Abstract: A centrifugal turbomachine comprising a casing, a rotor assembly comprising at least one centrifugal impeller for a fluid flowing from an inlet side to an outlet side of the impeller, and an eye seal extending between an impeller eye of the centrifugal impeller and the casing for preventing the fluid from leaking between the casing and the centrifugal impeller, wherein the eye seal comprises at least a first portion toward the inlet side and a last portion toward the outlet side of the impeller, the last portion being smaller in diameter than the first portion.

Abstract: A seal configuration includes a housing and a rotatable member rotationally mounted relative to the housing. The rotatable member has at least one portion defining an outer perimetrical face that is configured to contact the housing during operational conditions that cause a radial dimension of the at least one portion to increase. The at least one portion has opposing axial surfaces with each of the opposing axial surfaces being dimensionally axially nearer to the other of the opposing axial surfaces immediately radially inwardly of the outer perimetrical face than a furthest part of the outer perimetrical face.

Abstract: A MCrAlY alloy, methods to produce a MCrAlY layer and a honeycomb seal are provided. The MCrAlY alloy includes chromium, aluminum, yttrium and iron and optionally titanium, hafnium or silicon. The honeycomb seal includes a substrate, honeycomb cells and a protective coating on side walls of the honeycomb cells or a diffusion area inside side walls of the honeycomb cells, the protective coating or the diffusion area including the MCrAlY alloy.

Abstract: The present application provides an axial flow turbine. The axial flow turbine may include a stator casing and a turbine bucket positioned about the stator casing. A tip shroud may be positioned on the turbine bucket. A shroud tail may be attached to the tip shroud at a downstream end of the tip shroud.

Abstract: A labyrinth seal design, an actuation control clearance strategy, and a method of operating a turbomachine. The labyrinth seal design including a plurality of features configured to open and close radial clearances in response to relative axial movement between a stationary component and a rotating component. The actuation control clearance strategy and method of operating a turbomachine effective to achieve relative motion between a rotating component and a stationary component of the turbomachine using active elements. Axial displacement of the rotating component relative to the stationary component provides an adjustment in a radial clearance at one or more sealing locations between the rotating component and the stationary component to suit a given operating condition of the turbomachine.

Abstract: A metal sealing material used in a sealing device which can reduce a gap between a stator and a rotor of a turbine. The metal sealing material used in a sealing device for a stator and a rotor of a turbine includes a surface layer and a lower layer composed of a porous metal layer, wherein the porosity of the surface layer is smaller than the porosity of the lower layer; the porosity of the surface layer is 60 to 65% and the porosity of the lower layer is 67 to 75% or less; and the porous metal layer has a thickness of 0.3 to 3.0 mm and may include, as a main component, an MCrAlY alloy where M is either one of Ni and Co or both thereof, and h-BN as a solid lubricant.

Abstract: A turbine nozzle for a turbomachine, including inner and outer annular platforms connected together by vanes, the inner platform carrying annular elements of abradable material co-operating with annular wipers of a rotor of the turbomachine to form a labyrinth seal, these elements of abradable material being carried by annular sheet-metal sectors of substantially L-, S-, or C-shaped section that are fastened by brazing or welding at their outer peripheries to the inner platform and at their inner peripheries to the elements of abradable material.

Abstract: A seal (48) between a compressor rotor blade (26) and compressor casing (28) comprises an abradable structure (59) on the compressor casing (28). The abradable structure (59) comprises a metallic foam (60) having pores (66, 68). The metallic foam (60) has a first a region (62) and a second region (64). The first region (62) of the metallic foam (60) is arranged adjacent to the compressor casing (28) and the second region (64) of the metallic foam (60) is spaced from the compressor casing (28) by the first region (62) of the metallic foam (60). The pores (68) of the second region (64) of the metallic foam (60) contain an abradable material (70) and the pores (66) of the first region (62) of the metallic foam (60) do not contain an abradable material.

Abstract: A blade is disclosed for a gas turbine including an airfoil, which extends along a longitudinal axis from a blade root to a blade tip, and has a shroud segment at the blade tip. The shroud segment abuts with first and second edges against shroud segments of adjacent blades to form a ring-like shroud. The first and second edges are each provided with a respective side rail on the upper side of the shroud segment. Each of the side rails is subdivided into sections of different height and/or width.

