US 12,000,296 B2
Seal for a rotor
Steven Douglas Johnson, Milford, OH (US); and Neelesh Nandkumar Sarawate, Pleasanton, CA (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Feb. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/676,929.
Prior Publication US 2023/0265767 A1, Aug. 24, 2023
Int. Cl. F01D 11/02 (2006.01); F01D 5/02 (2006.01); F01D 9/02 (2006.01); F01D 11/00 (2006.01); F01D 11/12 (2006.01); F01D 25/04 (2006.01)
CPC F01D 25/04 (2013.01) [F01D 5/02 (2013.01); F01D 9/02 (2013.01); F01D 11/001 (2013.01); F01D 11/127 (2013.01); F05D 2240/56 (2013.01); F05D 2260/96 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A rotary machine comprising:
a rotor defining an axial direction, a circumferential direction, and a radial direction;
a stator that extends at least partially in the circumferential direction and at least partially around the rotor, the stator comprising a first protrusion that defines a first notch and a second notch, wherein the rotor and stator have different coefficients of thermal expansion; and
a seal coupled to the rotor and positioned between the stator and the rotor, the seal comprising:
a first flexible element having a first tip, wherein the first tip is positioned in close proximity to the first notch; and
a second flexible element having a second tip, wherein the second tip is positioned in close proximity to the second notch, wherein a first distance is defined between the first tip of the first flexible element and the first notch, wherein the first distance is greater than or equal to zero millimeter (mm) and less than or equal to three mm when the rotary machine is operating in a relatively hot state,
wherein a second distance is defined between the second tip of the second flexible element and the second notch, wherein the second distance is greater than or equal to zero mm and less than or equal to three mm when the rotary machine is operating in a relatively cool state, and
wherein the first distance is less than the second distance when the rotary machine is operating in the relatively hot state and the first distance is greater than the second distance when the rotary machine is operating in the relatively cool state.