Splined Dog-Bone Seal Radial Centering
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Metal w-seals and dog-bone seals in gas turbines face issues with leakage due to relative axial/radial deflections and elevated temperatures, leading to misalignment and reduced effectiveness over time.
Innovation Solution
A splined dog-bone seal system is implemented, utilizing radially-oriented pins and slots to maintain the seal's concentricity with the engine centerline, allowing for movement within a defined range while minimizing leakage by engaging with feather seal slots, thus reducing radial clearance and weight, complexity, and cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dog-bone seals are made full-hoop to improve sealing continuity, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but radial clearance requirements increase and alignment with engine centerline is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The dog-bone seal is segmented into multiple sections with spline features that divide the seal structure into functional segments. This segmentation allows the seal to maintain full-hoop continuity for sealing while using the spline segments to control radial position and reduce clearance requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Spline features act as intermediary elements between the dog-bone seal and mating components. These splines provide a mechanical interface that maintains alignment and reduces radial clearance requirements, serving as a mediator that resolves the conflict between full-hoop sealing and radial clearance constraints.
2Reliability
If dog-bone seals are made full-hoop to improve sealing continuity, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but alignment with engine centerline and sealing features is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The seal structure is divided into segmented sections with spline features that maintain alignment with the engine centerline. The segmentation allows precise positioning features to be incorporated while maintaining the continuous sealing effect of a full-hoop design.
Solution Approach 2:
Spline features serve as intermediary alignment elements that mechanically couple the full-hoop seal to the engine centerline. These splines provide precise positioning and alignment while allowing the seal to maintain its continuous sealing configuration.
3Loss of energy
If radial clearance is reduced to improve sealing performance, then leakage is minimized, but the seal cannot accommodate relative deflections and misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The dog-bone seal incorporates dynamic capabilities through spline features that allow controlled movement and deflection accommodation. The spline engagement provides guidance while permitting the seal to dynamically adjust to relative deflections and misalignment, maintaining low leakage throughout the range of motion.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a system for maintaining a seal about an engine centerline, comprising: a first component, a second component, and a dog-bone seal coupled to the first component and the second component, wherein the first component is configured with at least one spline that is configured to engage a slot in the dog-bone seal to radially center the dog-bone seal relative to the first component and the second component.