Segmented air floating seal
First Claim
1. A segmented air floating seal assembly to provide a seal against a rotary shaft, comprising:
- a support ring secured to a stationary part;
a plurality of spring bias members each connected to the support ring;
a plurality of arc shaped support plates, each support plate being connected to a respective spring bias member;
a plurality of arc shaped seal segments, each seal segment being connected to a respective support plate, each seal segment having a curved seal face of substantially the same radius as the rotary shaft;
the seal segments being made of a fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite material; and
, wherein the spring segments provide a bias to the seal segments and an air cushion is developed during rotation such that the segments float on the rotary shaft without touching.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A segmented floating seal assembly used in a gas turbine engine to seal a rotary shaft. The segmented seal is made from a fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite (FRCMC) material having a polymer-derived pre-ceramic resin in its ceramic state, fibers of Nextel, and a filler material. The seal segments are secured to respective support plates, and the support plates are each biased by a spring member secured to a support ring mounted in the engine. The material in the seal segments are resistive to very high temperatures, are not brittle, allow little flow across the seal face, and durable. The segmented seal includes holes in either the segments or the rotary shaft in which pressurized air is supplied to the seal interface to form an air cushion on which the seal segments can float.
16 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A segmented air floating seal assembly to provide a seal against a rotary shaft, comprising:
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a support ring secured to a stationary part;
a plurality of spring bias members each connected to the support ring;
a plurality of arc shaped support plates, each support plate being connected to a respective spring bias member;
a plurality of arc shaped seal segments, each seal segment being connected to a respective support plate, each seal segment having a curved seal face of substantially the same radius as the rotary shaft;
the seal segments being made of a fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite material; and
,wherein the spring segments provide a bias to the seal segments and an air cushion is developed during rotation such that the segments float on the rotary shaft without touching. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A segmented air floating seal assembly to provide a seal against a rotary shaft, comprising:
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a support ring;
a plurality of bias members each connected to the support ring;
a plurality of support plates, each support plates being connected to a respective bias member;
a plurality of seal segments, each seal segment being connected to a respective support plate, each seal segment having a curved seal face of substantially the same radius as the rotary shaft; and
,the seal segments being made of a fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite material, the fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composite material includes a pre-ceramic resin in its ceramic state, and fibers. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification