Dynamic sealing assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12084976-B2
Application number	US-202318463633-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2023
Priority date	Sep 26, 2022
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

There is provided a dynamic sealing assembly for a rotary machine, comprising a primary sandwich plate, a secondary sandwich plate and a bristle pack. The primary sandwich plate comprises a plurality of primary vane openings, and the secondary sandwich plate comprises a plurality of secondary vane openings. The bristle pack comprises a plurality of bristles and is disposed between the primary sandwich plate and the secondary sandwich plate. Each of the plurality of primary vane openings overlies and aligns with a respective secondary vane opening to form a vane channel for receiving a vane along a longitudinal axis of the dynamic sealing assembly. The bristle pack is configured to: provide a brush seal between each vane received within the respective vane channels and the dynamic sealing assembly; and allow relative movement between the dynamic sealing assembly and the vane received within each vane channel along the longitudinal axis.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dynamic sealing assembly for a rotary machine, comprising:
a primary sandwich plate comprising a plurality of primary vane openings;
a secondary sandwich plate comprising a plurality of secondary vane openings; and
a bristle pack comprising a plurality of bristles disposed between the primary sandwich plate and the secondary sandwich plate;
wherein each of the plurality of primary vane openings overlies and aligns with a respective secondary vane opening to form a vane channel for receiving a vane along a longitudinal axis of the dynamic sealing assembly; and
wherein the bristle pack is configured to:
provide a brush seal between each vane received within the respective vane channels and the dynamic sealing assembly; and
allow relative movement between the dynamic sealing assembly and the vane received within each vane channel along the longitudinal axis.

2. The dynamic sealing assembly of claim 1 , wherein in each of the vane channels, a window is defined within the bristle pack to receive the vane therethrough.

3. The dynamic sealing assembly of claim 2 , wherein each window is defined within the bristle pack such that the bristle pack protrudes into the respective vane channel to define the window.

4. The dynamic sealing assembly of claim 2 , wherein a profile of each of the windows corresponds to a cross-sectional profile of the vane to be received therein.

5. The dynamic sealing assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bristle pack is clamped between the primary sandwich plate and the secondary sandwich plate.

6. The dynamic sealing assembly of claim 5 , wherein the bristle pack is clamped by cooperation of a primary opening boss disposed around each of the primary vane openings and an opposing secondary vane opening boss disposed around the respective secondary vane opening.

7. The dynamic sealing assembly of claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of bristles of the bristle pack is bonded to the primary sandwich plate and/or to the secondary sandwich plate at a plurality of bonding locations, each bonding location being between a respective primary opening boss and an opposing secondary vane opening boss.

8. The dynamic sealing assembly of claim 1 ,
wherein each vane channel has:
an inner region located relatively proximal to a geometrical centre of the dynamic sealing assembly; and
an outer region located relatively distal to the geometrical centre of the dynamic sealing assembly,

wherein the dynamic sealing arrangement is configured such that:
the bristles of the bristle pack provide greater resistance to deflection in a first direction parallel to the longitudinal axis within the inner region than within the outer region; and
the bristles of the bristle pack provide greater resistance to deflection in a second direction parallel to the longitudinal axis within the outer region than within the inner region, the first direction opposing the second direction.

9. The dynamic sealing assembly of claim 1 ,
wherein each window is defined within the bristle pack such that the bristle pack protrudes into the respective vane channel to define the window,
wherein the bristle pack is clamped by cooperation of a primary opening boss disposed around each of the primary vane openings and an opposing secondary vane opening boss disposed around the respective secondary vane opening,
wherein each vane channel has:
an inner region located relatively proximal to a geometrical centre of the dynamic sealing assembly; and
an outer region located relatively distal to the geometrical centre of the dynamic sealing assembly, and

wherein, in each inner region, an inner guide is disposed between the primary opening boss and the window, the inner guide protruding from the primary sandwich plate to support the bristles of the bristle pack.

10. The dynamic sealing arrangement of claim 9 , wherein in each outer region, an outer guide is disposed between the secondary opening boss and the window, the outer guide protruding from the secondary sandwich plate to support the bristles of the bristle pack.

11. The dynamic sealing assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the primary sandwich plate comprises a plurality of throat openings; and
each throat opening is in fluid communication with each other throat opening via a connecting fluid pathway.

12. The dynamic sealing assembly of claim 11 , wherein each throat opening is located proximal to a respective vane channel.

13. The dynamic sealing assembly of claim 11 , wherein a hole is formed in the bristle pack at a location underlying each throat opening.

14. The dynamic sealing assembly of claim 13 , wherein each hole is formed in the bristle pack such that an edge of the respective hole is substantially flush with an edge of the respective throat opening.

15. The dynamic sealing assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
each sandwich plate is annular around the longitudinal axis; and
each of the plurality of bristles of the bristle pack extends substantially parallel a local radial direction extending from the longitudinal axis.

16. The dynamic sealing assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of bristles of the bristle pack has a melting point which is greater than 300° C.

17. A blower assembly for providing air to an airframe system, the blower assembly comprising:
the dynamic sealing assembly of claim 1 ; and
a rotor configured to be mechanically coupled to a spool of a gas turbine engine;
wherein the blower assembly is operable in a compressor configuration in which the rotor is configured to be driven to rotate by the spool and to receive and compress air from the gas turbine engine, and discharge the compressed air for supply to the airframe system; and
wherein the blower assembly further comprises:
a diffuser vane array comprising a plurality of diffuser vanes and configured to act together with the rotor to compress air received at the rotor in the compressor configuration, wherein the dynamic sealing assembly is positioned within the blower assembly such that each diffuser vane is partially located within a respective vane channel; and
an actuator arrangement configured to cause relative movement between the dynamic sealing assembly and the diffuser vane array to adjust an effective axial height of the diffuser vanes in the compressor configuration, wherein the effective axial height is with respect to a rotational axis of the rotor.

18. A blower assembly for providing air to an airframe system, the blower assembly comprising:
the dynamic sealing assembly of claim 1 ; and
a rotor configured to be mechanically coupled to a spool of a gas turbine engine;
wherein the blower assembly is operable in a turbine configuration in which the rotor is configured to receive air from an external air source to drive the spool to rotate; and
wherein the blower assembly further comprises:
a nozzle guide vane array comprising a plurality of nozzle guide vanes and configured to act together with the rotor to expand air received at the nozzle guide vane array in the turbine configuration, wherein the dynamic sealing assembly is positioned within the blower assembly such that each nozzle guide vanes is partially located within a respective vane channel; and
an actuator arrangement configured to cause relative movement between the dynamic sealing assembly and the nozzle guide vane array to adjust an effective axial height of the nozzle guide vanes in the turbine configuration, wherein the effective axial height is with respect to a rotational axis of the rotor.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Plc

Inventors

• Murray Christopher A
• Howarth Nicholas

Classifications

• F01D17/143

  the shiftable member being a wall, or part thereof of a radial diffuser · CPC title

• F05D2240/56

  Brush seals · CPC title

• F01D15/08

  Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, pumps · CPC title

• F05D2250/52

  Outlet · CPC title

• F01D11/005

  Sealing means between non relatively rotating elements · CPC title