Patents by Inventor Ahmad Safi
Ahmad Safi has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 7066470Abstract: A seal assembly includes an annular hanger having a supporting ledge. An arcuate seal segment includes an outer rail mounted on the ledge and supporting an inner seal. An arcuate carrier is mounted between the hanger and the rail, and includes a piston mounted in a bore. The bore is selectively pressurized to deploy the piston between the hanger and rail for temporarily retracting the seal segment from an adjacent rotor component.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2003Date of Patent: June 27, 2006Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Norman Arnold Turnquist, Biao Fang, Osman Saim Dinc, Hamid Reza Sarshar, Mehmet Demiroglu, Mark Edward Burnett, Frederick George Baily, Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Ahmad Safi, Richard Robert Larsen
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Patent number: 6786487Abstract: An actuated seal assembly for controlling flow in a fluid path in turbomachinery comprising a seal and a seal carrier coupled to the seal is provided. A displacement apparatus is coupled to the seal carrier for positioning the seal so as to control the flow in the fluid path. In addition, a drive system is provided for powering the displacement apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2001Date of Patent: September 7, 2004Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Osman Saim Dinc, Norman Arnold Turnquist, Mehmet Demiroglu, Hamid Reza Sarshar, Ahmad Safi, Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Roger Neal Johnson, Anthony Holmes Furman, Imdad Imam, Gerald Burt Kliman, James Hopkins, Richard Robert Larsen, David Michael Prowse, Steven Wayne Russell
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Patent number: 6764081Abstract: In a gas turbine, a supplemental seal is provided between an annular axially facing sealing surface of a nozzle support ring and an annular axially opposed sealing surface formed by circumferentially adjacent nozzle segments. Each segment carries an inner rail mounting a chordal hinge seal which engages the sealing surface of the nozzle support ring. That seal is supplemented by a generally arcuate V-shaped seal between the sealing surfaces which opens radially inwardly toward a high pressure leakage path past the chordal hinge seal. The supplemental seal is initially compressed and maintained in a compressed condition during installation by application of a solder. At operating temperature, the solder melts away, releasing the supplemental seal to seal between the nozzle support ring and nozzle segments.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: July 20, 2004Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Abdul-Azeez Mohammed-Fakir, Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Ahmad Safi, Srikanth Vedantam, Ning Fang
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Patent number: 6752592Abstract: In a gas turbine having a chordal hinge seal between an inner rail of each nozzle segment and an annular axially facing sealing surface of a nozzle support ring, a supplemental seal is disposed between the support ring and inner bands of the nozzle segments on a lower pressure side of the chordal hinge seals. To minimize or prevent leakage flow across the chordal hinge seals, a generally U-shaped supplemental seal having reversely folded U-shaped marginal portions is received in a cavity formed in the axially extending sealing surface of the inner rail of the nozzle segment. At operating conditions, the marginal portions seal against the base of the cavity and the annular sealing surface of the nozzle support ring to prevent leakage flow past the chordal hinge seal from entering the hot gas path.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: June 22, 2004Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Abdul-Azeez Mohammed-Fakir, Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Ahmad Safi, Srikanth Vedantam, Ning Fang
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Publication number: 20040100035Abstract: A seal assembly includes an annular hanger having a supporting ledge. An arcuate seal segment includes an outer rail mounted on the ledge and supporting an inner seal. An arcuate carrier is mounted between the hanger and the rail, and includes a piston mounted in a bore. The bore is selectively pressurized to deploy the piston between the hanger and rail for temporarily retracting the seal segment from an adjacent rotor component.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2003Publication date: May 27, 2004Inventors: Norman Arnold Turnquist, Biao Fang, Osman Saim Dinc, Hamid Reza Sarshar, Mehmet Demiroglu, Mark Edward Burnett, Frederick George Baily, Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Ahmad Safi, Richard Robert Larsen
