Patent ID: 6572115
Filing Date: 2003-06-03
Classification: F16J

Abstract:
A seal assembly for a rotary machine, said rotary machine comprising a rotor and a casing, said rotor comprising a generally longitudinally-extending axis, said casing generally coaxially aligned with said axis, said casing circumferentially surrounding and radially spaced apart from said rotor, said casing comprising an inner circumferential channel generally coaxially aligned with said rotor, and said seal assembly comprising:a plurality of seal carrier segments fixedly disposed in a circumferential array in said inner circumferential channel, each of said seal carrier segments comprising a seal carrier channel, wherein at least one of said seal carrier segments comprises at least one fluid inlet disposed therein; and a seal disposed in said seal carrier channel and movable between radially inward and radially outward positions upon introduction of a fluid medium in said fluid inlet.