FLOATING, NON-CONTACT SEAL WITH AT LEAST THREE BEAMS

• US 20180058239A1
• Filed: 08/31/2016
• Published: 03/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Paulino, Jose R., Chuong, Conway, Wong, Joey, Peters, Christopher J., Wilson, Ross
• Granted Patent: US 10,550,708 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/025 Seal clearance control; Floating assembly; Adaptation means to differential thermal dilatations
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/24 Casings modified for heating or cooling F01D25/14; Casing parts, e.g. diaphragms, casing fastenings casings for rotary machines or engines in general F16M ; special arrangements in stators dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor F01D21/045
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/02 Blade-carrying members, e.g. rotors rotors of non-bladed type F01D1/34; stators F01D9/00 ; selecting particular materials F01D5/28
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/053 Shafts
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/083 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/321 for axial flow compressors
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/522 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/32 in gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/60 Shafts
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/38 by a spring, i.e. spring loaded or biased towards a certain position
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/442 segmented
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/445 with means for adjusting the clearance

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a floating, non-contact seal comprising: a shoe, and at least three beams, each beam having a first axial end and a second axial end, where the first axial ends are coupled to the shoe and the second axial ends are coupled to a ring structure. Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an engine comprising: a first structure, a second structure configured to rotate relative to the first structure, and a floating, non-contact seal that interfaces the first structure and the second structure, where the seal includes: a shoe, and at least three beams, where each beam has a first axial end and a second axial end, where the first axial ends are coupled to the shoe and the second axial ends are coupled to a ring structure.

Claims

1. A floating, non-contact seal comprising:

a shoe; and

at least three beams, each beam having a first axial end and a second axial end, where the first axial ends are coupled to the shoe and the second axial ends are coupled to a ring structure.

2. The floating, non-contact seal of claim 1, wherein the at least three beams consist of three beams.

3. The floating, non-contract seal of claim 1, wherein the seal comprises more than three beams.

4. An engine comprising:

a first structure;

a second structure configured to rotate relative to the first structure; and

a floating, non-contact seal that interfaces the first structure and the second structure, wherein the seal includes;

a shoe; and

at least three beams,

wherein each beam has a first axial end and a second axial end, where the first axial ends are coupled to the shoe and the second axial ends are coupled to a ring structure.

5. The engine of claim 4, wherein a first of the beams is located radially outward of a second of the beams and a third of the beams with respect to an axial centerline of the engine, and wherein the second of the beams is located radially outward of the third of the beams with respect to the axial centerline of the engine.

6. The engine of claim 4, wherein the first structure is an engine case.

7. The engine of claim 4, wherein the second structure includes at least one of a shaft or a rotor disk.

8. The engine of claim 4, wherein the first and second structures are part of a compressor section of the engine.

9. The engine of claim 4, wherein the first and second structures are part of a turbine section of the engine.

10. The engine of claim 4, wherein the seal interfaces a first region of the engine to a second region of the engine in terms of an airflow from the first region of the engine to the second region of the engine.

11. The engine of claim 10, wherein the shoe comprises a plurality of teeth, and wherein the airflow substantially flows in an axial direction relative to a centerline of the engine, radially between the teeth and the second structure.

12. The engine of claim 11, wherein the teeth are located radially outward of the second structure with respect to an axial centerline of the engine.

13. The engine of claim 4, wherein the ring structure is located radially outward of the shoe with respect to an axial centerline of the engine.