Arrangement and method for radially positioning a turbine brush seal

An arrangement for radially positioning a turbine brush seal location relative to a turbine rotor, comprising:

• a labyrinth seal segment being arcuate-shaped for placing about a turbine rotor and having an outer periphery facing away from the rotor, an inner periphery spaced radially inwardly from said outer periphery and facing toward the rotor, and a slot defined in said labyrinth seal segment between said outer and inner peripheries thereof and having a radial portion open at said inner periphery and extending away from the rotor toward said outer periphery and an axial portion spaced from said outer and inner peripheries and merging in a transverse relationship from a side of said radial portion of said slot along the rotor so as to define an arcuate-shaped interior ledge in said labyrinth seal segment facing away from the rotor, said labyrinth seal segment also having at least two threaded holes extending therethrough from said outer periphery thereof to said axial portion of said slot and being spaced apart from one another along an arcuate length of said labyrinth seal segment;
• a brush seal segment being arcuate-shaped for conforming to the shape of said labyrinth seal segment, said brush seal segment having a radial section and an axial section connected to and merging in a transverse relationship from a side of said radial section so as to define an arcuate-shaped exterior shoulder on said brush seal segment facing toward the rotor, said brush seal segment having a portion being smaller in size cross-sectionally than said slot in said labyrinth seal segment such that said radial and axial sections of said brush seal segment are slidably fitted into said radial and axial portions of said slot of said labyrinth seal segment with said brush seal segment movable radially relative to said labyrinth seal segment and the rotor and with said exterior shoulder of said brush seal segment overlying and movable toward and away from said interior ledge of said labyrinth seal segment;
• at least one shim disposed between and for establishing a minimum spacing between said interior ledge of said labyrinth seal segment and said exterior shoulder of said brush seal segment;
• and
• at least two screws each of which is tightened into one of said threaded holes of said labyrinth seal segment forcing said brush seal segment toward the rotor such that said screws contact spaced apart locations on said brush seal segment so as to place and hold said exterior shoulder of said brush seal segment at said minimum spacing relative to said interior ledge of said labyrinth seal segment and thereby prevent radial floating of said brush seal segment relative to said labyrinth seal segment and the rotor.

A method for radially positioning a turbine brush seal location relative to a turbine rotor, comprising the steps of:

• providing a main seal segment having a slot open toward a turbine rotor and defining an interior ledge facing away from the rotor;
• providing a brush seal segment having an exterior shoulder facing toward the rotor and a portion smaller in size cross-sectionally than the slot of the main seal segment such that the brush seal segment can slidably fit into the slot of the main seal segment;
• providing at least one shim for establishing a minimum spacing between the interior ledge of the main seal segment and the exterior shoulder of the brush seal segment;
• slidably inserting the brush seal segment and the shim into the slot of the main seal segment such that the shim is disposed between the interior ledge of the main seal segment and the exterior shoulder of the brush seal segment, the brush seal segment can move radially relative to the main seal segment and the rotor, and the exterior shoulder of the brush seal segment overlies and can move toward and away from the interior ledge of the main seal segment;
• and
• forcing the brush seal segment toward the rotor such that the exterior shoulder of the brush seal segment is brought toward the interior ledge of the main seal segment so as to place and hold the exterior shoulder of the brush seal segment at the minimum spacing established by the shim from the interior ledge of the main seal segment and thereby prevent radial floating of the brush seal segment relative to the main seal segment and the rotor.

A method for radially positioning a turbine brush seal location relative to a turbine rotor, comprising the steps of:

• providing a labyrinth seal segment with an arcuate shape for placing about a turbine rotor, an outer periphery facing away from the rotor, an inner periphery spaced radially inwardly from the outer periphery and facing toward the rotor, and a slot defined in the labyrinth seal segment between the outer and inner peripheries thereof and having a radial portion opening at the inner periphery extending away from the rotor toward the outer periphery and an axial portion spaced from the outer and inner peripheries and merging in a transverse relationship from a side of the radial portion of the slot along the rotor so as to define an annular-shaped interior ledge in the labyrinth seal segment facing away from the rotor;
• providing a brush seal segment with an arcuate shape for conforming to the arcuate shape of the labyrinth seal segment, a radial section, and an axial section connected to and merging in a transverse relationship from a side of the radial section so as to define an arcuate-shaped exterior shoulder on the brush seal segment facing toward the rotor such that radial and axial sections of the brush seal segment conform in shape and size relative to the radial and axial portions of the slot of the labyrinth seal segment as to slidably fit therein, the brush seal segment is movable radially relative to the labyrinth seal segment and the rotor, and the exterior shoulder of the brush seal segment overlies and is movable toward and away from the interior ledge of the labyrinth seal segment;
• providing at least one shim for establishing a minimum spacing between the interior ledge of the labyrinth seal segment and the exterior shoulder of the brush seal segment;
• slidably inserting the brush seal segment and the shim into the slot of the labyrinth seal segment such that the shim is disposed between the interior ledge of the labyrinth seal segment and the exterior shoulder of the brush seal segment, the radial section of the brush seal segment fits in the radial portion of the slot of the labyrinth seal segment, and the axial section of the brush seal segment fits in the axial portion of the slot of the labyrinth seal segment;
• providing at least two threaded holes extending through the labyrinth seal segment from the outer periphery thereof to the axial portion of the slot and being spaced from one another along an arcuate length of the labyrinth seal segment;
• and
• screwing a screw into each of the two threaded holes of the labyrinth seal segment and into contact with spaced apart locations on the brush seal segment so as to place and hold the exterior shoulder of the brush seal segment at the minimum spacing from the interior ledge of the labyrinth seal segment as established by the shim so as to prevent radial floating of the brush seal segment relative to the labyrinth seal segment and the rotor.