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TEPZZ_4885B_T

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EP 2 143 885 B1

EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(12)

(45) Date of publication and mention

(51) Int Cl.:

F01D 5/30 (2006.01)


F01D 5/08 (2006.01)

of the grant of the patent:


19.06.2013 Bulletin 2013/25

F01D 11/00 (2006.01)


F16J 15/46 (2006.01)

(21) Application number: 09164233.0


(22) Date of filing: 30.06.2009
(54) Gas assisted turbine seal
Gasuntersttzte Turbinendichtung
Joint de turbine assist par gaz
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR
HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL
PT RO SE SI SK TR

(30) Priority: 08.07.2008 US 168927


(43) Date of publication of application:

Ward, John D.
Woodruff, SC 29388 (US)

(74) Representative: Cleary, Fidelma et al


GE International Inc.
Global Patent Operation-Europe
15 John Adam Street
London WC2N 6LU (GB)

13.01.2010 Bulletin 2010/02

(56) References cited:


(73) Proprietor: General Electric Company
Schenectady, NY 12345 (US)

EP-A- 0 799 974


WO-A-00/75491
US-B1- 6 375 429

EP-A- 1 731 714


GB-A- 2 224 082

(72) Inventors:

EP 2 143 885 B1

Arness, Brian P.
Simpsonville, SC 29681 (US)

Note: Within nine months of the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent in the European Patent
Bulletin, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to that patent, in accordance with the
Implementing Regulations. Notice of opposition shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been
paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).
Printed by Jouve, 75001 PARIS (FR)

EP 2 143 885 B1

Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application relates generally to any
type of turbine and more particularly relates to systems
and methods for sealing a gap formed between a turbine
bucket dovetail and a turbine rotor via gas pressure and
a deformable seal material.

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION


[0002] Gas turbines generally include a turbine rotor
(wheel) with a number of circumferentially spaced buckets (blades). The buckets generally may include an airfoil,
a platform, a shank, a dovetail, and other elements. The
dovetail of each bucket is positioned within the turbine
rotor and secured therein. The airfoils project into the hot
gas path so as to convert the kinetic energy of the gas
into rotational mechanical energy. A number of cooling
medium passages may extend radially through the bucket to direct an inward and/or an outward flow of the cooling
medium therethrough.
[0003] Leaks may develop in the coolant supply circuit
based upon a gap between the tabs of the dovetails and
the surface of the rotor due to increases in thermal and/or
centrifugal loads. Air losses from the bucket supply circuit
into the wheel space may be significant with respect to
blade cooling medium flow requirements. Moreover, the
air may be extracted from later compressor stages such
that the penalty on energy output and overall efficiency
may be significant during engine operation.
[0004] Efforts have been made to limit this leak. For
example, one method involves depositing aluminum on
a dovetail tab so as to fill the gap at least partially. Specifically, a circular ring may be pressed against the forward side of the dovetail face. Although this design seals
well and is durable, the design cannot be easily disassembled and replaced in the field. Rather, these rings
may only be disassembled when the entire rotor is disassembled.
[0005] United States Patent No.6375429 describes a
turbomachine rotor blade having a dovetail-type base
member, a platform carried by the base member, and an
airfoil extending longitudinally from the platform in a direction opposite to that of the base member. The platform
includes a forward seal wire groove and an aft seal wire
groove, each of which is on opposite sides of the blade
longitudinal axis and on the side of the platform facing
the base member. The blade platform has a pair of recesses that each include a concave portion and an adjacent inclined ramp portion for urging a seal wire into
surface-to-surface contact with the concave portions of
the respective recesses. Wear of the blade platform
caused by seal wire movement relative to the blade platform is significantly reduced.
[0006] United Kingdom Patent Application No.
2224082 describes a blade and disc assembly wherein

