# US 11,028,718 B2 · Seal assembly for counter rotating turbine assembly > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,028,718 B2 - Document ID: US11028718B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/575,971 - Filed: 2019-09-19 - Published: 2020-01-23 - Granted: 2021-06-08 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-20 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Nathan Evan McCurdy Gibson; Darek Tomasz Zatorski - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11028718B2 ## CPC - F01D 11/06: Control thereof - F01D 1/26: traversed by the working-fluid substantially axially - F01D 5/03: Annular blade-carrying members having blades on the inner periphery of the annulus and extending inwardly radially, i.e. inverted rotors - F01D 5/225: {by shrouding} - F01D 11/025: {Seal clearance control; Floating assembly; Adaptation means to differential thermal dilatations} - F01D 11/14: Adjusting or regulating tip-clearance, i.e. distance between rotor-blade tips and stator casing (rotors with blades adjustable in operation F01D7/00) - F01D 11/16: by self-adjusting means (F01D11/12 takes precedence) - F01D 25/24: Casings (modified for heating or cooling F01D25/14); Casing parts, e.g. diaphragms, casing fastenings (casings for rotary machines or engines in general F16M {; special arrangements in stators dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor F01D21/045}) - F02C 3/067: having counter-rotating rotors (F02C3/073 takes precedence) - F02K 3/072: with counter-rotating {, e.g. fan} rotors - F04D 27/009: {by bleeding, by passing or recycling fluid} - F04D 29/545: {Ducts} - F05D 2220/32: in gas turbines - F05D 2240/24: for turbines - F05D 2240/55: Seals - F05D 2260/52: involving springs - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - 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) - F02K: JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (features of jet-propulsion plants common to gas-turbine plants, air intakes or fuel supply control of air-breathing jet-propulsion plants F02C7/00, F02C9/00) - F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract The present disclosure is directed to a gas turbine engine including a turbine rotor, a turbine frame at least partially surrounding the turbine rotor, and an outer diameter seal assembly. The turbine rotor includes an inner shroud, an outer shroud, and at least one connecting airfoil coupling the inner shroud and the outer shroud. The outer shroud includes a plurality of outer shroud airfoils extended inward along a radial direction. The outer diameter seal assembly includes a sliding portion disposed between the turbine frame and the outer shroud of the turbine rotor. The outer diameter seal assembly defines a secondary tooth at the outer shroud radially inward of a longitudinal face of the sliding portion, and a primary tooth defined axially adjacent to a radial face of the sliding portion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A gas turbine engine, comprising: a first turbine rotor, the first turbine rotor comprising a rotatable outer shroud; a turbine frame surrounding the rotatable outer shroud of the first turbine rotor; a seal assembly positioned in operable arrangement at the turbine frame and the first turbine rotor, the seal assembly comprising a fluid bearing positioned between the first turbine rotor and the turbine frame; and a clearance gap between a second turbine rotor and the rotatable outer shroud of the first turbine rotor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The engine of claim 1, wherein the seal assembly is an aspirating face seal assembly. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The engine of claim 1, wherein the second turbine rotor is rotatable at a speed different from the first turbine rotor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The engine of claim 3, wherein the clearance gap is between a radially outward end of an airfoil of the second turbine rotor and the rotatable outer shroud of the first turbine rotor. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The engine of claim 1, wherein the first turbine rotor comprises a first tooth structure and a second tooth structure each extended toward the seal assembly. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The engine of claim 5, wherein the fluid bearing is positioned between the first tooth structure and the second tooth structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The engine of claim 5, wherein the second tooth structure is extended at least partially radially toward the seal assembly. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The engine of claim 7, wherein the second tooth structure at the first turbine rotor and the seal assembly together define a radial gap therebetween. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The engine of claim 5, wherein the first tooth structure is extended at least partially axially toward the seal assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The engine of claim 9, wherein the first tooth structure at the first turbine rotor and the seal assembly together define an axial gap therebetween. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The engine of claim 1, wherein the seal assembly further comprises a sliding portion, the sliding portion comprising a radial face. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The engine of claim 11, wherein the fluid bearing is positioned at the first turbine rotor and the radial face of the sliding portion of the seal assembly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The engine of claim 12, wherein the sliding portion comprises one or more openings through which a flow of fluid enters and egresses therethrough. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The engine of claim 11, wherein the rotatable outer shroud of the first turbine rotor comprises a longitudinal portion, wherein the longitudinal portion is positioned adjacent to the sliding portion of the seal assembly. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The engine of claim 11, further comprising a springing structure coupled to the sliding portion of the seal assembly. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The engine of claim 15, wherein the springing structure is configured to react against the sliding portion co-directional to a centerline axis of the turbine section. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The engine of claim 1, further comprising: a manifold configured to provide a pressurized flow of fluid to the fluid bearing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The engine of claim 17, wherein the manifold is in fluid communication with an opening at a sliding portion of the seal assembly. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The engine of claim 17, further comprising: a pressure regulating valve positioned at the manifold, wherein the pressure regulating valve is configured to adjust a pressurized flow of fluid to the seal assembly. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The engine of claim 1, wherein the second turbine rotor is interdigitated with the first turbine rotor.