Conjoined gas turbine interface seal

Abstract

A device including a conjoined laminate interface seal shaped for reducing inter-seal gap (e.g., an angled gap, an ‘L’-shaped gap, etc.) leakage in gas turbines is disclosed. In one embodiment, a seal device for a gas turbine includes: a first flange shaped to be disposed within a first slot of a first arcuate component and a first adjacent slot of a second arcuate component; a conjoined layer connected to a first surface of the first flange, the first surface configured to face a working fluid flow of the gas turbine; and a second flange shaped to be disposed within a second slot of the first arcuate component and a second adjacent slot of the second arcuate component, the second flange including a second surface connected to the conjoined layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A seal device, the seal device comprising:
 a first flange shaped to be disposed within a first slot of a first arcuate component and a first adjacent slot of a second arcuate component;   a conjoined layer connected to a first surface of the first flange, the first surface configured to face a working fluid flow; and   at least one secondary flange shaped to be disposed within a second slot of the first arcuate component and a second adjacent slot of the second arcuate component, the at least one secondary flange including a second surface connected to the conjoined layer.   
     
     
         2 . The seal device of  claim 1 , wherein the first flange and the at least one secondary flange include a plurality of layers. 
     
     
         3 . The seal device of  claim 1 , wherein the conjoined layer is integrated in to the first flange and the at least one secondary flange. 
     
     
         4 . The seal device of  claim 1 , wherein the conjoined layer is shaped to continuously contact the first slot and the second slot. 
     
     
         5 . The seal device of  claim 1 , wherein the conjoined layer includes a first portion connected to the first flange and a second portion connected to the at least one secondary flange, and
 wherein the first portion and the second portion are connected across a gap between the first flange and the at least one secondary flange and are shaped to form a continuous surface across both the first flange and the at least one secondary flange.   
     
     
         6 . The seal device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one secondary flange is oriented at an angle relative to the first flange. 
     
     
         7 . The seal device of  claim 1 , wherein the conjoined layer is substantially the same width as the first flange and the at least one second flange, and
 wherein the conjoined layer forms the first surface of the first flange and the second surface of the at least one secondary flange.   
     
     
         8 . A gas turbine, comprising:
 a first arcuate component including a first slot and a second slot on an end of the first arcuate component;   a second arcuate component located adjacent to the first arcuate component and including a first adjacent slot and a second adjacent slot on an end of the first arcuate component, the first adjacent slot and the second adjacent slot aligned with the first slot and the second slot of the first arcuate component; and   a seal device including:
 a first flange disposed within the first slot of the first arcuate component and the first adjacent slot of the second arcuate component; 
 a conjoined layer connected to a first surface of the first flange, the conjoined layer facing a working fluid flow of the gas turbine; and 
 a second flange disposed within the second slot of the first arcuate component and the second adjacent slot of the second arcuate component, the second flange including a second surface connected to the conjoined layer. 
   
     
     
         9 . The gas turbine of  claim 8 , wherein the first flange and the second flange include a plurality of layers. 
     
     
         10 . The gas turbine of  claim 8 , wherein the conjoined layer is integrated in to the first flange and the second flange. 
     
     
         11 . The gas turbine of  claim 8 , wherein the conjoined layer is shaped to continuously contact the first slot and the second slot. 
     
     
         12 . The gas turbine of  claim 8 , wherein the conjoined layer includes a first portion connected to the first flange and a second portion connected to the second flange, and
 wherein the first portion and the second portion are connected across a gap between the first flange and the second flange and are shaped to form a continuous surface across both the first flange and the second flange.   
     
     
         13 . The gas turbine of  claim 8 , wherein the second flange is oriented at an angle relative to the first flange. 
     
     
         14 . The gas turbine of  claim 8 , wherein the conjoined layer is substantially the same width as the first flange and the second flange, and
 wherein the conjoined layer forms the first surface of the first flange and the second surface of the second flange.   
     
     
         15 . A gas turbine, comprising:
 a first arcuate component including a first slot and a second slot on an end of the first arcuate component,   wherein an inner surface of the first arcuate component is exposed to a working fluid flow and an outer surface of the first arcuate component is exposed to a coolant flow;   a second arcuate component located adjacent to the first arcuate component and including a first adjacent slot and a second adjacent slot on an end of the first arcuate component, the first adjacent slot and the second adjacent slot aligned with the first slot and the second slot of the first arcuate component,   wherein the second arcuate component includes an adjacent outer surface and an adjacent inner surface, the adjacent inner surface exposed to the working fluid flow and the adjacent outer surface exposed to the coolant flow; and
 a first flange disposed within the first slot of the first arcuate component and the first adjacent slot of the second arcuate component; 
 a conjoined layer connected to the first flange and facing the working fluid flow of the gas turbine; and 
 a second flange connected to the conjoined layer and disposed within the second slot of the first arcuate component and the second adjacent slot of the second arcuate component. 
   
     
     
         16 . The gas turbine of  claim 15 , wherein the conjoined layer is integrated in to the first flange and the second flange. 
     
     
         17 . The gas turbine of  claim 15 , wherein the conjoined layer is shaped to continuously contact the first slot and the second slot. 
     
     
         18 . The gas turbine of  claim 15 , wherein the second flange is oriented at an angle relative to the first flange. 
     
     
         19 . The gas turbine of  claim 15 , wherein conjoined layer includes a first portion connected to the first flange and a second portion connected to the second flange, and
 wherein the first portion and the second portion are connected across a gap between the first flange and the second flange and are shaped to form a continuous surface across both the first flange and the second flange.   
     
     
         20 . The gas turbine of  claim 15 , wherein the conjoined layer is substantially the same width as the first flange and the second flange, and
 wherein the conjoined layer forms the first surface of the first flange and the second surface of the second flange.