Abstract: A turbomachine includes a housing having an inner surface, a compressor, a turbine and a rotary member including a plurality of blade members configured as part of one of the compressor and the turbine. Each of the plurality of blade members includes a base portion and a tip portion. The turbomachine also includes a honeycomb seal member mounted to the inner surface of the housing adjacent the rotary member. The honeycomb seal member includes a contoured surface having formed therein a deformation zone. The deformation zone includes an inlet zone and an outlet zone. The inlet zone is spaced a first distance from the tip portion of each of the plurality of blade members and the outlet zone is spaced a second distance from the tip portion of each of the plurality of blade members. The second distance being substantially equal to or less than the first distance.

Abstract: A turbomachine seal assembly includes a plurality of sealing strips configured and disposed to inhibit a flow of fluid from passing through a channel defined by a first member and a second member. At least one of the plurality of sealing strips includes a paddle element that is configured and disposed to create a fluid recirculation zone at the channel. The fluid recirculation zone further inhibits the flow of fluid through the channel.

Abstract: A turbine includes a blade, a structure installed at a tip section side of the blade via a gap and configured to relatively rotate with respect to the blade, a step section formed at the tip section of the blade, having at least one step surface, and protruding toward a portion opposite to the tip section of the structure, a seal fin formed at the portion opposite to the tip section of the structure, extending toward the step section, and configured to form a micro gap between the step section and the seal fin, and a cutout section formed at the step surface to be connected to an upper surface of the step section. The cutout section guides a separation vortex separated from a main stream of a fluid passing through the gap toward the seal fin on the upper surface of the step section.

Abstract: A sealing assembly for use with a rotary machine is described herein. The sealing assembly includes a stator shroud coupled to the casing. The stator shroud includes an inner surface that at least partially defines the cavity within the casing. At least one stator labyrinth tooth extends outwardly from the stator shroud inner surface towards a rotor assembly positioned within the casing. At least one protective member is coupled to the stator shroud upstream from the at least one stator labyrinth tooth to facilitate reducing a flow of combustion gas across the at least one stator labyrinth tooth.

Abstract: A compressor stator blade 10 includes a seal mechanism 12 configured to hermetically seal a part between a radial inner end on the upstream side and an outer surface of a rotary body, and a remainder part on the downstream side of the seal mechanism includes a hub clearance 14 between the outer surface of the rotary body and itself. Additionally, a compressor rotor blade 20 includes a seal mechanism 22 configured to hermetically seal a part between a radial outer end on the upstream side and an inner surface of a stationary body, and a remainder part on the downstream side of the seal mechanism includes a tip clearance 24 between the inner surface of the stationary body and itself.

Abstract: A seal system between a row of buckets supported on a machine rotor and a surrounding stationary casing or stator includes a tip shroud secured at radially outer tips of each of the buckets, the tip shroud formed with a radially-projecting rail. A cellular seal structure is supported in the stationary stator in radial opposition to the tip shroud and the rail. The seal structure has an annular array of individual cells formed to provide continuous, substantially horizontal flow passages devoid of any radial obstruction along substantially an entire axial length dimension of the cellular seal structure to prevent flow about the tip shroud from turning radially inwardly.

Abstract: A turbine shroud ring sector for a turbomachine supported at the upstream end by a downstream support of a turbine casing with circular sliding including a first stop able to collaborate with a second stop borne by an element of the turbomachine adjacent to the shroud ring in order to immobilize the shroud ring circularly is disclosed. The sector includes, on an end facing the element, a recess able to allow the second stop to pass to come into contact with the first stop. The recess is cut substantially in the form of a rectangle having, at the bottom of the recess, corners that are rounded in a circular arc of radius r. The bottom of the recess has a convex shape tangential to the circular arcs of the rounded corners and with a curvature that evolves between a radius of curvature r where it meets the rounded corners and a radius of R, greater than the radius r, at a point situated between the two rounded corners.

