Method and apparatus for reducing contamination in an axial compressor

A method for lubricating a shaft bearing rotatably engaging a shaft and reducing the passage of bearing lubricant into inlet air to an axial compressor comprising an outer shell having an inlet and an inside and a plurality of rows of stator blades positioned on its inside;

• a rotor rotatably and co-axially positioned in the outer shell and having an outside and a plurality of rows of rotor blades positioned on its outside;
• the shaft being co-axially positioned through the outer shell and the rotor;
• and, a suction cone positioned co-axially with the outer shell and the rotor and including a shaft bearing housing containing the shaft bearing rotatably supporting the shaft, the bearing housing having a bearing lubricant inlet, the suction cone including a labyrinth seal between the bearing and the rotor, the method comprising:
• a) passing the bearing lubricant to the bearing;
• b) passing compressed air into the bearing housing;
• c) recovering excess lubricant from the bearing housing;
• d) discharging oil-mist laden air from the bearing housing;
• and,
• e) positioning a brush seal between the labyrinth seal and the rotor and in contact with the shaft to reduce the passage of the bearing lubricant past the brush seal toward the rotor.

A method for reducing contamination on axial compressor blades, in an axial compressor comprising:

• an outer shell having an inlet and an inside and a plurality of rows of stator blades positioned on its inside;
• a rotor rotatably and co-axially positioned in the outer shell and having an outside and a plurality of rows of rotor blades positioned on its outside;
• a shaft co-axially positioned through the outer shell and the rotor;
• a suction cone positioned co-axially with the outer shell and the rotor and including a shaft bearing housing containing a shaft bearing rotatably supporting the shaft, the suction cone having a bearing lubricant inlet;
• a labyrinth seal, the labyrinth seal being positioned in the suction cone or the bearing, the rotor and a brush seal in contact with the shaft to reduce the passage of a bearing lubricant past the brush seal toward the rotor, the method comprising positioning the brush seal between the labyrinth seal and the rotor to reduce the passage of the bearing lubricant past the brush seal toward the rotor and into an inlet air stream to the compressor.

An axial compressor comprising:

• (a) an outer shell having an inlet and an inside and a plurality of rows of stator blades positioned in its inside;
• (b) a rotor rotatably and co-axially positioned in the outer shell and having an outside and a plurality of rows of rotor blades positioned on its outside;
• (c) a shaft co-axially positioned through the outer shell and the rotor;
• (d) a suction cone positioned co-axially with the outer shell and the rotor and including a shaft bearing housing containing a shaft bearing rotatably supporting the shaft, the bearing housing having a bearing lubricant inlet;
• and,
• (e) a brush seal positioned in the suction cone or the bearing housing between the bearing and the rotor and in contact with the shaft to reduce the passage of a bearing lubricant past the brush seal toward the rotor.