Segmented seal for a gas turbine engine

• US 10,138,751 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2013
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Hill, James D., Suciu, Gabriel L., Alvanos, Ioannis, Merry, Brian D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kershteyn, Igor
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fountain, Jason
• Application Number:
  US14/733,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20150377052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,804 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/001 for sealing space between stator blade and rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/008 by spacer elements between the blades, e.g. independent interblade platforms
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/122 with erodable or abradable material blades having cutting or grinding tips F01D5/20
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/06 Rotors for more than one axial stage, e.g. of drum or multiple disc type; Details thereof, e.g. shafts, shaft connections F01D5/022, F01D5/023 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/32 in gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/24 for turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/55 Seals
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/71 curved

Abstract

A seal segment according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a first axial wall, a second axial wall radially spaced from the first axial wall and a radially outer wall that interconnects the first axial wall and the second axial wall. At least one curved member is radially inwardly offset from the radially outer wall and extending between the first and second axial walls.

Claims

1. A seal segment, comprising:

a first axial wall;

a second axial wall spaced from said first axial wall;

a radially outer wall that interconnects said first axial wall and said second axial wall;

at least one curved member radially inwardly offset from said radially outer wall and extending between said first and second axial walls, wherein said at least one curved member is configured to convey an axial force against an adjacent structure of said seal segment; and

at least one truss member that extends between said radially outer wall and said at least one curved member, wherein said at least one truss member extends from the first axial wall or the second axial wall to the radial outer wall.

2. A gas turbine engine comprising said seal segment as recited in claim 1.

3. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 2, wherein said seal segment is part of a low pressure turbine of a turbine section.

4. The seal segment as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one curved member is curved in a direction toward said radially outer wall.

5. The seal segment as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one curved member is curved in a direction away from said radially outer wall.

6. The seal segment as recited in claim 1, wherein said radially outer wall includes a groove that extends between said first axial wall and said second axial wall.

7. The seal segment as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one curved member extends between flanges that protrude from said first axial wall and said second axial wall.

8. The seal segment as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one curved member conveys an axial force against an adjacent structure of said seal segment.

9. The seal segment as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one curved member is non-perpendicular relative to said first axial wall and said second axial wall.

10. The seal segment as recited in claim 1, comprising at least one seal extending from said radially outer wall.

11. A turbine section, comprising:

a first rotor disk;

a second rotor disk; and

said seal segment of claim 1 is axially intermediate of said first rotor disk and said second rotor disk, wherein said at least one curved member is configured to convey the axial force against said first rotor disk and said second rotor disk.

12. The turbine section as recited in claim 11, comprising a stator assembly radially outward of said seal segment.

13. The turbine section as recited in claim 12, wherein said stator assembly includes an abradable seal that interfaces with a seal of said seal segment.

14. A gas turbine engine, comprising:

a first rotor assembly;

a second rotor assembly;

a stator assembly axially intermediate of said first rotor assembly and said second rotor assembly;

a plurality of seal segments disposed in a cavity defined between said first rotor assembly and said second rotor assembly, wherein each of said plurality of seal segments includes;

a first axial wall;

a second axial wall spaced from said first axial wall;

a radially outer wall that interconnects said first axial wall and said second axial wall;

at least two curved members radially offset from said radially outer wall, wherein each of said at least two curved members is configured to convey an axial force against each of said first rotor assembly and said second rotor assembly; and

at least one truss member extending between said radially outer wall and said at least two curved members.

15. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 14, wherein each of said first axial wall and said second axial wall include a flange that abuts a ledge of a rotor disk of said first rotor assembly and said second rotor assembly.

16. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 15, wherein said at least two curved members are under an axial compressive force between said flanges.

17. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 14, wherein each of said plurality of seal segments are made of a Gamma Titanium Aluminide alloy.

18. A gas turbine engine, comprising:

a first rotor assembly;

a second rotor assembly;

a support member connecting between said first rotor assembly and said second rotor assembly such that said first rotor assembly and said second rotor assembly rotate in unison during operation of said gas turbine engine;

a stator assembly axially intermediate of said first rotor assembly and said second rotor assembly;

a seal segment disposed radially between said stator assembly and said support member and rotating in unison with said first rotor assembly and said second rotor assembly during operation of said gas turbine engine, wherein said seal segment includes;

a first axial wall that is contiguous with said first rotor assembly and includes a first flange that engages a first shelf of said first rotor assembly;

a second axial wall spaced from said first axial wall, said second axial wall contiguous with said second rotor assembly and includes a second flange that engages a second shelf of said second rotor assembly;

a radially outer wall that interconnects said first axial wall and said second axial wall; and

at least one curved member radially offset from said radially outer wall, wherein said at least one curved member is configured to exert an axial force to push said first flange against said first rotor assembly and said second flange against said second rotor assembly as said first rotor assembly and said second rotor assembly rotate in unison.

19. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 18, wherein said first axial wall and said second axial wall are parallel to one another, and comprising a truss member that extends between said radially outer wall and said at least one curved member and is transverse to each of said first axial wall and said second axial wall.

20. The gas turbine engine as recited in claim 18, wherein said at least one curved member includes two curved members.