Rotor platform modification and methods using brush seals in diaphragm packing area of steam turbines to eliminate rotor bowing

A steam turbine comprising:

• a rotatable component including a rotor shaft having a rotor shaft surface and a non-rotatable component about said rotatable component;
• a brush seal carried by said non-rotatable component for sealing engagement with the rotatable component;
• at least a pair of wheels on said rotatable component spaced axially from one another;
• said rotatable component including a plurality of buckets spaced circumferentially from one another on each of said wheels;
• means for inhibiting non-uniform circumferential heat transfer to the rotor shaft surface due to heat generated by frictional contact between the brush seal and the rotatable component thereby to eliminate or minimize bow of the rotatable component;
• said inhibiting means including an annular platform projecting radially outwardly of said rotor shaft surface at an axial location between said wheels;
• said brush seal being disposed between said buckets on said wheels and engaging a sealing surface on said platform radially outwardly of said rotor shaft surface;
• and
• including a labyrinth seal tooth extending between said stationary component and said platform and axially spaced from said brush seal, said platform and said stationary component defining a steam leakage flow path therebetween, said brush seal being located upstream of said labyrinth tooth in said steam leakage flow path.

A steam turbine comprising:

• a rotatable component including a rotor shaft having a rotor shaft surface and a non-rotatable component about said rotatable component;
• a brush seal carried by said non-rotatable component for sealing engagement with the rotatable component;
• at least a pair of wheels on said rotatable component spaced axially from one another;
• said rotatable component including a plurality of buckets spaced circumferentially from one another on each of said wheels;
• means for inhibiting non-uniform circumferential heat transfer to the rotor shaft surface due to heat generated by frictional contact between the brush seal and the rotatable component thereby to eliminate or minimize bow of the rotatable component;
• said inhibiting means including an annular platform projecting radially outwardly of said rotor shaft surface at an axial location between said wheels;
• said brush seal being disposed between said buckets on said wheels and engaging a sealing surface on said platform radially outwardly of said rotor shaft surface;
• said platform a pedestal extending annularly about said rotatable component, said pedestal having a radially extending neck and a pair of flanges extending in opposite axial directions from said neck toward said wheels, respectively, said sealing surface being located on one of said flanges.