Wet-Face/Dry-Face Seal and Methods of Operation

• US 20200132196A1
• Filed: 10/29/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Davis, Todd A., Sheridan, William G.
• Granted Patent: US 11,209,086 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/003 by packing rings; Mechanical seals
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/12 Cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/183 Sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/3404 and characterised by parts or details relating to lubrication, cooling or venting of the seal
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/3412 with cavities F16J15/3424 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/3492 with monitoring or measuring means associated with the seal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A seal system has: a first member; a seal carried by the first member and having a seal face; and a second member rotatable relative to the first member about an axis. The second member has: a seat, the seat having a seat face in sliding sealing engagement with the seal face; and a circumferential array of passageway legs open to the seat face; and an oil pump for delivering oil via one or more first outlets to the passageway legs in at least a first mode of operation. The oil pump is coupled to one or more second outlets to deliver oil to a backside of the seat in at least a second mode of operation.

Claims

1. A seal system comprising:

a first member;

a seal carried by the first member and having a seal face; and

a second member rotatable relative to the first member about an axis and having;

a seat, the seat having a seat face in sliding sealing engagement with the seal face; and

a circumferential array of passageway legs open to the seat face; and

an oil pump for delivering oil via one or more first outlets to the passageway legs in at least a first mode of operation,

wherein the seal system further comprises;

one or more second outlets, the oil pump coupled to the one or more second outlets to deliver oil to a backside of the seat in at least a second mode of operation.

2. The seal system of claim 1 wherein:

the seal is a carbon seal.

3. The seal system of claim 1 wherein:

the seat is steel.

4. The seal system of claim 1 wherein:

the seal and seat are full annular.

5. The seal system of claim 1 further comprising:

a spring biasing the seal into engagement with the seat.

6. The seal system of claim 1 further comprising:

one or more valves for switching between the first mode and the second mode.

7. The seal system of claim 6 wherein:

the one or more valves comprises a first valve positioned along a flowpath from the pump to the one or more first outlets downstream of a branching to the one or more second outlets.

8. The seal system of claim 6 wherein:

the one or more valves consists of a single valve;

the one or more first outlets consists of a single first outlet; and

the one or more second outlets consists of a single second outlet.

9. The seal system of claim 6 wherein:

the one or more valves are positioned to allow flow through the second outlets in the first mode and the second mode and block flow through the first outlets in the second mode.

10. The seal system of claim 1 further comprising a nozzle body wherein:

one of the first outlets is in a first insert in the nozzle body; and

one of the second outlets is in a second insert in the nozzle body.

11. The seal system of claim 10 further comprising a valve in the nozzle body positioned to selectively block flow through the first insert.

12. A gas turbine engine including the seal system of claim 1 wherein:

the second member is a shaft.

13. The gas turbine engine of claim 12 further comprising:

a speed sensor; and

a controller configured to switch between the first mode and the second mode responsive to output from the speed sensor.

14. A method for using the seal system of claim 1, the method comprising:

shifting between the first mode and the second mode.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein:

in the first mode, oil is not delivered via the second outlets; and

in the second mode, oil is not delivered via the first outlets.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein:

in the first mode, oil is also delivered via the second outlets; and

in the second mode, oil is not delivered via the first outlets.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein:

in the first mode, the relative rotation is at a first speed; and

in the second mode, the relative rotation is at a second speed, less than the first speed.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein:

in the first mode, the relative rotation is at a first speed; and

in the second mode, the relative rotation is at a second speed, less than the first speed.