GAS TURBINE ENGINE AND SEAL ASSEMBLY THEREFORE
The present disclosure relates generally to a hydrostatic advanced low leakage seal having a plurality of shoes, each supported by at least one spring element. The mass and/or circumferential length of some of the shoes and/or the spring rate of some of the beams may be changed in order to provide different vibratory responses for different shoe/beam assemblies.
1 . A seal assembly disposed between a stator and a rotor, the seal assembly comprising:
a hydrostatic advanced low leakage seal including:
a base;
a plurality of shoes of substantially equal circumferential length, wherein a first mass of a first portion of the plurality of shoes is different than a second mass of a second portion of the plurality of shoes; and
a plurality of spring elements, each of the plurality of spring elements operatively coupling one of the plurality of shoes to the base;
wherein the base is operatively coupled to one of the stator and the rotor.
2 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the base is operatively coupled to the stator.
3 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shoes comprise shoes of the first mass alternating with shoes of the second mass around a circumference of the hydrostatic low leakage seal.
4 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of spring elements comprise substantially the same spring rate.
5 . The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein a third mass of a third portion of the plurality of shoes is different than the first mass and the second mass.
6 . A seal assembly disposed between a stator and a rotor, the seal assembly comprising:
a hydrostatic advanced low leakage seal including:
a base;
a plurality of shoes, wherein a first circumferential length of a first portion of the plurality of shoes is different than a second circumferential length of a second portion of the plurality of shoes; and
a plurality of spring elements, each of the plurality of spring elements operatively coupling one of the plurality of shoes to the base;
wherein a first spring rate of a first portion of the plurality of spring elements is different than a second spring rate of a second portion of the plurality of spring elements;
wherein the base is operatively coupled to one of the stator and the rotor.
7 . The seal assembly of claim 6 , wherein the base is operatively coupled to the stator.
8 . The seal assembly of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of shoes comprise shoes of the first circumferential length alternating with shoes of the second circumferential length around a circumference of the hydrostatic low leakage seal.
9 . The seal assembly of claim 6 , wherein a first mass of the first portion of the plurality of shoes is different than a second mass of the second portion of the plurality of shoes.
10 . The seal assembly of claim 6 , wherein a third circumferential length of a third portion of the plurality of shoes is different than the first circumferential length and the second circumferential length.
11 . A gas turbine engine comprising:
a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section in serial flow communication, at least one of the compressor section and turbine section including a stator, a rotor, and a seal assembly, the seal assembly comprising:
a hydrostatic advanced low leakage seal including:
a base;
a plurality of shoes of substantially equal circumferential length, wherein a first mass of a first portion of the plurality of shoes is different than a second mass of a second portion of the plurality of shoes; and
a plurality of spring elements, each of the plurality of spring elements operatively coupling one of the plurality of shoes to the base;
wherein the base is operatively coupled to one of the stator and the rotor.
12 . The gas turbine engine of claim 11 , wherein the base is operatively coupled to the stator.
13 . The seal assembly of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of shoes comprise shoes of the first mass alternating with shoes of the second mass around a circumference of the hydrostatic low leakage seal.
14 . The seal assembly of claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of spring elements comprise substantially the same spring rate.
15 . The seal assembly of claim 11 , wherein a third mass of a third portion of the plurality of shoes is different than the first mass and the second mass.
16 . A gas turbine engine comprising:
a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section in serial flow communication, at least one of the compressor section and turbine section including a stator, a rotor, and a seal assembly, the seal assembly comprising:
a hydrostatic advanced low leakage seal including:
a base;
a plurality of shoes, wherein a first circumferential length of a first portion of the plurality of shoes is different than a second circumferential length of a second portion of the plurality of shoes; and
a plurality of spring elements, each of the plurality of spring elements operatively coupling one of the plurality of shoes to the base;
wherein a first spring rate of a first portion of the plurality of spring elements is different than a second spring rate of a second portion of the plurality of spring elements;
wherein the base is operatively coupled to one of the stator and the rotor.
17 . The gas turbine engine of claim 16 , wherein the base is operatively coupled to the stator.
18 . The seal assembly of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of shoes comprise shoes of the first circumferential length alternating with shoes of the second circumferential length around a circumference of the hydrostatic low leakage seal.
19 . The seal assembly of claim 16 , wherein a first mass of the first portion of the plurality of shoes is different than a second mass of the second portion of the plurality of shoes.
20 . The seal assembly of claim 16 , wherein a third circumferential length of a third portion of the plurality of shoes is different than the first circumferential length and the second circumferential length.