Abstract: A flow control assembly is provided, including a member and a wall. The member has a surface, a flow diverting member and a rail member. The rail member is situated upstream of the flow diverting member. The flow diverting member and the rail member each project from the surface of the member. The flow diverting member has a distal end. The wall is disposed in relation to the member to create a clearance gap between the distal end of the flow diverting member and the wall. A fluid path is created between the member and the wall, and flows from an upstream section and through the clearance gap. A first chamber and a second chamber are defined by the wall and located upstream of the clearance gap.

Abstract: In a water pump for pumping coolant in a low temperature and a high temperature circuit with low temperature and high temperature housings each including a spiral flow guide structure, and a single rotor disposed in the joined housings and having a low temperature rotor part for pumping coolant through the low temperature circuit and a high temperature rotor part for pumping coolant through the high temperature circuit, the housings are joined with a heat isolating structure disposed between the flow guide structures of the high temperature and the low temperature housings to limit heat transfer from the high temperature coolant pumped through the high temperature housing to the low temperature coolant pumped through the low temperature housing.

Abstract: A card seal with an annular arrangement of cards that form the card seal, where the cards are interweaved and staggered to increase a sealing capability of the cards. The card seal is formed from leading edge cards staggered with trailing edge cards, and the cards have a thicker outer end and a thinner inner end where the interweaving occurs. Because of the varying thickness of the staggered cards, each card has a taper on the lower outer end that decreases from a high to a low on the inner side in order that a foot print for the card is constant across the bottom surface that floats on the rotating part.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the invention may include systems, methods and apparatus for providing a labyrinth seal. In an example embodiment, a method is provided for sealing a flow path between a stationary element and a rotating element of a turbomachine. The method can include disposing at least one fixture on an inner surface of a stationary element associated with the turbomachine; disposing a packing ring linked via a spring element to the fixture wherein the packing ring comprises at least one bore; and disposing, according to a predetermined profile, a plurality of interdigitated packing ring teeth and rotor teeth intermediate to the packing ring and the rotating element; wherein the bore, packing ring teeth, and rotor teeth, cooperate to counter a moment associated with one or more axial forces.

Abstract: A turbomachinery includes a labyrinth seal (2) to prevent unstable vibration of a rotor formed by dividing the seal into segments (7) in a circumferential direction and combining the segments (7) whose comb teeth (5) differ in height. The labyrinth seal (2) preferably includes two kinds of segments (7) whose comb teeth (5) differ in height for each kind of segment, and the segments (7a) of the greater comb tooth height are arranged in a certain reference direction on a cross section right-angled to a rotational axis, and in a direction opposite to the reference direction, and the segments (7b) of the smaller comb tooth height are arranged in a direction right-angled to the reference direction, and in a direction opposite to that right-angled to the reference direction.

Abstract: A seal assembly for a turbomachine may include at least one arcuate plate coupled to an interior surface of a stationary housing; a circumferentially-segmented packing ring disposed intermediate to a rotor and the plate; a plurality of arcuate teeth disposed intermediate to the ring and the rotor, wherein a clearance of each tooth decreases progressively going from an upstream side of the turbomachinery to a downstream side; wherein the progressive decrease in the clearances of the teeth creates a passive feedback, such that as a tip clearance decreases, outward radial forces cause the packing ring to move away from the rotor and as the tip clearance increases, inward radial forces cause the packing ring to move toward the rotor; and a biasing member disposed intermediate to the arcuate plate and the ring and coupled to both.

Abstract: A turbomachine has a housing having a passage extending along an axis and an annular axially directed housing face extending radially from the passage. A shaft extending axially in the passage has an outer shaft surface radially spaced from an inner surface of the passage and forming therewith an annular axially extending gap. A radial impeller fixed to the shaft outside the housing has an axially directed and radially extending impeller face axially spaced from and confronting the radial housing face and forming therewith a radially extending gap opening into the axially extending gap. An impeller housing forms a flow space with the impeller outside the housing. The radial gap opens into the flow space. A plurality of spaced seals engaged in the radial gap between the radial faces of the housing and impeller fluidically separates the axial gap from the flow space.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided and includes a first member with a flow diverting member extending from a surface thereof and a second member disposed proximate to the first member with a clearance gap area defined between a surface of the second member and a distal end of the flow diverting member such that a fluid path, along which fluid flows from an upstream section and through the clearance gap area, is formed between the surfaces of the first and second members. The second member is formed to define dual vortex chambers at the upstream section in which the fluid is directed to flow in vortex patterns prior to being permitted to flow through the clearance gap area.

