Elastic Sealing Arrangement for Gas Turbine Nozzle Segments

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional sealing techniques in gas turbine engines fail to maintain a stable seal due to thermal expansion and contraction, leading to air leakage between structural members, which decreases engine performance and reliability.

Innovation Solution

A sealing arrangement featuring an inner and outer annular member with nozzle segments connected by inner and outer connecting mechanisms, utilizing elastic seal members with J-like configurations and grooves to maintain contact and seal effectively even with positional changes, ensuring reliable sealing across temperature variations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional sealing techniques (rigid rib structure) are used, then sealing contact can be maintained under normal conditions, but the seal fails when thermal expansion or contraction changes relative positions between structural members

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidadaptability to thermal expansion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses elastic seal members (flexible elements) instead of rigid rib structures. The elastic seal members can deform elastically to accommodate changes in relative positions between structural members caused by thermal expansion or contraction, while maintaining continuous sealing contact. This flexibility allows the seal to adapt to dimensional changes without losing its sealing function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical state of the sealing element from rigid to elastic. By using materials with elastic properties, the sealing member can dynamically adjust its shape and position in response to thermal-induced dimensional changes, maintaining sealing effectiveness across varying temperature conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of manufacture

If rigid sealing structures are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but the seal cannot accommodate positional changes due to thermal effects

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing structure manufacturingVSAvoidsealing performance under thermal variation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The elastic seal members are designed with flexible geometries (such as J-like configurations with linear and curved portions) that can be manufactured using standard elastic material forming processes. These flexible structures maintain sealing contact through elastic deformation rather than rigid geometric constraints, achieving both manufacturability and thermal adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Reliability

If the sealing arrangement uses elastic seal members with J-like configuration, then sealing stability is maintained during thermal expansion and contraction, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing stabilityVSAvoidsealing structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The J-like elastic seal members with linear and curved portions are single-piece flexible elements that achieve complex sealing paths through elastic deformation. Rather than requiring multiple rigid components and adjustment mechanisms, the elastic geometry itself provides the adaptive sealing function, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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

The solution effectively prevents air leakage by maintaining a stable seal during thermal expansion and contraction, enhancing the performance and reliability of the gas turbine engine by ensuring efficient use of compressed air.

Implementation Method 1

elastic seal members disposed in the grooves to retain sealing contacts with the opposed first and second seal surfaces

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the structural members of the gas turbine engine are exposed to a high-temperature during its operation, which may vary relative positions or distances between the structural members

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentEP2525063B1Sealing structure between nozzle segments and the stationary casing structure

Publication Date: 2019.03.20 KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KK

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AI summary

At least one sealing arrangement (151) is provided for a connecting mechanism (42, 110) between an inner annular member (21,57) or an outer annular member (26) and an associated segment (35) to connect between the annular members (21, 57, 26) and the segments (35). The sealing arrangement (151) comprises an elastic sealing member (153) provided between the sealing surfaces (123, 129, 131), disposed linearly along a side of polygon defined around a central axis (C).