Non-contact seal with angled land
AssigneeRaytheon Technologies Corporation
InventorsMichael L DiFrancesco, Conway Chuong
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for sealing a circumferential gap between a stationary component and a rotating member is disclosed. The rotating member is configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis and has a radially outer surface disposed at a first non-zero angle with respect to the longitudinal axis. The apparatus includes a stator disposed circumferentially about the longitudinal axis and a shoe configured for translation in a radial direction with respect to the stator. The shoe includes a circumferential surface and a plurality of protrusions extending radially inward from the circumferential surface toward the rotating member, each one of the plurality of protrusions having a length configured to maintain a clearance gap with respect to the rotating member.
Claims12
An apparatus for sealing a circumferential gap between a stationary component and a rotating member configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis, comprising:
- a stator disposed circumferentially about the longitudinal axis;
- and
- a shoe configured for translation in a radial direction with respect to the stator,
- wherein the shoe includes a circumferential surface and a plurality of protrusions extending radially inward from the circumferential surface toward the rotating member, the rotating member having a radially outer surface disposed at a non-zero angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, each one of the plurality of protrusions having a length configured to maintain a constant clearance gap with respect to the rotating member and a tip portion spaced a radial distance equal to the constant clearance gap from the radially outer surface of the rotating member,
- wherein the shoe is connected to the stator by a first beam and a second beam, each having a first end connected to the stator and a second end connected to the shoe and
- wherein the circumferential surface is oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis.
A gas turbine engine, comprising:
- a compressor section configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis, the compressor section including a rotating member having a radially outer surface disposed at a non-zero angle with respect to the longitudinal axis;
- a stator disposed circumferentially about the longitudinal axis;
- and
- a shoe configured for translation in a radial direction with respect to the stator,
- wherein the shoe includes a circumferential surface and a plurality of protrusions extending radially inward from the circumferential surface toward the radially outer surface of the rotating member, each one of the plurality of protrusions configured to maintain a constant clearance gap with respect to the radially outer surface of the rotating member and a tip portion spaced a radial distance equal to the constant clearance gap from the radially outer surface of the rotating member,
- wherein the shoe is connected to the stator by a first beam and a second beam, each having a first end connected to the stator and a second end connected to the shoe and
- wherein the circumferential surface is oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis.
A gas turbine engine, comprising:
- a rotating member configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis, the rotating member having a radially outer surface disposed at a non-zero angle with respect to the longitudinal axis;
- a stator disposed circumferentially about the longitudinal axis;
- and
- a shoe configured for translation in a radial direction with respect to the stator,
- wherein the shoe includes a circumferential surface and a plurality of protrusions extending radially inward from the circumferential surface toward the radially outer surface of the rotating member, each one of the plurality of protrusions configured to maintain a constant clearance gap with respect to the radially outer surface of the rotating member and a tip portion spaced a radial distance equal to the constant clearance gap from the radially outer surface of the rotating member,
- wherein the shoe is connected to the stator by a first beam and a second beam, each having a first end connected to the stator and a second end connected to the shoe,
- wherein the circumferential surface is oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis and
- wherein the non-zero angle is within a range from one degree to five degrees.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.