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blades are retained in grooves through the disc rim and


a space exists between the radially inner end portions of
the blades and the bottom portion of their respective
grooves, and wherein a cooling air passage exit is in the
bottom of each said groove and cooling air passage
means in each blade has an inlet opposing a respective
said exit. The assembly includes rigid sealing means
straddling opposing inlet and exit, in interfering engagement with the periphery of the said bottom portion of each
respective groove, the material of the sealing means being softer than the material from which the disc is made.
[0007] European Patent Application No. 1731714 describes a gas turbine with a channel wall that limits a flow,
said channel wall comprising first and second wall sections, one of the wall sections being part of a combustion
chamber of the gas turbine and the other wall section
being part of an annular hot gas channel of a turbine unit,
and the two adjacent wall sections facing each other with
a gap there between. In order to reduce the leakage
quantities of blocking gas that protect the gap from the
entry of hot gas, it is proposed that blocking element
projects from the side of the first wall section into the gap
and can be displaced transversely thereto, said blocking
element comprising a piston face disposed in the first
wall section and a sealing structure lying opposite the
piston face, it being possible to press said sealing means
against an end sealing section of the second wall section
by means of a pressure medium that acts on the piston
face.
[0008] There is thus a desire for improved dovetail tab
sealing systems and methods. Such systems and methods should adequately prevent leakage therethrough so
as to increase overall system efficiency while being installable and/or repairable in the field.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

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[0009] The present application thus provides a dovetail


seal assembly for sealing a gap between a bucket dovetail and a rotor, and a method of sealing a gap between
a bucket dovetail and a rotor as recited in the appended
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

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[0010] There follows a detailed description of embodiments of the invention by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
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Fig. 1A is a perspective view of a bucket with a shroud


that may be used with the sealing systems as are
described herein;
Fig. 1B is a perspective view of a bucket without a
shroud that may be used with the sealing systems
as are described herein;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a rotor;
Fig. 3 is a side plan view of a sealing slot of a sealing
system as is described herein;

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Fig. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the sealing


slot and a high-pressure supply hole of the sealing
system as is described herein; and
Fig. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the sealing
system as is described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to like elements throughout the several
views, Fig. 1A shows a bucket 10 as may be used herein.
The bucket 10 may be a first or a second stage bucket
as used in a 7FA+e gas turbine sold by General Electric
Company of Schenectady, New York. Any other type of
bucket or stage also may be used herein. The bucket 10
may be used with a rotor 20 as is shown in Fig. 2.
[0012] As is known, the bucket 10 may include an airfoil
30, a platform 40, a shank 50, a dovetail 60, and other
elements. It will be appreciated that the bucket 10 is one
of a number of circumferentially spaced buckets 10 secured to and about the rotor 20 of the turbine. The bucket
10 of Fig. 1A has a shroud 65 on one end of the airfoil
30. The bucket 11 of Fig. 1B lacks the shroud. Any other
type of bucket design may be used herein.
[0013] As described above, the rotor 20 may have a
number of slots 25 for receiving the dovetails 60 of the
buckets 10. Likewise, the airfoils 30 of the buckets 10
project into the hot gas stream so as to enable the kinetic
energy of the stream to be converted into mechanical
energy through the rotation of the rotor 20. The dovetail
60 may include a first tang or tab 70 and a second tab
80 extending therefrom. Similar designs may be used
herein. A gap 90 may be formed between the ends of the
tabs 70, 80 of the dovetail 60 and the rotor 20. A high
pressure cooling flow may escape via the gap 90 unless
a sealing system of some type is employed.
[0014] Figs. 3-5 show a dovetail seal assembly 100 as
is described herein. The dovetail seal assembly 100 may
be positioned about and within the first tab 70 of the dovetail 60 of the bucket 10. The dovetail seal assembly 100
may include a sealing slot 110. The sealing slot 110 may
extend about the perimeter of the first tab 70. The dimensions and shape of the sealing slot 110 may vary, in whole
or in part, about the tab 70. The sealing slot 110 may be
formed with conventional machining techniques. Other
types of manufacturing techniques also may be used
herein.
[0015] The dovetail seal assembly 100 may include a
high-pressure supply chamber 120 positioned about the
first tab 70 directly above the sealing slot 110. The
high-pressure supply chamber 120 also may extend
about the perimeter of the first tab 70 and may have any
desired size or shape. The high-pressure supply chamber 120 also may be formed by conventional machining
or other types of manufacturing techniques. A deeper
sealing slot 110 may be used in place of a specific highpressure supply chamber 120.
[0016] The dovetail seal assembly 100 may include a

