Granted Patent B2

US 12,624,762 · App. 19/280,738 · Granted May 12, 2026

Inventor: Jorn A. Glahn (Manchester, CT)

Assignee: RTX Corporation

F16J15/3448F01D11/003

Abstract

Claims (19)

1 . A process for hydraulically supporting a seal in a gas turbine engine, the process comprising:

operatively coupling a seal plate with a seal;

supporting the seal with a seal carrier within a housing;

providing a piston having a piston shaft, the piston being in operative communication with the seal opposite the seal plate;

disposing the piston shaft through a piston receiver formed in the housing;

operatively coupling a cylinder to the piston opposite the seal;

fluidly coupling a hydraulic circuit containing a hydraulic fluid to the cylinder; and

hydraulically biasing the piston with the hydraulic fluid within the cylinder.

2 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising:

operatively coupling a controller with the hydraulic circuit; and

employing the controller to maintain a hydraulic circuit pressure which maintains a seal face integrity.

3 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising:

sealing the interface between the piston and the cylinder with secondary seals.

4 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising: fluidly coupling a variable restrictor to the hydraulic circuit; and

employing the variable restrictor to regulate pressure in the hydraulic circuit.

5 . The process of claim 1 , further comprising: pressurizing the hydraulic circuit with a pump.

6 . The process of claim 2 , wherein the controller is in communication with a supervisory controller.

7 . The process of claim 2 , further comprising:

providing engine operational conditions as control input to the hydraulic circuit to maintain sealing forces acting on a carbon seal throughout at least one engine operating cycle.

Continuity (2)

References Cited (22)