Hydrostatic Non-Contact Seal Assembly for Rotor-Stator Heat Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rotational equipment, such as gas turbine engines, face inefficiencies and increased costs due to heat generation and high temperatures from contact seals, which can be mitigated by implementing a non-contact seal assembly to reduce heat transfer and stress on components.
Innovation Solution
A non-contact seal assembly is designed for rotational equipment, featuring a hydrostatic seal with an annular base, shoes, and spring elements, which are radially arranged around the rotor disk structure to form a seal without physical contact, utilizing a monolithic full hoop body and floating stator structure to accommodate thermal expansion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a contact seal with a seal element is used to seal the gap between rotor and stator, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but heat generation increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical contact seal system with a hydrostatic non-contact seal system. Instead of relying on direct mechanical contact between seal elements and seal lands, the invention uses fluid pressure to maintain separation between the rotor and stator, eliminating the mechanical contact that generates heat while preserving sealing effectiveness through the hydrostatic barrier.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a hydrostatic seal mechanism that uses fluid pressure to maintain a non-contact barrier between the rotor and stator. The hydrostatic system generates sufficient fluid pressure to prevent direct contact while maintaining sealing, thereby eliminating the heat generation associated with mechanical contact seals.
2Reliability
If contact seals are used to seal the gap, then sealing is achieved, but other components must be constructed from specialty high temperature materials increasing manufacturing costs
Solution Approach 1:
By replacing the mechanical contact seal system with a hydrostatic non-contact seal system, the patent eliminates the need for specialty high-temperature materials in components adjacent to the seal interface. The fluid barrier prevents heat transfer to surrounding components, allowing standard materials to be used and significantly reducing manufacturing costs.
3Temperature
If non-contact seals are implemented to reduce heat, then heat transfer is reduced, but configuration within rotational equipment becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The hydrostatic seal assembly is designed to perform multiple functions within a single integrated structure: sealing the gap between rotor and stator, supporting axial and radial positioning, and accommodating thermal expansion. This multi-functionality simplifies the overall configuration by eliminating the need for separate components for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrostatic seal incorporates flexible elements and compliant mounting structures that automatically adapt to variations in rotor position, thermal expansion, and manufacturing tolerances. This dynamic design allows the seal to maintain its non-contact configuration without requiring precise static alignment, thereby reducing configuration difficulty.
4Temperature
If non-contact seals with shafts and linkages are used, then heat is reduced, but incidental contact occurs requiring replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical linkages and shafts with a pure hydrostatic system that uses fluid pressure to maintain the non-contact barrier. This eliminates the mechanical components that could experience incidental contact, wear, or failure, thereby improving reliability while maintaining heat reduction benefits.
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 non-contact seal assembly effectively reduces heat transfer and internal stresses, enhancing the efficiency and reducing manufacturing and servicing costs of rotational equipment by eliminating the need for specialty high-temperature materials and minimizing the risk of incidental contact.
Implementation Method 1
The seal assembly may include an annular base, a plurality of shoes, and a plurality of spring elements. Each of the spring elements may be radially between and connect a respective one of the shoes to the base.
Implementation Method 2
The non-contact seal may be a hydrostatic non-contact seal
Data Source
AI summary
Assemblies are provided for rotational equipment. One of these assemblies includes a first bladed rotor assembly, a second bladed rotor assembly, a stator vane assembly, a stator structure and a seal assembly. The second bladed rotor assembly includes a rotor disk structure. The stator vane assembly is axially between the first and the second bladed rotor assemblies. The stator structure is mated with and radially within the stator vane assembly. The seal assembly is configured for sealing a gap between the stator structure and the rotor disk structure, wherein the seal assembly includes a non-contact seal.