Sealing of turbomachinery casing segments

• US 6,884,027 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2003
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd. (Alstom SA)
• Original Assignee: Alstom Technology Ltd. (Alstom SA)
• Inventors: Faulkner, Andrew Rowell
• Primary Examiner(s): Look, Edward K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kershteyn, Igor
• Application Number:
  US10/634,028
• Publication Number:
  US 20040151582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 415/134, 415/135, 415/139, 415/173.1, 415/173.3, 415/173.4, 415/173.5, 415/174.2
• US Class Current: 415/173.3
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/122 with erodable or abradable material blades having cutting or grinding tips F01D5/20
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 5/225 by shrouding
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2230/642 using maintaining alignment while permitting differential dilatation
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2250/283 honeycomb

Abstract

A sealing arrangement for sealing around a turbine or compressor blade includes casing segments having sealing faces for abutting with opposing sealing faces of circumferentially adjacent casing segments along joints between the segments. The sealing faces on adjacent segments are forced into contact with each other by rotation of each casing segment about a mounting pin. To reduce radial leakage, a sealing plate is provided.

Claims

1. In an axial fluid flow turbomachine, a casing assembly comprising:

a plurality of casing segments arranged in circumferential sequence, wherein circumferentially adjacent casing segments abut each other along generally radially extending joints, each casing segment having circumferentially opposed ends and each of its opposed ends comprising at least one sealing face for abutting with a corresponding sealing face on a circumferentially adjacent segment, each casing segment being mounted for limited pivoting movement about a pivot point, whereby pivoting movement of the casing segments causes the sealing faces to come into sealing contact with each other.

2. The casing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the circumferentially opposed ends of the casing segments are stepped in a circumferential direction, and wherein the sealing faces extend circumferentially.

3. The casing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sealing faces are obliquely oriented with respect to a circumferential direction.

4. The casing assembly according to claim 1, wherein a radially inner surface of the casing segment is stepped in a radial direction.

5. The casing assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pivot point is provided on a radially outer surface of each casing segment.

6. The casing assembly according to claim 5, wherein the pivot point is positioned off-center with respect to the circumferential extent of the casing segment, whereby an axial pressure differential across the casing segment causes the casing segment to rotate about a pin.

7. The casing assembly according to claim 1, in which each casing segment has mounted thereon a sealing plate in sealing relationship therewith, the sealing plate being located radially outwards of the casing segment and extending circumferentially over the joint between the casing segment on which the sealing plate is mounted and an adjacent casing segment.

8. The casing assembly according to claim 7, wherein the sealing plate is mounted on the pivot point of the casing segment.