General Electric Company

Jonathan K Remer

Scott Francis Wolfer

Jacob Allen Seal

Ravindra Shankar Ganiger

Hiranya Kumar Nath

Ning Fang

Kyle Robert Snow

Nicholas Rowe Dinsmore

Nageswar Rao Ganji

Jacob Patrick Miller

Robert Burton Brown

Adam Mitchell Record

Krzysztof Chelstowski

Eric Ryan Deane

Daryl Scott Schneider

Kevin Richard Crain

This disclosure is directed to cooling systems for turbomachine seal assemblies. The seal assemblies include stationary and rotating components and at least one interface between the stationary and rotating components. During operation of the turbomachine, the components of the seal assemblies generate heat, which is removed from the seal assembly by the cooling systems of this disclosure. In some examples, the cooling system includes a reservoir of lubricant that is distributed to a face of one of the components of the seal assembly. In other examples, the cooling system includes a lattice structure capable of retaining lubricant against the components of the seal assembly, or a pressurized jet of lubricant directed against the components of the seal assembly. The cooling systems can further include a combination of deflectors, hairpin members, and channels for distributing the lubricant to the components of the seal assemblies.

Cooling system for seal assemblies

A seal assembly for a turbomachine. The turbomachine includes a rotating shaft extending along a centerline and a fixed housing positioned exterior to the rotating shaft in a radial direction relative to the centerline. The seal assembly includes a sump housing at least partially defining a bearing compartment for holding a cooling lubricant. The seal assembly further includes a bearing supporting the rotating shaft. In addition, the seal assembly also includes a sump seal at least partially defining the bearing compartment. A pressurized housing of the seal assembly is positioned exterior to the sump housing and defines a pressurized compartment to at least partially enclose the sump housing. Further, a non-contacting carbon seal is positioned between the rotating shaft and the fixed housing to at least partially define the pressurized compartment to enclose the sump housing.

Seal assembly for a turbomachine

A spoolie for sealing a tube passing through an air gap or other interruption within a high temperature operating environment. The apparatus and method allow for a sealing service pathway between areas of differential temperature while allowing for relative movement consistent with thermal expansion and contraction.

Half-spoolie metal seal integral with tube

In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a bearing compartment sealing system including a bearing for supporting a shaft. A housing encloses the bearing and defines a compartment for holding lubricant therein. At least two seals are located between the shaft and the housing. The at least two seals, the housing, and the shaft collectively enclose the compartment. Only one of the at least two seals is a hydrodynamic seal.

Hydrodynamic seals in bearing compartments of gas turbine engines

A combined sump structure in an engine, the combined sump structure comprises a sump area comprising one or more sumps, a single oil supply provided for all sumps, and a combined sump drain.

Combined sump service

Growing community of inventors

Saugus, MA, United States of America

Jonathan K Remer