Abstract: A thermal turbomachine, an axial flow gas turbine (10) in particular, includes a rotor (16), which at its exit side is supported on a bearing (15), which is situated on a bearing saddle (14) within an annular inner part (11) of an exhaust casing, the bearing saddle (14) being supported on a foundation of the machine by means of a spring support (25). In such a turbomachine, the stiffness of the bearing support is improved or restored by attaching the bearing saddle (14) to the inner part (11) of the exhaust casing by a spring-loaded bolted connection (19, . . . .,22).

Abstract: A membrane seal includes a pair of confronting annular sealing grooves. A first annular sealing member is received in one of the oppositely facing sealing grooves and a second annular sealing member is received in the other of the oppositely facing sealing grooves. The first and second sealing members are sealably connected together by an annular membrane. A pressure difference across the membrane forces the first and second sealing members into contact with a side wall of each of the oppositely facing sealing grooves to effect a seal. Known sealing members have a circular cross-section but in the present invention at least one of them has an oval cross-section. The oval cross-section gives the first and/or second sealing member(s) a larger zone of contact with the oppositely facing sealing groove(s). This reduces the amount of wear on the first and/or second sealing member(s) and produces a better seal.

Abstract: A rotary blood pump comprising at least one rotor, a housing and at least one conduit in the rotor for conducting a by-passed portion of the blood into a clearance between the rotor and the housing, the portion of blood consisting mostly of plasma without red cells, thus preserving the solid particles and red cells from damage.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An adjustable and stable pre-loading device equipped fan includes a stator, a first rigid spacer, a first bearing, an elastic device, a second bearing, a second rigid spacer, a rotor and a shaft. Among these, the stator includes a receptacle. The first bearing is formed on the first rigid spacer in the receptacle. The elastic device is formed in the receptacle and further on the first bearing. The second rigid spacer is formed on the second bearing on the elastic device. The rotor is coupled to the stator and has a blade structure. The first rigid spacer compresses the elastic device by means of the first bearing. The second rigid spacer compresses the elastic device by means of the second bearing. The distance between the first rigid spacer and the second rigid spacer is adjustable, thereby altering pre-loading applied on the first bearing and the second bearing.

Abstract: A rotatory pump has a housing (20) and an impeller wheel (40) which is mounted on a driving shaft (30) to rotate integrally therewith. The driving shaft is rotatably supported in the housing. The driving shaft also has a disk (44) disposed to be concentric with the driving shaft. Radially extending blades (46) are directed along the axial direction of the driving shaft (30) being provided on the disk, and the blades, together with the inner wall portions (22a) of the housing (20) which face the blades (46), form flow channels for the fluid to be pumped. At least one raised portion (48) is on each of the radially extending edges (46a) of preferably three blades (46), to bear against the inner wall portions (22a) of the housing (20) which face the blades (46) of the impeller wheel housing.

Abstract: The present invention reduces the amount of gas which leaks and flows from a high pressure side to a low pressure side of the axis and maintains good sealing performance even at high differential pressures. The invention discloses an axis sealing mechanism comprising casings which are supported inside of the stable portion, a plurality of planar plates, which are mutually spaced around the axis, each of which is fixed to the casings, positioned so that an inner end of each planar plate makes an acute angle with a peripheral surface of the axis and contacts the peripheral surface of the axis over a predetermined length in an axial direction, a high pressure side plate which is arranged at a high pressure side and a low pressure side plate which is arranged at a low pressure side so as to hold the planar plates therebetween and a flexible plate which is arranged between the planar plates and the high pressure side plate, and is flexible in an axial direction.

Abstract: A device which can be utilized to temporarily seal substantially any opening on a turbine which is being assembled or repaired. The foreign material exclusion device of the present invention advantageously maintains fail-safe integrity of desired portions of a turbine. Protection of the sensitive areas of a turbine prevents possible hazardous malfunctions or explosions of a turbine. The foreign material exclusion device is substantially elastic or resilient and can be compressed to fit into a desired opening and can be reexpanded to provide a snug fit about an opening.

