Hydrostatic seal with non-parallel beams for anti-tipping
A hydrostatic advanced low leakage seal configured to be disposed between relatively rotatable components. The seal includes a base. The seal also includes a shoe extending circumferentially. The seal further includes a radially outer beam operatively coupling the shoe to the base. The seal yet further includes a radially inner beam operatively coupling the shoe to the base, wherein one of the radially inner beam and the radially outer beam is oriented to be angled relative to the other of the radially inner and outer beam.
1. A hydrostatic advanced low leakage seal configured to be disposed between relatively rotatable components, the seal comprising:
a base;
a shoe extending circumferentially;
a radially outer beam operatively coupling the shoe to the base; and
a radially inner beam operatively coupling the shoe to the base, wherein the radially outer beam and the radially inner beam are joined to each other by an end segment and wherein one of the radially inner beam and the radially outer beam is oriented to be angled relative to the other of the radially inner and outer beam.
2. The seal of claim 1 , wherein the radially inner beam is oriented tangentially relative to a sealing surface of an object to be sealed by the shoe.
3. The seal of claim 2 , wherein the radially outer beam angles radially inwardly in a direction from a first circumferential end of the radially outer beam to a second circumferential end of the radially outer beam, the second circumferential end of the radially outer beam being an end of the radially outer beam that is closest to a maximum radial deflection location of the seal.
4. The seal of claim 2 , wherein the radially outer beam angles radially outwardly in a direction from a first circumferential end of the radially outer beam to a second circumferential end of the radially outer beam, the second circumferential end of the radially outer beam being an end of the radially outer beam that is closest to a maximum radial deflection location of the seal.
5. The seal of claim 1 , wherein the radially outer beam is oriented tangentially relative to a sealing surface of an object to be sealed by the shoe.
6. The seal of claim 5 , wherein the radially inner beam angles radially inwardly in a direction from a first circumferential end of the radially inner beam to a second circumferential end of the radially inner beam, the second circumferential end of the radially inner beam being an end of the radially inner beam that is closest to a maximum radial deflection location of the seal.
7. The seal of claim 5 , wherein the radially inner beam angles radially outwardly in a direction from a first circumferential end of the radially inner beam to a second circumferential end of the radially inner beam, the second circumferential end of the radially inner beam being an end of the radially inner beam that is closest to a maximum radial deflection location of the seal.
8. The seal of claim 1 , wherein the one of the radially inner beam and the radially outer beam that is oriented to be angled relative to the other of the radially inner and outer beam is angled at an angle ranging from 0.25 degrees to 2.0 degrees.
9. The seal of claim 1 , wherein the radially inner beam and the radially outer beam have a common beam thickness.
10. The seal of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the radially inner beam and the radially outer beam has a beam length that is equal to or greater than a circumferential pitch of the shoe.
11. A seal assembly disposed in a gas turbine engine, the seal assembly comprising:
a first component;
a second component, the first component and the second component being relatively rotatable components; and
a hydrostatic advanced low leakage seal disposed between the first component and the second component, the seal comprising:
a base operatively coupled to one of the first component and the second component;
a shoe extending circumferentially;
a radially inner beam operatively coupling the shoe to the base, the radially inner beam oriented tangentially relative to a sealing surface of one of the first component and the second component; and
a radially outer beam operatively coupling the shoe to the base, the radially outer beam being oriented to be relatively angled to the radially inner beam.
12. The seal assembly of claim 11 , wherein the radially outer beam is angled radially inwardly in a direction from a first circumferential end of the radially outer beam to a second circumferential end of the radially outer beam, the second circumferential end of the radially outer beam being an end of the radially outer beam that is closest to a maximum radial deflection location of the seal.
13. The seal assembly of claim 11 , wherein the radially outer beam is angled relative to the radially inner beam at an angle ranging from 0.25 degrees to 2.0 degrees.
14. The seal assembly of claim 11 , wherein the radially inner beam and the radially outer beam have a common beam thickness.
15. The seal assembly of claim 11 , wherein at least one of the radially inner beam and the radially outer beam has a beam length that is equal to or greater than a circumferential pitch of the shoe.
16. The seal assembly of claim 11 , wherein the first component is a stator and the second component is a rotor and wherein the radially outer beam and the radially inner beam are joined to each other by an end segment.
17. The seal assembly of claim 16 , wherein the seal is operatively coupled to the stator.
18. The seal assembly of claim 16 , wherein the seal is operatively coupled to the rotor.
19. A gas turbine engine comprising:
a compressor section;
a combustor section;
a turbine section; and
a seal assembly disposed in the gas turbine engine, the seal assembly comprising relatively rotatable components and a hydrostatic advanced low leakage seal disposed between the relatively rotatable components, the seal comprising:
a base;
a shoe extending circumferentially;
a radially outer beam operatively coupling the shoe to the base; and
a radially inner beam operatively coupling the shoe to the base, wherein the radially outer beam and the radially inner beam are joined to each other by an end segment and wherein one of the radially inner beam and the radially outer beam is oriented to be angled relative to the other of the radially inner and outer beam.
20. The gas turbine engine of claim 19 , wherein the radially inner beam is oriented tangentially relative to a sealing surface of a component to be sealed by the seal, the radially outer beam being oriented to be relatively angled to the radially inner beam.