Abstract: A fluidic rim seal system can be provided between a neighboring stationary and rotatable components in the turbine section of a turbine engine. For instance, the stationary component can be an inner shroud associated with a vane. The inner shroud can include a groove that extends circumferentially about the shroud. The rotatable component can be a blade cover plate. The blade cover plate can include a protrusion that culminates at a tip. One or more passages can extend through the protrusion. The passages can have an inlet in fluid communication with a coolant source and an outlet at the tip. A tip region of the protrusion is received in the groove. During engine operation, an air barrier is formed in the groove by the air discharging from the outlet. This air also provides cooling to the protrusion as well as a portion of the inner shroud.

Abstract: The tip cooling arrangement of the present application reduces large cooling flow requirements which can compromise turbine performance. The tip cooling arrangement of the present application provides convective cooling of a turbine blade tip end, whether a flat tip or a squealer, by extending holes that provide fluid for film cooling the tip end. The holes are thus lengthened and extend from the relatively cooler suction side of the blade to the pressure side of the blade in close proximity to the floor of the tip end.

Abstract: Methods and systems for reducing a flow of ambient air into a bearing lubricating oil system are provided. The system includes a lubricating oil bearing cover that is stationary with respect to the bearing wherein the bearing is configured to support a portion of a rotatable machine shaft. The cover includes a first end cap extending radially inwardly towards the shaft such that a cavity surrounding the bearing is formed by the cover and the first end cap and a set of seal rings positioned substantially concentric with the shaft and forming a seal against lubricating oil flow. The seal rings include a plurality of wire bristles extending radially inwardly from the end cap wherein the wire bristles are configured to extend to a surface of the shaft when assembled and the bristles are configured to present a tortuous flow path to gas infiltrating the cavity.

Abstract: A turbine rotor blade with a tip region cooling and sealing circuit that includes a squealer tip with a continuous tip rail, the pressure side tip rail being offset from the pressure side wall, the pressure ad suction side tip rails both include concave shaped deflector surfaces on the forward side walls and a row of air jet passages opening onto a top surface of the tip rails, and with radial near wall cooling channels formed within the pressure side and suction side walls to provide near wall cooling, and where the pressure side radial cooling channels supplies the cooling air to the tip rail deflectors to form a vortex flow on the forward side wall of the tip rails, and the suction side radial cooling channels supplies cooling air to the tip rail air jet passages to discharge cooling air to block the on-coming leakage flow across the blade tip.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an abradable seal includes a soft material that may be worn away and a hard material that may provide mechanical strength for the abradable seal. The soft material and the hard material may include different compositions of a base material.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine is provided with turbine sealing structures including knife edge seals which extend at an angle relative to an axial center line of the engine. Each knife edge seal is associated with a control pocket defined between a radially inner surface and a spaced radially outer surface. The control pockets and their associated knife edge seals create a difficult flow path to prevent leakage into radially inner portions of the turbine section.

Abstract: A blade tip of a turbine rotor blade for a gas turbine engine, the turbine rotor blade including an airfoil and a root portion for mounting the airfoil along a radial axis to a rotor disk inboard of a turbine shroud, a pressure sidewall and a suction sidewall that join together at a leading edge and a trailing edge, the pressure sidewall and suction sidewall extending from the root portion to the blade tip, and a squealer tip cavity formed at the blade tip, the blade tip comprising: a trailing edge trench originating at the squealer tip cavity, wherein the trailing edge trench generally extends toward the trailing edge of the blade tip.

Abstract: An axial flow turbine stage structure has: an annular diaphragm inner ring; an annular diaphragm outer ring arranged radially outside and coaxially with the diaphragm inner ring and separated from the diaphragm inner ring by an annular flow path interposed between them; stationary blades arranged peripherally at intervals in the annular flow path and rigidly secured to the diaphragm inner ring and the diaphragm outer ring; and moving blades rigidly secured to the outer periphery of a rotatable rotor and arranged peripherally at intervals respectively at axially downstream sides of the stationary blades. Through holes are formed in the diaphragm outer ring so as to allow axial upstream side and axially downstream side of the stationary blades to communicate with each other.

