Siemens Energy, Inc.

Tristen Barnes

Harry Francis Miller

Byron L Mohr

Mark J Kuzdzal

Christopher Guerra

A bearing and/or seal assembly where pressurized gas (e.g., air) may be arranged to produce a contact-free bearing and/or seal is provided. The assembly includes a permeable body () including structural features () selectively engineered to convey a pressurized gas (Ps) from an inlet side () side of the permeable body to an outlet side () of the permeable body to form an annular film of the pressurized gas relative to the rotatable shaft. Disclosed embodiments may be produced by way of three-dimensional (3D) Printing/Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies with practically no manufacturing variability; and may also cost-effectively and reliably benefit from the relatively complex geometries and the features and/or conduits that may be involved to, for example, form the desired distribution pattern or impart a desired directionality to the pressurized gas conveyed through the permeable body of the bearing and/or seal assembly.

Bearing and/or seal assembly including permeable body with features engineered to form a desired distribution pattern for a pressurized gas conveyed therethrough

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Olean, NY, United States of America

Tristen Barnes