Seal Assembly Retention Feature for Windage Blocking and Oil Drainage

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional seal assemblies in gas turbine engines face challenges in space-limited applications due to the requirement for both stationary and rotating components to guide oil along an intended path, leading to insufficient space for effective drain-back or scupper systems, which can result in oil recirculation and detrimental engine performance.

Innovation Solution

A seal assembly design incorporating a retention member with protrusions that extend into a buffer cavity to interrupt and guide circumferential air and oil flow, performing both retention and windage-blocking functions, allowing for efficient oil collection and drainage within a smaller space.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional drain-back or scupper systems with both stationary and rotating components are used to guide oil, then oil can be effectively collected and drained, but the space required for these components becomes excessively large

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoil collection and drainage effectivenessVSAvoidspace occupied by drain-back system components

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the functions of stationary and rotating components into a single integrated retention member that performs both retention and windage-blocking functions simultaneously, eliminating the need for separate components and reducing overall space requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The retention member is designed to perform multiple functions: it retains seal components, blocks windage (circumferential air flow), and guides oil along the intended path to drain-back or scupper systems, consolidating what would traditionally require separate dedicated components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 design enables effective retention and windage-blocking within space-constrained applications, preventing oil recirculation and enhancing engine performance by guiding and collecting oil within the seal assembly, thereby improving durability and operation.

Implementation Method 1

a protrusion extending from an end plate of the retention member into the second cavity, interrupting a circumferential flow of air within the second cavity

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCircumferential flow interruption:

Data Source

PatentUS11846355B2Dual windage blocker and retention feature design for seal assembly

Publication Date: 2023.12.19 RTX CORP

AI summary

A seal assembly includes a rotatable shaft and a stationary housing circumscribing the shaft to form radially inner and radially outer boundaries of a seal cavity and a buffer cavity adjacent to the seal cavity. A retention member engaging the housing within the seal cavity includes an end plate extending radially at the axial boundary between the seal and buffer cavities and a protrusion extending from the end plate into the buffer cavity.