Gas leakage seal

• US 5,076,591 A
• Filed: 06/11/1990
• Issued: 12/31/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Gentile, Richard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoap, Allan N.
• Application Number:
  US07/536,085
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 277/71, 277/70, 277/1, 277/27, 277/235 R, 277/236, 285/368, 285/910, 285/418, 285/410, 220/378
• US Class Current: 277/642
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/003 by packing rings; Mechanical seals
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/243 Flange connections; Bolting arrangements F01D25/265 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/28 Arrangement of seals
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/004 forming of recuperation chamber for the leaking fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 23/18 the sealing means being rings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/91 Gaskets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 285/917 Metallic seals

Abstract

A combination air seal for opposed flanges of a casing structure containing air at elevated pressure includes rectangular cross-section groove in one face of one of the opposed flanges and a narrow compressible gasket or seal strip in the groove at one side thereof to define an open transverse channel in the groove oriented transversely to the direction of air leakage through the flanges from the elevated pressure conditions in the structure. Air under elevated pressure leaks across the interface of the flanges to be taken up by the open transverse channel and conducted to a lower pressure region of the structure for further utilization. The gasket is adapted to be adequately but not excessively compressed when metal to metal engagement of the flanges is achieved. The compressed gasket prevents excess air in the channel from escaping from the channel to pass across the flange interface and escape from the casing structure.

Claims

1. In an air containment multisection casing structure of a gas turbine generator, a gas leak control and seal device for insertion in an elongated groove provided in a flange of said multisection casing structure wherein the groove is defined by a bottom wall and a pair of sidewalls extending from the bottom wall, the device comprising:

an elongated strip including a bottom wall strip seated on said groove bottom wall, said bottom wall strip having first and second upstanding sidewalls extending substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicularly from said bottom wall strip to thereby define a sealing channel between said pair of upstanding sidewalls, and a gas control channel between one of said strip sidewalls and one of said groove sidewalls; and

a compressible, flexible seal element located in said sealing channel between said pair of upstanding strip sidewalls.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein said elongated strip is comprised of metal.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein said seal element extends above upper edges of said pair of sidewalls.

4. The device according to claim 3 wherein said seal element extends above said upper edges of said side walls an amount corresponding substantially to a compressibility characteristic of said seal element.

5. The device according to claim 1 wherein said seal element is comprised of a rubbery material.

6. The device according to claim 1 wherein said seal element is comprised of a plurality of angle strips.

7. A gas leakage seal for a casing of a pressure vessel adapted to contain gas at an elevated pressure in one region of said casing and gas at a lower pressure in another region of said casing, wherein said casing is comprised of at least two sections, one of said sections having a first metal flange adapted to be engaged by a second, opposed metal flange in metal-to-metal sealing contact;

said gas leakage seal comprising a groove formed in one of said first and second metal flanges and defined by a bottom wall and two substantially parallel side walls, said groove having predetermined depth and width dimensions, and extending in a direction substantially transverse to a normal direction of gas leakage between said first and second flanges, and an elongated gasket structure received within said groove and extending coextensively therewith;

said gasket structure defining within said groove first and second channels located side-by-side, each channel extending coextensively with said groove, said first channel comprising a gas channel communicating with a lower pressure region of said casing, and serving to conduct leakage gas to said lower pressure region of said casing;

a compressible sealing member disposed within said second channel and having a height greater than said depth dimension of said groove so that said sealing member is compressed within said second channel by said first and second flanges when said first and second flanges meet in metal-to-metal contact, said sealing member thereby preventing excess gas leakage from escaping between said first and second flanges, and

wherein said elongated gasket structure includes a bottom wall strip having a width substantially equal to said width dimension of said groove and seated on said bottom wall of said groove, and a pair of substantially parallel side wall strips extending in upright spaced apart relationship, one of said side wall strips engaging one of said side walls of said groove and the other of said side wall strips forming a separator between said first and second side-by-side channels.

8. The invention as recited in claim 7 wherein said bottom wall strip and said pair of side wall strips are joined to provide a unitary, integral and flexible structure of extended length.

9. The invention as recited in claim 7 wherein said compressible sealing member is a non-metal sealing gasket.

10. The invention as recited in claim 7 wherein said compressible sealing member is metallic.

11. The invention as recited in claim 7 wherein said compressible sealing member is a chevron seal.

12. The invention as recited in claim 7 wherein said compressible sealing member extends outwardly from said groove a distance generally equal to its compressibility range before said flanges meet in metal to metal contact.

13. The invention as recited in claim 7 wherein said bottom wall strip and sidewall strips are stainless steel.

14. The invention as recited in claim 7 wherein said bottom wall strip and said pair of said wall strips are joined by brazing.