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Patent number: 6719295Abstract: In a gas turbine having a chordal hinge seal between an inner rail of each nozzle segment and an annular axially facing sealing surface of a nozzle support ring, a supplemental seal is disposed between the support ring and inner rail of the nozzle segment on a lower pressure side of the chordal hinge seal. The supplemental seal comprises a segmented annular composite tubular woven compliant seal disposed in a cavity along a sealing surface of the inner rail of the segment. The seal bears against the annular sealing surface of the nozzle support ring, which compresses the seal. Because of the compliant nature of the seal, a supplemental seal is formed on the low pressure side of the chordal hinge seal.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: April 13, 2004Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Abdul-Azeez Mohammed-Fakir, Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Ahmad Safi, Srikanth Vedantam, Ning Fang
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Patent number: 6659472Abstract: In a gas turbine including a nozzle retaining ring having a first annular axially sealing surface and a shroud segment having an axial registering second surface. To minimize or prevent leakage flow between the retaining ring and shroud segments, a generally U-shaped seal having reversely folded U-shaped marginal portions is received in a cavity formed in the second surface. At operating conditions, the marginal portions seal against the base of the cavity and the first surface of the retaining ring to prevent leakage flow past the retaining ring/shroud segment interface. To install the seal, the seal body is first compressed and maintained in a compressed state by applying one or more wraps about the seal body and an epoxy is used to secure the seal when compressed in the cavity. At operating temperatures, the retention means releases the seal to engage marginal portions against opposite sealing surfaces of the shroud segments and retaining ring.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: December 9, 2003Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Ahmad Safi, Abdul-Azeez Mohammed-Fakir, Srikanth Vedantam, Ning Fang, Gayle Hobbs Goetze, Brian Peter Arness, John Ellington Greene, Wei-Ming Chi
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Patent number: 6655913Abstract: Upper and lower halves of the inner barrel of a compressor for a turbine are bolted to one another along a horizontal midline joint with metal-to-metal surface contact. Elongated grooves are provided in the margin of one of the barrel halves. Elongated composite tubular woven seals are provided in the grooves, the seals having a diameter in excess of the depth of the grooves. The seals comprise an inner woven metal core surrounded by an annular silica fiber layer, in turn surrounded by a metal foil with an outer protective covering of a braided stainless steel. Upon joining the upper and lower halves, the compliant seal is crushed within the groove, maintaining a seal between the barrel halves in the event of warpage of the compressor casing during turbine operation.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2002Date of Patent: December 2, 2003Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Srikanth Vedantam, Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Ahmad Safi, Abdul-Azeez Mohammed-Fakir, Ning Fang
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Patent number: 6652231Abstract: Upper and lower halves of the inner barrel of a compressor for a turbine are bolted to one another along a horizontal midline joint with metal-to-metal surface contact. Elongated grooves are provided in the engaging surfaces, with the upper groove having a depth greater than the depth of the lower groove. Elongated seals are provided in the grooves, including an elongated shim with a metallic woven covering on opposite sides, and margins having sealing edges. The depth of the seal is equal to or less than the depth of the upper groove and an adherent material maintains the seal in the upper groove during installation. In operation, the adherent material dissolves at temperatures above ambient and the seal drops by gravity to bear against the walls of the grooves in response to high pressure air leaking through any gap at the horizontal midline joint.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2002Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Srikanth Vedantam, Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Ahmad Safi, Abdul-Azeez Mohammed-Fakir, Ning Fang
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Patent number: 6648333Abstract: In a gas turbine including a nozzle retaining ring having a first annular axially facing sealing surface and a shroud segment having an axial registering second surface. To minimize or prevent leakage flow between the retaining ring and shroud segments, a generally U-shaped seal having reversely folded U-shaped marginal portions is received in a cavity formed in the second surface. At operating conditions, the marginal portions seal against the base of the cavity and the first surface of the retaining ring to prevent leakage flow past the retaining ring/shroud segment interface. To install the seal, the seal body is first compressed and maintained in a compressed state by applying one or more wraps about the seal body and an epoxy is used to secure the seal when compressed in the cavity. At operating temperatures, the retention means releases the seal to engage marginal portions against opposite sealing surfaces of the shroud segments and retaining ring.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: November 18, 2003Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Ahmad Safi, Abdul-Azeez Mohammed-Fakir
