General Electric Company

Roger Jordan Carr

Norman Arnold Turnquist

Christopher Edward Wolfe

Frederick George Baily

Lawrence Edward Rentz

Osman Saim Dinc

Robert Harold Cromer

Paul Thomas Marks

Edward Arthur Dewhurst

Alexander Morson

Joseph Robert Toth

A number of sealing segments,mounts a brush seal about a rotor. The tips of the brush seal,are maintained out of contact with the rotor surface throughout the entire operating range of the turbomachinery. Thus, the increase in temperature resultant from rubs between the bristle tips and the rotor,which effectively increase vibrations of the turbomachinery are eliminated. Brush seals are therefore maintained out of contact with the rotor throughout the entire operating range of the turbomachinery and thus do not affect the dynamic behavior of the rotor.

Brush seals for steam turbine applications

Brush seals are employed on steam turbine rotors without the risk of causing thermal rotor bowing and without compromising the sealing performance. In one form, a groove in the rotor has an insert in frictional contact with the brush seal. The non-uniform distribution of heat due to frictional contact between the brush seal and proud portions of the rotor is dissipated within the insert such that adjoining rotor portions are substantially uniformly heated without causing thermal bow. In a further form, a groove or grooves are provided in the rotor surface adjacent to the brush seal and maintain non-uniform heat distribution locally in the rotor without causing thermal bow of the rotor. In another form, a land projects radially outwardly of the rotor surface in contact with the brush seal. The non-uniform distribution of heat due to frictional contact between proud portions of the land and the brush seal dissipates into a uniform distribution of heat in the rotor proper to avoid thermal bowing. In a final form, the brush seal has frictional contact with bucket dovetail or wheel protrusions spaced radially outwardly of the rotor such that non-uniform distribution dissipates into a uniform distribution within the rotor.

Method and apparatus for eliminating thermal bowing of steam turbine rotors

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Westminster, MA, United States of America

Roger Jordan Carr