TURBOMACHINE SEALING ELEMENT

Abstract

The present invention relates to sealing element for sealing a radial gap relative to a counter element of a turbomachine, wherein the sealing element has a number of adjacent cells in the peripheral direction and/or in the axial direction, which are joined to one another by common walls, wherein an extension of a least one, in particular front-side, cross section of at least one cell in a first axial section of the sealing element in the peripheral direction and/or in the axial direction for sealing against a radial flange of the counter element is smaller than that in a second axial section of the sealing element that adjoins the first axial section upstream and/or in a second axial section that adjoins the first axial section downstream.

Claims

1. A sealing element for sealing a radial gap relative to a counter element of a turbomachine, wherein the sealing element has a number of adjacent cells in the peripheral direction and/or in the axial direction, which are joined to one another by common walls, wherein an extension of a least one, in particular front-side, cross section of at least one cell in a first axial section of the sealing element in the peripheral direction and/or in the axial direction for sealing against a radial flange of the counter element is smaller than that in a second axial section that adjoins the first axial section upstream and/or in a second axial section of the sealing element that adjoins the first axial section downstream.

2. The sealing element according to claim 1, wherein an extension of at least one, front-side, cross section of at least one cell in another first axial section of the sealing element in the peripheral direction and/or in the axial direction for sealing against another radial flange of the counter element is smaller than that in a second axial section of the sealing element that adjoins the additional first axial section upstream and/or in a second axial section that adjoins the additional first axial section downstream.

3. The sealing element according to claim 1, wherein an axial length of the first and/or additional first axial section is at least 110% and/or at most 300% of an axial length of a front side of the radial flange of the counter element lying opposite to said axial length and/or at least 50% and/or at most 300% of the adjoining upstream and/or downstream second axial section.

4. The sealing element according to claim 1, wherein the extension of at least one, front-side, cross section of at least one cell in the first and/or additional first axial section in the peripheral direction and/or axial direction is at most 95% and/or at least 25% of the extension of the adjoining upstream and/or downstream second axial section.

5. The sealing element according to claim 1, wherein the sealing element has a number of adjacent cells in the peripheral direction and/or in the axial direction, which are joined to one another by common walls, wherein at least one free wall of at least one of the cells and/or at least one common wall of at least two of the cells is inclined against at least one radial wall section in the peripheral direction and/or axial direction.

6. The sealing element according to claim 1, wherein the wall is inclined against the wall section in or opposite to the direction of relative movement of the counter element and/or in or opposite to the flow direction of the turbomachine.

7. The sealing element according to claim 5, wherein the wall section extends out from a front side of the wall facing the gap and/or from a bottom of the cell facing away from the gap and/or over at least 5% of a radial height of the wall.

8. The sealing element according to claim 5, wherein a front side of the wall facing the gap is displaced in the peripheral direction and/or axial direction by at least 1% and/or by at most 100% of a radial wall height with respect to a connection cross section of the wall with a bottom of the cell.

9. The sealing element in accordance with claim 1, wherein the sealing element has a number of adjacent cells in the peripheral direction and/or axial direction, which are joined to one another by common walls, wherein at least one free wall of at least one of the cells and/or at least one common wall of at least two of the cells has a first radial wall section and an adjoining second radial wall section that is closer to the gap, the maximum wall thickness of which is less than a maximum wall thickness of the first wall section and/or has a front side facing the gap, the area of which is smaller than an area of at least one cross section, which is parallel to it, of a radial wall section that is further away from the gap.

10. The sealing element according to claim 9, wherein the cross-sectional area and/or maximal wall thickness of the wall in at least one tapered, second, wall section decreases toward the front side of the wall facing the gap, up to the front side, and/or monotonically.

11. The sealing element according to claim 9, wherein the tapered and/or second wall section extends out from a front side of the wall facing the gap and/or over at least 1% of a radial height of the wall, and/or the first wall section and/or the wall section that is further away from the gap extends out from a bottom of the cell facing away from the gap and/or over at least 50% of a radial height of the wall.

