US2007237627A1PendingUtilityA1

Offset blade tip chord sealing system and method for rotary machines

41
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Mar 31, 2006Filed: Mar 31, 2006Published: Oct 11, 2007
Est. expiryMar 31, 2026(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Ronald Scott Bunker
Y02T50/60F01D 11/08F01D 5/145F01D 5/20
41
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Claims

Abstract

A rotary machine includes a rotary member disposed inside the stationary member, wherein the rotary member includes at least one airfoil having an upstream side wall, a downstream side wall, and a tip portion disposed between the upstream and downstream side walls. A sealing system is disposed on the tip portion. The sealing system consists essentially of at least one seal strip disposed on the tip portion at an off-center position only between the downstream side wall and a central position between the upstream and downstream sidewalls.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A rotary machine, comprising: 
 a stationary member;    a rotary member disposed inside the stationary member, wherein the rotary member comprises at least one airfoil having an upstream side wall, a downstream side wall, and a tip portion disposed between the upstream and downstream side walls; and    a sealing system disposed on the tip portion, wherein the sealing system consists essentially of:    at least one seal strip disposed on the tip portion at an off-center position substantially between the downstream side wall and a central position between the upstream and downstream sidewalls.    
   
   
       2 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the rotary machine comprises a turbine.  
   
   
       3 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the off-center position of the at least one seal strip is an offset distance from the downstream side wall at least equal to a wall thickness of the at least one airfoil.  
   
   
       4 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the off-center position of the at least one seal strip is an offset distance from the downstream side wall at least equal to a radius of curvature of a tip edge of the at least one airfoil.  
   
   
       5 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one seal strip includes a first portion positioned between the downstream side wall and the central position and a second portion disposed between the upstream side wall and the central position, wherein the first portion is substantially greater than the second portion.  
   
   
       6 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the seal strip comprises a base portion having fillets.  
   
   
       7 . The machine of  claim 1 , wherein the seal strip comprises a rounded top portion.  
   
   
       8 . A turbine, comprising: 
 a stationary outer casing;    a rotor disposed inside the stationary outer casing, wherein the rotor comprises at least one rotor blade having an upstream side wall, a downstream side wall, and a tip portion disposed between the upstream and downstream side walls; and    at least one seal strip disposed on the tip portion at an off-center position substantially between the downstream side wall, and a central position between the upstream and downstream side walls.    
   
   
       9 . The turbine of  claim 8 , wherein a width of the at least one seal strip is in range of 0.05 to 0.125 inches.  
   
   
       10 . The turbine of  claim 8 , wherein the off-center position of the at least one seal strip is an offset distance from the downstream side wall at least equal to a wall thickness of the at least one rotor blade.  
   
   
       11 . The turbine of  claim 8 , wherein the off-center position of the at least one seal strip is an offset distance from the downstream side wall at least equal to a radius of curvature of a tip edge of the at least one rotor blade.  
   
   
       12 . The turbine of  claim 8 , wherein a height of the at least one seal strip is in the range of 0.150 to 0.250 inches.  
   
   
       13 . The turbine of  claim 12 , wherein the off-center position of the at least one seal strip is an offset distance from the downstream side wall equal to twice the height of the at least one seal strip.  
   
   
       14 . The turbine of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one seal strip comprises a base portion having fillets.  
   
   
       15 . The turbine of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one seal strip comprises a rounded top portion.  
   
   
       16 . A sealing system, comprising: 
 at least one airfoil having an upstream side wall, a downstream side wall, and a tip portion disposed between the upstream and downstream side walls; and    at least one seal strip disposed on the tip portion at an off-center position only between the downstream side wall and a central position between the upstream and downstream side walls.    
   
   
       17 . The sealing system of  claim 16 , wherein the off-center position of the at least one seal strip is an offset distance from the downstream side wall at least equal to a wall thickness of the at least one airfoil.  
   
   
       18 . The sealing system of  claim 16 , wherein the off-center position of the at least one seal strip is an offset distance from the downstream side wall at least equal to a radius of curvature of a tip edge of the at least one airfoil.  
   
   
       19 . The sealing system of  claim 16 , wherein the off-center position of the at least one seal strip is an offset distance from the downstream side wall equal to twice the height of the at least one seal strip.  
   
   
       20 . The sealing system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one seal strip comprises a base portion having fillets.  
   
   
       21 . The sealing system of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one seal strip comprises a rounded top portion.  
   
   
       22 . A method, comprising: 
 rotating a rotary member having at least one airfoil disposed inside a stationary member; and    reducing leakage of flow of a working fluid between the rotary member and stationary member, comprising:    creating a flow resistance to the flow of the working fluid between a tip portion of the airfoil and the stationary member via at least one seal strip disposed on the tip portion at an off-center position only between a downstream side wall and a central position between an upstream side wall and the downstream side wall of the airfoil.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising internally cooling the tip portion of the airfoil.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  22 , wherein the off-center position of the at least one seal strip is an offset distance from the downstream side wall at least equal to a wall thickness of the at least one airfoil.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  22 , wherein the off-center position of the at least one seal strip is an offset distance from the downstream side wall at least equal to a radius of curvature of a tip edge of the at least one airfoil.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  22 , wherein the at least one seal strip comprises a base portion having fillets.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  22 , wherein the at least one seal strip comprises a rounded top portion.

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