Abstract: A fluid machine of an embodiment includes a sealing portion formed of an annular minute gap between a runner band of a runner configuring a rotating portion and a sealing liner which is a stationary portion and arranged in opposition to the runner band. A groove having a quadrangular cross-sectional shape is formed circumferentially on a surface of the sealing liner configuring the sealing portion. In a cross section perpendicular to a groove forming direction of the groove, an angle ?, formed between a side WU of the groove on the most upstream side with respect to the flowing direction of the leakage flow and a side W0 of the groove which is on an extended line of the surface of the sealing liner, is determined to be 15° or more and 40° or less.

Abstract: A triple acting radial seal used as an interstage seal assembly in a gas turbine engine, where the seal assembly includes an interstage seal support extending from a stationary inner shroud of a vane ring, the interstage seal support includes a larger annular radial inward facing groove in which an outer annular floating seal assembly is secured for radial displacement, and the outer annular floating seal assembly includes a smaller annular radial inward facing groove in which an inner annular floating seal assembly is secured also for radial displacement. A compliant seal is secured to the inner annular floating seal assembly. The outer annular floating seal assembly encapsulates the inner annular floating seal assembly which is made from a very low alpha material in order to reduce thermal stress.

Abstract: A turbomachine comprising high- and low-pressure compressor shafts guided in bearings isolated from an internal enclosure by a sealing end plate, and radial pressurization tubes connecting the enclosure to an air passage passing through the intermediate casing, the ends of these tubes being engaged in sealed manner in radial ducts of the intermediate casing and in radial chimneys of the sealing end plate, the chimneys being of a length is sufficient to enable the ends of the tubes to be moved in translation therein between a service position and a mounting position for the tubes.

Abstract: A turbomachine includes a casing defining a hot gas path, and a shroud member attached to the casing. The shroud member is spaced from the casing to define a gap. The shroud member includes a first end having a first hook member provided with a first sealing surface and a second end including a second hook member provided with a second sealing surface. At least one of the first and second sealing surfaces includes a plurality of labyrinth seal elements that reduce air leakage through the gap into the hot gas path.

Abstract: A seal assembly limits gas leakage from a hot gas path to one or more disc cavities in a gas turbine engine. The seal assembly includes a seal apparatus associated with a blade structure including a row of airfoils. The seal apparatus includes an annular inner shroud associated with adjacent stationary components, a wing member, and a first wing flange. The wing member extends axially from the blade structure toward the annular inner shroud. The first wing flange extends radially outwardly from the wing member toward the annular inner shroud. A plurality of regions including one or more recirculation zones are defined between the blade structure and the annular inner shroud that recirculate working gas therein back toward the hot gas path.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the disclosure, an annular seal generally includes a hollow member having two ends and an inner surface. The hollow member has a number of depressions formed in and extending around its inner surface. Each of the depressions having a depth that is a function of its distance from one of the two ends.

Abstract: A thermally-activated flow clearance reduction for a steam turbine is disclosed. In one embodiment a gap closure component is located about a rotary component and a stationary component of the steam turbine. A temperature differential activates the gap closure component to seal or reduce the radial clearance of the steam flow path between the rotary component and the stationary component.

Abstract: A pressure activated flow path seal for a steam turbine is disclosed. In one embodiment a gap closure component is located about a rotary component and the stationary component of the steam turbine. A pressure differential activates the gap closure component to seal or reduce the radial clearance of a steam leakage path between the rotary component and the stationary component.

Abstract: A blade outer air seal for a gas turbine engine has a plurality of stacked panels extending for at least a part circumferential extent, and extending from a radially outer location to a radially inner location. The plurality of stacked panels are mounted together. A turbine section is also claimed.

Abstract: A turbine blade for use in an industrial gas turbine engine, the blade having a squealer pocket with a plurality of discrete curved cooling channels to cool the blade tip and to reduce the hot gas flow leakage across the tip. The curved cooling channels include a side wall cooling channel, a tip rail crown cooling channel and an inner tip rail wall cooling channel all discharging cooling air from a cooling supply channel within the airfoil. Both the pressure side and suction side tip rails include this arrangement of cooling channels.