12. The sealing element according to claim 9, wherein the maximum wall thickness of the wall in the tapered and/or second wall section is at most 90% and/or at least 10% of the maximum thickness of the wall in the first wall section, and/or the area of the front side is at most 90% and/or at least 10% of the area of the cross section in the wall section that is further away from the gap.

13. The sealing element according to claim 1, wherein the cells are manufactured at least in part by free-forming, additive manufacturing, and/or at least in part from metal, a nickel-based and/or a cobalt-based alloy.

14. The sealing element according to claim 1, wherein a front side facing the gap of at least one of the cells is open, and/or at least one of the cells is closed by a bottom facing away from the gap, and/or at least one of the cells is joined to a housing element or a rotor element, to a vane platform or to a seal carrier of the turbomachine, that is formed integrally or detachably in a non-destructive manner or not detachably in a non-destructive manner, in a material bonded, friction-fitting, and/or form-fitting manner.

15. The sealing element according to claim 1, wherein the cells have at least in part polygonal, or hexagonal, cross sections.

16. The sealing element according to claim 1, wherein a counter element and a housing-fixed or rotor-fixed sealing element are configured and arranged within compressor stages or turbine stages for a gas turbine, for sealing a radial gap with respect to the rotor-fixed or housing-fixed counter element.

17. The sealing element according to claim 1, wherein at least one sealing element is configured and arranged in a turbomachine.

18. The sealing element according to claim 1, wherein the cells are manufactured at least in part by free-forming, in particular additive manufacturing.

Description

[0042] FIG. 1 a meridional section of a turbomachine with sealing elements in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

[0043] FIG. 2, 3 a section along line A-A and/or B-B in FIG. 1; and

[0044] FIG. 4, 5 enlarged partial sections along line C-C, D-D, and/or E-E in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3.

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a meridional section of a row of guide vanes and a row of rotating blades of a compressor stage or turbine stage of a gas turbine according to the invention, in which lies a rotational or main machine axis of the gas turbine (horizontal in FIG. 1).

[0046] The row of guide vanes has guide vanes 100 with radially inner platforms 101, which are formed integrally with a sealing element according to the invention in the form of a honeycomb seal 10 or is joined to it in a material-bonded, friction-fitting, and/or form-fitting manner. The honeycomb seal 10 seals a radial gap with respect to a rotor 200 with two sealing fins 210 that are axially spaced apart.

[0047] The rotor-fixed row of rotating blades has rotating blades 220 with radially outer platforms 221 with two sealing fins 210 that are axially spaced apart. A housing-fixed seal mount 102 is formed integrally with a sealing element according to the invention in the form of a honeycomb seal 10 or is joined to it in a material-bonded, friction-fitting, and/or form-fitting manner and seals a radial gap with respect to a rotor-fixed counter element 200 or 220.

[0048] This compact and in part schematized illustration indicates preferred possibilities of application of the present invention, without limiting the application to these.

[0049] As can be seen in the sections of FIGS. 2, 3, in particular, the sealing element 10, which is segmented in the peripheral direction, but can also extend integrally over 360, has a number of honeycombs 11 that are adjacent to one another in the peripheral direction (vertical in FIGS. 2, 3) and in the axial direction (horizontal in FIGS. 1-3), which are or will be manufactured through a free-form, in particular additive, method and/or from metal, in particular a nickel-based and/or a cobalt-based alloy, and each of which has six walls 12, an open front side 13 facing the gap, and a closed bottom 14 (see FIGS. 4, 5) that faces away from the gap and is formed integrally with or is joined to the guide vane platforms 101 or to the seal carrier 102. Honeycombs that are adjacent to one another in the peripheral direction and axial direction are each joined in pairs through common walls 12.

