Patent ID: 9291067
Filing Date: 2016-03-22
CPC Classification: F01D,F16J

Claim Text:
1. An aspirating face seal for use with a rotary machine that includes a centerline axis, said aspirating face seal comprising: a rotating seal ring comprising a sealing surface, an opposite upstream surface, and a radially outer surface that extends between said sealing surface and said upstream surface, wherein said sealing surface has a radius that is larger than a radius of said upstream surface, said radially outer surface includes an oblique portion that slopes radially inward from a first end proximate said sealing surface towards a second end proximate said upstream surface; a stationary seal ring having a sealing surface and coupled proximate said rotating seal ring such that a first gap is defined axially between said stationary seal ring sealing surface and said rotating seal ring sealing surface, said stationary seal ring including an extension member extending across said first gap; and an auxiliary seal comprising at least one seal tooth that includes a seal tooth tip, said at least one seal tooth extending radially inward from said extension member such that a second gap is defined radially between said seal tooth tip and said oblique portion, wherein said stationary seal is axially movable along said centerline axis between a first position, wherein said first gap defines a first width and said second gap defines a second width, and a second position, wherein said first gap defines a third width that is narrower than the first width and said second gap defines a fourth width that is wider than the second width.