Brush seal

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9528384-B2
Application number	US-201113169343-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2011
Priority date	Jun 27, 2011
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

A brush seal is provided having a brush housing having a back plate and a front plate, a first layer of bristles disposed adjacent to the back plate, where at least one of the first layer of bristles has a first diameter. A second layer of bristles are disposed adjacent to the first layer of bristles, and at least one of the second layer of bristles has a second diameter. A third layer of bristles are disposed adjacent to the second layer of bristles, and at least one of the third layer of bristles has a third diameter. The first diameter and the third diameter are larger than the second diameter.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A seal comprising:
a housing having a back plate and a front plate;
a first layer of bristles disposed adjacent to the back plate, at least one bristle of the first layer of bristles having a first diameter, the first layer of bristles configured to withstand loading of high pressure flow;
a second layer of bristles disposed adjacent to the first layer of bristles, at least one bristle of the second layer of bristles having a second diameter, the second layer of bristles configured for sealing and flexibility;
a third layer of bristles disposed adjacent to the second layer of bristles, at least one bristle of the third layer of bristles having a third diameter, the third layer of bristles configured to endure flow disturbances;
wherein, the first diameter is larger than both the second diameter and the third diameter, and the third diameter is larger than the second diameter, and wherein a stiffness of the first layer of bristles is greater than a stiffness of the second layer of bristles, and a stiffness of the third layer of bristles is greater than a stiffness of the second layer of bristles, and wherein the second layer of bristles are protected by both the first layer of bristles and the third layer of bristles.

2. The seal according to claim 1 , wherein a stiffness of the first layer of bristles is greater than a stiffness of the third layer of bristles.

3. The seal according to claim 1 , wherein a diameter of individual bristles in the first layer of bristles is about 0.006 inches to about 0.010 inches, and a diameter of individual bristles in the second layer of bristles is about 0.002 inches to about 0.006 inches, and a diameter of individual bristles in the third layer of bristles is about 0.004 inches to about 0.008 inches.

4. The seal according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a tapered surface located near one end of the first layer of bristles;
wherein the tapered surface is configured to reduce an impact of the first layer of bristles on a rotating shaft.

5. The seal according to claim 4 , further comprising:
the tapered surface located near one end and in at least a portion of the second layer of bristles;
wherein the tapered surface is configured to reduce an impact of the second layer of bristles on the rotating shaft.

6. The seal according to claim 1 , wherein the first layer of bristles, the second layer of bristles and the third layer of bristles comprise at least one, or combinations of: metallic material and non-metallic material.

7. The brush seal according to claim 6 , wherein the metallic material comprises at least one or combinations of: copper, steel and metal alloys.

8. The seal according to claim 7 , wherein the metal alloys comprise one or combinations of: cobalt alloys and nickel alloys.

9. The seal according to claim 6 , wherein the non-metallic material comprises: para-aramid synthetic fibers, carbon fibers or combinations thereof.

10. The seal according to claim 1 , wherein the first layer of bristles, the second layer of bristles and the third layer of bristles are mounted to the housing using at least one of: an epoxy material or a weld.

11. The seal according to claim 1 , wherein the first layer of bristles, the second layer of bristles and the third layer of bristles are mounted to the housing with an annular wire and a clamp, wherein the first layer of bristles, the second layer of bristles and the third layer of bristles pass over the annular wire and are retained by the clamp.

12. A seal comprising:
a housing having a back plate and a front plate;
a first layer of bristles disposed adjacent to the back plate, at least one bristle of the first layer of bristles having a first stiffness, the first layer of bristles configured to withstand loading of high pressure flow;
a second layer of bristles disposed adjacent to the first layer of bristles, at least one bristle of the second layer of bristles having a second stiffness, the second layer of bristles configured for sealing and flexibility;
a third layer of bristles disposed adjacent to the second layer of bristles, at least one bristle of the third layer of bristles having a third stiffness, the third layer of bristles configured to endure flow disturbances;
wherein, the first stiffness is greater than both the second stiffness and the third stiffness, and the third stiffness is greater than the second stiffness, and wherein the first layer of bristles and the third layer of bristles are configured to protect the second layer of bristles, and wherein the second layer of bristles are protected by both the first layer of bristles and the third layer of bristles, both the first layer of bristles and the third layer of bristles being more robust and providing less sealing than the second layer of bristles.

13. The seal according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a tapered surface located near one end of the first layer of bristles;
wherein the tapered surface is configured to reduce an impact of the first layer of bristles on a rotating shaft.

14. The seal according to claim 13 , further comprising:
the tapered surface located near one end and in at least a portion of the second layer of bristles;
wherein the tapered surface is configured to reduce an impact of the second layer of bristles on the rotating shaft.

15. The seal according to claim 12 , wherein the first layer of bristles, the second layer of bristles and the third layer of bristles comprise at least one of: metallic material and non-metallic material, and wherein:
the metallic material comprises at least one of: copper, steel or metal alloys; and
the non-metallic material comprises: para-aramid synthetic fibers, carbon fibers or combinations thereof.

16. The seal according to claim 15 , wherein the metal alloys comprise one or combinations of: cobalt alloys and nickel alloys.

17. The seal according to claim 12 , wherein the first layer of bristles, the second layer of bristles and the third layer of bristles are mounted to the brush housing using at least one of:
an epoxy material;
a weld; and
an annular wire and a clamp, wherein the first layer of bristles, the second layer of bristles and the third layer of bristles pass over the annular wire and are retained by the clamp.

18. A seal comprising:
a housing having a back plate and a front plate;
a first layer of bristles disposed adjacent to the back plate, at least one bristle of the first layer of bristles having a first diameter, the first layer of bristles configured to withstand loading of high pressure flow;
a second layer of bristles disposed adjacent to the first layer of bristles, at least one bristle of the second layer of bristles having a second diameter, the second layer of bristles configured for sealing and flexibility;
a third layer of bristles disposed adjacent to the second layer of bristles, at least one bristle of the third layer of bristles having a third diameter, the third layer of bristles configured to endure flow disturbances;
wherein, the first diameter is larger than both the second diameter and the third diameter, and the third diameter is larger than the second diameter, and wherein a stiffness of the first layer of bristles is greater than a stiffness of the second layer of bristles and the third layer of bristles, and a stiffness of the third layer of bristles is greater than a stiffness of the second layer of bristles, and wherein the first layer of bristles and the third layer of bristles are configured to protect the second layer of bristles.

Assignees

• Zheng Xiaoqing
• Couture Jr Bernard Arthur
• Bowman Michael John
• Adis William Edward
• Mack Michael Dennis
• Clark Kim James
• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Zheng Xiaoqing
• Couture Jr Bernard Arthur
• Bowman Michael John
• Adis William Edward
• Mack Michael Dennis
• Clark Kim James

Classifications

• F01D11/001 Primary

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• F16J15/3288

  Filamentary structures, e.g. brush seals · CPC title

• F05D2220/32

  in gas turbines · CPC title

• F05D2240/56

  Brush seals · CPC title

• Y02T50/672

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic