Side seal for combustor transitions

• US 6,345,494 B1
• Filed: 09/20/2000
• Issued: 02/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Energy Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
• Inventors: Coslow, Bill
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Ted
• Application Number:
  US09/666,683
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• Field of Search: 60/393.1, 60/393.2, 60/393.7, 60/390.2, 607/22
• US Class Current: 60/772
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/005 Sealing means between non relatively rotating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 9/023 Transition ducts between combustor cans and first stage of the turbine in gas-turbine engines; their cooling or sealings
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/20 Mounting or supporting of plant; Accommodating heat expansion or creep
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/28 Arrangement of seals

Abstract

A sealing device for resisting the flow of gas through a labyrinth seal between a pair of adjacent combustor transitions of a gas turbine engine includes an elongated frame formed with a seat and a seal member disposed within the seat. The seal member is formed out of a metallic felt material and is progressively compressed within the labyrinth seal during initial engine startup, and provides resistance to leakage during steady state operation of the engine. The frame includes a first connection tab extending outwardly from the seat, the first connection tab being fixedly mounted on a ridge of the labyrinth seal. A second embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in which the frame includes a seat and both a first connection tab and a second connection tab extending outwardly from the seat in opposite directions. Both the first and second connection tabs are fixedly mounted on the combustor transition to provide attachments of the frame to the combustor transition both upstream and downstream from the seal member.

Claims

1. A sealing device for resisting the flow of gas through a labyrinth seal between a pair of adjacent combustor transitions of a gas turbine engine, the labyrinth seal including a first ridge disposed on a side wall of each combustor transition, the first ridges being offset along a gas flow leakage path between the side walls of the combustor transitions and adjacent one another, the sealing device comprising:

a seal member having a plurality of metal fibers;

an elongated frame having a longitudinal axis, the frame being formed with a seat extending longitudinally along the frame and including a first connection tab protruding from the seat, the first connection tab being structured to be mounted on one of the first ridges of one of the combustor transitions; and

the seal member being disposed in the seat and being structured to be positioned at least partially opposite the other of the first ridges on the other of the combustor transitions.

2. The sealing device as set forth in claim 1, in which the seal member is fixedly mounted to the frame.

3. The sealing device as set forth in claim 1, in which the seat is substantially U-shaped in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

4. The sealing device as set forth in claim 1, in which the first connection tab includes a first leg extending substantially the length of the frame.

5. The sealing device as set forth in claim 4, in which the first connection tab further includes a second leg, the second leg extending along at least a portion of the first leg, the first and second legs being substantially perpendicular to one another in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

6. The sealing device as set forth in claim 5, in which the frame is substantially S-shaped in a plane perpendicular with the longitudinal axis.

7. The sealing device as set forth in claim 4, in which at least one end of the sealing device is formed with a relief cutout.

8. The sealing device as set forth in claim 1, in which one of the pair of combustor transitions includes a second ridge, in which the first ridge of the other combustor transition is receivable between the first and second ridges of the one combustor transition, and in which the frame includes a second connection tab protruding from the seat, the second connection tab being structured to be mounted on the second ridge of the one combustor transition.

9. The sealing device as set forth in claim 8, in which the seat includes a base, a first wall, and a second wall, the first and second walls extending from opposite sides of the base such that the first and second walls and base together are of a substantially U-shaped configuration in a plane perpendicular with the longitudinal axis, the U-shaped aspect being structured to face the at least first ridge of the other combustor, the at least first connection tab protruding outwardly from the first wall, and the second connection tab protruding outwardly from the second wall.

10. The sealing device as set forth in claim 9, in which the first connection tab includes a first leg extending outwardly from the first wall and a second leg extending from the first leg, the first and second legs being substantially perpendicular with one another in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, at least a portion of the first connection tab being structured to extend in a direction toward the one combustor, and in which the second connection tab includes a first leg extending from the second wall and a second leg extending from the first leg of the second connection tab, the first and second legs of the second connection tab being substantially perpendicular with one another in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, at least a portion of the second connection tab being structured to extend in a direction toward the one combustor.

11. The sealing device as set forth in claim 10, in which the first leg of the first connection tab extends substantially the length of the first wall.

12. The sealing device as set forth in claim 11, in which the first leg of the second connection tab extends substantially the length of the second wall.

13. The sealing device as set forth in claim 10, in which the second connection tab includes a third leg extending from the second leg of the second connection tab, the second and third legs of the second connection tab being oriented substantially perpendicular with one another in a plane perpendicular with the longitudinal axis, the third leg being structured to extend in a direction parallel to the side wall of the one combustor.

14. A gas turbine engine comprising:

a compressor section;

a combustor section;

a turbine section;

the compressor, combustor, and turbine sections being in fluid communication with one another;

the combustor section including a first combustor transition, a second combustor transition, a labyrinth seal between the first and second combustor transitions, and a sealing device;

the labyrinth seal including a first ridge mounted on the first combustor transition and extending in a direction generally toward the second combustor transition and a first ridge mounted on the second combustor transition and extending in a direction generally toward the first combustor transition, the first ridges of the first and second combustor transitions being offset from one another;

the sealing device including an elongated frame having a longitudinal axis and a seal member having a plurality of metal fibers, the frame being formed with a seat extending longitudinally along the frame and including a first connection tab protruding from the seat, the seal member being disposed in the seat;

the first connection tab being mounted on one of the first ridges of one of the first and second combustor transitions.

15. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 14, in which the first connection tab includes a first leg extending substantially the length of the frame and a second leg extending along at least a portion of the first leg, the first and second legs being substantially perpendicular to one another in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

16. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 15, in which one of the first and second combustor transitions includes a second ridge, in which the first ridge of the other of the first and second combustor transitions is receivable between the first and second ridges of the one combustor transition, and in which the frame includes a second connection tab protruding from the seat, the second connection tab being mounted on the second ridge of the one combustor transition.

17. The gas turbine engine as set forth in claim 16, in which the first and second connection tabs are each at least partially L-shaped in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

18. A method of resisting the flow of gas through a labyrinth seal between a pair of adjacent combustor transitions of a gas turbine engine, the labyrinth seal including a first ridge disposed on each combustor transition, the first ridges being offset and adjacent one another, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning a seal member in a frame, the seal member including a plurality of metal fibers, the frame including a seat and a first connection tab extending outwardly from the seat;

mounting the first connection tab to the first ridge of one of the combustor transitions; and

compressing the first ridge of the other combustor transition into the seal member.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18, in which the step of compressing includes the step of thermally expanding the other combustor transition.

20. The method as set forth in claim 18, in which the one of the combustor transitions includes a second ridge and in which the frame includes a second connection tab, and further comprising the step of mounting the second connection tab to the second ridge, and in which the step of compressing the first ridge of the other combustor transition includes the step of receiving the first ridge of the other combustor transition between the first and second ridges of the one combustor transition.