Self crystalline orientation for increased compliance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10094232-B2
Application number	US-201514825812-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2015
Priority date	Aug 13, 2015
Publication date	Oct 9, 2018
Grant date	Oct 9, 2018

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a seal comprising: a shoe, and at least one beam coupled to the shoe, wherein the seal includes a single crystal material with a predetermined crystalline orientation. Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a method for designing a seal, comprising: obtaining a requirement associated with at least one of: a geometrical profile of the seal, a temperature range over which the seal is to operate, a natural frequency associated with the seal, or a range of deflection associated with the seal, selecting a crystalline orientation for a single crystal material of the seal based on the requirement, and fabricating the seal based on the selected crystalline orientation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seal for a rotary component of a gas turbine engine, the seal comprising:
plural members, including a first member defining a first beam, a second member defining a second beam, and a third member defining a shoe,
the plural members being spaced in a radial direction, the first member being disposed at a radial outer end of the seal, the second member being disposed on a radial middle of the seal, and the third member being disposed at a radial inner end of the seal;
the plural members extending in a lengthwise direction, the first member and second member being connected at a lengthwise inner end of the seal, and the plural members being connected at a lengthwise outer end of the seal;
wherein the seal comprises a single crystalline structure that is oriented such that a natural frequency for at least two of the plural members differs;
wherein the orientation of the single crystalline structure provides for the natural frequency being greater than a frequency associated with a speed of the rotary component in an amount greater than a threshold.

2. The seal of claim 1 , wherein the single crystalline structure is a nickel-based alloy.

3. The seal of claim 1 , wherein the orientation of the single crystalline structure accommodates a requirement associated with at least a geometrical profile of the seal.

4. The seal of claim 3 , wherein the geometrical profile is specified in terms of at least a radius of the seal.

5. The seal of claim 3 , wherein the geometrical profile is specified in terms of at least a length of at least one of the first beam or the second beam.

6. The seal of claim 1 , wherein the orientation of the single crystalline structure accommodates a requirement associated with at least a range of deflection associated with the seal.

7. The seal of claim 1 , wherein the seal is included in the engine.

8. The seal of claim 1 , wherein the seal is included in the engine of an aircraft.

9. The seal of claim 8 , wherein the seal is associated with one of a fan section of the engine, a compressor section of the engine, or a turbine section of the engine.

10. The seal of claim 1 , wherein the seal is configured as an aerodynamic seal and is coupled to a first structure that is fixed and a second structure that rotates relative to the first structure, the second structure including the rotary component.

11. The seal of claim 1 , wherein the crystalline orientation is specified by the triple <111>.

12. The seal of claim 1 , wherein the seal includes a first tab at the lengthwise inner end of the seal, the first tab extending in the radial outer direction from the radial outer end of the seal for mounting to a ground.

13. The seal of claim 12 , wherein the seal includes a second tab at the lengthwise outer end of the seal, the second tab extending in the lengthwise outer direction from the radial inner end of the seal.

14. A method for designing a seal, comprising:
obtaining a requirement associated with at least:
a natural frequency associated with the seal;

selecting a crystalline orientation for a single crystal material of the seal based on the requirement; and
fabricating the seal based on the selected crystalline orientation,
wherein the crystalline orientation provides for the natural frequency being greater than a frequency associated with a speed of a rotating component in an amount that is greater than a threshold.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the requirement is associated with at least a geometrical profile of the seal.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the geometrical profile is specified in terms of at least a radius of the seal.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the geometrical profile is specified in terms of at least a length of at least one beam of the seal.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the requirement is associated with at least a range of deflection associated with the seal.

19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the requirement is associated with at least a temperature range over which the seal is to operate.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the crystalline orientation is specified by the triple <111>.

21. A gas turbine engine including a rotating component, the rotating component including a fluid seal, the seal comprising:
plural members, including a first member defining a first beam, a second member defining a second beam, and a third member defining a shoe,
the plural members being spaced in a radial direction, the first member being disposed at a radial outer end of the seal, the second member being disposed on a radial middle of the seal, and the third member being disposed at a radial inner end of the seal;
the plural members extending in a lengthwise direction, the first member and second member being connected at a lengthwise inner end of the seal, and the plural members being connected at a lengthwise outer end of the seal;
wherein the seal comprises a single crystalline structure that is oriented such that a natural frequency for at least two of the plural members differs.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Mccaffrey Michael G
• Hudson Eric A

Classifications

• F01D11/02 Primary

  by non-contact sealings, e.g. of labyrinth type (for sealing space between rotor blade tips and stator F01D11/08) · CPC title

• F05D2300/17

  Alloys · CPC title

• F01D5/24

  using wire or the like · CPC title

• F01D5/22

  Blade-to-blade connections, {e.g. for damping vibrations} · CPC title

• F05D2240/55

  Seals · CPC title