Spring loaded compliant seal for high temperature use
A flexible seal having an X-shaped cross section that forms four contact points on four contact surfaces of two opposed seal slots. The flexible seal is used for a component in which the two seal slots undergo a large deflection such that the opposed slots are not aligned and a rigid seal will not form an adequate seal. The flexible seal can be used in a component of a combustor or a turbine in a gas turbine engine where opposed seal slots undergo the large deflection during operation.
1. A flexible seal comprising:
a first seal slot;
a second seal slot opposed to the first seal slot and forming a gap between the two seal slots;
a flexible seal secured within the two seal slots;
the flexible seal having a first outward curved seal half and a second outward curved seal half;
the two outward curved seal halves form four seal contact surfaces to make contact with four surfaces of the two seal slots; and,
a spacer positioned between the first and second outward curved seal halves.
2. The flexible seal of claim 1 , and further comprising:
the spacer is a rope or wire braid is positioned between the two seal halves.
3. The flexible seal of claim 1 , and further comprising:
the spacer is a hollow spacer positioned between the two seal halves.
4. The flexible seal of claim 1 , and further comprising:
the spacer is a C-shaped helper spring is positioned between the two seal halves.
5. The flexible seal of claim 1 , and further comprising:
the spacer is a flat shim is positioned between the two seal halves.
6. The flexible seal of claim 5 , and further comprising:
the flat shim is not bonded to either of the two seal halves.
7. The flexible seal of claim 1 , and further comprising:
the two seal halves form an X-shaped seal.
8. The flexible seal of claim 1 , and further comprising:
the flexible seal is fabricated from a nickel-cobalt-chromium alloy material.
9. The flexible seal of claim 8 , and further comprising:
the nickel-cobalt-chromium alloy material has a thickness of about 0.008 inches.
10. A component of a gas turbine engine exposed to a high temperature during operation of the gas turbine engine, the component comprising:
a first seal slot;
a second seal slot opposed to the first seal slot and forming a gap between the two seal slots;
the two seal slots having a large misalignment from exposure to the high temperature during engine operation such that a rigid seal will not maintain an sufficient seal between the two seal slots;
a flexible seal secured within the two seal slots;
the flexible seal having a first outward curved seal half and a second outward curved seal half;
the two outward curved seal halves form four seal contact surfaces to make contact with four surfaces of the two seal slots; and,
a spacer positioned between the first and second outward curved seal halves.
11. The component of a gas turbine engine of claim 10 , and further comprising:
the component is a turbine vane platforms, or a blade outer air seal segments, or between combustor transition ducts, or between case-tied compressor stator vane segments, or a spar and shell airfoil.
12. The component of a gas turbine engine of claim 11 , and further comprising:
the flexible seal is fabricated from a nickel-cobalt-chromium alloy material.
13. The component of a gas turbine engine of claim 12 , and further comprising:
the nickel-cobalt-chromium alloy material has a thickness of around about 0.008 inches.
14. A turbine stator vane for a turbine in a gas turbine engine, the stator vane comprising:
a shell having an airfoil shape with a leading edge and a trailing edge and with a pressure side wall and a suction side wall extending between the leading and trailing edges;
an insert secured within the shell;
two opposed radially extending seal slots formed in the shell and the insert;
an X-shaped flexible seal secured within the opposed seal slots;
the X-shaped flexible seal having four ends that form contact surfaces with four surfaces of the two opposed seal slots; and,
a spacer positioned between the first and second outward curved seal halves.
15. The turbine stator vane of claim 14 , and further comprising:
the X-shaped flexible seal includes a first outward curved seal half and a second outward curved seal half; and,
the two outward curved seal halves are joined together between the four ends that form the contact surfaces.
16. The turbine stator vane of claim 14 , and further comprising:
the flexible seal is fabricated from a nickel-cobalt-chromium alloy material.
17. The turbine stator vane of claim 16 , and further comprising:
the nickel-cobalt-chromium alloy material has a thickness of about 0.008 inches.