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high-pressure supply hole 130 in communication with the


high-pressure supply chamber 120. The high-pressure
supply hole 130 extends from the high-pressure supply
chamber 120 to the exterior of the first tab 70 about a
high-pressure side 140 thereof. The high-pressure supply hole 130 may have any desired geometry or size. The
high-pressure supply hole 130 also may be formed by
conventional machining or other types of manufacturing
techniques.
[0017] The dovetail seal assembly 100 may include a
deformable seal 150 positioned about the sealing slot
110. The deformable seal 150 may have a substantially
square cross-section, a nearly circular cross-section, a
"c"-shape, or any other desired design. Specifically, an
axial or a radial c-seal may be used. The deformable seal
150 may be made out of a woven graphite, woven metal,
woven intermetallic, woven ceramic, sintered metal/
graphite, vapor deposited graphite on a metal backing,
hybrids of metal/graphite/ceramics, and other types of
deformable materials. The deformable seal 150 may fill
the sealing slot 110 as well as the gap 90 between the
bucket 10 and rotor 20. Any number of seals 150 and
supply holes 130 may be used herein.
[0018] In use, high-pressure air or other fluids from the
high-pressure side 140 of the first tab 70 of the dovetail
60 extends into the high-pressure supply hole 130 and
the high-pressure supply chamber 120. The high-pressure air presses or exerts a force against the deformable
seal 150. The deformable seal 150 thus is forced against
the rotor 20 such that the gap 90 is filled and high-pressure air is not allowed to leak therethrough. Specifically,
the compressive force or other force on the deformable
seal 150 counteracts the centrifugal loading force present
as the bucket 10 rotates. The deformable seal 150 seals
the gap 90 in whole or in part. Other types of sealing
forces may be used herein.
[0019] The deformable seal 150 also may be used with
other sealing systems and methods. The dovetail seal
assembly 100 also may be used with the second tab 80
and elsewhere.
[0020] It should be apparent that the foregoing relates
only to certain embodiments of the present application
and that numerous changes and modifications may be
made herein by one of ordinary skill in the art without
departing from the scope of the invention as defined by
the following claims.

Claims
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1.

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A dovetail seal assembly (100) for sealing a gap (90)


between a bucket dovetail (60) and a rotor (20), comprising a bucket dovetail and a deformable seal:
a sealing slot (110) positioned about the dovetail
(60);
a high-pressure supply hole (130) in communication with the sealing slot (110); and

EP 2 143 885 B1

a deformable seal (150) positioned about the


sealing slot (110) and into the gap (90), characterised in that high pressure air supplied
through the high-pressure supply hole (130) exerts a force against the deformable seal (150)
whereby when the dovetail seal assembly is
mounted in connection with the rotor the deformable seal (15) is forced against the rotor (20)
counter to a centrifugal load on the deformable
seal (150).

11. The method of claim 9 or 10, further comprising machining a supply hole into the dovetail.

12. The method of any of claims 9 to 11, further comprising sealing the gap (90) with the deformable seal
(150) in whole or in part.

Patentansprche
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1.
2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

The dovetail seal assembly (100) of claim 1, further


comprising a high-pressure supply chamber (120)
positioned between the sealing slot (110) and the
high-pressure supply hole (130).

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The dovetail seal assembly (100) of claim 3, wherein


the sealing slot (110) comprises a variable depth
about the perimeter of the tab (70) of the dovetail
(60) in whole or in part.

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The dovetail seal assembly (100) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the high-pressure supply
hole (130) communicates with a high-pressure side
(140) of the dovetail (60).

