US 2018/0003067 A1 · SEGMENTED FACE SEAL ASSEMBLY AND AN ASSOCIATED METHOD THEREOF

Abstract

A turbomachine and a method of operating the turbomachine are disclosed. The turbomachine includes a stator, a rotor including a rotor bearing face, and a face seal assembly including a first segmented seal ring and a second segmented seal ring. The first segmented seal ring includes a plurality of joints and a first flat-contact surface and the second segmented seal ring includes a plurality of segment ends and a second flat-contact surface. One of the first and second segmented seal rings includes a seal bearing face. The second segmented seal ring is coupled to the first segmented seal ring such that the second flat-contact surface is in contact with the first flat-contact surface. The plurality of segment ends is circumferentially offset from the plurality of joints. The first segmented seal ring is slidably coupled to the stator and defines a face seal clearance between the rotor and seal bearing faces.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A turbomachine comprising:

a stator;
a rotor comprising a rotor bearing face;
and
a face seal assembly comprising:
a first segmented seal ring comprising a plurality of joints and a first flat-contact surface;
and
a second segmented seal ring comprising a plurality of segment ends and a second flat-contact surface,
wherein one of the first segmented seal ring and the second segmented seal ring comprises a seal bearing face, wherein the second segmented seal ring is coupled to the first segmented seal ring such that the second flat-contact surface is in contact with the first flat-contact surface, wherein the plurality of segment ends is circumferentially offset from the plurality of joints, and wherein the first segmented seal ring is slidably coupled to the stator and defines a face seal clearance between the rotor bearing face and the seal bearing face.

5 more elements

A method of assembling a face seal assembly, comprising:

obtaining a first segmented seal ring comprising a plurality of joints and a first flat-contact surface;
obtaining a second segmented seal ring comprising a plurality of segment ends and a second flat-contact surface, wherein one of the first segmented seal ring and the second segmented seal ring comprises a seal bearing face;
assembling segments of the first segmented seal ring on a rotor of a turbomachine;
slidably coupling the first segmented seal ring to a stator of the turbomachine to define a face seal clearance between the seal bearing face and a rotor bearing face of a rotor of the turbomachine;
assembling segments of the second segmented seal ring on the first segmented seal ring such that the plurality of segment ends is circumferentially offset from the plurality of joints;
and
coupling the second segmented seal ring to the first segmented seal ring such that the second flat-contact surface is in contact with the first flat-contact surface.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Segmented face seal assembly and an associated method thereof

Life of this patent

Segmented face seal assembly and an associated method thereof

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24