Abstract: The invention relates to a turbine installation (2), especially a gas turbine installation. In particular, the foot plates (32) of the guide blades (18) of adjacent turbine stages (28,30) are interconnected with a clip-type sealing element (42A to 42D) on their rear sides (48) facing away from the gas area (12). This provides a simple seal between adjacent foot plates (32) which is effective regardless of the thermal expansion of the foot plates (32). Said clip-type sealing element (42A to 42D) is also suitable for sealing the tiles (13) of a combustor (4) of the turbine installation (2) together.

Abstract: A device which can be utilized to temporarily seal substantially any opening on a turbine which is being assembled or repaired. The foreign material exclusion device of the present invention advantageously maintains fail-safe integrity of desired portions of a turbine. Protection of the sensitive areas of a turbine prevents possible hazardous malfunctions or explosions of a turbine. The foreign material exclusion device is substantially elastic or resilient and can be compressed to fit into a desired opening and can be reexpanded to provide a snug fit about an opening.

Abstract: A seal device has a base member and an elastic member. The elastic member adheres to the base member so as to cover substantially the entire surface of the base member without any adhesive material. Thereby, the elastic member and the base member can be easily removed from each other.

Abstract: An antifriction bearing unit comprises a rotating shaft, an outer ring, and rolling members. The rotating shaft comprises a large-diameter shaft portion serving as an inner ring and a small-diameter shaft portion, which is hollow and has a fitting portion of increased diameter at one end thereof. The large-diameter shaft portion has an end portion fitted and fixed in the fitting portion of the small-diameter shaft portion. The fitting portion has an outward flange integral with an end thereof. The outer ring is fixedly provided with a seal member having lips slidable in contact with the flange and the outer peripheral surface of the large-diameter shaft portion, respectively.

Abstract: A fuel pump for use in conjunction with a gas turbine engine is disclosed which includes a pump housing, a shrouded rotor member, and an inlet post member, wherein fluid is axially supplied along the pump centerline and then radially discharged at a first pressure to the interior chamber of the pump housing, at the base portion of vane elements associated with the rotor, thereby contacting the vane elements at a minimum angular velocity and angle of incidence. Also disclosed is a single bearing arrangement for eccentrically supporting a shrouded rotor member.

Abstract: A sealing device is disclosed comprising a least one sealing leaf maintained axially in position by a retaining bracket which comprises a first end bearing on the sealing leaf and a bent-back second end engaged in a groove in a structural element. The sealing leaf is preferably retained radially in position by lugs which are bent so as to engage below lugs provided on the retaining bracket. When the sealing device comprises at least two adjacent sealing leaves placed edge to edge, the device also comprises a cover sheet so disposed between the sealing leaves and the retaining bracket as to cover the joint between the two adjacent leaves.

Abstract: A wear resistant fuel pump for a vehicle includes a pump section having a flow channel and a rotatable impeller cooperating with said flow channel to pump fuel therethrough. The fuel pump also includes a motor section disposed adjacent the pump section and having a motor to rotate the impeller. The fuel pump further includes an outlet section disposed adjacent the motor section to allow pumped fuel to exit the fuel pump. The pump section includes a plurality of plates disposed axially adjacent to and cooperating with the impeller. At least one of the plates includes a wear insert that improves abrasion wear characteristics therebetween.

Abstract: A turbine engine component includes a substrate and a wear coating on the substrate. The wear coating includes wear-resistant particles in a matrix phase, the wear-resistant particles being formed of chrome carbide or a cobalt alloy. Methods for forming a turbine engine component are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a centrifugal pump with an impeller which is arranged in a pump housing and can be driven by a shaft which is rotatably held in the pump housing by way of at least one bearing, with the bearing, which is preferably arranged as a roller bearing, being arranged in a bearing holder which is detachably connected with the pump housing. In order to simplify the production of the water pump and to facilitate maintenance it is provided that the bearing holder, at the end facing the impeller, comprises an assembly part which is preferably integrally designed with the pipe section.

