FILM RIDING PRESSURE ACTUATED LEAF SEAL ASSEMBLY
First Claim
1. A leaf seal assembly for use between a rotating component and a stationary component in a turbomachine, the leaf seal assembly comprising:
- a leaf seal including at least one set of leaf seal members, each leaf seal member having a planar surface having an areal dimension; and
a runner coupled to a distal end of at least one leaf seal member of the at least one set of leaf seal members, wherein the at least one leaf seal member maintains the runner in a first position away from the rotating component in an unpressurized inoperative state and moves the runner to a second position, close to, but not contacting, the rotating component in a pressurized operative state.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
In accordance with embodiments of this invention, a pressure actuated leaf seal assembly is provided that includes film riding, hydrodynamic/hydrostatic runners under seal member leaf ends. Leaf seal assemblies according to embodiments of this invention maintain the runner away from a rotating body until adequate rotating speed is present to generate lift required to allow the runner to float on a thin film of operating fluid on the rotating body, so that the runner does not rub the rotating body. In addition, runners are attached, or added, to leaf seal members such that the runners move in a radial direction, while remaining parallel to the rotating body. In one embodiment, a runner can comprise a separate structure coupled to a leaf seal member, and in another embodiment, a runner can comprise a wear-resistant pad on a distal end of a leaf seal member.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A leaf seal assembly for use between a rotating component and a stationary component in a turbomachine, the leaf seal assembly comprising:
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a leaf seal including at least one set of leaf seal members, each leaf seal member having a planar surface having an areal dimension; and a runner coupled to a distal end of at least one leaf seal member of the at least one set of leaf seal members, wherein the at least one leaf seal member maintains the runner in a first position away from the rotating component in an unpressurized inoperative state and moves the runner to a second position, close to, but not contacting, the rotating component in a pressurized operative state. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A leaf seal assembly for use between a rotating component and a stationary component in a turbomachine, the leaf seal assembly comprising:
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a leaf seal including at least one set of leaf seal members, each leaf seal member having a planar surface having an areal dimension, wherein the at least one set of leaf seal members is configured to move between a first position in an unpressurized inoperative state and a second position in a pressurized operative state, and wherein at least one leaf seal member of the at least one set of leaf seal members, includes a distal end angled such that at least one surface of the distal end is substantially parallel to the rotating component in the second position; a wear resistant pad positioned on the at least one surface of the distal end, such that in an unpressurized inoperative state, the at least one leaf seal member maintains the wear resistant pad away from the rotating component, and in the pressurized operative state, the at least one leaf seal member maintains the wear resistant pad close to, but not contacting, the rotating component. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification