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(19)
(11)
EP 2 143 885 B1
(12)
Ward, John D.
Woodruff, SC 29388 (US)
(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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[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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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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Claims
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1.
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EP 2 143 885 B1
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.
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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.
Schwalbenschwanzanordnung (100) nach Anspruch 1, welche ferner eine Hochdruckzufhrungskammer (120) aufweist, die zwischen dem Dichtungsschlitz (110) und dem Hochdruckzufhrungsloch (130) positioniert ist.
3.
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.
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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.
Schwalbenschwanz-Dichtungsanordnung
(100)
zum Abdichten eines Spaltes (90) zwischen einem
Schaufelschwalbenschwanz (60) und einem Rotor
(20), aufweisend:
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EP 2 143 885 B1
der vorstehenden Ansprche, wobei die verformbare Dichtung (150) eine Graphit- oder Flechtmetalldichtung aufweist.
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Verfahren zum Abdichten eines Spaltes (90) zwischen einem Schaufelschwalbenschwanz (90) und
einem Rotor (20), mit den Schritten:
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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.
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Revendications
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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
EP 2 143 885 B1
(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.
US 6375429 B [0005]
US 2224082 A [0006]
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EP 1731714 A [0007]