US 11,920,487 B1
Gas turbine engine including flow path flex seal with cooling air bifurcation
Thomas E. Clark, Wells, ME (US); and Andrew E. Breault, Bolton, CT (US)
Assigned to RTX Corporation, Farmington, CT (US)
Filed by Raytheon Technologies Corporation, Farmington, CT (US)
Filed on Sep. 30, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/956,877.
Int. Cl. F01D 25/14 (2006.01); F01D 11/00 (2006.01); F02C 7/18 (2006.01); F02C 7/28 (2006.01)
CPC F01D 25/14 (2013.01) [F01D 11/005 (2013.01); F02C 7/18 (2013.01); F02C 7/28 (2013.01); F05D 2250/75 (2013.01); F05D 2260/232 (2013.01); F05D 2260/31 (2013.01); F05D 2260/37 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a primary flow path fluidly connecting a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section;
a cooling air flowpath radially outward of the primary flowpath;
a first seal spanning from an inner diameter of the cooling air flowpath to an outer diameter of the cooling air flowpath, the first seal including at least one axial convolution and a plurality of pass through features;
a bifurcation feature provided by the first seal and a second seal, the bifurcation feature being configured to direct a portion of an airflow through the first seal into a cooling air passage; and
the second seal contacting the first seal, such that another portion of the airflow passes radially inward of the bifurcation feature.