초록 ▼

Gas turbine engine systems involving hydrostatic face seals with integrated back-up seals are provided. In this regard, a representative seal assembly for a gas turbine engine includes: a stator assembly and a rotor assembly configured to operatively engage each other to form a first seal and a seco

Gas turbine engine systems involving hydrostatic face seals with integrated back-up seals are provided. In this regard, a representative seal assembly for a gas turbine engine includes: a stator assembly and a rotor assembly configured to operatively engage each other to form a first seal and a second seal; the first seal being provided by a hydrostatic seal having a seal face and a seal runner; and the second seal being provided by a back-up seal such that responsive to a failure of the first seal, the back-up seal maintains at least a portion of a pressure differential established by the first seal prior to the failure.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A seal assembly for a gas turbine engine comprising: a stator assembly and a rotor assembly configured to operatively engage each other to form a first seal and a labyrinth seal;the stator assembly including a carrier and an arm which is disposed opposite the carrier, together the arm and the car

1. A seal assembly for a gas turbine engine comprising: a stator assembly and a rotor assembly configured to operatively engage each other to form a first seal and a labyrinth seal;the stator assembly including a carrier and an arm which is disposed opposite the carrier, together the arm and the carrier capture a piston ring therebetween;the first seal being provided by a hydrostatic seal having a seal face and a seal runner, the carrier mounting the seal face on a first face of the carrier, the carrier mounting a land of the labyrinth seal on a second face thereof; andthe rotor assembly including an extension arm, together the extension arm and the carrier form an intermediate cavity and the extension arm supports a knife edge of the labyrinth seal to interface with the land to dispose the labyrinth seal between the intermediate cavity and a lower pressure cavity;wherein the labyrinth seal acts as a back-up seal responsive to a failure of the first seal, the back-up seal maintains at least a portion of a pressure differential established by the first seal prior to the failure. 2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the carrier is operative to move the seal face axially. 3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein each of the stator assembly and the rotor assembly has a mounting bracket operative to removably mount the stator assembly and the rotor assembly, respectively, within the gas turbine engine. 4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the hydrostatic seal is a lift-off seal, with the seal face being biased to a contact position in which the seal face contacts the seal runner. 5. The assembly of claim 4, wherein the stator assembly has a biasing member operative to bias the seal face to the contact position. 6. The assembly of claim 4, wherein at least a portion of the seal face configured to contact the seal runner is formed of a material comprising carbon. 7. A turbine assembly for a gas turbine engine comprising: a turbine having a stator assembly and a rotor assembly configured to operatively engage each other to form a hydrostatic seal and a labyrinth seal;the stator assembly including a carrier and an arm which is disposed opposite the carrier, together the arm and the carrier capture a piston ring therebetween;the hydrostatic seal having a seal face and a seal runner, the carrier mounting the seal face on a first face of the carrier and the carrier being operative to position the seal face relative to the seal runner, the carrier mounting a land of the labyrinth seal along a second face thereof; andthe rotor assembly including an extension arm, together the extension arm and the carrier form an intermediate cavity and the extension arm supports a knife edge of the labyrinth seal to interface with the land to dispose the labyrinth seal between the intermediate cavity and a lower pressure cavity;wherein the labyrinth seal acts as a back-up seal that is responsive to a failure of the hydrostatic seal to maintain at least a portion of a pressure differential established by the hydrostatic seal prior to the failure. 8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein at least a portion of the seal face configured to contact the seal runner is formed of a material comprising carbon. 9. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the turbine is a low-pressure turbine. 10. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the carrier, the stator assembly is removably mountable within the turbine. 11. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the rotor assembly is removably mountable within the turbine. 12. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the hydrostatic seal is a lift-off seal, with the seal face being biased to a contact position in which the seal face contacts the seal runner. 13. A gas turbine engine comprising: a compressor;a shaft interconnected with the compressor;a turbine operative to drive the shaft, the turbine having a stator assembly and a rotor assembly configured to operatively engage each other to form a hydrostatic seal and a labyrinth seal;the stator assembly including a carrier and an arm which is disposed opposite the carrier, together the arm and the carrier capture a piston ring therebetween;the hydrostatic seal having a seal face and a seal runner, the carrier mounting the seal face on a first face of the carrier and the carrier being operative to position the seal face relative to the seal runner, the carrier mounting a land of the labyrinth seal along a second face thereof; andthe rotor assembly including an extension arm, together the extension arm and the carrier form an intermediate cavity and the extension arm supports a knife edge of the labyrinth seal to interface with the land to dispose the labyrinth seal between the intermediate cavity and a lower pressure cavity;wherein, in a normal mode of operation of the hydrostatic seal, interaction of the seal face and the seal runner maintains a pressure differential within the gas turbine engine and, in a failure mode of operation of the hydrostatic seal, the back-up seal maintains at least a portion of the pressure differential within the gas turbine engine. 14. The engine of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the seal face configured to contact the seal runner is formed of a material comprising carbon.