Dual hydrostatic seal assembly
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsMichael L. DiFrancesco, Conway Chuong
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A seal assembly includes first and second rings. The first ring includes a first outer ring, a first beam connected to the first outer ring, and a first shoe. The first shoe includes free and fixed ends and is configured to move radially. The second seal ring is disposed axially adjacent and is attached to the first seal ring. The second seal ring includes a second outer ring, a second beam connected to the second outer ring, and a second shoe. The second shoe includes free and fixed ends and is configured to move in a generally radial direction. The free end of the second shoe is disposed axially adjacent to the fixed end of the first shoe. The fixed end of the second shoe is disposed axially adjacent to the free end of the first shoe.
Claims20
A seal assembly comprising:
- a first seal ring comprising:
- a first outer ring;
- a first beam connected to the first outer ring;
- a first shoe connected to and extending from the first beam, the first shoe with a first free end and a first fixed end, wherein the first shoe is configured to move in a generally radial direction relative to the first outer ring;
- and
- a second seal ring disposed axially adjacent and attached to the first seal ring, wherein the second seal ring comprises:
- a second outer ring;
- a second beam connected to the second outer ring;
- and
- a second shoe connected to and extending from the second beam, the second shoe with a second free end and a second fixed end, wherein the second shoe is configured to move in a generally radial direction relative to the second outer ring, wherein the second free end of the second shoe is disposed axially adjacent to the first fixed end of the first shoe, and wherein the second fixed end of the second shoe is disposed axially adjacent to the first free end of the first shoe.
A seal assembly for use in a gas turbine engine, the seal assembly comprising:
- a rotating structure;
- a static structure aligned with the rotating structure along a radial direction;
- a floating non-contact seal disposed between the rotating structure and the static structure, the floating non-contact seal comprising:
- a first seal ring comprising:
- a first outer ring;
- a first beam connected to the first outer ring;
- and
- a first shoe connected to and extending from the first beam, the first shoe with a first free end and a first fixed end;
- a second seal ring disposed axially adjacent and attached to the first seal ring, wherein the second seal ring comprises:
- a second outer ring;
- a second beam connected to the second outer ring;
- and
- a second shoe connected to and extending from the second beam, the second shoe with a second free end and a second fixed end, wherein the second free end of the second shoe is disposed axially adjacent to the first fixed end of the first shoe, and wherein the second fixed end of the second shoe is disposed axially adjacent to the first free end of the first shoe;
- a pin engaged with the first seal ring and the second seal ring such that the first and second seal rings are attached to each other via the pin;
- and
- a seal element connected to and extending radially inward from at least one of the first shoe and the second shoe.
A method comprising:
- drawing a fluid across a hydrostatic seal assembly, the hydrostatic seal assembly comprising:
- a first hydrostatic seal ring comprising:
- a first outer ring;
- a first beam connected to the first outer ring;
- and
- a first shoe connected to and extending from the first beam, the first shoe with a first free end and a first fixed end;
- and
- a second hydrostatic seal ring disposed axially adjacent and attached to the first seal ring, wherein the second hydrostatic seal ring comprises:
- a second outer ring;
- a second beam connected to the second outer ring;
- and
- a second shoe connected to and extending from the second beam, the second shoe with a second free end and a second fixed end;
- moving the first free end and the first fixed end of the first shoe in a radial direction in response to a pressure differential across the seal assembly;
- moving the second free end of the second shoe by way of the second free end being attached to the first fixed end of the first shoe;
- and
- moving the second fixed end of the second shoe by way of the second fixed end being attached to the first free end of the first shoe.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.