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US 12,000,296 B2Granted
Seal for a rotor
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsSteven Douglas Johnson, Neelesh Nandkumar Sarawate
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A seal for a rotor is provided. The rotor defines an axial direction, a circumferential direction, and a radial direction. The seal includes a first flexible element coupled to the rotor. The first flexible element extends in a first direction that is within forty five degrees of the axial direction.
Claims12
A rotary machine comprising:
- a rotor defining an axial direction, a circumferential direction, and a radial direction;
- a stator that extends at least partially in the circumferential direction and at least partially around the rotor, the stator comprising a first protrusion that defines a first notch and a second notch, wherein the rotor and stator have different coefficients of thermal expansion;
- and
- a seal coupled to the rotor and positioned between the stator and the rotor, the seal comprising:
- a first flexible element having a first tip, wherein the first tip is positioned in close proximity to the first notch;
- and
- a second flexible element having a second tip, wherein the second tip is positioned in close proximity to the second notch, wherein a first distance is defined between the first tip of the first flexible element and the first notch, wherein the first distance is greater than or equal to zero millimeter (mm) and less than or equal to three mm when the rotary machine is operating in a relatively hot state,
- wherein a second distance is defined between the second tip of the second flexible element and the second notch, wherein the second distance is greater than or equal to zero mm and less than or equal to three mm when the rotary machine is operating in a relatively cool state, and
- wherein the first distance is less than the second distance when the rotary machine is operating in the relatively hot state and the first distance is greater than the second distance when the rotary machine is operating in the relatively cool state.
6 more elements
A rotary machine comprising:
- a rotor defining an axial direction, a circumferential direction, and a radial direction;
- a stator that extends at least partially in the circumferential direction and at least partially around the rotor, the stator comprising a first protrusion that defines a first notch and a second protrusion that defines a second notch, wherein the rotor and stator have different coefficients of thermal expansion;
- and
- a seal coupled to the rotor and positioned between the stator and the rotor, the seal comprising:
- a first flexible element having a first tip, wherein the first tip is positioned in close proximity to the first notch;
- and
- a second flexible element having a second tip, wherein the second tip is positioned in close proximity to the second notch, wherein a first distance is defined between the first tip of the first flexible element and the first notch, wherein the first distance is greater than or equal to zero mm and less than or equal to three mm when the rotary machine is operating in a relatively cool state,
- wherein a second distance is defined between the second tip of the second flexible element and the second notch, wherein the second distance is greater than or equal to zero mm and less than or equal to three mm when the rotary machine is operating in a relatively hot state, and
- wherein the first distance is less than the second distance when the rotary machine is operating in the relatively cool state and the first distance is greater than the second distance when the rotary machine is operating in the relatively hot state.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.