Brush ring seal

A turbine comprising:

• a casing having an inlet end and an exhaust end;
• a rotor extending through the casing between the inlet end and the exhaust end;
• a packing case surrounding the rotor at the inlet end and the exhaust end of the casing to provide sealing of an annular gap formed by the rotor extending through the inlet end and the exhaust end of the casing;
• and
• at least one brush ring seal device installed within the packing case, the brush ring seal device comprising:
• a brush seal carrier having a substantially ring-shaped body having an axis of rotation consisting of two ring segments divided by a plane including the axis of rotation of the ring-shaped body, said brush seal carrier having a front axial face, a rear axial face, an inner circumferential groove, and an outer circumferential groove said grooves being between the front and rear axial faces;
• a brush seal mounted within the inner circumferential groove of the brush seal carrier wherein the brush seal carrier is manufactured as two half ring segments;
• and
• a ring-shaped spring mounted within the outer circumferential groove of the brush seal carrier,
• wherein the rear axial face of the brush seal carrier is coated with an anti-friction coating comprised of tungsten disulfide or molybdenum disulfide, thereby allowing movement of the brush ring seal device within the packing case, and
• wherein the two half ring segments of the brush seal carrier form a pair of axial slots at a joint thereof when coupled together, there being support tabs positioned within the axial slots at the joint of the two half ring segments, said tabs having holes therein for receiving the ring-shaped spring.

A method of sealing an annular gap formed by a rotor extending through a casing of a turbine between an inlet end of the casing and an exhaust end of the casing, the method comprising:

• positioning a packing case to surround the rotor at the inlet end and the exhaust end of the casing;
• providing at least one brush ring seal device comprising:
• a brush seal carrier having a substantially ring-shaped body having an axis of rotation consisting of two ring segments divided by a plane including the axis of rotation of the ring-shaped body, said brush seal carrier having a front axial face, a rear axial face, an inner circumferential groove, and an outer circumferential groove, said grooves being between the front and rear axial faces;
• a brush seal mounted within the inner circumferential groove of the brush seal carrier wherein the brush seal is manufactured as two half ring segments;
• and
• a ring-shaped spring mounted within the outer circumferential groove of the brush seal carrier;
• and
• installing the brush ring seal device within the packing case to seal the annular gap,
• wherein the rear axial face of the brush seal carrier is coated with an anti-friction coating comprised of tungsten disulfide or molybdenum disulfide, thereby allowing movement of the brush ring seal device within the packing case, and
• wherein the two half segments of the brush seal carrier form a pair of axial slots at a joint thereof when coupled together, there being support tabs positioned with the axial slots at the joint of the two half ring segments, wherein said tabs have holes therein for receiving the ring shaped spring.