# US 12,215,588 B2 · Seal assembly for a gas turbine engine

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- Number: US 12,215,588 B2
- Document ID: US12215588B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/190,403
- Filed: 2023-03-27
- Published: 2024-10-03
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2023-03-27
- Assignees: General Electric Company
- Applicants: General Electric Company
- Inventors: Tajinder Singh; Rajesh Kumar; David Raju Yamarthi; Bryan Jung Woo Hong; Narendra Anand Hardikar; Ravindra Shankar Ganiger; Jeffrey Douglas Rambo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12215588B2

## CPC

- F01D 11/10: using sealing fluid, e.g. steam
- F01D 11/025: {Seal clearance control; Floating assembly; Adaptation means to differential thermal dilatations}
- F05D 2220/323: for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines
- F05D 2240/55: Seals
- F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D)
- F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS

## Abstract

A turbine engine includes a rotor, a stator, and a seal assembly disposed between the rotor and the stator. The seal assembly includes seal segment. The seal segment includes a seal face that is configured to form a fluid bearing with the rotor. A lift channel extends within the seal segment from an opening on the seal face. The turbine engine further includes a spring assembly disposed within the lift channel. The spring assembly including a biasing element and a piston element coupled to the biasing element. The lift channel includes a lift volume portion extending is between the opening and the piston element. The piston element is movable within the lift channel based on a pressure within the fluid bearing to adjust a size of the lift volume portion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A turbine engine comprising:
a rotor;
a stator;
a seal assembly disposed between the rotor and the stator, the seal assembly comprising a seal segment, the seal segment having a seal face configured to form a fluid bearing with the rotor, wherein a lift channel extends within the seal segment from an opening on the seal face; and
a spring assembly disposed within the lift channel, the spring assembly including a biasing element and a piston element coupled to the biasing element, wherein the lift channel includes a lift volume portion extending between the opening and the piston element, and wherein the piston element is movable within the lift channel based on a pressure within the fluid bearing to adjust a size of the lift volume portion, wherein the lift channel extends between a radially inner surface and an annular side surface, and wherein the biasing element extends between a first end coupled to the annular side surface and a second end coupled to the piston element.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the biasing element extends between a first end coupled to the radially inner surface and the piston element.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The turbine engine of claim 1, further comprising one or more stoppers disposed on the radially inner surface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the piston element is a flat plate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The turbine engine of claim 1, wherein the biasing element is a linear spring oriented along a radial direction of the turbine engine.