Labyrinth seal system
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorBartolomeo Joseph Ferrari
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Undesired leakage from a system of labyrinth seals used to retain turbine cooling air is reduced by providing passageways which direct all parasitic leakage to a point between the teeth of one of the seals in the system.
Claims7
An improved gas turbine engine comprising a compressor, combustor, and gas turbine in serial flow relation, a rotor drivably connected to the gas turbine for driving the compressor, a first annular chamber for retaining cooling air, and a gas accelerator providing accelerated cooling air to the first chamber having an input in flow communciation with the compressor, and an output in flow communication with the first chamber, wherein the improvement comprises:
- a system of labyrinth seals for sealing the first chamber against leakage to and from adjacent areas of differing pressure, each seal having a toothed member in rotating engagement with a fixed runner;
- flow passage means for causing the leakages of all the seals to flow to a point between the teeth of a first one of the seals wherein the flow passage means includes a plurality of tubes circumferentially spaced about the input to the accelerator, each tube having an inlet disposed to receive parasitic leakage from the remaining seals and an outlet in flow communication with at least one aperture in the runner of the first seal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.