Gas turbine seal assembly and seal support

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9903216-B2
Application number	US-201314655640-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2013
Priority date	Dec 29, 2012
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A gas turbine engine assembly includes a second module connected axially to a first module along a joint, and an annular cavity defined between the first module and the second module. The seal assembly is disposed proximate the cavity, and includes a seal support ring, a first finger seal, and a second finger seal. The support ring has a backing portion secured to a radial wall of to the first module, and a first seal land extending axially into the cavity away from the first module. The first finger seal has a free end adapted to contact an inner side of the first seal land. The second finger seal is adapted to seal a radially outer portion of the annular cavity.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An assembly for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
a first module including a first radial wall;
a second module including a second radial wall, the second module interconnected with the first module along a joint such that a surface of the second radial wall faces a surface of the first radial wall;
a cavity defined in part by the first radial wall and the second radial wall; and
a seal assembly disposed proximate the cavity, the seal assembly comprising:
a seal support ring including a backing ring portion and a first seal land, the backing ring secured to one of the first radial wall and the second radial wall, and the first seal land extending axially into the cavity toward the other of the first radial wall and the second radial wall;
a first finger seal including a fixed end and a free end, the free end contacting an inner side of the first seal land; and
a second finger seal secured in the cavity between the first radial wall and the second radial wall;
wherein the fixed end of the first finger seal is fastened to an outer surface of a fairing extending generally axially through the first module.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein a fixed end of the second finger seal is fastened between the backing ring, and the one of the first radial wall and the second radial wall.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein a radial surface of the other of the first radial wall and the second radial wall operates as a second seal land for a free end of the second finger seal.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a heat shield element with a fixed end fastened between the backing ring portion of the seal support ring, and the one of the first radial wall surface and the second radial wall surface.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein a reflective portion of the heat shield element is retained in a line of sight between the first module and an outer fairing platform.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first module comprises an outer case section and the second module comprises an outer case section.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first module comprises a turbine exhaust case (TEC) assembly.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second module comprises a power turbine module.

9. A turbine assembly for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
a turbine exhaust case assembly including a first outer case section with a first radial wall;
a power turbine module including a second outer case section with a second radial wall, the second outer case section interconnected with the first case section such that a surface of the first radial wall faces a surface of the second radial wall;
a seal support ring including a backing ring portion mounted to the first radial wall, and a first seal land extending away from the first radial wall;
a first finger seal including a fixed end and a free end, the free end contacting an inner side of the first seal land; and
a second finger seal secured between the first radial wall and the second radial wall
wherein the fixed end of the first finger seal is fastened to an outer surface of a fairing extending generally axially through the turbine exhaust case assembly.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein an upstream end of the second outer case section is connected to a downstream end of the first outer case section.

11. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein a fixed end of the first finger seal is fastened to an outer side of a fairing platform disposed radially inward of the first outer radial casing section.

12. The assembly of claim 11 , further comprising a heat shield element with a first end fastened between the first module and the backing ring portion.

13. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein a reflective portion of the heat shield element is retained in a line of sight between the fairing segment and the first outer case section.

14. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein a fixed end of the second finger seal is fastened between the backing portion and the first radial wall.

15. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the second radial surface operates as a seal land for a free end of the second finger seal.

16. A seal support for a gas turbine engine, the seal support comprising:
support means for supporting a free end of a first finger seal proximate a fairing cavity of a turbine exhaust case (TEC) assembly;
securing means for securing the support means to an outer case of the TEC assembly;
wherein a fixed end of a second finger seal is also secured to the outer case of the TEC assembly by the securing means, and a fixed end of the first finger seal is adapted to be mounted to an outer surface of a fairing assembly passing generally axially through the TEC assembly.

17. The seal support of claim 16 , wherein the securing means comprise a backing ring portion.

18. The seal support of claim 16 , wherein a free end of the second finger seal is adapted to prevent a leakage gas flow from contacting the outer case.

19. An assembly for a gas turbine engine, comprising:
a first module including a first radial wall;
a second module including a second radial wall, the second module interconnected with the first module along a joint such that a surface of the second radial wall faces a surface of the first radial wall;
a cavity defined in part by the first radial wall and the second radial wall; and
a seal assembly disposed proximate the cavity, the seal assembly comprising:
a seal support ring including a backing ring portion and a first seal land, the backing ring secured to one of the first radial wall and the second radial wall, and the first seal land extending axially into the cavity toward the other of the first radial wall and the second radial wall;
a first finger seal including a fixed end and a free end, the free end contacting an inner side of the first seal land;
a second finger seal secured in the cavity between the first radial wall and the second radial wall; and
a heat shield element with a fixed end fastened between the backing ring portion of the seal support ring, and the one of the first radial wall surface and the second radial wall surface.

20. The assembly of claim 19 , wherein the fixed end of the first finger seal is fastened to an outer surface of a fairing extending generally axially through the first module.

21. The assembly of claim 19 , wherein a fixed end of the second finger seal is fastened between the backing ring, and the one of the first radial wall and the second radial wall.

22. The assembly of claim 19 , wherein a radial surface of the other of the first radial wall and the second radial wall operates as a second seal land for a free end of the second finger seal.

23. The assembly of claim 19 , wherein a reflective portion of the heat shield element is retained in a line of sight between the first module and an outer fairing platform.

24. The assembly of claim 19 , wherein the first module comprises an outer case section and the second module comprises an outer case section.

25. The assembly of claim 19 , wherein the first module comprises a turbine exhaust case (TEC) assembly and the second module comprises a power turbine module.

Assignees

• United Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Chuong Conway
• Budnick Matthew

Classifications

• F01D11/005 Primary

  Sealing means between non relatively rotating elements · CPC title

• F01D25/162

  Bearing supports · CPC title

• F05D2240/55

  Seals · CPC title

• F01D11/001 Primary

  for sealing space between stator blade and rotor · CPC title

• F01D25/24

  Casings (modified for heating or cooling F01D25/14); Casing parts, e.g. diaphragms, casing fastenings (casings for rotary machines or engines in general F16M {; special arrangements in stators dealing with breaking-off of part of rotor F01D21/045}) · CPC title