Gas bearing and an associated method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9771977-B2
Application number	US-201514836406-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 26, 2015
Priority date	Aug 26, 2015
Publication date	Sep 26, 2017
Grant date	Sep 26, 2017

Abstract

Gas bearing for an aspirating seal assembly is disclosed. The gas bearing includes a bearing body having a bearing surface. The gas bearing further includes a first through-hole disposed in the bearing body, and a plurality of second through-holes spaced apart from each other and disposed around the first through-hole. The first through-hole is characterized by a size, and a first central axis. Each second through-hole is characterized by a size, and a second central axis. The second central axis of each second through-hole in the plurality of second through-holes intersects the first central axis at an angle in a range from about 30 degrees to about 150 degrees or at an angle in a range from about −30 degrees to about −150 degrees. Size of at least one through-hole in the plurality of second through-holes is different from the size of the first through-hole.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gas bearing comprising:
a bearing body comprising a bearing surface;
a first through-hole disposed in the bearing body, wherein the first through-hole is characterized by a size and a first central axis, and is configured to form a layer of a first pressurized gas in a gap defined between the bearing surface and a rotor surface opposite to the bearing surface;
a plurality of second through-holes spaced apart from each other and disposed around the first through-hole, wherein each second through-hole is characterized by a size and a second central axis, and the plurality of second through-holes is configured to form at least one region of a second pressurized gas around the first through-hole such that at least a portion of the first pressurized gas is substantially blocked from leaking through the gap; and
a plurality of grooves disposed on the bearing surface, wherein the first through-hole is connected with at least some of second through-holes of the plurality of second through-holes via the plurality of grooves, at least some of second through-holes of the plurality of second through-holes are connected to each other via the plurality of grooves, or combinations thereof,
wherein the second central axis of each second through-hole in the plurality of second through-holes intersects the first central axis at an angle in a range from about 30 degrees to about 150 degrees or at an angle in a range from about −30 degrees to about −150 degrees, and wherein a size of at least one through-hole in the plurality of second through-holes is different from the size of the first through-hole.

2. The gas bearing of claim 1 , wherein the size of the first through-hole is greater than the size of the at least one through-hole in the plurality of second through-holes.

3. The gas bearing of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of third through-holes spaced apart from each other and aligned along the first central axis, wherein at least one through-hole in the plurality of third through-holes is characterized by a size substantially equal to the size of the first through-hole.

4. The gas bearing of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of grooves connects at least some of the plurality of second through-holes with the first through-hole and at least some of the plurality of third through-holes.

5. The gas bearing of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of grooves connects the first through-hole with at least some of third through-holes in the plurality of third through-holes.

6. The gas bearing of claim 1 , further comprising a counter bore disposed around the first through-hole and in gas communication with the first through-hole and an abradable material disposed along the bearing surface, around the counter bore, and over the plurality of second through-holes.

7. The gas bearing of claim 1 , wherein at least one second through-hole in the plurality of second through-holes has a first portion characterized by a first size and a second portion characterized by a second size, wherein the first size is different from the second size, wherein the first portion comprises a porous material.

8. The gas bearing of claim 1 , further comprising a porous material disposed within at least one second through-hole in the plurality second through-holes, wherein the porous material has a first portion characterized by a first thickness and a second portion characterized by a second thickness different from the first thickness.

9. The gas bearing of claim 1 , wherein the gas bearing is comprised in an aspirating seal assembly.

10. The gas bearing of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first pressurized gas and the second pressurized gas comprises air.

11. A machine, comprising:
a stator assembly;
a rotor assembly comprising a rotor disposed within the stator assembly; and
an aspirating seal assembly coupled to the stator assembly and disposed between the stator assembly and the rotor, wherein the aspirating seal assembly comprises a plurality of components and a gas bearing, wherein the gas bearing comprises:
a bearing body comprising a bearing surface;
a first through-hole disposed in the bearing body, wherein the first through-hole is characterized by a size and a first central axis, and is configured to form a layer of a first pressurized gas in a gap defined between the bearing surface and the rotor surface opposite to the bearing surface; and
a plurality of second through-holes spaced apart from each other and disposed around the first through-hole, wherein each second through-hole is characterized by a size and a second central axis, and the plurality of second through-holes is configured to form at least one region of a second pressurized gas around the first through-hole such that at least a portion of the first pressurized gas is substantially blocked from leaking through the gap,
wherein the second central axis of each second through-hole in the plurality of second through-holes intersects the first central axis at an angle in a range from about 30 degrees to about 150 degrees or at an angle in a range from about −30 degrees to about −150 degrees, and wherein a size of at least one through-hole in the plurality of second through-holes is different from the size of the first through-hole.

12. The machine of claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of third through-holes spaced apart from each other and aligned along the first central axis, wherein at least one through-hole in the plurality of third through-holes is characterized by a size substantially equal to the size of the first through-hole.

13. The machine of claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of grooves disposed on the bearing surface, and connecting at least some of the plurality of second through-holes with the first through-hole and at least some of the plurality of third through-holes.

14. The machine of claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of grooves disposed on the bearing surface, and connecting the first through-hole with at least some of the third through-holes in the plurality of third through-holes.

15. The machine of claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of grooves disposed on the bearing surface, and connecting at least some of the second through-holes in the plurality of second through-holes.

16. The machine of claim 11 , further comprising a counter bore disposed around the first through-hole and in gas communication with the first through-hole hole and an abradable material disposed along the bearing surface, around the counter bore, and over the plurality of second through-holes.

17. The machine of claim 11 , wherein at least one second through-hole in the plurality of second through-holes has a first portion characterized by a first size and a second portion characterized by a second size, wherein the first size is different from the second size.

18. The machine of claim 11 , further comprising a porous material disposed within at least one second through-hole in the plurality of second through-holes, wherein the porous material has a first portion characterized by a first thickness and a second portion characterized by a second thickness different from the first thickness.

19. The machine of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the first pressurized gas and the second pressurized gas comprises air.

20. A method of increasing a load bearing capacity of a gas bearing comprised in an aspirating seal assembly, comprising:
rotating a rotor of a rotor assembly, wherein the rotor is disposed within a stator assembly of a machine;

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Rodriguez Erdmenger Rodrigo
• Wolfe Christopher Edward
• Michelassi Vittorio
• Nguyen Tran Quang Tue
• Gibson Nathan Evan Mccurdy

Classifications

• F16C32/0607

  the gas being retained in a gap, e.g. squeeze film bearings · CPC title

• F16C2361/00

  Apparatus or articles in engineering in general · CPC title

• F16C2360/23

  Gas turbine engines · CPC title

• F16C32/0618

  via porous material · CPC title

• F16J15/34

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