Cooled seal assembly for arranging between a stator and a rotor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016010477-A1
Application number	US-201414770658-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 24, 2014
Priority date	Feb 27, 2013
Publication date	Jan 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A seal assembly is provided that extends along an axial centerline, and includes a rotor seal element that engages with a stator seal element. The rotor seal element extends radially between an inner element side and an outer element side, and includes a channel, a plurality of first passages and a plurality of second passages. The channel extends radially into the rotor seal element from the inner element side. The first and the second passages are fluidly coupled with the channel. Each of the first passages extends radially through the rotor seal element to a respective first passage outlet. Each of the second passages extends axially through the rotor seal element to a respective second passage outlet.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A seal assembly extending along an axial centerline, comprising:
an annular stator seal element; and an annular rotor seal element engaged with the stator seal element, the rotor seal element extending radially between an inner element side and an outer element side, and including
an annular channel extending radially into the rotor seal element from the inner element side;
a plurality of first passages fluidly coupled with the channel, the first passages extending radially through the rotor seal element to a respective first passage outlet; and
a plurality of second passages fluidly coupled with the channel, the second passages extending axially through the rotor seal element to a respective second passage outlet.

2 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the rotor seal element includes a sleeve and a seal seat flange that extends radially from the sleeve to the outer element side; each of the first passages extends radially through the seal seat flange to the respective first passage outlet; and each of the second passages extends axially through the sleeve to the respective second passage outlet.

3 . The seal assembly of claim 2 , wherein
the sleeve extends axially between a first element end and a second element end; and the seal seat flange is axially displaced from the first element end by a first axial length, and axially displaced from the second element end by a second axial length.

4 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein a first of the first passage outlets is located at the outer element side.

5 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein
a first of the first passages include a slot and a hole; the slot extends radially into the rotor seal element and axially between the channel and the hole; and the hole extends radially between the slot and the respective first passage outlet.

6 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein a first of the first passages further extends laterally through the rotor seal element to the respective first passage outlet.

7 . The seat assembly of claim 1 , wherein a first of the second passages includes a slot that extends radially into the rotor seal element and axially between the channel and the respective second passage outlet.

8 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the channel comprises an annular first channel; the rotor seal element further includes an annular second channel that extends radially into the rotor seal element from the inner element side; and the second passages extend axially between the first channel and the second channel.

9 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rotor seal element axially engages the stator seal element.

10 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the stator seal element comprises a face seal, and the rotor seal element comprises a face seal landing.

11 . A seal assembly extending along an axial centerline, comprising:
a stator seal element; and a rotor seal element engaged with the stator seal element, the rotor seal element including a plurality of first passages and a plurality of second passages; wherein one of the first passages extends radially through the rotor seal element between a first passage inlet and a first passage outlet; and wherein one of the second passages extends axially through the rotor seal element between a second passage inlet and a second passage outlet, and each of the second passages is arranged laterally between a respective adjacent pair of the first passages.

12 . The seal assembly of claim 11 , wherein
the rotor seal element extends radially between an inner element side and an outer element side, and further includes an annular channel that extends radially into the rotor seal element from the inner element side; and the first passages and the second passages are fluidly coupled with the channel.

13 . The seal assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a rotor that defines a channel with the rotor seal element, wherein the first passages and the second passages are fluidly coupled with the channel.

14 . An assembly for a turbine engine, comprising:
a shaft extending along an axial centerline, and including a plurality of shaft apertures; a rotor mounted on the shaft, and including a plurality rotor passages; a stator seal element; and a rotor seal element mounted on the shaft, the rotor seal element arranged between and engaged with the rotor and the stator seal element, and the rotor seal element including a channel that extends radially into the rotor seal element, a plurality of first passages that extend radially through the rotor seal element, and a plurality of second passages that extend axially through the rotor seal element, wherein the channel fluidly couples the shaft apertures to the first passages and the second passages, and the second passages fluidly couple the channel to the rotor passages.

15 . The assembly of claim 14 , wherein
the rotor seal element extends radially between an inner element side and an outer element side, and includes a sleeve and a seal seat flange that extends radially from the sleeve to the outer element side; each of the first passages extends radially through the seal seat flange to a respective first passage outlet; and each of the second passages extends axially through the sleeve to a respective second passage outlet.

16 . The assembly of claim 15 , wherein
the sleeve extends axially between a first element end and a second element end; and the seal seat flange is axially displaced from the first element end by a first axial length, and axially displaced from the second element end by a second axial length.

17 . The assembly of claim 14 , wherein
the rotor seal element extends radially between an inner element side and an outer element side; and a first of the first passages extends radially through the rotor seal element to a first passage outlet that is located at the outer element side.

18 . The assembly of claim 14 , wherein
a first of the first passages include a slot and a hole; the slot extends radially into the rotor seal element and axially between the channel and the hole; and the hole extends radially between the slot and a respective first passage outlet.

19 . The assembly of claim 14 , wherein a first of the first passages extends radially and laterally through the rotor seal element to a first passage outlet.

20 . The assembly of claim 14 , wherein a first of the second passages includes a slot that extends radially into the rotor seal element and axially between the channel and a second passage outlet.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Maret Alexander J
• Miller Jonathan L

Classifications

• F16J15/3404

  and characterised by parts or details relating to lubrication, cooling or venting of the seal · CPC title

• F05D2260/20

  Heat transfer, e.g. cooling · CPC title

• F01D11/003 Primary

  by packing rings; Mechanical seals · CPC title

• F01D25/12

  Cooling · CPC title

• F02C7/28

  Arrangement of seals · CPC title