Segmented duct seal

Claim 2

A fluid pressure seal assembly, which comprises: a duct adapted to separate fluids which are under different pressures, said duct having a circular cross section and comprising a plurality of longitudinal segments, adjacent segments having confronting faces, each face having at least one length-wise groove to provide at least one pair of opposing lengthwise grooves in said confronting faces, each groove of said pair having at least one tapered surface, the tapered surface of one groove being in mutually facing relationship with the tapered surface of the opposing groove; and a plurality of flat plates each loosely disposed within a related pair of opposing grooves, and each having two straight parallel longitudinal edges, said longitudinal edges of said plate, in the presence of a radial fluid pressure differential, being in fluid sealing contact with said mutually facing tapered surfaces of opposing grooves to provide a fluid seal between said confronting faces solely as a result of the fluid pressure acting on said plate in a radial direction.

Claim 3

The fluid pressure seal assembly according to claim 1 wherein said plate is flexible and additional contact between the surface of the plate and the mutually facing tapered surfaces occurs in the presence of a fluid pressure differential.

Claim 4

A turbine stator assembly comprising: an annular inner casing; an annular outer casing surrounding said inner casing thereby forming an annular passageway therebetween; a plurality of vanes, said vanes distributed circumferentially within said annular passageway and each comprising an inner shroud, an outer shroud, and an airfoil therebetween, said shrouds forming the inner and outer walls of an annular gas path in the gas turbine engine, each of said airfoils having a central void, and each of said shrouds having a substantially radial hole therethrough which communicates with said airfoil central void forming a passageway through each of said vanes with an opening at both ends, each airfoil also having a plurality of holes forming passageways between said gas path and said central void, adjacent shrouds of each gas path wall having confronting faces, with at least one pair of opposing grooves in said confronting faces, each groove of said pair having at least one tapered surface, the tapered surface of one groove being in mutually facing relationship with the tapered surface of the opposing groove; said inner and outer casings further comprising structure for supporting said inner and outer shrouds and for Forming an inner annular chamber between said inner shrouds and said inner casing, and an outer annular chamber between said outer shrouds and said outer casing, said outer annular chamber and said inner annular chamber adapted to carry gases under pressures higher than gas path pressures for feeding through the holes in said inner and outer shrouds, into the central voids of the airfoils, out the holes in the airfoil connecting the central void with the gas path, and finally cooling the outer surface of the airfoils,; and a plurality of flat plates, each having two straight parallel longitudinal edges, each disposed within a related pair of said opposing grooves in the inner and outer shrouds, said edges being adapted to contact the mutually facing tapered surfaces of the grooves in the presence of a pressure differential across said plate to provide a fluid seal between said confronting faces.

Claim 5

A turbine stator assembly comprising: an annular inner casing; an annular outer casing surrounding said inner casing thereby forming an annular passageway therebetween; a plurality of vanes, said vanes distributed circumferentially within said annular passageway and each comprising an inner shroud, an outer shroud, and an airfoil therebetween, said shrouds forming the inner and outer walls of an annular gas path in the gas turbine engine, each of said airfoils having a central void, and each of said shrouds having a substantially radial hole therethrough which communicates with said airfoil central void forming a passageway through each of said vanes with an opening at both ends, each airfoil also having a plurality of holes forming passageways between said gas path and said central void, adjacent shrouds of each gas path wall having confronting faces, with at least one pair of opposing grooves in said confronting faces, each groove of said pair having at least one tapered surface, the tapered surface of one groove being in mutually facing relationship with the tapered surface of the opposing groove; said inner and outer casings further comprising structure for supporting said inner and outer shrouds and for Forming an inner annular chamber between said inner shrouds and said inner casing, and an outer annular chamber between said outer shrouds and said outer casing, said outer annular chamber and said inner annular chamber adapted to carry gases under pressures higher than gas path pressures for feeding through the holes in said inner and outer shrouds, into the central voids of the airfoils, out the holes in the airfoil connecting the central void with the gas path, and finally cooling the outer surface of the airfoils,; and a plurality of flat plates, each having two straight parallel longitudinal edges, each disposed within a related pair of said opposing grooves in the inner and outer shrouds, said edges being adapted to contact the mutually facing tapered surfaces of the grooves in the presence of a pressure differential across said plate to provide a fluid seal between said confronting faces.

Claim 6

The assembly according to claim 3 wherein said plate is flexible and, in the presence of a pressure differential across said plate, is forced into additional fluid sealing contact between the surface of the plate and the mutually facing tapered surfaces.

Claim 7

A turbine stator assembly comprising: an annular inner casing; an annular outer casing surrounding said inner casing thereby forming an annular passageway therebetween; a plurality of airfoils each having an inner and outer end, said airfoils distributed circumferentially within said annular passageway and each comprising a shroud at one end thereof, said shrouds forming a wall of an annular gas path in a gas turbine engine, said inner and outer casings further comprising structure for supporting said inner and outer ends of said airfoils, adjacent shrouds of said gas path wall having confronting faces, with at least one pair of opposing grooves in said confronting faces, each groove of said pair having at least one tapered surface, the tapered surface of one groove being in mutually facing relationship with the tapered surface of the opposing groove; and a plurality of flat plates each loosely disposed within a related pair of opposing grooves in said shrouds, and each having two straight parallel longitudinal edges, said edges of said plate, in the presence of a radial fluid pressure differential, sealingly contacting said mutually facing tapered surfaces of opposing grooves to provide a fluid seal between said confronting faces solely as a result of the fluid pressure acting on said plate in a radial direction.

Claim 8

A turbine stator assembly comprising: an annular inner casing; an annular outer casing surrounding said inner casing thereby forming an annular passageway therebetween; a plurality of airfoils each having an inner and outer end, said airfoils distributed circumferentially within said annular passageway and each comprising a shroud at one end thereof, said shrouds forming a wall of an annular gas path in a gas turbine engine, said inner and outer casings further comprising structure for supporting said inner and outer ends of said airfoils, adjacent shrouds of said gas path wall having confronting faces, with at least one pair of opposing grooves in said confronting faces, each groove of said pair having at least one tapered surface, the tapered surface of one groove being in mutually facing relationship with the tapered surface of the opposing groove; and a plurality of flat plates each loosely disposed within a related pair of opposing grooves in said shrouds, and each having two straight parallel longitudinal edges, said edges of said plate, in the presence of a radial fluid pressure differential, sealingly contacting said mutually facing tapered surfaces of opposing grooves to provide a fluid seal between said confronting faces solely as a result of the fluid pressure acting on said plate in a radial direction.