Brush Seal Assembly Plate Deformation for Refurbishment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Brush seal assemblies in gas turbine engines face high maintenance and replacement costs due to the wear of bristles and the expense of alloy plates, with existing clamping methods complicating assembly and replacement processes.
Innovation Solution
A brush seal assembly design featuring annular plates with a radially outer chamber and an annular brush seal, where one plate is deformed to form tabs that hold the plates together, allowing for easy replacement and reuse of the other plate by machining away the tabs and reforming new ones, reducing material waste and costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the plates are welded into a single assembly for easy handling and precise outer diameter, then handling and assembly become easier, but replacement cost increases due to expensive alloy plates being discarded
Solution Approach 1:
The seal assembly is divided into three main segments: the first plate, the brush seal element, and the second plate. This segmentation allows the brush seal element to be replaced independently while retaining the expensive alloy plates, thereby reducing replacement costs while maintaining the structural integrity and precision of the original welded assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables recovery and reuse of the expensive alloy plates by allowing only the brush seal element to be discarded and replaced. The plates are retained and reused across multiple replacement cycles, significantly reducing the overall cost of ownership while maintaining the ease of handling and assembly of the original welded construction.
2Ease of operation
If the brush seal elements are clamped between two plates held together by mounting means, then assembly and replacement become complicated, but this design allows for easier plate retention
Solution Approach 1:
The first and second plates are merged together by deforming a portion of one plate over the other plate, creating an integrated structure that simplifies the assembly. This merging eliminates the need for separate mounting means while ensuring secure retention of the brush seal element between the plates, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining ease of plate retention.
3Manufacturing precision
If the plates are made from expensive alloys for durability and precision, then manufacturing quality is improved, but ownership cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by using expensive alloy material only for the plates that require high precision and durability (specifically the first and second plates with precise outer diameters), while the brush seal element made of less expensive material is replaced periodically. This localized application of high-quality materials maintains manufacturing precision where needed while reducing overall ownership costs through selective replacement.
4Loss of substance
If one plate is deformed to hold the plates together for reusability, then material waste is reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a dynamic element in the form of a deformable portion on one of the plates. This portion can be deformed during assembly to secure the plates together and can be subsequently removed or reformed to facilitate brush seal element replacement. This dynamic feature enables plate reusability and reduces material waste while the deformation process remains a simple manufacturing step.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enables cost-effective refurbishment of brush seal assemblies by allowing the reuse of plates over multiple cycles, significantly reducing the overall cost of ownership by minimizing the need for new alloy plates and simplifying the replacement process.
Implementation Method 1
at least a portion of one of the plates is deformed over the other plate to hold the plates together to form the assembly
Implementation Method 2
the other plate has a portion for squeezing locally the bristles against the flat region to hold the bristles
Data Source
AI summary
A brush seal assembly including a pair of annular plates defining an annular slot between them and a radially outer chamber opening into the slot; and an annular brush seal having bristles and an enlarged portion at its outer periphery formed by welding the bristles together, the brush seal extending through the slot with its enlarged portion retained in the chamber wherein at least a portion of one of the plates has an extension thereof which is deformed over the other plate to hold the plates together to form the assembly characterized in that one of the plates has a flat face in the region of the slot.