A bearing is mounted to a static structure outwardly of the shaft, and supporting the shaft. A bearing compartment is defined by face seal arrangements on each of two axial sides of a bearing. Each face seal arrangement includes a seal seat rotating with the shaft and a non-rotating sealing ring. The seal housing is exposed to high pressure air outward of the bearing compartment. A coil spring biases the seal housing towards the seal seat, such that the sealing face is biased into contact with the seal seat by a bias force including a net fluid force acting on the seal housing and the coil spring. The sealing face is defined by a contact portion contacting the seal seat and a feed portion recessed from the seal seat. The feed portion includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced feed slots fluidly connected to at least one annular groove.

A seal assembly for sealing an annular space between a first cylindrical surface and a second cylindrical surface. The annular space has high pressure zones and low pressure zones. The seal assembly has an annular seal with an inner surface that faces the second cylindrical component, an outer surface that faces the first cylindrical component, a sealing end and an engagement end. A seal actuator assembly applies a force to the engagement end of the annular seal to urge the annular seal in a first direction towards an engaged position within the annular space. The force applied to the engagement end of the annular seal has a first component aligned with the first direction and a second component that is perpendicular to the first direction. The first component is at least 1.7 times greater than the second component.

A bearing is mounted to a static structure outwardly of the shaft, and supporting the shaft. A bearing compartment is defined by face seal arrangements on each of two axial sides of a bearing. Each face seal arrangement includes a seal seat rotating with the shaft and a non-rotating sealing ring. The seal housing is exposed to high pressure air outward of the bearing compartment. A coil spring biases the seal housing towards the seal seat, such that the sealing face is biased into contact with the seal seat by a bias force including a net fluid force acting on the seal housing and the coil spring. The sealing face is defined by a contact portion contacting the seal seat and a feed portion recessed from the seal seat. The feed portion includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced feed slots fluidly connected to at least one annular groove.

A bearing is mounted to a static structure outwardly of the shaft, and supporting the shaft. A bearing compartment is defined by face seal arrangements on each of two axial sides of a bearing. Each face seal arrangement includes a seal seat rotating with the shaft and a non-rotating sealing ring. The seal housing is exposed to high pressure air outward of the bearing compartment. A coil spring biases the seal housing towards the seal seat, such that the sealing face is biased into contact with the seal seat by a bias force including a net fluid force acting on the seal housing and the coil spring. The sealing face is defined by a contact portion contacting the seal seat and a feed portion recessed from the seal seat. The feed portion includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced feed slots fluidly connected to at least one annular groove.

A seal includes a mating ring that rotates relative to a porous carbon primary ring at a seal interface. A buffer gas is provided into the seal and passes from the back of the primary ring to the seal interface. The seal can be used as a separation seal or in combination with another seal.

A mechanical seal assembly with an electronically controllable carrier load. The assembly includes a magnetic ring affixed to the carrier and driven by a solenoid. The solenoid can apply an axial force to the carrier. The carrier load can be controlled to prevent or reduce friction between the primary ring and mating ring in slow-roll running conditions by partially or completely compensating a spring force provided by a biasing mechanism. The carrier load can further be controlled to inhibit seal hang-up. In embodiments, desired the carrier load can be determined by rotational speed. In embodiments, carrier load can be determined based on sensor signals.

A dry gas seal includes a mating ring that can be coupled a the rotating shaft to rotate with the rotating shaft, a retainer ring that can be fixedly attached to the compressor and a carrier ring moveably coupled to the retainer ring. The carrier ring including a primary ring carrying face, a rear face and a sealing surface extending between the primary ring carrying face and the rear face. The sealing surface including an oleophobic coating disposed thereon.

A contacting seal for a gas turbine engine includes a seal seat configured to rotate circumferentially about an axis of rotation and a seal element configured to contact the seal seat at an interface surface. The seal element is rotationally fixed relative to the axis of rotation. An actively-controlled actuation system is operably connected to the seal element to control a contact force between the seal element and the seal seat at the interface surface based on a level of lubricant flow to the interface surface. A method of operating a contacting seal includes positioning a rotationally fixed seal element in contact with a rotating seal seat at an interface surface between the seal seat and the seal element, and actively-controlling a contact pressure between the seal seat and the seal element at the interface surface utilizing an actuation system.

A rotary machine for acting on a process fluid includes an impeller, a shaft, a drive, a seal and a flush casing. The impeller acts on the process fluid and is mounted on the shaft. The drive is connected to the shaft and rotates the shaft and the impeller about an axial direction. The seal has a sealing element sealing the shaft during rotation of the shaft. The flush casing receives a flushing fluid for flushing the sealing element, and delimits an annular flush chamber extending about the sealing element. The flush casing includes a bushing surrounding the sealing element and delimits a radial leakage gap arranged between the sealing element and the bushing. The bushing delimits an axial leakage gap between the impeller and the bushing, and the width of the axial leakage gap in the axial direction is adjustable.

An axial shaft seal ring has a holding portion and a sealing portion, which are connected to one another via an elastically deformable sealing membrane. The sealing membrane has a plurality of spatial structure areas R in the circumferential direction of the shaft seal ring, which serve as a circumferential reserve of the sealing membrane. As a result of a centrifugal force F.sub.R accompanying a rotational movement of the shaft seal ring around the central axis thereof and acting on the sealing membrane, an expansion of the sealing membrane in a radial direction is effected at least in the spatial structure areas, in such a manner that the sealing portion is acted upon by the sealing membrane with an axially directed pull force F.sub.Z, which is directed opposite to the pressing force F.sub.A.