[0050] A first aspect of the present invention will be explained below with reference to the section in FIG. 2, which can equally illustrate a section along line A-A and/or line B-B in FIG. 1. In other words, in one embodiment, FIG. 2 represents a section only along line A-A in FIG. 1, in another embodiment a section only along line B-B in FIG. 1, and in another embodiment a section both along line A-A andif need be, scaledalso a section along line B-B.

[0051] As can be seen in the section of FIG. 2, an extension or size in the peripheral direction and in the axial direction of front-side cross sections of honeycombs 11 in a first axial section A1 of the sealing element 10 for sealing against one of the radial flanges 210 of the counter element 200 or 220 is smaller than that in a second axial section B1 that adjoins said first axial section A1 upstream and in a second axial section B2 of the sealing element 10 that adjoins the first axial section A1 downstream. In addition, an extension or size in the peripheral direction and in the axial direction of front-side cross sections of honeycombs 11 in another first axial section A2 of the sealing element for sealing against the other or additional radial flange 210 of the counter element 200 or 220 is smaller than that in the second axial section B2 of the sealing element 10 that adjoins said additional first axial section A2 upstream and in a second axial section B2 that adjoins said additional first axial section A2 downstream.

[0052] A second aspect of the present invention will be explained below with reference to the section in FIG. 5, which can equally represent a section along line C-C, D-D, and/or E-E in FIG. 2 or 3.

[0053] In other words, in one embodiment, FIG. 5 represents a section along line C-C in FIG. 2, in one embodiment, additionally or alternatively, a sectionif need be, scaledalong line D-D and/or a sectionif need be, scaledalong line E-E in FIG. 2. In another embodiment, FIG. 5 represents a section along line C-C in FIG. 3, in one embodiment, additionally or alternatively, a sectionif need be, scaledalong line D-D and/or a sectionif need be, scaledalong line E-E in FIG. 3.

[0054] Accordingly, in one embodiment in which FIG. 5 represents a section along line

[0055] C-C, D-D, and/or E-E in FIG. 2, the second aspect explained below is combined with the above-explained first aspect of the honeycomb sizes varying in the axial direction.

[0056] In another embodiment in which FIG. 5 represents a section along line C-C, D-D, and/or E-E in FIG. 3, the second aspect explained below is realized with homogeneous or (also) equally large honeycombs or without the previously explained first aspect.

[0057] As can be seen in the section in FIG. 5, common walls 12 of the honeycombs 11 are inclined in the peripheral direction (compare FIG. 5 as a section along line D-D and/or E-E in FIG. 2 or 3) in or opposite to a direction of movement of the counter element 200 or 220 relative to the sealing element 10 and/or in the axial direction (compare FIG. 5 as a section along line C-C in FIG. 2 or 3) in or opposite to a through-flow direction of the row of guide vanes or row of rotating blades over its entire wall height W1+W2 by an angle , so that the front sides 13 of the walls that face the gap are displaced in the peripheral direction and in the axial direction with respect to a connection cross section of the wall 12 with the bottom 14 of the honeycomb 11.

[0058] In the exemplary embodiment, the walls 12, which extend solely in the peripheral direction, are thereby inclined only in the axial direction (compare the section along line C-C in FIGS. 2 and 3), whereas the other walls 12 of the honeycombs 11 that are at an angle to said walls (compare the section along line D-D and E-E in FIGS. 2 and 3) are inclined both in the peripheral direction and in the axial direction or their front sides 13 are displaced in the peripheral direction and in the axial direction.

[0059] When, in a modification that is not illustrated, the walls 12 of the honeycombs 11 extend solely in the axial direction, they are inclined, in one embodiment, only in the peripheral direction in or opposite to a direction of relative movement of the counter element 200 or 220. For this purpose, for example, the honeycombs and lines of section of FIG. 3 are to be rotated by 90.

[0060] A third aspect of the present invention will be explained below with reference to the extended and continuous section of FIG. 4, which can equally illustrate a section along line C-C, D-D, and/or E-E in FIG. 2 or 3.

