General Electric Company

Martin Francis O'Connor

Christopher Edward Wolfe

Norman Arnold Turnquist

Osman Saim Dinc

Robert Harold Cromer

David Robert Skinner

Robert Edward Deallenbach

Eloy Vincent Emeterio

Oleg Klufas

Frederick George Baily

George Ernest Reluzco

Mehmet Demiroglu

Richard Jon Chevrette

Victor John Knorowski

Lawrence Edward Rentz

Thomas William Swart

A seal arrangement for a rotary machine, such as a turbine, includes a main seal segment such as a labyrinth seal segment, a brush seal segment disposed in a slot in the main seal segment and having a layer of bristles secured between upstream and downstream plates of the brush seal segment, and at least one passage radially formed through the main seal segment to communicate a balancing pressure from a pressure source located exteriorly of an outer periphery of the main seal segment to a cavity defined in the downstream plate of the brush seal segment at a downstream side of the layer of bristles of the brush seal segment.

Seal arrangement for a rotary machine such as a turbine

A brush seal is mounted between rotary and stationary components in a flow stream having solid particles. A gap is formed through the brush seal bristles and a deflector plate is disposed to catch and deflect solid particles on the upstream side of the brush seal to direct the particles through the gap to the downstream side of the brush seal. In this manner, the solid particles of the flow stream do not erode or otherwise deteriorate the brush seal bristles or ancillary parts of the brush seal. The deflector plates may be directed axially upstream, at an angle to a plane passing through the brush seal or may comprise an arcuate configuration directed upstream.

Apparatus for guiding solid particles through a brush seal in a turbine

Bucket covers for the buckets of a rotating component of a turbomachine are in radial opposition to a stationary component containing a circumferentially extending brush seal having bristles extending into engagement with sealing surfaces of the covers as the covers rotate by the bristles. The leading edges of the covers for the buckets in the plane of rotation and in the plane containing the brush seal have ramps or rounded surfaces which minimize the wear on the bristles and degradation of the performance of the seal as the bucket covers are rotated past the brush seal.

Bucket cover geometry for brush seal applications

A rotary machine has a stationary component with circumferential grooves and a rotatable component, as well as annular sealing segments movable toward and away from the rotating component. To prevent circumferential displacement of the lower side annular segments by gravity forces and enable the lowermost segment in the lower housing to be moved radially inwardly, the side segments of the lower housing are supported adjacent the casing midline in a manner preventing downward movement and enabling horizontal movement. Consequently, the gap between the lower ends of the side segments and the lower segment in the open position of the segments remains, enabling the lower segment to move radially inwardly upon closing the seals.

Variable clearance packing ring with guide for preventing

In a steam turbine, a device for keying hubs of adjacent wheels together, wherein the wheels are not an integral part of the shaft of a rotor of the steam turbine and may be secured to the shaft by an interference shrink-fit at the surface of a bore through the hub of the wheel, comprises a substantially I-beam shaped key disposed in a keyway formed between adjacent hubs. A lip extends axially from the outer periphery of a pair of opposing end faces of adjacent hubs, the outboard surface of one lip of the pair of opposing end faces being in close proximity to the outboard lip of the other lip of the pair of opposing end faces. A respective pair of lands on each respective pair of opposing end faces defines a substantially radial slot respectively between the pair of lands. Streamlined fillets respectively transition the leading and trailing faces of each respective member of the pair of lands to the respective opposing end face. Radial extensions of the key contact the shaft and an inner radial portion of one of the lips.

Captured radial key for steam turbine wheels

In a steam turbine, apparatus for preventing rotation of a first wheel with respect to a second wheel adjacent the first wheel, wherein the first and second wheels are secured to a shaft of a rotor of the steam turbine by an interference shrink fit, comprises a key disposed in a keyway defined by and between respective hubs of the wheels. The key is exposed to ambient environment of the rotor and is spaced from the axial ends of the keyway to permit steam to flow through portions of the keyway. Key and keyway configurations for prohibiting radial movement of the key are illustrated.

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Schenectady, NY, United States of America

Martin Francis O'Connor