Abstract: A selflubricating bearing for use submerged in cryogenic fluids. The self-lubricating bearing comprises hardened races, hardened rolling elements and polymeric retainers or cages. More particularly, the rolling elements maybe hardened balls, and the polymeric cages may include PEEK. In particular a bearing for self lubricated use in seal-less, magnetic drive pump for pumping fluids at very low temperaturesand cryogenic temperatures below about −100 degrees centigrade such as liquid nitrogen and temperatures below about −150 degrees centigrade such as liquefied natural gas (LNG). An environment for submerged use of such a bering may be a magnetically driven cryogentic pump with a housing having an intake and exhaust with a back plate mounted therein in which a shaft is journaled in self-lubricating bearings having hardened stainless steel or ceramic balls, stainless steel races and polymeric retainers or cages for retaining the balls for rolling contact in the races.

Abstract: A turbo blood pump includes a housing 1 having a pump chamber 2, an inlet port 3, and an outlet port 4, an impeller 5 disposed rotatably in the pump chamber, an upper bearing 9 and a lower bearing 10 supporting the impeller rotatably, and a driving force transmitting unit for driving the impeller to rotate. The upper bearing is supported at a position in the pump chamber below the inlet port, so that a cross-sectional area of the pump chamber in a plane including an upper end of the upper bearing and being orthogonal to a shaft of the impeller is larger than a cross-sectional area of a flow path of the inlet port at a portion where the inlet port is coupled to the pump chamber, and thus obstruction with respect to blood flow by the upper bearing is of such a degree as to be permissible from a practical viewpoint, while an impeller is supported by upper and lower bearings. Thereby, the pump is less likely to cause problems of blood stagnation and thrombus formation.

Abstract: A turbine, adaptable to improve the survivability of fish present in water flowing therethrough, includes a hub and associated runner blades. Each blade comprises an inner edge and a distal outer edge, a leading edge and a trailing edge separated by a water directing surface. Each blade is rotatable relative to the hub about a blade rotational axis. The turbine is provided with a gap shielding device designed to shield a gap formed between the hub and the blade inner edge as the blade is rotated about its axis. The gap shielding device may comprise a plurality of independently biased pins, a plurality of fluid jets, a plurality of flexible members, a fluid-filled boot, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A unitary interstage sealing ring for bridging and sealing the space between the blade shanks of adjacent turbine rotors in a multistage turbine. The sealing ring serves to confine relatively cool air conveyed to the turbine so the cooling air flows into the turbine blades for maintaining the blades at a desired temperature. The sealing ring includes a disk-shaped body member that includes a pair of axially-spaced, radially-extending arms that terminate in respective seal teeth for engagement with a stationary annular sealing member. Each of the radial arms includes an outwardly-extending axial arm that terminates in a disk engagement member for sealing engagement with the face of an adjacent turbine disk to confine cooling air within the space between the adjacent turbine disks. Additionally, one of the disk engagement members includes at least one projection that contacts a respective turbine rotor to limit relative rotation between the sealing ring and the turbine.

Abstract: A gas turbine engine variable geometry exhaust nozzle including a seal system that facilitates extending a useful life of the engine variable geometry system is described. The seal system includes a backbone and an attachment assembly. The attachment assembly frictionally engages the backbone to secure the attachment assembly to the backbone. The attachment assembly includes a plurality of clamp sub-assemblies and base sheet fabricated from a ceramic matrix composite material. The clamp sub-assemblies are clamped through openings extending through the base sheet, such that a predetermined amount of preload force is applied to the base sheet.

Abstract: A seal system for a four cycle engine turbocharger includes dual phase seals for limiting leakage from lubricated rotor support bearings to a turbine and/or compressor wheel of a rotor operational over an extended speed range. The dual phase seal combines features of a labyrinth seal, effective in a higher portion of the turbocharger rotor speed range, with features of an auger seal, found to be effective in a lower portion of the rotor speed range. The dual phase seals each include an outer cylinder on the rotor between a bearing and an associated wheel, an inner cylinder carried by a rotor support and surrounding the outer cylinder with close clearance, auger seal grooving formed in one of the cylinders on a portion thereof toward the bearing, labyrinth seal grooving formed in one of the cylinders on a portion thereof toward the wheel, and a pressure air supply to the labyrinth seal at a pressure which is reduced at rotor speeds in a lower portion of the speed range.

