NON-CONTACTING DYNAMIC SEAL

• US 20160102570A1
• Filed: 09/14/2015
• Published: 04/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Wilson, Ross, Farris, John R., McCaffrey, Michael G., Hall, Theodore W., Korzendorfer, John J., Vinson, Elizabeth F., Jacques, Jeffrey Michael, Paul, John E., Otero, Edwin, Stoner, Alan W.
• Granted Patent: US 10,801,348 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/02 by non-contact sealings, e.g. of labyrinth type for sealing space between rotor blade tips and stator F01D11/08
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/025 Seal clearance control; Floating assembly; Adaptation means to differential thermal dilatations
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/04 Antivibration arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/32 in gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/55 Seals
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/96 Preventing, counteracting or reducing vibration or noise
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2300/171 Steel alloys
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/06 with metal springs with rubber springs also F16F15/08
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/44 Free-space packings
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/442 segmented

Abstract

Non-contacting dynamic seals having wave springs are disclosed herein. A non-contacting dynamic seal may have a shoe coupled to an outer ring by an inner beam and an outer beam. A wave spring may be located between the inner beam and the outer beam, between the shoe and the inner beam, or between the outer beam and the outer ring. The wave spring may damp vibrations in the inner beam and the outer beam.

Claims

1. A seal for a gas turbine engine comprising:

a full hoop outer ring;

a shoe coupled to the full hoop outer ring via an inner beam and an outer beam; and

a wave spring in contact with at least one of the inner beam or the outer beam.

2. The seal of claim 1, wherein the wave spring is located between the inner beam and the outer beam.

3. The seal of claim 1, wherein the wave spring is located between the shoe and the inner beam.

4. The seal of claim 1, wherein the wave spring is located between the outer beam and the full hoop outer ring.

5. The seal of claim 1, wherein the wave spring comprises at least three antinodes.

6. The seal of claim 5, wherein the antinodes are configured to slide against at least one of the inner beam or the outer beam in response to a vibration in the seal.

7. The seal of claim 1, wherein the seal is a non-contacting dynamic seal.

8. The seal of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of inner segments, wherein each inner segment comprises a respective wave spring.

9. A seal assembly for a gas turbine engine comprising:

an outer ring;

a shoe coupled to the outer ring, wherein the shoe is configured to move radially with respect to the outer ring;

a first beam and a second beam coupling the shoe to the outer ring; and

a first wave spring located between the first beam and the second beam, wherein the first wave spring is configured to damp vibrations in the first beam and the second beam.

10. The seal assembly of claim 9, wherein the seal assembly is a non-contacting dynamic seal.

11. The seal assembly of claim 9, wherein the first wave spring comprises a first antinode and a second antinode in contact with the first beam, and a third antinode in contact with the second beam.

12. The seal assembly of claim 11, wherein the first antinode and the second antinode are configured to slide against the first beam in response to a vibration in the first beam.

13. The seal assembly of claim 9, further comprising a second wave spring between the first beam and the second beam.

14. The seal assembly of claim 13, further comprising a third wave spring between the first beam and at least one of the shoe or the outer ring.

15. The seal assembly of claim 9, wherein the first wave spring comprises at least one of cobalt alloy and nickel alloy.

16. A method of damping vibrations in a seal comprising:

inserting a first wave spring between a first beam and a second beam of the seal.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the wave spring comprises a first antinode and a second antinode in contact with the first beam, and a third antinode in contact with the second beam.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising configuring the first antinode and the second antinode to slide against the first beam.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the seal is a non-contacting dynamic seal.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising inserting a second wave spring between the second beam and a shoe of the seal.