Diffuser seal for geared turbofan or turboprop engines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9447695-B2
Application number	US-201213409758-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2012
Priority date	Mar 1, 2012
Publication date	Sep 20, 2016
Grant date	Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

A diffuser seal for an aft end of a high pressure compressor of a gas turbine engine is disclosed. The diffuser seal includes a flow guide carrier coupled to the diffuser case. The flow guide carrier is also coupled to a static seal. The static seal engages a rotary seal and permits air flow through the static and rotary seals in the aft direction. The flow guide carrier is also coupled to a fairing and a fairing/hub support. The flow guide carrier supports the fairing in a spaced-apart position with respect to the rear hub so that air flowing through the static and rotary seals passes between a forward surface of the fairing and the rear hub. The fairing/hub support extends forward from the flow guide support and engages an aft surface of the fairing thereby limiting movement of the rear hub and fairing in the aft direction. This design helps to prevent parts or debris from piercing the rear hub and entering the high pressure turbine in the even of a fan blade-out or fan blade-off event.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A diffuser seal for an aft end of a high pressure compressor of a gas turbine engine, the high pressure compressor including an aft rotor, the aft rotor being coupled to a rotary seal, the rotary seal extending aft the high pressure compressor and including a forward sealing element and an aft sealing element, and the gas turbine engine including a rear hub and a diffuser case, the diffuser case having an inner circumference and an outer circumference, the diffuser case including an exit guide vane positioned between the inner circumference and the outer circumference, the diffuser seal comprising:
a flow guide carrier, the flow guide carrier having a proximal end and a distal end, the flow guide carrier further including a lip disposed at the distal end, the flow guide carrier including a portion located radially inward from and coupled to the diffuser case and radially outward from and coupled to a static seal, the static seal having a forward portion and an aft portion, the forward portion engaging the forward sealing element and the aft portion engaging the aft sealing element and permitting air flow through the static and rotary seal in an aft direction, the portion located radially inward from and coupled to the diffuser case and radially outward from and coupled to the static seal providing support for the static seal and axially retains the exit guide vane; and
the flow guide carrier also being coupled to a fairing and a fairing/hub support, wherein the fairing is operatively coupled to the flow guide carrier at a first end proximate to the static seal and the fairing has a second free end opposite the first end, the flow guide carrier supporting the fairing in a spaced-apart position with respect to a surface of the rear hub so that air flowing through the static and rotary seals passes between a forward surface of the fairing and the surface of the rear hub, the fairing/hub support extending forward from the flow guide carrier and engaging an aft surface of the fairing, wherein the fairing/hub support is configured to limit movement of the rear hub and the fairing in the aft direction and wherein the second free end of the fairing directs air flows exiting from between the forward surface of the fairing and the surface of the rear hub.

2. The diffuser seal of claim 1 wherein the gas turbine engine also includes a high pressure turbine and at least some of the air flowing between the forward surface of the fairing and the rear hub is directed to a high pressure turbine for cooling.

3. The diffuser seal of claim 1 wherein the gas turbine engine includes a high pressure turbine and a manifold, the high pressure compressor includes seven rotors spaced apart and disposed forward of the aft rotor, at least some of the air flowing between the forward surface of the fairing and the rear hub is directed to the manifold, the manifold is also in communication with air flowing between two rotors of the high pressure compressor disposed forward of the aft rotor, the manifold directing the at least some of the air flowing between the fairing and rear hub and at least some of the air flowing between said two rotors disposed forward of the aft rotor to the high pressure turbine for cooling.

4. The diffuser seal of claim 1 wherein the gas turbine engine includes a high pressure turbine and a manifold, the high pressure turbine including a forward rotor, the high pressure compressor includes seven rotors spaced apart and disposed forward of the aft rotor, at least some of the air flowing between the forward surface of the fairing and the rear hub is directed to the manifold and at least some of the air flowing between the forward surface of the fairing and the rear hub is directed to the forward rotor of the high pressure turbine, the manifold is also in communication with air flowing between two rotors of the high pressure compressor disposed forward of the aft rotor, the manifold directing at least some of the air flowing between the forward surface of the fairing and the rear hub and at least some of the air flowing between said two rotors disposed forward of the aft rotor to the high pressure turbine for cooling.

5. The diffuser seal of claim 1 wherein the static seal is a honeycomb seal.

6. The diffuser seal of claim 1 wherein the rotary seal is a knife edge seal.

7. The diffuser seal of claim 1 wherein the rotary seal includes two spaced-apart sealing elements that engage the static seal.

8. The diffuser seal of claim 1 wherein the high pressure compressor also includes an exit guide vane.

9. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a high pressure compressor, the high pressure compressor including an aft rotor, the aft rotor including a rotary seal, the rotary seal extending aft the high pressure compressor and including a forward sealing element and an aft sealing element;
a rear hub;
a diffuser case, the diffuser case having an inner circumference and an outer circumference, the diffuser case including an exit guide vane positioned between the inner circumference and the outer circumference;
a static seal, the static seal located radially inward the diffuser case and radially outward the rotary seal, the static seal having a forward portion and an aft portion, the forward sealing element engaging the forward portion and the aft sealing element engaging the aft portion and permitting air flow through the static seal and rotary seal in the aft direction;
a diffuser seal, the diffuser seal including a flow guide carrier, the flow guide carrier having a proximal end and a distal end, the flow guide carrier further including a lip disposed at the distal end, the flow guide carrier including a portion located radially inward from and coupled to the diffuser case and radially outward from and coupled to the static seal that provides support for the static seal and axially retains the exit guide vane; and
the flow guide carrier also being coupled to a fairing and a fairing/hub support, wherein the fairing is operatively coupled to the flow guide carrier at a first end proximate to the static seal and the fairing has a second free end opposite the first end, the flow guide carrier supporting the fairing in a spaced-apart position with respect to a surface of the rear hub so that air flowing through the static and rotary seals passes between a forward surface of the fairing and the surface of the rear hub, the fairing/hub support extending forward from the flow guide carrier and engaging an aft surface of the fairing, wherein the fairing/hub support is configured to limit movement of the rear hub and the fairing in the aft direction and wherein the second free end of the fairing directs air flows exiting from between the forward surface of the fairing and the surface of the rear hub.

10. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 further including a high pressure turbine and at least some of the air flowing between the forward surface of the fairing and the rear hub is directed to a high pressure turbine for cooling.

11. The gas turbine engine of claim 9 further including a high pressure turbine and a manifold, the high pressure compressor further includes seven rotors spaced apart and disposed forward of the aft rotor, at least some of the air flowing between the forward surface of the fairing and the rear hub is directed to the manifold, the manifold is also in communication with air flowing between two rotors of the high pressure compressor disposed forward of the aft rotor, the manifold directing the at least some of the air flowing between the fairing and rear hub and at least some of the air flowing between said two rotors disposed forward of the aft rotor to the high pressure turbine for cooling.

Assignees

• Baumann Paul W
• Warner Charles H
• Clouse Brian Ellis
• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Baumann Paul W
• Warner Charles H
• Clouse Brian Ellis

Classifications

• Y10T29/49229

  Prime mover or fluid pump making · CPC title

• F05D2220/36

  specially adapted for the fan of turbofan engines · CPC title

• F02C7/28

  Arrangement of seals · CPC title

• F02C7/36

  Power transmission arrangements between the different shafts of the gas turbine plant, or between the gas-turbine plant and the power user ({F02C3/107 - F02C3/13 and} F02C7/32 take precedence; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; gearing in general F16H) · CPC title

• F05D2260/40311

  of the epicyclical, planetary or differential type · CPC title