Patent ID: 8109717
Filing Date: 2012-02-07
Classification: F01D,F02C,F05D,F16J

Abstract:
1. A seal assembly for a gas turbine engine comprising: a hydrostatic seal removably mounted within the gas turbine engine by a mounting bracket, the hydrostatic seal having a seal face and a seal runner, wherein the seal face and the mounting bracket comprise a seal face assembly, and wherein the mounting bracket is operative to removably mount the seal face assembly within the gas turbine engine; and a back-up seal spaced at a distance from the hydrostatic seal by an arm, the back-up seal comprising a separate structure from the hydrostatic seal, wherein the back-up seal forms an outlet and the hydrostatic seal forming an inlet of a cavity formed by the mounting bracket and the arm, wherein the back-up seal is labyrinth seal having a land and a knife edge, the knife edge being operative to interact with the land to form a seal, and wherein one of the land and the knife edge is attached to the mounting bracket of the seal face assembly and the other of the land and the knife edge is attached to the mounting bracket of the seal runner assembly; wherein, in a normal mode of operation of the hydrostatic seal, interaction of the seal face and the seal runner maintains a pressure differential within the gas turbine engine and, in a failure mode of operation of the hydrostatic seal, the back-up seal maintains a pressure differential within the gas turbine engine.