SEALING SYSTEM FOR TURBINE AND COMPRESSOR BEARINGS

• US 3,574,478 A
• Filed: 10/21/1968
• Issued: 04/13/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michael Toth Jr, Richard M. Salzmann
• Original Assignee: Michael Toth Jr, Richard M. Salzmann
• Inventors: Salzmann, Richard M., Toth, Michael Jr.
• Application Number:
  US04/769,045
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• US Class Current: 415/112
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/04 using sealing fluid, e.g. steam
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/186 for sliding contact bearing
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/083 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps

Abstract

In turbines and compressors, leakage of oil from a bearing chamber into gas passages and leakage of gas into the bearing chamber is prevented by evacuating the bearing chamber to draw a stream of air in one direction past a labyrinthine packing toward the bearing chamber, while drawing a stream of air from the same source past a second labyrinthine packing toward the gas passage by taking advantage of the vacuum-producing effect of the flow of gas.

Claims

1. A device for handling elastic fluid having passages for said fluid and comprising a housing, a rotor within the housing having a hub carrying blading defining at least portions of said passages, means providing a sealed bearing chamber, bearing means within said chamber for rotatably mounting said rotor, packing means for sealing said bearing chamber from said passages including first and second packing members with a space between them, means providing for flow of air into said space, said first packing member being located between said space and said passages and providing clearance for the flow of air from said space into said passages under the influence of a vacuum created by the flow of elastic fluid through said passages, said second packing member being located between said space and said sealed bearing chamber and providing clearance for the flow of air from said space into said bearing chamber, and means for evacuating said sealed bearing chamber to draw air from said space into said sealed bearing chamber past said second packing member whereby flow from the bearing chamber is precluded from taking place past said packing means into the fluid-handling passages of said device.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which said blading is axial inflow compressor blading, and in which said first packing means is located between said space and the compressor inlet.

3. An elastic fluid-handling device according to claim 1 in which said bearing means includes at least two axially separated bearings within said bearing chamber, said bearings providing the sole support for said rotor.

4. An elastic fluid turbine having passages for said fluid and comprising a housing, a rotor within said housing having a hub carrying radial inflow turbine blading defining at least portions of said passages, means providing a bearing chamber located on the exhaust side of said rotor, bearing means within said chamber for rotatably mounting said rotor, packing means for sealing said bearing chamber from said passAges including first and second packing members with a space between them, means providing for flow of air into said space, said first packing member being located between said space and said passages and providing clearance for the flow of air from said space into the turbine exhaust under the influence of the flow of exhaust gas leaving said blading, said second packing member being located between said space and said bearing chamber and providing clearance for the flow of air from said space into the bearing chamber, and means for evacuating said bearing chamber to draw air from said space into said bearing chamber past said second packing member.

5. An elastic fluid turbine according to claim 4 in which said hub includes lip means located at the outlet end of said blading for directing exhaust gases leaving said blading in a direction having a radial outward component.