초록 ▼

A sealing element for a turbine of a gas turbine engine includes a radially inner surface region provided with an integrally formed seal structure comprising a plurality of radially inwardly projecting walls. The walls may be abradable and may define cells for receiving an abradable sealing material

A sealing element for a turbine of a gas turbine engine includes a radially inner surface region provided with an integrally formed seal structure comprising a plurality of radially inwardly projecting walls. The walls may be abradable and may define cells for receiving an abradable sealing material.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. A method of manufacturing a sealing element that can be positioned radially outward from at least some aerofoil blades in a gas turbine engine, the method comprising: forming a seal structure having a radially inner surface region; forming a plurality of projecting wall

The invention claimed is: 1. A method of manufacturing a sealing element that can be positioned radially outward from at least some aerofoil blades in a gas turbine engine, the method comprising: forming a seal structure having a radially inner surface region; forming a plurality of projecting walls at the radially inner surface region by power-fed laser weld deposition; wherein: the projecting walls are configured on the seal structure to form a plurality of open cells; and the projecting walls have a thickness of up to about 0.4 mm. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein forming the seal structure comprises forming a seal structure configured to form at least a part of a generally annular housing for surrounding tips of the aerofoil blades. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the projecting walls are formed to project substantially radially inward from the radially inner surface region. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the projecting walls are formed to project inwardly in a direction inclined from a radial direction by about 30 degrees or less. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein radially inner edges of the projecting walls are formed to define a substantially are shaped inner face of the sealing element. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the seal structure is formed over substantially the whole of a radially inner surface region of the sealing element. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the projecting walls is formed to have a thickness that generally decreases toward a radially inner edge of the at least one projecting wall. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the projecting walls is formed to have a thickness that generally inner edge of the at least one projecting wall. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein each cell is open only at a radially inner side. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the cells is substantially diamond shaped when viewed in the radial direction. 11. The method of claim 1, wherein the projecting walls are formed in a chevron pattern. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the projecting walls are formed in an arcuate pattern. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the projecting walls are formed at an angle to a longitudinal axis of the gas turbine engine. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the inwardly projecting walls are formed substantially circumferentially around the radially inner surface of the sealing element. 15. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least partially filling openings between the projecting walls with an abradable sealing material. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the abradable sealing material protrudes radially inward beyond radially inner edges of the projecting walls. 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the projecting walls are formed of an abradable material. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the abradable material comprises at least one member of the group consisting of porous YSZ, porous Alumina and hollow NiAl powder. 19. The method of claim 1, wherein the sealing element is formed of a substrate material comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of nickel-based superalloys, CMSX-4, MM002, C1023 and IN713LC. 20. The method of claim 1, wherein the projecting walls are formed from a weld powder material comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of CM186, Rene 142, Haynes 214 and Amdry 955. 21. The method of claim 1, wherein the projecting walls have a height up by about 3 mm. 22. The method of claim 1, wherein the projecting walls are spaced apart by about 2 mm. 23. The method of claim 1, further comprising machining the projecting walls. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the projecting walls are machined using electro-chemical machining or etching. 25. The method of manufacturing a seal segment ring for a turbine of a gas turbine engine, comprising: forming a plurality of sealing elements by the method of claim 1; and assembling the plurality of sealing elements to form the seal segment. 26. A method of manufacturing a gas turbine engine, comprising: forming a seal segment ring by the method of claim 25; and incorporating the seal segment ring into a turbine. 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the turbine is a high pressure turbine of the gas turbine engine.