Tapered Gas Turbine Segment Seals With Seal Pin
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Gas leakage between components in gas turbine engines reduces efficiency, increases fuel costs, and emits more, as existing segment seals have gaps that allow leakage flow, leading to inefficiencies and shorter component lifetimes.
Innovation Solution
A tapered segment seal assembly with a seal pin that occludes gaps between segment seals, using independently loading tapered segment seals and a seal pin to block leakage paths, ensuring a more complete seal under pressure differentials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If segment seals are spaced apart to accommodate thermal expansion and manufacturing tolerances, then ease of manufacture and reliability are improved, but leakage flow increases and efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is divided into multiple segment seals arranged in a circular pattern around the gas path. Each segment can independently expand and contract with thermal changes while maintaining collective sealing effectiveness. The segments are positioned at different angular locations to ensure that not all gaps open simultaneously, reducing overall leakage.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing approach transitions from a single continuous seal to a multi-dimensional segmented arrangement. The segments are distributed around the circumference, creating a three-dimensional sealing structure that accommodates radial thermal expansion while maintaining angular coverage to block leakage paths.
2Loss of energy
If a continuous seal structure is used to eliminate gaps, then leakage flow is reduced and efficiency is improved, but thermal expansion accommodation and manufacturing flexibility are restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous seal is segmented into multiple independent sections that can be manufactured separately and assembled. Each segment is sized to accommodate manufacturing tolerances and can be independently adjusted during assembly, providing manufacturing flexibility while collectively forming a continuous sealing barrier.
Solution Approach 2:
The segment seals are designed to be dynamic rather than static, allowing each segment to move independently in response to thermal expansion and pressure differentials. This dynamic capability enables the seal to adapt to changing operating conditions while maintaining effective sealing.
3Manufacturing precision
If segment seals are made rigid to maintain seal geometry, then manufacturing precision is improved, but ability to accommodate thermal expansion and pressure differentials is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid seal geometry is achieved through precisely manufactured individual segments, each with controlled tolerances. The segmentation allows each piece to be manufactured with high precision while the collective assembly accommodates thermal expansion through the gaps between segments that can open and close dynamically.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal system utilizes parameter changes in the gaps between segments, allowing the gap dimensions to vary with temperature and pressure while the segment geometries themselves maintain precise manufacturing specifications. This separates the precision requirement from the adaptability requirement.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The present application and the resultant patent provide improved gas turbine component sealing. In one example embodiment, a gas turbine segment seal assembly 100 may include a first tapered segment seal 120 with a first tapered portion 140 having a first tapered surface and a first taper angle 142. The gas turbine segment seal assembly may include a second tapered segment seal 150 with a second tapered portion 170 having a second tapered surface and a second taper angle 172. The gas turbine segment seal assembly may include a seal pin 180 positioned in between the first tapered segment seal and the second segment seal and adjacent to the first tapered surface and the second tapered surface.