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Patent number: 6641144Abstract: In a gas turbine having a chordal hinge seal between an inner rail of each nozzle segment and an annular axially facing sealing surface of a nozzle support ring, a flexible supplemental seal is disposed between the support ring and inner band of the nozzle segment radially inwardly of the chordal hinge seal. To minimize or prevent leakage flow across the chordal hinge seal, the flexible seal extends between the inner rail and the sealing surface of the support ring radially inwardly of the chordal hinge seal. A first margin of the flexible seal engages in a linear groove carried by the inner rail. The opposite margin extends arcuately in sealing engagement with the nozzle support ring.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: November 4, 2003Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Abdul-Azeez Mohammed-Fakir, Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Ahmad Safi, Srikanth Vedantam, Ning Fang
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Patent number: 6637752Abstract: In a gas turbine having a chordal hinge seal between an inner rail of each nozzle segment and an annular axially facing sealing surface of a nozzle support ring, a supplemental seal is disposed between the support ring and inner rail of the nozzle segment on a high pressure side of the chordal hinge seal. The supplemental seal includes a pair of sheet metal shims overlaid by a woven metallic cloth supported by a bracket secured to the nozzle support ring. The radially outer end of the cloth seal bears against a back side of the inner rail. The shims of the legs of the supplemental seal are slit along their distal margin and staggered in a circumferential direction relative to one another to provide flexibility and effective sealing engagement with the inner rail.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Ahmad Safi, Abdul-Azeez Mohammed-Fakir
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Patent number: 6637751Abstract: In a gas turbine having a chordal hinge seal between an inner rail of each nozzle segment and an annular axially facing sealing surface of a nozzle support ring, a supplemental seal is disposed between the support ring and inner band of the nozzle segment on a high pressure side of the chordal hinge seal. The supplemental seal includes a pair of sheet metal shims overlaid by a woven metallic cloth supported by a bracket secured to the inner margin of the inner rail. The radially inner end of the cloth seal bears against the annular sealing surface of the nozzle support ring. The shims of the legs of the supplemental seal are slit along their distal margin and staggered circumferentially relative to one another to provide flexibility and effective sealing engagement with the nozzle support ring.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Ahmad Safi, Abdul-Azeez Mohammed-Fakir
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Patent number: 6637753Abstract: In a gas turbine having a chordal hinge seal between an inner rail of each nozzle segment and an annular axially facing sealing surface of a nozzle support ring, a supplemental seal is disposed between the support ring and inner rail of each nozzle segment radially inwardly of the chordal hinge seal. To minimize or prevent leakage flow across the chordal hinge seal, the seal is formed of flexible sheet metal which extends between the inner rail and a seat projecting from the annular sealing surface of the support ring radially inwardly of the chordal hinge seal. A first margin of the flexible seal engages in an arcuate groove carried by the inner rail. The opposite margin extends arcuately in sealing engagement along the seat carried by the nozzle support ring.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: October 28, 2003Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Abdul-Azeez Mohammed-Fakir, Ahmad Safi, Iain Robertson Kellock, Gary Michael Itzel, Brian Peter Arness
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Patent number: 6609885Abstract: In a gas turbine having a chordal hinge seal between an inner rail of each nozzle segment and an annular axially facing sealing surface of a nozzle support ring, a supplemental seal is disposed between the support ring and inner rail of the nozzle segment on a high pressure side of the chordal hinge seal. The supplemental seal includes a pair of sheet metal shims overlaid by a woven metallic cloth. A bracket and a portion of the supplemental seal are received in a groove along a radial inward facing surface of the inner rail. The projecting margin of the cloth seal bears against the annular sealing surface of the nozzle support ring. The shims of the distal margin of the supplemental seal are slit and staggered in a chord-wise direction relative to one another to provide flexibility and effective sealing engagement with the nozzle support ring.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: August 26, 2003Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Abdul-Azeez Mohammed-Fakir, Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Ahmad Safi, Iain Robertson Kellock
