Trenched brush seal
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorPhilip F. Stec
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved seal apparatus is disclosed in which the distal ends of compliant bristle elements of a conventional brush seal are disposed in a groove in adjacent structure, further being characterized by lack of contact between the bristles and structure during steady state operation of the apparatus in which the seal is installed. Sealing is afforded by the tortuosity of the leakage path. Degradation of the seal due to wear of the bristles is markedly reduced. Multiple seals in one or more constant dimension or stepped dimension grooves is also contemplated.
Claims9
A brush seal apparatus comprising:
- brush seal means disposed between a high pressure zone and a lower pressure zone and fixedly attached to a first member;
- and
- a second member having a groove means for receiving a compliant portion of said seal means therein in close proximity to and spaced from internal surfaces of said groove means for restricting fluid flow between said high pressure zone and said lower pressure zone, wherein said brush seal means comprises at least one annular brush seal having a centerpoint;
- said seal compliant portion comprises free first ends of a plurality of bristle elements having second ends permanently attached to an annular ring of said brush seal;
- and
- said groove means comprises at least one annular groove having an internal contour substantially complementary to an external contour of said seal compliant portion.
A balance piston apparatus in a gas turbine engine comprising:
- a rotor;
- a static structure;
- an outer balance piston seal;
- and
- an inner balance piston seal;
- said inner and outer seals defining, in cooperation with said rotor and said static structure, a balance piston chamber;
- said inner and outer seals comprising annular brush seals affixed to said static structure and having respective annular rings with permanently attached generally radially inwardly disposed bristle elements wherein free distal portions of said bristle elements of said inner and outer seals are disposed in first and second annular grooves in said rotor such that said elements are in close proximity to, and spaced from internal surfaces of respective ones of said grooves in said rotor during steady state operation of said engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.