Metal Matrix Flexible Seal Assembly for Low-Wear Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flexible seal assemblies for industrial applications, such as gas turbines and aerospace turbines, face limitations in flexure, durability, sealing, and temperature resistance, leading to issues like leakage, wear, and reduced operational efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A flexible seal assembly comprising one or more layers of metal matrix sheet material, made from randomly arranged thin wire segments sintered together, encapsulated within a metal casing. This design provides low torsional rigidity and high longitudinal flexure, allowing the seal to accommodate movement between components while maintaining a seal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rigid seal assemblies are used to maintain structural stability, then sealing reliability is improved, but wear on adjacent components increases and flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a flexible metal matrix shell structure that can deform elastically to accommodate component movement and misalignment. The metal matrix material provides both flexibility and durability, allowing the seal to conform to surface irregularities without causing wear to adjacent components, thus resolving the contradiction between sealing reliability and component wear.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite material construction combining metal matrix with other materials to achieve optimal balance between rigidity and flexibility. This composite structure maintains sealing reliability through the rigid metal framework while the flexible components reduce wear on adjacent parts by accommodating movement without excessive friction.
2Adaptability or versatility
If flexible seal materials are used to accommodate movement, then longitudinal flexure is improved, but torsional rigidity increases causing resistance to component movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing different regions of the seal with different mechanical properties. The longitudinal sections are designed with high flexibility to accommodate movement, while the radial/thickness direction maintains sufficient rigidity. This localized differentiation allows the seal to flex longitudinally without excessive torsional resistance, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and strength.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional cloth or laminate seals are used to fill gaps, then ease of manufacture is improved, but durability and temperature resistance are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters from traditional cloth or laminate to metal matrix material, which fundamentally improves temperature resistance and durability. The metal matrix can withstand high temperatures and mechanical stress while maintaining sealing effectiveness, resolving the contradiction between ease of manufacture and reliability by using a material that is both manufacturable and highly durable.
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 flexible seal assembly effectively reduces wear on components, maintains a seal even with movement, and extends operational lifetime by protecting the metal matrix material within the casing, thus improving the overall efficiency and durability of the seal.
Implementation Method 1
The metal matrix sheet material can be made from a plurality of segments of thin wire arranged in a random fashion to create a sheet structure, and which are then sintered together to form a semi-rigid sheet
Data Source
AI summary
Flexible seal assemblies having a relatively low torsional rigidity and high longitudinal flexure to thereby allow the flexible seal assembly to flex between adjacent components and maintain a seal, even when movement between adjacent components occurs, is described. In some embodiments, the flexible seal assembly includes one or more layers of metal matrix material, the metal matrix material being comprised of a plurality of short segments of thin wire arranged randomly and sintered together to form a semi-rigid sheet. The one or more layers of metal matrix material can be sandwiched between an upper casing and a lower casing of a metal alloy casing. In various embodiments, additional features are provided for helping to make sure the seal assembly stays together, such as spot welds formed through the seal assembly, an S-shaped casing, and a recess/protrusion feature provided on adjacent layers of metal matrix material.