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Patent number: 6609886Abstract: A compliant woven tubular seal is provided in an arcuate cavity opening through an axial face of a plurality of shroud segments in opposition to a nozzle retaining ring. The annular composite tubular woven compliant seal includes a stainless steel inner metal core surrounded by an annular layer of silica fiber. Surrounding the silica fiber is a metal foil which prevents flow past the supplemental seal. An outer wear-resistant braiding serves as a protective covering and wear surface.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: August 26, 2003Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Ahmad Safi, Abdul-Azeez Mohammed-Fakir, Srikanth Vedantam, Ning Fang, Gayle Hobbs Goetze, Brian Peter Arness, John Ellington Greene, Wei-Ming Chi
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Patent number: 6599089Abstract: In a gas turbine having a chordal hinge seal between an inner rail of each nozzle segment and an annular axially facing sealing surface of a nozzle support ring, a supplemental seal is disposed between the support ring and inner rail of the nozzle segment on a high pressure side of the chordal hinge seal. The supplemental seal includes a pair of sheet metal shims overlaid by a woven metallic cloth supported by a bracket secured to a back side surface of the inner rail. The radially inner end of the cloth seal bears against the annular sealing surface of the nozzle support ring. The shims of the legs of the supplemental seal are slit along their distal margin and staggered in a chord-wise direction relative to one another to provide flexibility and effective sealing engagement with the nozzle support ring.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: July 29, 2003Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Ahmad Safi, Abdul-Azeez Mohammed-Fakir, Iain Robertson Kellock
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Patent number: 6595745Abstract: In a gas turbine having a chordal hinge seal between an inner rail of each nozzle segment and an annular axially facing sealing surface of a nozzle support ring, a supplemental seal is disposed between the support ring and inner band of the nozzle segment on a lower pressure side of the chordal hinge seal. The supplemental seal includes a flexible sheet metal seal having a margin secured in a groove of the inner rail of the nozzle segments with a bent-over edge to form a seal therewith. The opposite margin has an edge which bears against the axially opposed sealing surface of the nozzle support ring. Leakage flow past the chordal hinge seal exerts sealing pressure against the preloaded flexible seal to maintain the seal between the sealing surfaces of the support ring and segments. The supplemental seal extends circumferentially and spans the joint between adjacent nozzle segments.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2001Date of Patent: July 22, 2003Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Abdul-Azeez Mohammed-Fakir, Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Ahmad Safi, Srikanth Vedantam, Ning Fang
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Publication number: 20030133792Abstract: Upper and lower halves of the inner barrel of a compressor for a turbine are bolted to one another along a horizontal midline joint with metal-to-metal surface contact. Elongated grooves are provided in the margin of one of the barrel halves. Elongated composite tubular woven seals are provided in the grooves, the seals having a diameter in excess of the depth of the grooves. The seals comprise an inner woven metal core surrounded by an annular silica fiber layer, in turn surrounded by a metal foil with an outer protective covering of a braided stainless steel. Upon joining the upper and lower halves, the compliant seal is crushed within the groove, maintaining a seal between the barrel halves in the event of warpage of the compressor casing during turbine operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2002Publication date: July 17, 2003Inventors: Srikanth Vedantam, Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Ahmad Safi, Abdul-Azeez Mohammed-Fakir, Ning Fang
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Publication number: 20030133793Abstract: Upper and lower halves of the inner barrel of a compressor for a turbine are bolted to one another along a horizontal midline joint with metal-to-metal surface contact. Elongated grooves are provided in the engaging surfaces, with the upper groove having a depth greater than the depth of the lower groove. Elongated seals are provided in the grooves, including an elongated shim with a metallic woven covering on opposite sides, and margins having sealing edges. The depth of the seal is equal to or less than the depth of the upper groove and an adherent material maintains the seal in the upper groove during installation. In operation, the adherent material dissolves at temperatures above ambient and the seal drops by gravity to bear against the walls of the grooves in response to high pressure air leaking through any gap at the horizontal midline joint.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 17, 2002Publication date: July 17, 2003Inventors: Srikanth Vedantam, Mahmut Faruk Aksit, Ahmad Safi, Abdul-Azeez Mohammed-Fakir, Ning Fang