Segmented Sliding Seal With Frustoconical Rings For Deflection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional seals used in gas turbine engines, such as metal w-seals and non-metallic rope seals, fail prematurely due to significant relative deflections and elevated temperatures, leading to inefficiencies in engine performance and component life, and lack flexibility and wear resistance.
Innovation Solution
A sliding seal design comprising frustoconical rings and a wave spring, with seal sections configured to move relative to each other, and optionally including compliant seals and high-temperature materials, to maintain sealing effectiveness under deflection and temperature stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a metal w-seal is used to seal the gas path, then wear resistance is improved, but flexibility deteriorates causing the seal to deform under significant deflections
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is divided into multiple segments including a first seal section, a second seal section, and frustoconical rings that can move independently relative to each other. This segmentation allows each segment to maintain its shape and wear resistance while the overall seal accommodates deflections through relative movement of segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal transitions from a static structure to a dynamic one where the frustoconical rings and seal sections can move axially and radially relative to each other. This dynamic capability enables the seal to maintain contact under deflection without deforming the individual segments, preserving both wear resistance and flexibility.
2Strength
If a higher strength material is used to improve deflection capability, then deflection resistance is improved, but temperature capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the seal into multiple sections and frustoconical rings, the design achieves deflection capability through relative movement rather than material strength. This allows the use of high-temperature materials that would otherwise be too brittle to handle deflections, thus improving temperature capability while maintaining deflection resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic movement capability of the segmented seal sections and frustoconical rings provides the necessary deflection accommodation without requiring high-strength materials. This enables the use of materials with superior temperature resistance that would fail in static seal designs subjected to deflection.
3Temperature
If a rope seal is used to achieve high temperature capability, then temperature resistance is improved, but flexibility deteriorates resulting in even less flexibility than w-seals
Solution Approach 1:
The rope seal is segmented into discrete sections separated by frustoconical rings. This segmentation restores flexibility by allowing each section to move independently, while the high-temperature capability is maintained through the use of temperature-resistant materials in each segment.
Solution Approach 2:
The introduction of dynamic movement between seal sections and frustoconical rings restores flexibility to the high-temperature rope seal design. The sections can move axially and radially to accommodate deflections, eliminating the flexibility deficit of conventional rope seals while maintaining temperature resistance.
4Reliability
If conventional seals are used in environments with significant relative motion, then sealing is provided, but wear resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The dynamic design allows the seal sections and frustoconical rings to move with the components rather than resisting motion. This reduces relative sliding and wear at the sealing interface while maintaining sealing effectiveness, as the seal adapts to the component movement rather than fighting against it.
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 seal design maintains sealing contact without substantial deflection, even under significant relative movement, enhancing engine efficiency, component life, and wear resistance, while allowing for lower strength and higher temperature capability materials.
Implementation Method 1
a wave spring disposed between the first and second seal sections and operative to bias the first seal section away from the second seal section
Implementation Method 2
the first and second seal sections and the one or more frustoconical rings are configured to move relative to one another
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates generally to a sliding seal between two components. The sliding seal includes a first seal section including one or more first slots formed therein, a second seal section including one or more second slots formed therein and one or more frustoconical rings disposed in respective ones of the slots, such that the first and second seal sections and the frustoconical rings move relative to one another during relative movement between the two components. A wave spring disposed between the first and second seal sections biases the first and second seal sections away from one another.