Siemens Energy, Inc.

Jean-Max Millon Sainte-Claire

Andrew R Narcus

John A Carella

Frank Moehrle

A seal strip (A,B,C,F,G,H,J) with an imperforate width-spanning portion () first and second rounded edges () and one or more strip-thickening elements () between the rounded edges. The strip-thickening elements may have transverse slots (L,R,) for increased flexibility of the strip. The strip-thickening elements may also have perforations () or gaps () to admit coolant and/or to reduce weight. Folded embodiments (A,B) may have dimples () on the width-spanning portion () to limit bending of the folded portions (). The seal may be slidably mounted in opposed slots (A,B) in respective adjacent turbine components (A,B), filling a width (W) of the slots, and a side of the seal may be cooled by compressed air ().

Turbine seals

Respective seals () for the upper and lower spans (A,B) of an exit frame () of a turbine combustion system transition piece (). Each seal has a first strip () and a second strip () of a sealing material. The two strips of each seal are attached together along a common edge. The second strip is flexible, generally parallel to the first strip, and has a bead () along its free edge. This forms a spring clamp that clamps a rail () of the exit frame between the bead and the first strip of each seal. A tab extends axially aft from the first strip of each seal for insertion into a circumferential slot () in a turbine inlet support structure (), thus sealing the transition piece () to the turbine inlet for efficient turbine operation.

Turbine combustion system transition seals

A seal strip () with a central relatively thin portion () and first and second thicker side portions () that may be wedge-shaped adjacent the central portion. Each side portion may be formed of a linear array of base-in prisms (), where each prism includes a base adjacent and normal to the central portion, and a thickness tapering distally toward an adjacent edge of the seal strip. The base-in prisms of each side portion may be separated by transverse slots () along the length of the strip. The transverse slots of the first side portion may be unaligned with the transverse slots of the second side portion along the length of the strip. A retention pin () may extend normally from an end of the seal strip. The seal strip may be mounted in tapered slots () of a gas turbine transition exit frame ().

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Jupiter, FL, United States of America

Jean-Max Millon Sainte-Claire