Spring-backed abradable seal for turbomachinery
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsNorman Arnold Turnquist, Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Farshad Ghasripoor, Raymond Edward Chupp
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides, in one embodiment, an annular turbine seal for disposition in a turbine between a rotatable component having an axis of rotation and a turbine housing about the same axis of rotation. The turbine seal has a plurality of arcuate seal carrier segments that have an abradable portion secured to the seal carrier segments. In addition, at least one spring is disposed on the seal carrier segment to exert a force and maintain the seal carrier segment adjacent to the rotatable component.
Claims56
An annular turbine seal assembly for disposition in a turbine between a rotatable component having an axis of rotation and a turbine housing about said axis, said annular turbine seal assembly comprising:
- a plurality of abradable seals, each of said abradable seals comprising an arcuate seal carrier segment, an abradable portion secured to said arcuate seal carrier segment, and at least one rib disposed on the rotatable component and opposite to said abradable portion;
- and
- at least one spring disposed so as to exert a force to maintain said abradable seal disposed adjacent to said rotatable component during rotation.
An annular turbine seal assembly for disposition in a turbine between a rotatable component having an axis of rotation and a turbine housing about said axis, said annular turbine seal assembly comprising:
- a plurality of abradable seals, each of said abradable seals comprising an arcuate seal carrier segment and an abradable portion secured to said arcuate seal carrier segment, wherein said arcuate seal carrier segment comprises at least one labyrinth tooth;
- and
- at least one spring disposed so as to exert a force to maintain said abradable seal disposed adjacent to said rotatable component during rotation.
An annular turbine seal assembly, for disposition in a turbine between a rotatable component having an axis of rotation and a turbine housing about said axis, said annular turbine seal assembly comprising:
- a plurality of abradable seals, each of said abradable seals comprising an arcuate seal carrier segment and an abradable portion secured to said arcuate seal carrier segment, wherein said abradable seal comprises at least one brush seal;
- and
- at least one spring disposed so as to exert a force to maintain said abradable seal disposed adjacent to said rotatable component during rotation.
An annular turbine seal assembly, for disposition in a turbine between a rotatable component having an axis of rotation and a turbine housing about said axis, said annular turbine seal assembly comprising:
- a plurality of abradable seals, each of said abradable seals comprising an arcuate seal carrier segment and an abradable portion secured to said arcuate seal carrier segment;
- and
- at least one spring disposed so as to exert a force to maintain said abradable seal disposed adjacent to said rotatable component during rotation, wherein said spring comprises a coil spring.
An annular turbine seal assembly, for disposition in a turbine between a rotatable component having an axis of rotation and a turbine housing about said axis, said annular turbine seal assembly comprising:
- a plurality of abradable seals, each of said abradable seals comprising an arcuate seal carrier segment and an abradable portion secured to said arcuate seal carrier segment;
- and
- at least one spring disposed so as to exert a force to maintain said abradable seal disposed adjacent to said rotatable component during rotation, wherein said spring is disposed on an entirety of said arcuate seal carrier segments.
An annular turbine seal assembly, for disposition in a turbine between a rotatable component having an axis of rotation and a turbine housing about said axis, said annular turbine seal assembly comprising:
- a plurality of abradable seals, each of said abradable seals comprising an arcuate seal carrier segment and an abradable portion secured to said arcuate seal carrier segment, wherein said abradable portion comprises CoNiCrAlY and further comprises material selected from the group consisting of hexagonal BN, thermoset polymer and mixtures thereof;
- and
- at least one spring disposed so as to exert a force to maintain said abradable seal disposed adjacent to said rotatable component during rotation.
An annular turbine assembly, for disposition in a turbine between a rotatable component having an axis of rotation and a turbine housing about said axis, said annular turbine seal assembly comprising:
- a plurality of abradable seals, each of said abradable seals comprising an arcuate seal carrier segment and an abradable portion secured to said arcuate seal carrier segment, wherein said abradable portion comprises NiCrFeAlBN;
- and
- at least one spring disposed so as to exert a force to maintain said abradable seal disposed adjacent to said rotatable component during rotation.
A rotary machine having a plurality of stages comprising:
- (a) a rotatable component;
- (b) a fixed component surrounding said rotatable component, said components lying about a common axis;
- (c) a plurality of abradable seals disposed between said rotatable component and said fixed component, each of said abradable seals comprising a seal carrier segment, an abradable portion OH secured to said seal carrier segment, and at least one rib disposed on the rotatable component and opposite to said abradable portion;
- and
- (d) at least one spring disposed so as to exert a force to maintain said abradable seals disposed adjacent to said rotatable component.
A rotary machine having a plurality of stages comprising:
- (a) a rotatable component;
- (b) a fixed component surrounding said rotatable component, said components lying about a common axis;
- (c) a plurality of abradable seals disposed between said rotatable component and said fixed component, each of said abradable seals comprising a seal carrier segment, an abradable portion secured to said seal carrier segment;
- and
- (d) at least one spring disposed so as to exert a force to maintain said abradable seals disposed adjacent to said rotatable component, wherein said arcuate seal carrier segment comprises at least one labyrinth tooth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.