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A seal assembly and method for a turbomachine having a rotary member and a stationary member circumscribing the rotary member. The seal assembly comprises an annular-shaped platform on the rotary member so as to be disposed at an outer circumferential region thereof. The platform is supported radial

A seal assembly and method for a turbomachine having a rotary member and a stationary member circumscribing the rotary member. The seal assembly comprises an annular-shaped platform on the rotary member so as to be disposed at an outer circumferential region thereof. The platform is supported radially outward from the rotary member so as to project beyond axially-adjacent regions of the rotary member. The platform has a contact region radially separated from the rotary member by a cavity. A sealing member is disposed at a radially inward region of the stationary member, with a portion of the sealing member in rubbing contact with the contact region.

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1. A seal assembly for a turbomachine having a rotary member rotatable about an axis and a stationary member circumscribing the rotary member, the rotary member having an outer circumferential region disposed in a plane normal to the axis thereof and the stationary member having a portion radially e

1. A seal assembly for a turbomachine having a rotary member rotatable about an axis and a stationary member circumscribing the rotary member, the rotary member having an outer circumferential region disposed in a plane normal to the axis thereof and the stationary member having a portion radially extending toward the rotary member so that the stationary member has a radially inward region facing the outer circumferential region of the rotary member, the seal assembly comprising:an annular-shaped platform on the rotary member so as to be disposed at the outer circumferential region thereof, the platform being supported radially outward from the rotary member so as to project radially outward beyond axially-adjacent outer surface regions of the rotary member, the platform having a contact region radially separated from the rotary member by a cavity therebetween; andsealing means disposed at the radially inward region of the stationary member and having a portion thereof in rubbing contact with the contact region of the platform, the platform being effective to distribute and dissipate heat generated by rubbing contact with the sealing means. 2. The seal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sealing means comprises a brush seal. 3. The seal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the platform is supported radially outward from the rotary member by at least a first rib spaced in a first axial direction from the contact region and by at least a second rib spaced in an oppositely-disposed second axial direction from the contact region. 4. The seal assembly according to claim 3, wherein the platform is welded to the first and second ribs. 5. The seal assembly according to claim 3, wherein each of the first and second ribs is continuous along the outer circumferential region of the rotary member. 6. The seal assembly according to claim 3, wherein the cavity is delineated by the platform, the rotary member, and the first and second ribs. 7. The seal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cavity is entirely enclosed. 8. The seal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the cavity contains only air. 9. The seal assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a labyrinth packing disposed at the radially inward region of the stationary member and spaced axially from the portion of the sealing means. 10. The seal assembly according to claim 9, further comprising raised surface regions on a radially-outward surface of the platform, the labyrinth packing comprises teeth that extend radially inward toward the raised surface regions. 11. The seal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the seal assembly is installed on the turbomachine. 12. The seal assembly according to claim 1, wherein the turbomachine is a steam turbine. 13. A turbomachine comprising:a rotor rotatable about an axis and having an outer circumferential region disposed in a plane normal to the axis;a diaphragm web circumscribing the rotor, the diaphragm web having a portion radially extending toward the rotor so that the diaphragm web has a radially inward region facing the outer circumferential region of the rotor;a continuous annular-shaped platform on the rotor so as to be disposed at the outer circumferential region thereof, the platform being supported radially outward from a first circumferential surface of the rotor so as to project radially outward beyond and between axially-adjacent second circumferential surfaces of the rotor, the platform having a contact region radially separated from the first circumferential surface of the rotor by a cavity therebetween; anda brush seal disposed at the radially inward region of the diaphragm web and in rubbing contact with the contact region of the platform, the platform being effective to distribute and dissipate heat generated by rubbing contact with the brush seal. 14. The turbomachine according to claim 13, wherein the platform is supported radially outward from the rotor by a first rib spaced in a first axial directi on from the contact region and by a second rib spaced in an oppositely-disposed second axial direction from the contact region. 15. The turbomachine according to claim 14, wherein the first and second ribs are machined features of the rotor, and the platform is welded to the first and second ribs. 16. The turbomachine according to claim 14, wherein each of the first and second ribs is continuous along the outer circumferential region of the rotor. 17. The turbomachine according to claim 14, wherein the cavity is delineated and entirely enclosed by the platform, the first circumferential surface of the rotor, and the first and second ribs. 18. The turbomachine according to claim 13, wherein the cavity is entirely enclosed and contains only air. 19. The turbomachine according to claim 13, further comprising a labyrinth packing disposed at the radially inward region of the diaphragm web and spaced axially from the brush seal. 20. The turbomachine according to claim 13, wherein the turbomachine is a steam turbine having a diaphragm packing area, and the platform and brush seal are installed in each stage within the diaphragm packing area of the steam turbine. 