[0061] In other words, in one embodiment, FIG. 4 represents a section along line C-C in

[0062] FIG. 2, in one embodiment, additionally or alternatively, a sectionif need be, scaledalong line D-D and/or a sectionif need be, scaledalong line E-E in FIG. 2. In another embodiment, FIG. 4 represents a section along line C-C in FIG. 3, in one embodiment, additionally or alternatively, a sectionif need be, scaledalong line D-D and/or a sectionif need be, scaledalong line E-E in FIG. 3. Accordingly, in one embodiment in which FIG. 4 represents a section along line C-C, D-D, and/or E-E in FIG. 2, the third aspect, which is explained below is combined with the above-discussed first aspect of the honeycomb sizes varying in the axial direction. In another embodiment, in which FIG. 4 represents a section along line C-C, D-D, and/or E-E in FIG. 3, the third aspect explained below is realized with homogenous or (also) equally large honeycombs in the axial direction or without the above-explained first aspect. In one embodiment indicated by dashes in FIG. 5, the second aspect and the third aspect can be combined with each other, in particular also with the first aspect (compare the dashed contour in FIG. 5 as a section along line C-C, D-D, and/or E-E in FIG. 2) or without it (compare the dashed contour in FIG. 5 as a section along line C-C, D-D, and/or E-E in FIG. 3).

[0063] As can be seen from the extended and continuous section of FIG. 4 or the dashed section of FIG. 5, the common walls 12 of the honeycombs 11 each have a first radial wall section W1 and an adjoining second radial wall section W2 that is closer to the gap, the maximum wall thickness t2 of which is less than a maximum wall thickness t1 of the first wall section W1. In addition, the area of a front side 13 of these walls 12 facing the gap is smaller in each case than the cross-sectional area of the radial wall section W1 that is further away from the gap.

[0064] The cross-sectional area and maximum wall thickness t2 of the walls 12 in the second wall section W2 decrease in each case monotonically toward the front side 12 facing the gap.

[0065] The second wall section W2 extends in each case out of the front side 12 of the wall facing the gap and the first wall section that is further away from the gap extends out of the bottom 14 facing away from the gap.

[0066] Although, in the preceding description, exemplary embodiments were explained, it is noted that a large number of modifications are possible.

[0067] Thus, in the above, the first aspect of the honeycomb size varying in the axial direction was discussed in connection with the second aspect of the inclined walls (compare FIG. 5) and/or in connection with the third aspect of the wall thicknesses that are radially tapered with respect to the front sides 13 (compare the extended contour in FIG. 4 or the dashed counter in FIG. 5). In one embodiment, the first aspect can also be realized without the second aspect and the third aspect. This is indicated by dashes in FIG. 4.

[0068] Moreover, it is noted that that what are involved as examples are merely exemplary embodiments, which are not intended to limit the protective scope, the applications, and the construction in any way. Instead, the preceding description will give the person skilled in the art a guideline for the implementation of at least one of the exemplary embodiments, with it being possible to make diverse changes, in particular in regard to the function and arrangement of the described components, without leaving the protective scope that ensues from the claims and the combinations of features equivalent to these.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0069] 10 honeycomb seal (sealing element) [0070] 11 honeycomb [0071] 12 wall [0072] 13 (honeycomb/wall) front side [0073] 14 bottom [0074] 100 guide vane [0075] 101 platform [0076] 102 seal carrier [0077] 200 rotor (counter element) [0078] 210 sealing fin [0079] 220 rotating blade (counter element) [0080] 221 platform [0081] A1 first axial section [0082] A2 additional first axial section [0083] B1-B3 second axial section [0084] t1, t2 maximum wall thickness [0085] W1 first radial wall section/radial wall section further away from the gap [0086] W2 second wall section/tapered radial wall section [0087] inclination (angle)