Axial and circumferential seal for stacked rotor and/or stator assembly

A stator assembly for a steam turbine comprising a stacked stator section having stator plates, each of the stator plates comprising:

• a main body portion having a plate shape with a hollow center and including a first axial face and a second axial face opposite to the first axial face;
• an airfoil base surface near an inner radial edge of the main body portion;
• nozzles extending radially inward from the airfoil base surface;
• and
• a seal disposed to prevent steam exposure to the first and second axial faces.

A steam turbine comprising:

• a stator assembly including stator plates, the stator plates including:
• a stator main body portion having a plate shape and including a first axial face and a second axial face opposite to the first axial face;
• a stator airfoil base surface near an inner radial edge of the stator main body portion;
• nozzles directing steam flow and extending radially inward from the stator airfoil base surface;
• and
• a stator plate seal disposed to prevent steam exposure to the first and second axial faces of the stator plates;
• and
• a rotor assembly including rotor plates, the rotor plates including:
• a rotor main body portion having a plate shape and including a first axial face and a second axial face opposite to the first axial face;
• a rotor airfoil base surface near an outer radial edge of the rotor main body portion;
• buckets receiving the steam flow and extending radially outward from the rotor airfoil base surface;
• and
• a rotor plate seal disposed to prevent steam exposure to the first and second axial faces of the rotor plates.