Hinged Seal for Gas Turbine Engine Deflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional seals in gas turbine engines, such as metal w-seals and non-metallic rope seals, fail prematurely due to significant relative deflections and elevated temperatures, leading to inefficiencies in fuel burn, performance, and component life, as they lack flexibility and wear resistance.
Innovation Solution
A hinged seal design featuring frustoconical sections made from high-temperature materials like metal alloys, ceramics, or composites, with a hinge joint allowing angle adjustment and optional coatings or sheaths, and a rope seal for enhanced flexibility and wear resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a metal w-seal is used to seal the gas path, then wear resistance is improved, but flexibility deteriorates causing deformation under significant deflections
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is divided into multiple segments or sections that can independently deflect and rotate. Each segment maintains the wear-resistant material properties while the segmented structure provides flexibility through relative motion between segments, resolving the contradiction between wear resistance and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal incorporates dynamic elements such as hinges or pivot points that allow the seal sections to rotate and adapt to relative deflections between components. This dynamic capability enables the wear-resistant seal to maintain flexibility and effectiveness under varying operational conditions.
2Temperature
If a rope seal is used to achieve high temperature capability, then temperature resistance is improved, but flexibility deteriorates resulting in even less flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The rope seal is segmented into multiple sections that can independently deflect and rotate. Each segment maintains the high-temperature material properties while the segmented structure provides flexibility through relative motion between segments, resolving the contradiction between temperature capability and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal incorporates dynamic elements such as hinges or pivot points that allow the seal sections to rotate and adapt to relative deflections between components. This dynamic capability enables the high-temperature seal to maintain flexibility and effectiveness under varying operational conditions.
3Strength
If a higher strength material is used to improve deflection capability, then deflection resistance is improved, but temperature capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The seal uses composite material construction combining materials with different properties - one material provides deflection capability while another provides high-temperature resistance. The composite structure allows each material to contribute its strengths, resolving the contradiction between deflection capability and temperature capability.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates generally to a seal between two components. The seal includes a first substantially frustoconical seal section including a first seal section radially outer end and a first seal section radially inner end. The seal also includes a second substantially frustoconical seal section including a second seal section radially outer end and a second seal section radially inner end, wherein the second seal section radially inner end is supported by the first seal section radially inner end to create a hinge joint allowing an angle defined between the first and second seal sections to change.