Abstract: A seal assembly (116) mounted within a rotationally fixed static outer support structure (14) for engagement with an annular seal face surface (172) located upon a fan-turbine rotor assembly. The seal assembly provides minimal leakage of core airflow when the airflow is turned and diffused by the diffuser section (74) to increase the engine operating efficiency.

Abstract: A turbine engine ring seal for sealing gaps between turbine engine outer seal segments and turbine blade tips. The turbine engine ring segment may have an inner radial surface that defines a portion of a gap gas flow path where the inner radial surface may be formed of an abradable ceramic coating and includes a plurality of gas flow protrusions that are oriented transverse to the gap gas flow path. The gas flow protrusions may induce vortices in the gas flow in the gap gas flow path. Additionally, the gas flow protrusions may be series of peaks and depressions between two adjacent peaks, where the depressions have an approximate semicircular shape. The distance between two adjacent peaks may be equal or greater than a width of the depression and the height of a single peak may be six percent or greater than the distance between two adjacent peaks.

Abstract: The invention provides a thermomechanical turbomachine part that is circularly symmetrical about a longitudinal axis, in particular a rotor, the part including at least one annular wiper for a sealing labyrinth. In characteristic manner, the wiper presents height in the radial direction that varies around its circumference by forming a plurality of projecting portions.

Abstract: In the method, a support is provided presenting an annular base for a wiper, and the projecting portion of the wiper is built up by depositing successive layers on the base by performing the following steps: activating both a laser source connected to an optical head focused on a point of the surface of the top of the base and a source of powder that is connected to a spray nozzle, thereby forming a localized melt at said point, with the powder being injected into the melt, thereby forming a localized region of extra thickness; and aiming the optical head and the nozzle on another point adjacent to said region of extra thickness, and returning to the preceding step, until a layer has been formed over substantially the entire base.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate generally to steam turbines, steam turbine systems, and methods for their operation and, more particularly, to high-pressure-intermediate-pressure (HPIP) steam turbine configurations having pressure drop-limited seals and exhibiting reduced mid-packing and/or end-packing leakage. One embodiment of the invention provides a combined high-pressure-intermediate-pressure (HPIP) steam turbine comprising: a high-pressure section; an intermediate-pressure section sharing a common rotor with the high-pressure section; at least one packing ring disposed along a length of the rotor and between the high-pressure section and the intermediate-pressure section; and at least one conduit having a first end disposed adjacent a packing ring and a second end disposed adjacent a steampath stage of the high-pressure section.

Abstract: A machine for recovering power from a flow of compressed gas, for example, natural gas includes a turbo-expander having a turbo-expander wheel, and a generator having a rotor able to be driven by the turbo-expander wheel and a stator about the rotor. The turbo-expander and the generator are housed in a length of pipe. The turbo-expander wheel has an obverse side facing the generator. There is a flow passage for the flow of expanded gas that places the obverse side of the wheel in gas flow communication with an outer surface of the stator. This outer surface typically carries fins to facilitate cooling of the stator by expanded gas from the turbo-expander.

Abstract: A turbine blade tip shroud. The tip shroud may include a platform, a number of Z-notched positioned within the platform, a number of seal rails positioned on the platform, and a number of cavities positioned within the platform and adjacent to seal rails and the Z-notches.

Abstract: A turbine blade with a plurality of near wall cooling channels on both the pressure side wall and suction side wall of the blade, and a plurality of tip cooling channels that open into a concave impingement cavity formed on the upstream side wall of a squealer tip rail that extends from the trailing edge and along the suction side wall of the blade, around the leading edge and ends on the pressure side wall just past the leading edge. The tip cooling channels provide cooling for the blade tip and inject the spent cooling air into the concave impingement cavity which then redirects the spent cooling air toward the oncoming hot gas flow leakage to produce a cushion against the hot gas flow to push the flow up and over the tip. Cooling air from a root supply cavity flows up through the plurality of suction side cooling channels to provide near wall cooling for the blade, then discharges into a cooling air collector cavity formed between the pressure and suction side walls.