Integral Seal Assembly With Compliant Structure for Leakage Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seal assemblies in bearing compartments of gas turbine engines face fluid leakage issues due to multiple components, leading to undesirable consequences such as lubricant starvation and safety risks, and are costly to manufacture and assemble due to numerous separate components.
Innovation Solution
A seal assembly with a compliant structure that is integral with the seal carrier and support structure, comprising flexible members like bellows springs or V-shapes, which apply a mechanical load to maintain contact between the seal and seal plate, reducing leak paths and improving precision and wear resistance, and can be manufactured as a multi-material integral piece using additive methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate components are used in the seal assembly, then the seal can be designed with different materials and functions for each component, but the complexity of manufacture and assembly increases and fluid leakage may occur between components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple seal components into a single integral seal assembly that can be manufactured as one piece using additive manufacturing. This eliminates the interfaces between separate components where fluid leakage occurs, while still allowing different regions of the integrated seal to have different material properties or functional characteristics through multi-material additive manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials or multi-material additive manufacturing to create different functional zones within the integrated seal assembly. This allows the seal to have varying material properties (such as hardness, flexibility, or chemical resistance) in different regions, maintaining the adaptability benefits of multiple components while achieving the leakage prevention benefits of an integrated design.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple separate components are used in the seal assembly, then each component can be optimized for its specific function, but the manufacturing cost and assembly time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple optimized components into a single integral structure manufactured via additive manufacturing. This eliminates assembly operations, reduces labor costs, and eliminates the need for precision alignment of multiple components during assembly, while additive manufacturing itself enables complex geometries that would be difficult or expensive to manufacture using traditional methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent leverages additive manufacturing parameters (such as layer thickness, infill density, support structures, and material deposition patterns) to achieve the functional optimization previously obtained through separate components. Different regions of the seal can have different lattice structures, wall thicknesses, or material compositions, all controlled through digital modeling and manufacturing parameters rather than physical assembly.
3Ease of repair
If traditional seal assemblies with multiple components are used, then the seal can be replaced or adjusted individually, but fluid leakage occurs at the interfaces between components and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple seal components into a single monolithic structure, eliminating the interfaces between components where fluid leakage occurs. This significantly improves reliability by removing the most common failure points in traditional multi-component seals. The integral design ensures consistent sealing performance without leakage paths at component boundaries.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a seal assembly that is optimized as a complete unit rather than a collection of replaceable individual components. This shifts the maintenance strategy toward replacing the entire seal assembly as a single unit, which eliminates leakage issues at component interfaces. The additive manufacturing process enables cost-effective production of these integral seals, making the disposable approach economically viable.
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 integral seal assembly design reduces fluid leakage, enhances safety, and improves engine efficiency while minimizing manufacturing costs by eliminating separate components and allowing precise tuning of the seal force, resulting in fewer safety risks and better operational performance.
Implementation Method 1
a compliant structure configured to apply a force or mechanical load to the seal carrier and/or seal
Implementation Method 2
The compliant structure may comprise a flexible member. In various embodiments, the compliant structure may be a bellows spring. In various embodiments, the compliant structure may comprise a V-shape.
Data Source
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AI summary
A seal assembly (300; 500; 700) is disclosed. A seal assembly (300; 500; 700) may comprise a seal carrier (330; 530; 730), a compliant structure (320; 520; 720) comprising a first end (322; 522; 722) and a second end (324; 524; 724), wherein the first end (322; 522; 722) is coupled to the seal carrier (330; 530; 730), and/or a support structure (310; 510; 710) coupled to the second end (324; 524; 724). The seal carrier (330; 530; 730) may be integral with the compliant structure (320; 520; 720).