Confinement of a rope seal about a passage using a backing plate

An actuator arrangement of a gas turbine engine, comprising:

• a compartment wall disposed between a first compartment and a second compartment;
• a wall opening in the compartment wall connecting the first compartment and the second compartment, the wall opening having a central axis;
• a passage insert disposed in the wall opening and extending about the central axis and from the first compartment to the second compartment, the passage insert including an insert flange disposed at the first compartment and abutting the compartment wall, the passage insert defining a passage therethrough extending between the first compartment and the second compartment;
• an actuator extending through the passage;
• a seal plate disposed at the second compartment and extending about the central axis such that the compartment wall is disposed between the insert flange and the seal plate;
• a backing plate disposed at the second compartment and extending about the central axis, the backing plate disposed and retained between seal plate and the compartment wall, with the seal plate, the backing plate, the compartment wall, and the passage insert defining a seal cavity therebetween;
• and
• a rope seal disposed in the seal cavity and extending about the central axis, the rope seal retained in the seal cavity by the backing plate, the seal plate and the passage insert.

A gas turbine engine, comprising:

• a combustor;
• a turbine driven by combustion gases output from the combustor;
• and
• a pass through passage assembly including:
• a compartment wall disposed between a first compartment and a second compartment;
• a wall opening in the compartment wall connecting the first compartment and the second compartment, the wall opening having a central axis;
• a passage insert disposed in the wall opening and extending about the central axis and from the first compartment to the second compartment, the passage insert including an insert flange disposed at the first compartment and abutting the compartment wall;
• a seal plate disposed at the second compartment and extending about the central axis such that the compartment wall is disposed between the insert flange and the seal plate;
• a backing plate disposed at the second compartment and extending about the central axis, the backing plate disposed and retained between seal plate and the compartment wall, with the seal plate, the backing plate, the compartment wall, and the passage insert defining a seal cavity therebetween;
• and
• a rope seal disposed in the seal cavity and extending about the central axis, the rope seal retained in the seal cavity by the backing plate, the seal plate and the passage insert.