam spacer are disposed asymmetrically about a center equidistant from the first and second spring element ends.

### Claim 17

A seal assembly disposed between a stator and a rotor, the seal assembly comprising:
a hydrostatic advanced low leakage seal including:
a base;
a plurality of shoes;
a plurality of spring elements, each including a first spring element end operatively coupled to the base and a second spring element end operatively coupled to a respective one of the plurality of shoes, each of the plurality of spring elements further comprising:
a first beam extending between the first and second spring element ends; and a second beam extending between the first and second spring element ends and radially spaced from the first beam; and
a first beam spacer disposed in contact with the first beam and the second beam and operative to mitigate an externally induced vibratory response of the spring element;
wherein the base is operatively coupled to one of the stator and the rotor and the first beam spacer is held in contact with the first and second beams by friction.