Airfoil profile-shaped seals and turbine components employing same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016177757-A1
Application number	US-201414578816-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 22, 2014
Priority date	Dec 22, 2014
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An airfoil profile-shaped seal is disposable between an inside surface of a hollow airfoil body and a seal support. The seal includes an elongated member defining a generally closed curve having a generally straight portion, a generally curved portion, and having a solid cross-section across and along the length of the elongated member. When the seal is disposed in an airfoil profile-shaped groove of a seal support adjacent to the inner surface of the hollow airfoil body, and a fluid pressure on one side of the seal is greater than a fluid pressure on the other side of the seal, portions of the seal engage the inner surface of the hollow airfoil body and a surface of the groove to form a seal to inhibit leakage of fluid from the one side to the other side.

First claim

1 . An article comprising:
a hollow airfoil body having an outer surface and an inner surface defining a cavity therein; at least one seal support having an airfoil profile-shaped groove with an outer opening disposed in said cavity adjacent to said inner surface of said hollow airfoil body; an airfoil profile-shaped seal disposed in said groove of said seal support, said seal comprising an elongated member defining a generally closed curve having a generally straight portion, a generally curved portion, and having a solid cross-section across and along the length of said elongated member; and wherein when a fluid pressure on one side of said seal is greater than a fluid pressure on the other side of said seal, portions of said seal engage said inner surface of said hollow airfoil body to form a seal to inhibit leakage of fluid from said one side to said other side.

2 . The article of claim 1 wherein said seal comprises an outer surface engageable with said inner surface of said hollow airfoil body, and said outer surface being parallel to an engaging portion of said inner surface of said hollow airfoil body.

3 . The article of claim 1 wherein said seal comprises a generally constant solid cross-section across and along the length of said elongated member.

4 . The article of claim 1 wherein said seal comprises a generally constant solid square cross-section across and along the length of said elongated member.

5 . The article of claim 1 wherein said seal comprises a generally constant solid square cross-section with rounded corners across and along the length of said elongated member.

6 . The article of claim 1 wherein said seal comprises a generally constant non-symmetric cross-section about a longitudinal axis and along the length of said elongated member.

7 . The article of claim 1 wherein said seal comprises a width and a height of about 0.050 inch.

8 . The article of claim 1 wherein said seal comprises an elongated monolithic one-piece member having a first end and a second end, and wherein the first and second ends are disposed adjacent to each other.

9 . The article of claim 1 wherein said seal comprises an elongated member comprising a plurality of monolithic one-piece elongated sections arranged end to end.

10 . The article of claim 1 wherein said seal comprises at least one elongated member comprising a first end and a second end, and wherein at least a portion of said first end overlaps a portion of said second end.

11 . The article of claim 1 wherein said cross-section of said seal is smaller than a cross-section of said groove.

12 . The article of claim 1 wherein said seal comprises an elongated member defining the generally closed curve disposed in a plane.

13 . The article of claim 12 wherein said seal comprises a generally constant solid square cross-section rotated on an angle relative to said plane of said seal.

14 . The article of claim 1 further comprising a strut disposed in said cavity of said hollow airfoil body, and said strut comprising said at least one seal support.

15 . The article of claim 1 wherein said hollow airfoil body comprises a generally constant thickness between said outer airfoil surface and said inner airfoil surface.

16 . The article of claim 1 wherein:
said outer surface of said hollow airfoil body defines a root section, a tip section, a leading edge, and a trailing edge;
said at least one seal support comprises a first seal support having a first airfoil profile-shaped groove having a first outer opening disposed adjacent to said root section of said inner surface of said hollow airfoil body, and a second seal support having a second airfoil profile-shaped groove having a second outer opening disposed adjacent to said tip section of said inner surface of said hollow airfoil body; and
said at least one airfoil profile-shaped seal comprising a first airfoil profile-shaped seal disposed in said first groove of said first seal support, and a second airfoil profile-shaped seal disposed in said second groove of said second seal support.

17 . The article of claim 1 wherein:
said hollow airfoil body comprises a ceramic composite material; and
said at least one seal support comprises metal.

18 . The article of claim 1 wherein said article comprises a nozzle of a turbine.

19 . An airfoil profile-shaped seal disposable between an inside surface of a hollow airfoil body and a seal support, said seal comprising:
an elongated member defining a generally closed curve having a generally straight portion, a generally curved portion, and having a solid cross-section across and along the length of said elongated member; and wherein when said seal is disposed in an airfoil profile-shaped groove of a seal support adjacent to the inner surface of the hollow airfoil body, and a fluid pressure on one side of said seal is greater than a fluid pressurize on the other side of said seal, portions of said seal engage the inner surface of the hollow airfoil body and a surface of said groove to form a seal to inhibit leakage of fluid from said one side to said other side.

20 . A method for sealing an inside surface of a hollow airfoil body to a seal support, the method comprising:
pressurizing a fluid on a first side of the seal of claim 19 disposed in an airfoil profile-shaped groove of the seal support having an outer opening disposed adjacent to the inner surface of the hollow airfoil body; and engaging the seal with an inner surface of the hollow airfoil body to form a seal to inhibit leakage of the fluid from the one side of the seal to the other side of the seal.

21 . A method for sealing a hollow airfoil body to a seal support, the method comprising:
providing an airfoil profile-shaped seal comprising an elongated member having a generally solid cross-section across and along the length of the elongated member disposed in an airfoil profile-shaped groove of the seal support having an outer opening disposed adjacent to an inner surface of the hollow airfoil body; pressurizing a fluid on a first side of the seal support; and engaging the seal with the inner surface of the hollow airfoil body and a surface of the groove to form a seal to inhibit leakage of the fluid from the one side of the seal to the other side of the seal.

22 . The method of claim 21 wherein the providing the airfoil profile-shaped seal comprises providing the airfoil profile-shaped seal disposed adjacent to an inner surface of a root section of the hollow airfoil body, and further comprising-providing a second airfoil profile-shaped seal comprising an elongated member having a generally solid cross-section across and along the length of the elongated member disposed in an airfoil profile-shaped groove of a seal support having an outer opening disposed adjacent to an inner surface of-a tip section the hollow airfoil body; and wherein:
the pressurizing comprising pressurizing a fluid on a first side of the first seal, and on a first side of the second seal; and
the engaging comprising engaging the first seal with the inner surface of the root section of the hollow airfoil body and a surface of the groove of the first seal support to form a seal to inhibit leakage of the fluid from the one side of the first seal to the other side of the first seal, and engaging the second seal with the inner surface of the tip section of the hollow airfoil body and a surface of the groove of the second seal support to form a seal to inhibit leakage

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Sarawate Neelesh Nandkumar
• Gallier Kirk D

Classifications

• F05D2300/6033

  Ceramic matrix composites [CMC] · CPC title

• F01D9/023 Primary

  Transition ducts between combustor cans and first stage of the turbine in gas-turbine engines; their cooling or sealings · CPC title

• F01D25/005

  Selecting particular materials · CPC title

• F01D9/041

  using blades (F01D5/148 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F01D9/065 Primary

  Fluid supply or removal conduits traversing the working fluid flow, e.g. for lubrication-, cooling-, or sealing fluids (see also F01D25/16, F01D25/24 and F01D25/26) · CPC title