Gas Turbine Having Seal Assembly with Coverplate and Seal

• US 20100232938A1
• Filed: 03/12/2009
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Piersall, Matthew Robert, Potter, Brian Denver, Harris, John Wesley JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,696,320 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 415/173.100
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/006 Sealing the gap between rotor blades or blades and rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/26 Antivibration means not restricted to blade form or construction or to blade-to-blade connections or to the use of particular materials
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/3015 with side plates

Abstract

A gas turbine and a seal assembly for a machine having a rotating shaft, a wheel coupled to the rotating shaft, the wheel including a bucket coupled to the wheel comprising a coverplate that is fastened to the wheel and the bucket and a seal positioned between the coverplate and the wheel and the bucket.

Claims

1. A gas turbine comprising:

a rotating shaft;

a wheel coupled to the rotating shaft;

a bucket coupled to the wheel;

a coverplate fastened to the wheel and the bucket; and

a seal positioned between the coverplate and the wheel and the bucket.

2. The gas turbine of claim 1, wherein the coverplate includes an angel wing.

3. The gas turbine of claim 1, wherein the coverplate includes a hook for fastening the coverplate to the wheel of the gas turbine.

4. The gas turbine of claim 1, wherein the coverplate includes an outer edge that engages a slot in the bucket of the gas turbine.

5. The gas turbine of claim 1, wherein the seal includes a 360-degree seal with a single split.

6. The gas turbine of claim 1, wherein the seal includes a 720-degree multi-coil seal.

7. The gas turbine of claim 1, wherein the seal includes a segmented seal.

8. The gas turbine of claim 1, wherein the coverplate includes at least one segment and the seal is positioned on the coverplate segment to eliminate a gap between adjacent circumferentially positioned coverplate segments.

9. The gas turbine of claim 1, wherein the coverplate and the seal are installed on a forward side or an aft side of the wheel.

10. The gas turbine of claim 1, wherein the coverplate and the seal are installed on the forward side and the aft side of the wheel.

11. A seal assembly for a machine having a rotating shaft, the seal assembly comprising:

a wheel coupled to the rotating shaft;

a bucket coupled to the wheel;

a coverplate fastened to the wheel and the bucket of the machine; and

a seal positioned between the coverplate and the wheel and the bucket.

12. The seal assembly of claim 11, wherein the coverplate includes an angel wing.

13. The seal assembly of claim 11, wherein the coverplate includes a hook for fastening the coverplate to the wheel of the machine.

14. The seal assembly of claim 11, wherein the coverplate includes an outer edge that engages a slot in the bucket of the machine.

15. The seal assembly of claim 11, wherein the seal includes a 360-degree seal with a single split.

16. The seal assembly of claim 11, wherein the seal includes a 720-degree multi-coil seal.

17. The seal assembly of claim 11, wherein the seal includes a segmented seal.

18. The seal assembly of claim 11, wherein the coverplate includes at least one segment and the seal is positioned on the coverplate segment to eliminate a gap between adjacent circumferentially positioned coverplate segments.

19. The seal assembly of claim 11, wherein the coverplate and the seal are installed on a forward side or an aft side of the wheel.

20. The seal assembly of claim 11, wherein the coverplate and the seal are installed on the forward side and the aft side of the wheel.