Fluid-Cooled Seal Support Assembly for Turbine Rubbing Heat
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas turbine engine seal assemblies experience high thermal stresses and fatigue due to rubbing friction between stationary and rotating carbon seal elements, with current cooling techniques not fully addressing these issues.
Innovation Solution
A gas turbine engine assembly featuring a seal assembly with an annular seal land and seal element, guide rails, and a seal support assembly that includes fluid passages for cooling, allowing fluid to flow through the seal element and guide rails to mitigate heat-related stresses, and accommodating engine vibrations and thermal expansion through axial and radial movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling fluid passages are integrated into the seal element and guide rails, then thermal stress resistance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into integrated components: the seal element incorporates both sealing functionality and cooling fluid passage integration, while the guide rails also contain cooling passages. This merging of sealing and cooling functions into single components reduces the need for separate cooling systems and minimizes overall device complexity while effectively managing thermal stresses.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal element and guide rails serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide mechanical sealing guidance, structural support, and thermal management through integrated cooling passages. This multi-functionality allows a single component to address both sealing and cooling requirements, improving thermal stress resistance without proportionally increasing device complexity.
2Reliability
If the seal support assembly accommodates axial and radial movement, then reliability under vibration is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The seal support assembly is designed with dynamic capabilities to accommodate axial and radial movements during engine operation. This dynamic design allows the assembly to adapt to vibrational conditions and thermal expansion, maintaining reliable sealing performance under varying operational conditions without requiring extremely tight manufacturing tolerances for rigid fixed-position components.
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 cools the seal elements, reducing thermal stresses and degradation caused by friction, while maintaining a secure seal and accommodating engine dynamics.
Implementation Method 1
fluid passages for cooling, allowing fluid to flow through the seal element and guide rails to mitigate heat-related stresses
Data Source
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AI summary
An assembly (10) is provided for a gas turbine engine. This gas turbine engine assembly includes a pin (32), a seal support assembly (34) and a seal element (30). The pin (32) is configured with a pin fluid passage (80). The seal support assembly (34) is mated with and slidable along the pin (32). The seal element (30) is mounted to the seal support assembly (34). The seal element (30) is configured with a seal element fluid passage (56) that is fluidly coupled with the pin fluid passage (80) through the seal support assembly (34).