Sealing element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016369641-A1
Application number	US-201615174512-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 6, 2016
Priority date	Jun 18, 2015
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention provides a sealing element for an air-riding seal system. The seal has a mounting portion for mounting on a rotor and a sealing portion having a sealing face for facing a second sealing element. A bridging portion is provided extending radially between the mounting and sealing portions. The bridging portion allows axial displacement between the mounting portion and sealing portion and/or angular variation of the sealing face relative to the mounting portion and may be a pliable/flexible membrane structure allowing said axial displacement/angular variation by flexing.

First claim

1 . An air-riding seal arrangement comprising:
a sealing element having:
a mounting portion for mounting on a rotor;
a sealing portion having a sealing face for facing a second sealing element; and
a bridging portion which is axially recessed from the sealing face of the sealing portion and extends radially between the mounting portion and sealing portion, wherein the bridging portion allows axial displacement between the mounting portion and sealing portion and/or angular variation of the sealing face relative to the mounting portion;
a rotor on which the sealing element is mounted; and, a second sealing element having a sealing surface facing the sealing element.

2 . An air-riding seal arrangement according to claim 1 wherein he mounting portion is radially inwards from said sealing portion.

3 . An air-riding seal arrangement according to claim 2 wherein the bridging portion is flexible/pliable to allow axial displacement between the mounting portion and bridging portion and/or angular variation of the sealing face relative to the mounting portion.

4 . An air-riding seal arrangement according to claim 3 wherein the bridging portion is an annular, radially-extending portion.

5 . An air-riding seal arrangement according to claim 4 wherein the bridging portion is thinner than the mounting portion and/or the sealing portion.

6 . An air-riding seal arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the mounting portion, bridging portion and sealing portion are integrally formed.

7 . An air-riding seal arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the bridging portion is axially recessed from a mounting surface on the mounting portion, the mounting surface for mounting against the rotor.

8 . An air-riding seal arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the bridging portion extends between an axial centre of the mounting portion and an axial centre of the sealing portion.

9 . An air-riding seal arrangement according to claim 8 wherein the sealing element comprises a first shoulder portion between the mounting portion and the bridging portion, the first shoulder portion comprising at least one concave surface.

10 . An air-riding seal arrangement according to claim 9 wherein the sealing element comprises a second shoulder portion between the sealing portion and the bridging portion, the second shoulder portion comprising at least one concave surface.

11 . An air-riding seal arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the rotor comprises an annular flange or stepped portion having a rotor mounting surface and the mounting portion of the sealing element is affixed to the rotor mounting surface.

12 . An air-riding seal arrangement according to claim 1 further comprising a static housing for supporting the second sealing element with an axial biasing element biasing the second sealing element towards the sealing element.

13 . A gas turbine engine having an air-riding seal arrangement according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Plc

Inventors

• Davies Christopher
• Jahn Ingo H J

Classifications

• F16J15/3432

  the geometry of the surface being able to vary during operation · CPC title

• F01D11/001 Primary

  for sealing space between stator blade and rotor · CPC title

• F05D2240/55

  Seals · CPC title

• F16J15/34

  with slip-ring pressed against a more or less radial face on one member · CPC title

• F16J15/3472

  Means for centering or aligning the contacting faces · CPC title