Seal assembly and rotary machine containing such seal
AssigneeCMG Tech, LLC
InventorClayton M. Grondahl
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A seal assembly which, among other applications, may be used for sealing fluid leakage between a steam or combustion (gas) turbine rotor and a turbine stator body. The seal assembly includes elements having a plurality of spaced seal members with slots therebetween. Each seal member is angled between a fixed end and a free end thereof, and the free ends slidably engage the rotatable component. The elements may be juxtaposed such that seal members of each element block slots of another element. A method of inhibiting fluid flow and a method of fabricating the seal assembly are also disclosed.
Claims27
A seal assembly for sealing against a rotatable component having a longitudinal axis, the seal assembly comprising:
- a first element including a plurality of spaced leaf seal members having slots therebetween;
- a second element including a plurality of spaced leaf seal members having slots therebetween;
- wherein each leaf seal member includes a fixed portion that is arranged at a non-perpendicular angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the rotatable component and a free portion arranged at an angle relative to the fixed portion and toward the rotatable component, and the free portions slidably engage the rotatable component at a non-perpendicular angle relative to the longitudinal axis to seal;
- and
- a support for supporting the angle of each leaf seal member.
A rotary machine comprising:
- a rotatable component and a non-rotatable component, the components lying about a common axis;
- a seal assembly between the components, the seal assembly including:
- a plurality of juxtaposed elements, each element including a plurality of spaced leaf seal members defining slots therebetween, each leaf seal member including a fixed portion that is arranged at a non-perpendicular angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the rotatable component and a free portion arranged at an inwardly-extending angle to the fix portion and toward the rotatable component, wherein the free portions slidably engage the rotatable component to seal thereagainst;
- and
- a support for supporting the fixed portion and the free portion at the angle of each leaf seal member.
A method of fabricating a seal assembly for sealing pressurized chambers of a rotary machine, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) cutting slots into and edge strip of a material to form a plurality of leaf seal members coupled to a band portion;
- (b) layering the strip of material into an annular shape;
- (c) securing layers of the band portion together;
- (d) forming an inwardly extending angle in the leaf seal members;
- (e) coupling the band portion to a stator body of the rotary machine such that the leaf seal members slidably engage a rotor of the rotary machine when in operation, to seal the pressurized chambers;
- and
- (f) supporting the inwardly extending angle in the leaf seal member with a support.
The method of claim wherein 21, the step of layering includes positioning the seal members such that leaf seal members of each layer block slots of another layer.
A seal assembly for sealing within a rotary machine having a stator and a rotor, the seal assembly comprising:
- a strip of material layered upon itself to form a substantially annular shape with at least two revolutions, the strip of material including:
- a band portion fixed to the stator such that the band portion is non-perpendicular relative to a longitudinal axis of the rotor;
- an inwardly frusto-conically shaped portion including a plurality of spaced leaf seal members with slots therebetween coextensive with the band portion;
- wherein leaf seal members of one revolution block slots of at least one other revolution, and the plurality of leaf seal members slidably engage the rotor to seal;
- and
- a support for supporting the frusto-conically shaped portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.