Turbine Seal Support Spring Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seal support assemblies for gas turbine engines face challenges in maintaining a consistent radial clearance between the rotor shaft and the seal members across varying operating conditions, leading to potential seal member/rotor rubs during low delta pressure conditions.
Innovation Solution
A seal member support system utilizing a tangential spring-based retraction mechanism to hold seal members in a retracted position during low delta pressure conditions, allowing them to move radially inward to seal the radial gap as pressure delta increases, and return to the retracted position as pressure delta decreases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If seal members are maintained in a fixed position to ensure sealing, then sealing effectiveness is improved, but radial clearance consistency deteriorates under varying operating conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The seal support assembly incorporates a spring mechanism that enables dynamic adjustment of seal member position. The spring allows the seal members to move radially inward under high delta pressure conditions for effective sealing, and radially outward under low delta pressure conditions to maintain positive clearance, thus resolving the contradiction between sealing effectiveness and radial clearance consistency
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the positional parameter of the seal members based on operating conditions. During high-power modes, the spring compresses allowing seal members to approach the rotor shaft for sealing. During low-power modes, the spring extends pulling seal members away to maintain clearance. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by adapting seal position to operating conditions
2Reliability
If seal members are positioned close to the rotor shaft for sealing, then sealing performance is improved, but risk of seal member/rotor rubs increases during low delta pressure conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-based dynamic positioning system allows seal members to adapt their position to operating conditions. During low delta pressure conditions, the spring maintains seal members in a retracted position with positive clearance from the rotor shaft, eliminating the harmful rubs. During high delta pressure conditions, the seal members move inward to achieve effective sealing, thus resolving the contradiction between sealing performance and prevention of rubs
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism applies a preliminary outward force on the seal members during low delta pressure conditions to maintain positive radial clearance before any contact with the rotor shaft can occur. This preliminary anti-action prevents the harmful effect of seal member/rotor rubs while allowing effective sealing when pressure conditions require 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 system effectively maintains a positive radial clearance between the seal members and the rotor shaft under all operating conditions, reducing the risk of seal member/rotor rubs and wear, while ensuring efficient sealing during high-power operating modes.
Implementation Method 1
a spring arrangement extending between the carrier and a first seal segment to counter a pressure on an outer pressurization surface of a lip of the first seal segment
Implementation Method 2
the seal support assembly includes a spring arrangement
Data Source
AI summary
A turbine engine is provided. The turbine engine defines an axial direction and a radial direction, and includes: a rotor; a stator comprising a carrier; a seal assembly disposed between the rotor and the stator, the seal assembly defining a high-pressure side and a low-pressure side and comprising a plurality of seal segments, the plurality of seal segments including a seal segment having a seal face forming a fluid bearing with the rotor, a lip, and a body, the lip extending from the body along the axial direction of the turbine engine on the high-pressure side and including an outer pressurization surface along the radial direction of the turbine engine; and a seal support assembly, the seal support assembly comprising a spring arrangement extending between the carrier and the first seal segment to counter a pressure on the outer pressurization surface during operation of the turbine engine.