Apparatus to prevent air leakage in turbine engines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12560097-B2
Application number	US-202418621779-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2024
Priority date	Mar 31, 2023
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

Apparatus are disclosed for a turbofan comprising: a bifurcation including a first track; and an outer casing including an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet, the outer casing adjustable into a closed position and an open position, the outer casing positioned around the bifurcation, the outer casing including a first slider for movement between the closed position and the open position that mates with the first track, the first track including a brush seal holder and a brush seal including a plurality of bristles having a compressed state in the closed position and a decompressed state in the open position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A turbofan comprising:
a bifurcation including a first track; an outer casing including an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet, the outer casing adjustable into a closed position and an open position, the outer casing positioned around the bifurcation, the outer casing including a first slider for movement between the closed position and the open position that mates with a first track, the first track including a brush seal holder and a brush seal including a plurality of bristles having a compressed state in the closed position and a decompressed state in the open position; and a forward core cowl including a hinge, wherein the brush seal is within at least one of the first track or the hinge.

2 . The turbofan of claim 1 , wherein the brush seal is positioned radially outward of the first track.

3 . The turbofan of claim 1 , wherein the brush seal is located between the first track and the first slider.

4 . The turbofan of claim 1 , wherein the brush seal is at an end of the first track.

5 . The turbofan of claim 1 , wherein the brush seal includes at least one of nickel alloy, cobalt alloy, stainless steel, rubber, plastic, silicone, or fiber.

6 . The turbofan of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bristles has a length range from 0.1 inch to 1 inch.

7 . The turbofan of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bristles has a density range from 10 to 1000 bristles per a square inch of a strip surface area.

8 . The turbofan of claim 1 , wherein a core cowl is movable via a second slider along a second track of the bifurcation and includes at least one brush seal.

9 . The turbofan of claim 1 , further including at least one of a bulb seal, a P-seal, a labyrinth seal, or a compression seal.

10 . An outer duct of a turbine engine, the outer duct comprising:
a forward core cowl including a hinge; a first outer duct section including an airflow inlet; a second outer duct section including an airflow outlet, having a closed position and an open position, the outer duct longitudinally movable from the closed position to the open position, the second outer duct section including:
a slider that is received by a track to facilitate movement of the second outer duct section from the closed position to the open position; and
a brush seal holder and a brush seal including a plurality of bristles having a compressed state in the closed position and a decompressed state in the open position,
wherein the brush seal is within at least one of the track or the hinge.

11 . The outer duct of claim 10 , wherein the brush seal is positioned radially outward of the track.

12 . The outer duct of claim 10 , wherein the brush seal is in between the track and the slider.

13 . The outer duct of claim 10 , wherein the brush seal is at an end of the track.

14 . The outer duct of claim 10 , further including a bifurcation including the track.

15 . The outer duct of claim 10 , wherein the brush seal includes at least one of nickel alloy, cobalt alloy, stainless steel, rubber, plastic, silicone, or fiber.

16 . The outer duct of claim 11 , further including at least one of a bulb seal, a P-seal, a labyrinth seal, or a compression seal.

17 . A turbofan comprising:
a core cowl; and a nacelle having an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet, the nacelle including:
a forward core cowl including a hinge;
a first nacelle section including a first perimeter and a first track;
a second nacelle section, including a second perimeter, having a closed position and an open position, the second nacelle section longitudinally movable from the closed position to the open position along the first track; and
a brush seal runner extending along at least a portion of the first perimeter and at least a portion of the second perimeter, the brush seal runner including a first brush seal including a plurality of bristles having a compressed state in the closed position and a decompressed state in the open position,
wherein the first brush seal is within at least one of the first track or the hinge.

18 . The turbofan of claim 17 , wherein the core cowl further includes a second brush seal with a plurality of bristles.

19 . The turbofan of claim 17 , wherein the first brush seal includes at least one of nickel alloy, cobalt alloy, stainless steel, rubber, plastic, silicone, or fiber.

20 . A turbofan comprising:
a bifurcation including a first track and a second track; and an outer casing including an airflow inlet and an airflow outlet, the outer casing adjustable into a closed position and an open position, the outer casing positioned around the bifurcation, the outer casing including a first slider for movement between the closed position and the open position that mates with a first track, the first track including a brush seal holder and a first brush seal including a plurality of bristles having a compressed state in the closed position and a decompressed state in the open position; wherein a core cowl is movable via a second slider along the second track of the bifurcation and includes a second brush seal.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Fang Ning
• Bowden William
• Yang Weili
• Blodgett Keith E
• Zhong Guohua
• Hosseiny Niloufar

Classifications

• F02K1/805

  Sealing devices therefor, e.g. for movable parts of jet pipes or nozzle flaps · CPC title

• F02C7/28

  Arrangement of seals · CPC title

• F01D25/24 Primary

  Casings (modified for heating or cooling F01D25/14); Casing parts, e.g. diaphragms, casing fastenings (casings for rotary machines or engines in general F16M {; special arrangements in stators dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor F01D21/045}) · CPC title

• F05D2240/56

  Brush seals · CPC title

• F05D2220/323

  for aircraft propulsion, e.g. jet engines · CPC title