Patent ID: 9447695
Filing Date: 2016-09-20
CPC Classification: F01D,F02C,F05D,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. A diffuser seal for an aft end of a high pressure compressor of a gas turbine engine, the high pressure compressor including an aft rotor, the aft rotor being coupled to a rotary seal, the rotary seal extending aft the high pressure compressor and including a forward sealing element and an aft sealing element, and the gas turbine engine including a rear hub and a diffuser case, the diffuser case having an inner circumference and an outer circumference, the diffuser case including an exit guide vane positioned between the inner circumference and the outer circumference, the diffuser seal comprising: a flow guide carrier, the flow guide carrier having a proximal end and a distal end, the flow guide carrier further including a lip disposed at the distal end, the flow guide carrier including a portion located radially inward from and coupled to the diffuser case and radially outward from and coupled to a static seal, the static seal having a forward portion and an aft portion, the forward portion engaging the forward sealing element and the aft portion engaging the aft sealing element and permitting air flow through the static and rotary seal in an aft direction, the portion located radially inward from and coupled to the diffuser case and radially outward from and coupled to the static seal providing support for the static seal and axially retains the exit guide vane; and the flow guide carrier also being coupled to a fairing and a fairing/hub support, wherein the fairing is operatively coupled to the flow guide carrier at a first end proximate to the static seal and the fairing has a second free end opposite the first end, the flow guide carrier supporting the fairing in a spaced-apart position with respect to a surface of the rear hub so that air flowing through the static and rotary seals passes between a forward surface of the fairing and the surface of the rear hub, the fairing/hub support extending forward from the flow guide carrier and engaging an aft surface of the fairing, wherein the fairing/hub support is configured to limit movement of the rear hub and the fairing in the aft direction and wherein the second free end of the fairing directs air flows exiting from between the forward surface of the fairing and the surface of the rear hub.