Patent ID: 9347459
Filing Date: 2016-05-24
CPC Classification: F01D,F04D,F16J

Claim Text:
1. A sealing system for a centrifugal compressor comprising: a stator having a seal housing; a seal disposed in the seal housing and having an abradable portion along an inner circumference; a rotor having a plurality of rotor teeth configured to rotate within the inner circumference of the seal and configured to create rub grooves within the abradable portion; and a first spring, in an expanded state, disposed between the seal and a low pressure side of the seal housing before starting the centrifugal compressor for biasing the seal towards a high pressure side of the seal housing, wherein after starting the centrifugal compressor, the first spring is configured to facilitate axial movement of the seal from the high pressure side of the seal housing towards the low pressure side of the seal housing by compressing the first spring towards the low pressure side of the seal housing in response to a predetermined increased pressure ratio across the seal.