Circumferential seal with seal dampening elements

• US 9,988,921 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2015
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rtx Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Technologies Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Wilson, Ross, McCaffrey, Michael G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumar, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US14/882,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20160108750A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• Field of Search: 277411
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/00 Preventing or minimising internal leakage of working-fluid, e.g. between stages sealings in general F16J ; sealing arrangements for transition ducts of combustor cans F01D9/023
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/001 for sealing space between stator blade and rotor
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/003 by packing rings; Mechanical seals
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/02 by non-contact sealings, e.g. of labyrinth type for sealing space between rotor blade tips and stator F01D11/08
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 11/025 Seal clearance control; Floating assembly; Adaptation means to differential thermal dilatations
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 25/04 Antivibration arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/32 in gas turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/55 Seals
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/16 between relatively-moving surfaces F16J15/50, F16J15/52 take precedence; bellows pistons F16J3/06; piston-rings or ring sealings of similar construction F16J9/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/445 with means for adjusting the clearance

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to sealing systems for gas turbine engines. In one embodiment, a circumferential seal for a gas turbine engine includes a first beam, a second beam, a seal shoe and at least one feature between the first beam and second beam configured to retain a beam spacer, wherein the at least one feature is configured to dampen at least one of beam and shoe vibration of the circumferential seal. Another embodiment is directed to a circumferential seal including a beam spacer.

Claims

1. A circumferential seal for a gas turbine engine, the circumferential seal comprising:

a first beam;

a second beam;

a seal shoe;

at least one feature defined by a pair of raised portions of the first beam and a pair of raised portions of the second beam, the pair of raised portions of the first beam facing the pair of raised portions of the second beam and the at least one feature defining a channel along an axial depth of the circumferential seal;

a beam spacer located in the channel and between the first beam and the second beam; and

wherein the beam spacer dampens vibratory responses of the circumferential seal.

2. The circumferential seal of claim 1, wherein the first beam is an outer beam of the circumferential seal.

3. The circumferential seal of claim 1, wherein the second beam is an inner beam of the circumferential seal.

4. The circumferential seal of claim 1, wherein the beam spacer dampens vibratory responses between the first and second beams of the circumferential seal.

5. The circumferential seal of claim 1, wherein the circumferential seal is a non-contact seal for a bearing compartment of the gas turbine engine.

6. The circumferential seal of claim 1, wherein the circumferential seal is at least one of a full ring and segmented seal.

7. The circumferential seal of claim 1, wherein the beam spacer is an elongated element, pin, rod, having at least one of a cylindrical, round, square, rectangular, round, and oval shape, and wherein the beam spacer dampens vibratory responses of the first beam and/or the second beam and the seal shoe of the circumferential seal.

8. The circumferential seal of claim 1, wherein the at least one feature is a plurality of features each defining a channel along an axial depth of the circumferential seal and a beam spacer is located in each of the channels.

9. A circumferential seal for a gas turbine engine, the circumferential seal comprising:

a first beam;

a second beam;

a seal shoe;

at least one cradle feature between the first beam and the second beam including a pair of raised portions of the first beam and a pair of raised portions of the second beam, wherein the pair of raised portions of the first beam and the pair of raised portions of the second beam face each other and form a channel between the first beam and the second beam;

a beam spacer located in the channel, wherein the channel receives and secures the beam spacer along an axial depth of the circumferential seal, and wherein the at least one cradle feature is configured to dampen at least one of beam and shoe vibration of the circumferential seal.

10. The circumferential seal of claim 9, wherein the first beam is an outer beam of the circumferential seal.

11. The circumferential seal of claim 9, wherein the second beam is an inner beam of the circumferential seal.

12. The circumferential seal of claim 9, wherein the beam spacer dampens vibratory responses between the first and second beams of the circumferential seal.

13. The circumferential seal of claim 9, wherein the circumferential seal is a non-contact seal for a bearing compartment of the gas turbine engine.

14. The circumferential seal of claim 9, wherein the circumferential seal is at least one of a full ring and segmented seal.

15. The circumferential seal of claim 9, wherein the beam spacer is an elongated element, pin, rod, having at least one of a cylindrical, round, square, rectangular, round, and oval shape, and wherein the beam spacer dampens vibratory responses of the first beam and/or the second beam and the seal shoe of the circumferential seal.

16. The circumferential seal of claim 9, wherein the at least one cradle feature is a plurality of cradle features each defining a channel along an axial depth of the circumferential seal and a beam spacer is located in each of the channels.