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The dovetail seal assembly (100) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the deformable seal (150)
comprises a graphite or a braided metal seal.

einen Schaufelschwalbenschwanz und eine


verformbare Dichtung;
einen um den Schwalbenschwanz (60) herum
positionierten Dichtungsschlitz (110);
ein Hochdruckzufhrungsloch (130) in Verbindung mit dem Dichtungsschlitz (110);
eine um den Dichtungsschlitz (110) herum und
in den Spalt (90) positionierte verformbare Dichtung (150), dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass
durch das Hochdruckzufhrungsloch (130) zugefhrte Hochdruckluft eine Kraft gegen die verformbare Dichtung (150) ausbt, wodurch,
wenn die Schwalbenschwanz-Dichtungsanordnung in Verbindung mit dem Rotor montiert ist,
die verformbare Dichtung (150) an den Rotor
(20) gegen eine Zentrifugalbelastung auf der
verformbaren Dichtung (150) gedrckt wird.
2.

Schwalbenschwanzanordnung (100) nach Anspruch 1, welche ferner eine Hochdruckzufhrungskammer (120) aufweist, die zwischen dem Dichtungsschlitz (110) und dem Hochdruckzufhrungsloch (130) positioniert ist.

3.

Schwalbenschwanzanordnung (100) nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, wobei sich der Dichtungsschlitz


(110) insgesamt oder teilweise um einen Umfang
eines Ansatzes (70) des Schwalbenschwanzes (60)
erstreckt.

4.

Schwalbenschwanzanordnung (100) nach Anspruch 3, wobei der Dichtungsschlitz (110) insgesamt oder teilweise eine variable Tiefe um den Umfang des Ansatzes (70) des Schwalbenschwanzes
(60) aufweist.

5.

Schwalbenschwanzanordnung (100) nach einem


der vorstehenden Ansprche, wobei das Hochdruckzufhrungsloch (130) mit einer Hochdruckseite (140) des Schwalbenschwanzes (60) in Verbindung steht.

6.

Schwalbenschwanzanordnung (100) nach einem

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The dovetail seal assembly (100) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the deformable seal (150)
comprises a substantially square cross-section.

8.

The dovetail seal assembly (100) of any of the preceding claims, wherein the deformable seal (150)
comprises a substantially circular cross-section.

9.

A method of sealing a gap (90) between a bucket


dovetail (60) and a rotor (20), comprising:
positioning a deformable seal (150) within a
sealing slot (110) of the dovetail (60);
forcing high-pressure fluid through the dovetail
(60); and
forcing the deformable seal (150) against the
rotor (20) with the high-pressure fluid, counter
to a centrifugal loading on the deformable seal
(150).

Schwalbenschwanz-Dichtungsanordnung
(100)
zum Abdichten eines Spaltes (90) zwischen einem
Schaufelschwalbenschwanz (60) und einem Rotor
(20), aufweisend:

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The dovetail seal assembly (100) of claim 1 or 2,


wherein the sealing slot (110) extends about a perimeter of a tab (70) of the dovetail (60) in whole or
in part.

7.

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10. The method of claim 9, further comprising machining


the sealing slot into the dovetail.

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que de lair haute pression fourni via le trou


dalimentation haute pression (130) exerce
une force contre le joint dformable (150), la
suite de quoi, lorsque le systme dtanchit
de queue daronde est mont par rapport au rotor, le joint dformable (15) est appuy contre
le rotor (20) lencontre dune sollicitation centrifuge du joint dformable (150).

der vorstehenden Ansprche, wobei die verformbare Dichtung (150) eine Graphit- oder Flechtmetalldichtung aufweist.
7.

Schwalbenschwanzanordnung (100) nach einem


der vorstehenden Ansprche, wobei die verformbare Dichtung (150) einen im Wesentlichen quadratischen Querschnitt aufweist.

8.

Schwalbenschwanzanordnung (100) nach einem


der vorstehenden Ansprche, wobei die verformbare Dichtung (150) einen im Wesentlichen runden
Querschnitt aufweist.

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9.

