Feather Seal Stiffening Dimples Gas Leakage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gas leakage through connections between adjacent stator vane platforms in gas turbine engines reduces engine efficiency and the lifespan of components, making it challenging to achieve effective sealing.
Innovation Solution
A sealing assembly featuring a feather seal with stiffening elements, such as round or ovoid dimples, positioned within a feather seal slot defined by segments of vane or blade outer edge seals, which provides increased structural strength and reduces distortion, thereby enhancing sealing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a feather seal is used without stiffening elements, then the sealing assembly is simpler and easier to manufacture, but the feather seal distorts under pressure causing gas leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adding stiffening elements (dimples) only in specific locations on the feather seal where structural support is needed, rather than making the entire seal rigid. This localized reinforcement prevents distortion under pressure while maintaining the overall simplicity and flexibility of the feather seal design.
Solution Approach 2:
The feather seal incorporates composite structural features by combining the flexible seal material with integrated stiffening elements (dimples). This composite approach creates a structure that exhibits both flexibility for sealing and localized rigidity for maintaining shape under pressure, resolving the contradiction between simplicity and reliability.
2Ease of manufacture
If the feather seal structure is simplified without stiffening elements, then manufacturing is easier and cost is reduced, but gas leakage increases due to seal distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The stiffening dimples are implemented as localized features rather than a complete structural redesign, allowing the feather seal to remain simple to manufacture while adding only the necessary local reinforcement to prevent gas leakage through distortion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the physical parameters of the feather seal by adding dimples that change the local stiffness characteristics. This parameter change allows the seal to maintain its simplicity in manufacturing while preventing the distortion that leads to gas leakage, thus reducing energy loss.
3Reliability
If stiffening elements are added to the feather seal, then sealing effectiveness improves under varying pressure conditions, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stiffening elements are applied locally at critical points on the feather seal rather than throughout the entire structure. This localized approach maintains sealing effectiveness under varying pressure conditions while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The dimples are formed as curved, spherical or ovoid features on the feather seal surface. This curvature provides efficient structural reinforcement that resists pressure-induced distortion while adding minimal geometric complexity to the overall seal design.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure includes feather seals for use in gas turbine engines. The feather seals may be used in stationary components such as vanes or blade outer air seals. The feather seals may include stiffening elements, such as round or ovoid dimples, to improve the stiffness of the feather seals.