21. A method of providing a seal assembly for a turbomachine having a rotary member rotatable about an axis and a stationary member circumscribing the rotary member, the rotary member having an outer circumferential region disposed in a plane normal to the axis thereof and the stationary member having a portion radially extending toward the rotary member so that the stationary member has a radially inward region facing the outer circumferential region of the rotary member, the method comprising the steps of:providing an annular-shaped platform on the rotary member so as to be disposed at the outer circumferential region thereof, the platform being supported radially outward from the rotary member so as to project radially-outward beyond axially-adjacent outer surface regions of the rotary member, the platform having a contact region radially separated from the rotary member by a cavity therebetween; andproviding sealing means at the radially inward region of the stationary member, the sealing means having a portion thereof in rubbing contact with the contact region of the platform, the platform distributing and dissipating heat generated by rubbing contact with the sealing means as the rotary member rotates about the axis thereof. 22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the platform is supported radially outward from the rotary member by at least a first rib spaced in a first axial direction from the contact region and by at least a second rib spaced in an oppositely-disposed second axial direction from the contact region. 23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising the step of welding the platform to the first and second ribs. 24. The method according to claim 23, wherein each of the first and second ribs are formed on the rotary member to be continuous along the outer circumferential region thereof. 25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the platform, the rotary member, and the first and second ribs are fabricated on the rotary member so as to delineate the cavity. 26. The method according to claim 21, wherein the platform is fabricated on the rotary member so that the cavity is entirely enclosed. 27. The method according to claim 21, wherein the platform is fabricated on the rotary member so that the cavity contains only air. 28. The method according to claim 21, further comprising the step of providing a labyrinth packing disposed at the radially inward region of the stationary member and spaced axially from the sealing means. 29. The method according to claim 28, further comprising the step of forming raised surface regions on a radially-outward surface of the platform, the labyrinth packing comprising teeth that extend radially inward toward the raised surface regions. 30. The method according to claim 21, wherein the method is performed while the rotary member is installed on the turbomachine. 31. The method according to claim 21, wherein the turbomachine is a steam turbine. 32. A method of installing a seal assembly in a turbomachine having a rotor rotatable about an axis and a diaphragm web circumscribing the rotor, the rotor having an outer circumferential region disposed in a plane normal to the axis thereof and the diaphragm web having a portion radially extending toward the rotor so that the diaphragm web has a radially inward region facing the outer circumferential region of the rotor, the method comprising the steps of:fabricating a continuous annular-shaped platform on the rotor so that the platform is disposed at the outer circumferential region thereof and is supported radially outward from a first circumferential surface of the rotor so as to project radially outward beyond and between axially-adjacent second circumferential surfaces of the rotor, the platform having a contact region radially separated from the first circumferential surface by a cavity therebetween; andinstalling a brush seal at the radially inward region of the diaphragm web so that bristles of the brush seal are in rubbing contact with the contact region of the platform, the platform distributing and dissipating heat generated by rubbing contact with the brush seal as the rotor rotates about the axis thereof. 33. The method according to claim 32, further comprising the step of forming first and second ribs on the rotor that support the platform radially outward from the first circumferential surface of the rotor, the first rib being spaced in a first axial direction from the contact region and the second rib being spaced in an oppositely-disposed second axial direction from the contact region. 34. The method according to claim 33, further comprising the steps of machining the rotor to form the first and second ribs, and welding the platform to the first and second ribs. 35. The method according to claim 33, wherein each of the first and second ribs is formed to be continuous along the outer circumferential region of the rotor. 36. The method according to claim 33, wherein the platform, the first circumferential surface of the rotor, and the first and second ribs are fabricated so as to delineate and entirely enclose the cavity. 37. The method according to claim 32, wherein the cavity is formed so as to be entirely enclosed and contain only air. 38. The method according to claim 32, further comprising the step of installing a labyrinth packing at the radially inward region of the diaphragm web and spaced axially from the brush seal. 39. The method according to claim 38, further comprising the step of machining raised surface regions on a radially-outward surface of the platform so that installation of the labyrinth packing results in teeth of the labyrinth packing extending radially inward toward the raised surface regions. 40. The method according to claim 32, wherein the turbomachine is a steam turbine having a diaphragm packing area, and the platform and brush seal are installed in each stage within the diaphragm packing area of the steam turbine.