Removable Spring Carrier for Gas Turbine Seal Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Legacy carbon seal designs in gas turbine engines require removal of additional hardware for maintenance, increasing complexity and risk of foreign object damage during inspection and replacement.
Innovation Solution
A seal assembly with a separate removable spring carrier allows for the carbon face seal to be removed without additional hardware, simplifying maintenance and reducing the risk of damage from loose or lost components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If a translating seal carrier is integrated into the seal assembly as in legacy carbon seal designs, then the seal assembly maintains structural integrity, but the seal carrier cannot be removed without removing the entire seal assembly, increasing maintenance complexity and time
Solution Approach 1:
The seal assembly is divided into separate components: a stationary seal support, a removable seal carrier, and retaining hardware. This segmentation allows the seal carrier to be independently removed from the engine without removing the entire seal assembly, while the stationary seal support remains in place, resolving the contradiction between ease of repair and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The seal carrier is extracted as a separate removable component from the integrated seal assembly. By taking out the seal carrier and making it independently removable, the design enables maintenance personnel to remove and replace the seal carrier without removing the entire seal assembly, improving ease of repair while maintaining acceptable structural integrity through the stationary seal support
2Productivity
If additional hardware is required for seal assembly maintenance, then structural integrity is maintained, but maintenance time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the seal assembly into a stationary seal support and a removable seal carrier, the design enables faster maintenance operations. The seal carrier can be quickly removed and replaced without removing the entire seal assembly or dealing with additional hardware, significantly improving maintenance efficiency and reducing maintenance time
Solution Approach 2:
The seal carrier is extracted as a standalone removable component, eliminating the need to remove additional hardware during maintenance. This extraction allows maintenance personnel to quickly remove and replace the seal carrier in isolation, improving productivity while reducing the time required for maintenance operations
3Reliability
If additional hardware is present during seal replacement, then structural support is provided, but the risk of foreign object damage from loose or lost components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal carrier is extracted as a self-contained removable component that can be handled independently. This extraction eliminates the risk of additional hardware becoming loose or lost during seal replacement, as the seal carrier design integrates all necessary components and includes features like a retention groove that prevents accidental loss, improving reliability while maintaining ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The seal carrier acts as an intermediary component between the stationary seal support and the carbon seal. This intermediary design allows the carbon seal to be replaced without directly handling additional hardware, reducing the risk of foreign object damage while maintaining operational simplicity through the seal carrier's integrated design
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
This design enhances maintainability by reducing maintenance time and costs, and minimizes the risk of foreign object damage to the engine during seal replacement.
Implementation Method 1
a spring disposed between the seal support and the spring carrier
Implementation Method 2
The interfacing surfaces that comprise the contact face of the seal plate and the contact face of the carbon seal are lubricated to minimize friction and wear
Data Source
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AI summary
A seal assembly includes a seal support, a spring carrier, a plurality of springs, and a seal carrier. The spring carrier is connected to the seal support by a guide assembly. The plurality of springs are disposed between the seal support and the spring carrier. The seal carrier is connected to the spring carrier and is removable therefrom.