Verfahren zum Abdichten eines Spaltes (90) zwischen einem Schaufelschwalbenschwanz (90) und
einem Rotor (20), mit den Schritten:

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Positionieren einer verformbaren Dichtung


(150) in einem Dichtungsschlitz (110) des
Schwalbenschwanzes (60);
Drcken von Hochdruckfluid durch den Schwalbenschwanz (60); und
Andrcken der verformbaren Dichtung (150) an
den Rotor (20) mit dem Hochdruckfluid, gegen
eine Zentrifugalbelastung auf der verformbaren
Dichtung (150).
10. Verfahren nach Anspruch 9, ferner mit dem Schritt
der Einarbeitung des Dichtungsschlitzes in den
Schwalbenschwanz.

2.

Systme dtanchit (100) de queue daronde selon la revendication 1, comportant en outre une
chambre dalimentation haute pression (120) place entre la rainure dtanchit (110) et le trou dalimentation haute pression (130).

3.

Systme dtanchit (100) de queue daronde selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans lequel la rainure
dtanchit (110) stend entirement ou partiellement sur un pourtour dune patte (70) de la queue
daronde (60).

4.

Systme dtanchit (100) de queue daronde selon la revendication 3, dans lequel la rainure dtanchit (110) a une profondeur variable entirement
ou partiellement sur le pourtour de la patte (70) de
la queue daronde (60).

5.

Systme dtanchit (100) de queue daronde selon lune quelconque des revendications prcdentes, dans lequel le trou dalimentation haute pression (130) communique avec un ct haute pression
(140) de la queue daronde (60).

6.

Systme dtanchit (100) de queue daronde selon lune quelconque des revendications prcdentes, dans lequel le joint dformable (150) a un joint
en mtal tress ou en graphite.

7.

Systme dtanchit (100) de queue daronde selon lune quelconque des revendications prcdentes, dans lequel le joint dformable (100) a une section transversale sensiblement carre.

8.

Systme dtanchit (100) de queue daronde selon lune quelconque des revendications prcdentes, dans lequel le joint dformable (150) a une section transversale sensiblement circulaire.

9.

Procd pour assurer ltanchit dun intervalle


(90) entre une queue daronde (60) dailette et un
rotor (20), comportant :

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11. Verfahren nach Anspruch 9 oder 10, ferner mit dem


Schritt der Einarbeitung eines Zufhrungsloches in
den Schwalbenschwanz.

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12. Verfahren nach einem der Ansprche 9 bis 11, ferner


mit dem Schritt der gesamten oder teilweisen Abdichtung des Spaltes (90) mit der verformbaren Dichtung (150).

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Revendications
1.

Systme dtanchit (100) de queue daronde pour


assurer ltanchit dun intervalle (90) entre une
queue daronde (60) dailette et un rotor (20), comportant une queue daronde dailette et un joint
dtanchit dformable, comprenant :

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une rainure dtanchit (110) mnage autour


de la queue daronde (60) ;
un trou dalimentation haute pression (130)
communiquant avec la rainure dtanchit
(110) ; et
un joint dtanchit dformable (150) dispos
autour de la rainure dtanchit (110) et pntrant dans lintervalle (90), caractris en ce

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la mise en place dun joint dtanchit dformable (150) dans une rainure dtanchit (110)
de la queue daronde (60) ;
linjection dun fluide haute pression travers
la queue daronde (60) ; et
lappui du joint dformable (150) contre le rotor

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(20) laide du fluide haute pression, lencontre dune sollicitation centrifuge du joint dformable (150).
10. Procd selon la revendication 9, comportant en
outre lusinage de la rainure dtanchit dans la
queue daronde.
11. Procd selon la revendication 9 ou 10, comportant
lusinage dun trou dalimentation dans la queue
daronde.
12. Procd selon lune quelconque des revendications
9 11 ; comportant en outre lobturation tanche,
complte ou partielle, de lintervalle (90) par le joint
dtanchit dformable (150).

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REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the readers convenience only. It does not form part of the European
patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be
excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

Patent documents cited in the description

US 6375429 B [0005]
US 2224082 A [0006]

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EP 1731714 A [0007]

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