Rotor Gear Coupling Sealing at Radial Flanges to Stop Leakage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing turbomachine rotor assemblies with curvic couplings experience fluid leakage due to play between teeth, leading to thermal expansion, reduced lifespan, and energy loss, which affects efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A turbomachine assembly with a sealing device configured to rest on radial flanges, using a fastening device to secure the sealing device and prevent fluid circulation through the gear coupling, ensuring proper torque transmission and extended service life.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If a toothed coupling is used to connect rotor elements, then torque transmission and positioning are improved, but fluid leakage occurs due to play between teeth

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetorque transmissionVSAvoidfluid leakage

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

A sealing device is introduced as an intermediary element between the two rotor elements at the flange interface. This sealing device blocks the fluid leakage path that exists due to tooth play, while allowing the toothed coupling to continue transmitting torque. The sealing device acts as a mediator that eliminates the harmful fluid circulation without interfering with the mechanical coupling function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If radial flanges are used to support the sealing device, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional fastening requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidfastening device structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The fastening device serves dual purposes: it secures the radial flanges to the rotor elements and simultaneously anchors the sealing device in position. By combining these two functions into a single fastening system, the patent avoids adding separate mounting hardware for the sealing device, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity while achieving reliable sealing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Temperature

If air circulation through the coupling is prevented, then thermal expansion and energy loss are reduced, but manufacturing complexity increases due to the sealing device

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal expansionVSAvoidassembly complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing device utilizes a flexible sealing element (such as an O-ring or elastomeric seal) that can deform to conform to the flange surface irregularities. This flexible membrane approach provides effective sealing against air circulation and thermal effects while remaining relatively simple to manufacture and install, minimizing the impact on ease of manufacture despite the added sealing functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentEP4248065B1Turbine engine rotor element assembly equipped with a sealing device

Publication Date: 2026.04.01 SAFRAN AIRCRAFT ENGINES SAS

Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~8

AI summary

The invention relates to a turbine engine assembly 1 comprising a first rotor element (2) and a second rotor element (3) extending around a longitudinal axis X and coupled to one another by means of a gear coupling (4), the first rotor element comprising teeth (6) and the second rotor element (3) comprising complementary teeth (9) which extend along the longitudinal axis and form the gear coupling. According to the invention, the first and second rotor elements each comprise a first and a second radial flange (16, 17) which are annular and arranged facing one another, and the assembly comprises a sealing device (14) configured to ensure that the gear coupling is sealed at the first and second flanges.