Integral seal and sealant packaging
An integral seal and sealant package includes a prefabricated seal element having multiple surfaces; a high-temperature sealant composition engaged with one or more of the multiple surfaces; and a backer material enclosing the prefabricated seal element and the high-temperature sealant composition. The backer material has composition permitting the backer material to be installed with the seal element and the sealant composition between adjacent components to be sealed.
1. An integral seal and sealant package comprising:
a prefabricated seal element having multiple surfaces;
a flexible, high-temperature sealant composition applied to said multiple surfaces wherein said high temperature sealant composition resists temperatures up to 2000° F.; and
a backer material enclosing said prefabricated seal element and said flexible, high-temperature sealant composition, said backer material having a composition permitting the backer material to be installed with said seal element and said flexible high-temperature sealant composition between adjacent components to be sealed, and wherein backer material is selected to have characteristics that will cause the backer material to burn or melt at a temperature less than a specified service temperature of said components to be sealed.
2. The integral seal and sealant package of claim 1 wherein said seal element is a cloth seal.
3. The integral seal and sealant package of claim 1 wherein said seal element is a relatively hard metal shim.
4. The integral seal and sealant package of claim 1 wherein said seal element is substantially rectangular in shape, said multiple surfaces including four side edges, a top surface and a bottom surface.
5. The integral seal and sealant package of claim 1 wherein said seal element is a cloth seal; said backer material comprises a material chosen from a group comprising wax paper and plastic tape.
6. A method of installing an integral seal and sealant package between a pair of adjacent components in a turbine machine comprising:
(a). cutting a seal element to a desired size and shape;
(b). laying the seal element on a backer sheet comprised of a plastic non-stick or tacky film that will burn away at a temperature less than a specified service temperature of said adjacent components;
(c). applying a flexible, high-temperature sealant composition serviceable up to 2000° F. to at least two surfaces of said seal element;
(d). wrapping said backer sheet about said seal element to substantially completely enclosing said seal element and said flexible, high-temperature sealant, thereby preventing escape of said flexible, high temperature sealant and forming an integral seal and sealant package;
(e). locating said integral seal and sealant package in position between said pair of adjacent components; and
(f). operating the turbine machine so that said adjacent components reach said specified service temperature, and causing said backer material to melt and/or burn away, leaving said seal element and said flexible, high-temperature sealant composition in place.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein said seal element is a cloth seal.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein said seal element is a relatively hard metal shim.
9. The method of claim 6 wherein said seal element is substantially rectangular in shape, and wherein said at least two surfaces comprise four side edges, a top surface and a bottom surface, and wherein during step (c), said flexible high-temperature sealant composition is applied to each of said four side edges, said top surface and said bottom surface.
10. The method of claim 6 wherein said flexible, high-temperature sealant composition is preformed as an elongated strip having a substantially circular cross-sectional shape.