Compliant plate seal for use with rotating machines and methods of assembling a rotating machine

A rotating machine comprising:

• a stator casing including a radially inner surface that defines a cavity therein;
• a rotor coupled to said stator casing, said rotor comprising a radially outer surface that is spaced inwardly from the stator inner surface;
• and
• a sealing assembly oriented between said stator casing and said rotor outer surface, said sealing assembly comprising:
• a support ring coupled to said stator casing;
• a plurality of plate members coupled to said support ring and oriented circumferentially about said rotor outer surface, each plate member of said plurality of plate members comprising a root end and a tip end, said root end coupled to said support ring, said tip end extending outwardly from said root end towards said rotor outer surface;
• a resistance member coupled to said support ring and extending inwardly from said support ring towards the rotor outer surface, said resistance member extending through said each plate member of said plurality of plate members;
• and
• at least one rotor land defined circumferentially about said rotor outer surface, said tip end of said each plate member of said plurality of plate members oriented adjacent said at least one rotor land to form a tortuous sealing path between said rotor land and said plurality of plate members.

A method of assembling a rotating machine, said method comprising:

• providing a stator casing including a radially inner surface;
• coupling a rotor to the stator casing such that the rotor is spaced inwardly from the stator inner surface, the rotor including at least one rotor land defined circumferentially about an outer surface of the rotor;
• coupling a support ring to the stator casing;
• coupling a resistance member to the support ring;
• and
• coupling a plurality of plate members to the support ring such that the plurality of plate members are oriented circumferentially about the rotor, and the resistance member extends through each plate member of the plurality of plate members, each plate member of the plurality of plate members includes a root end and a tip end extending outwardly from the root end towards the rotor, the tip end of each plate member of the plurality of plate members oriented adjacent the at least one rotor land to form a tortuous sealing path between the rotor land and the plurality of plate members.