Abstract: A cooling shroud segment for a high pressure turbine that provides improved cooling in the region of the side panels from the midsection thereof forward to the leading edge and particularly in the midsection of the side panel. A shroud subassembly can be formed from a pair of such adjacent shroud segments with opposed adjacent side panels where the spacing of the outlets of the cooling air passages exiting from each of these adjacent side panels are staggered and where the adjacent panels have a spline seal slot with a humped section in at least the midsection of the side panel above and across the outlets of the cooling air passages exiting from the midsection of the side panel, in combination with a spline seal positioned in the gap between the opposed adjacent side panels. This shroud subassembly provides more uniform impingement cooling coverage and localizes more of the cooling air exiting the outlets from these passages in the midsection of the opposed side panels.

Abstract: A retaining arrangement is provided for retaining a bearing around a stub shaft having a machined cavity and which includes a ring forming a stop for the bearing nut and a locking piece.

Abstract: A casing structure of metal construction for the rotor blade area of axial flow compressor and turbine stages includes a closed, stable outside wall, a segmented inside wall that is interrupted by multiple expansion joints, and a load-transmitting connecting structure between inside and outside wall. A multiple sub-divided hollow chamber structure with a plurality of thin wall elements standing upright on the inside wall and outside wall, at least the majority of which are directly connected together, is arranged as connecting structure. The hollow chamber structure is connected to the inside wall and/or the outside wall by brazing.

Abstract: A cooling structure 10 for cooling an engine includes an axial flow fan 16 having a plurality of blades 14. A shroud 12 is spaced from and is generally adjacent to the blades 14. A plurality of Helmholtz resonators 24 and 24′ is carried by the shroud 12. Each of the resonators 24 and 24′ has an opening disposed substantially perpendicular with respect to a direction of air flow resulting from rotation of the fan 16. The resonators 24 and 24′ are disposed at locations on the shroud 12 which are generally adjacent to tips 32 of the blades 14. The resonators 24 and 24′ are tuned to reduce blade passing tone of the fan 14.

Abstract: A turbocharger includes a rotor having coaxial turbine and compressor wheels. In a preferred embodiment, a turbine inlet scroll conducts exhaust gas toward the turbine wheel and an exhaust duct carries exhaust gas away from the turbine wheel. A turbine nozzle ring coupled between the inlet scroll and the exhaust duct defines an annular passage including angled stator blades and vanes that direct gas angularly against energy converting blades of the turbine wheel. Ring seals at outer and inner edges of the nozzle ring inlet end seal the inlet end against loss of gas pressure. They may also form springs that axially bias the nozzle ring against a stop to fix the axial position of the nozzle ring. The nozzle ring is centered by radial guides at the outlet end which may include at least three radial keys on the nozzle ring engaging mating guide slots connected with the exhaust duct.

Abstract: A high conveying capacity cooling water pump for an internal combustion engine includes a bearing element, a rotor which is held therein and carries three impellers, an inflow housing and an outflow housing. The outflow housing and the bearing element form a integral unit.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for mounting a bearing on a shaft. An intermediate member is mounted on the shaft. The inner race of the bearing is mounted onto the intermediate member. Two separable compression members are mounted on the outer diameter of the inner race. The compression members are mounted with an interference fit, thus inducing a state of compression in the inner race. The intermediate member is radially compliant and compensates for thermal growth of the shaft in excess of the thermal growth of the inner race. The state of compression in the inner race persists to about 1000° F. In one embodiment, the present invention includes an inner race fabricated from a material with low fracture toughness or for which a state of compression is desirable, such as a ceramic material.

Abstract: A ceramic nozzle for a gas turbine stage of a turbomachine (e.g., a turbopump) includes a splined mounting surface. Ceramic splines on the nozzle mounting surface are interlocked with metal mating splines on a surface of a turbine housing to prevent the nozzle from rotating relative to the housing. Both sets of splines extend in a radial direction, are straight and have trapezoidal shapes in transverse cross-section. These splines maintain a constant contact angle during large temperature excursions, when inherent thermal growth mismatches between ceramic and metal occur.

Abstract: A honeycomb structure seal is provided for the casing of a turbine, particularly a gas turbine, having a base plate facing the casing wall as well as a brush-against section facing the tips of the turbine rotor blades. The seal includes a multi-layered construction such that the base plate is adjoined by an air-evacuated honeycomb structure section which is therefore insulating in partial areas by a vacuum and which is covered by an intermediate plate, on whose side facing away from the honeycomb structure section the brush-against section is arranged. The intermediate plate is soldered to the honeycomb structure section under vacuum conditions. The brush-against section can also be constructed as a honeycomb seal, in which case the honeycomb cells of the honeycomb structure section have a significantly larger partial surface than the honeycomb cells of the brush-against section.

Abstract: A molten metal impeller having a base portion including a circumferential notch. The notch having a generally radial wall and a generally axial wall, at least one of the radial or axial walls including a plurality of grooves. A ceramic bearing ring is cemented into the notch.

Abstract: A wear ring assembly for a pump includes an inner wear ring and an outer wear ring generally coaxially oriented with respect to the inner wear ring. An impeller has an inner recess for receiving the inner wear ring. The inner wear ring has an exterior groove and the inner recess has an interior groove for axial alignment with the exterior groove. The inner wear ring is affixed to the impeller via at least one arcuate retainer for simultaneously engaging the interior groove and the exterior groove.

Abstract: The preferred embodiment of the disclosed condensing turbine is characterized by its tolerance to fully condensing working fluid vapor and a unique geometry that uses a naturally developed centrifugal force, generated by the working fluid, along with an integral positive displacement pump, to return the working fluid to a vapor generator in a high pressure liquid state. Thus, with the working fluid exiting the turbine in a highly pressurized liquid state rather than a low pressure vapor state, the requirement for a conventional condenser, condensate pump and boiler feed pump is eliminated. This unique combination of turbine and positive displacement pump, exemplified by the present invention, allow the closed-loop vapor cycle turbine engine to become very compact and, thus, practical for automotive and aerospace use.

Abstract: A floating brush seal useful in a stationary gas turbine engine having a first rotary compressor component having a rotor having a land region, a second non-rotary component having an end extending over and around at least a portion of the land region with the floating brush seal being positioned between the first and the second component to substantially reduce the flow of air between the first and second component. A method for controlling the flow of cooling air into a chamber in the second component using the rotary brush seal is disclosed.

Abstract: The invention concerns a fluid pumping apparatus including a pump unit having an inlet housing, a plurality of pumping stages, and a discharge housing, surrounded by a continuous layer of waterproof material. The waterproof layer is further surrounded by a structural shell. Moreover, the pump unit is threadably engaged to a motor adapter, and no tools are required for the attachment of the pump unit to, or removal of the pump unit from, the motor adapter. The motor adapter is designed so that the mechanical seal is easily accessible.

Abstract: This invention relates to barrier seal systems for sealing the annular space between a housing and a rotating shaft which extends through a bore in the housing. The seal system has inboard and outboard mechanical end face seals. The inboard seal faces have spiral grooves for pumping a buffer fluid from a buffer chamber between the two seals toward the high pressure side of the inboard seal. The primary ring of the inboard seal may be double balanced. For high pressure applications, the buffer fluid may be pressurized and a pumping ring may be included in the outboard seal to circulate buffer fluid. High pressure applications also require two hard seal rings and optimum dam and face widths. Buffer fluid can be supplied to the seal system by a reservoir connected by a gravity feed line. A buffer fluid containment device may be attached to the high pressure side of the seal to prevent process fluid from contaminating the seal faces or secondary seals.