Seal platform

A partial seal platform for mounting a seal and securing seal to a rotor or a casing including a first arcuate securing segment with a first securing notch for receiving a first securing ridge of rotor or casing; a second arcuate securing segment with a second securing notch for receiving a second securing ridge of rotor or casing; an arcuate coupling segment with a first flat ridge forming a first and second lateral notch on each side of the first flat ridge for receiving the first arcuate securing segment and the second arcuate securing segment; and an arcuate mounting segment including a second flat ridge forming a lateral notch on each side of second flat ridge for receiving first arcuate securing segment and second arcuate securing segment.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to turbines and more particularly to a seal platform for a turbine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In a steam or gas turbine, seals may be attached to a rotor or a casing. A seal on the rotor provides a seal between the rotor and the nozzles. A seal on the casing provides a seal between the casing and the buckets. A variety of seals, for example, seal teeth or seal brushes, are well known in the art. The relative ease or difficulty in assembling a turbine, disassembling a turbine, and packing (the overall configuration of parts) a turbine are all considerations in turbine and turbine component design.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A first aspect of the invention provides a partial seal platform for mounting a seal and securing the seal to one of a rotor or a casing, comprising: a first arcuate securing segment including a first securing notch for receiving a first securing ridge of the rotor or the casing; a second arcuate securing segment including a second securing notch for receiving a second securing ridge of the rotor or the casing; an arcuate coupling segment including a first flat ridge forming a first and second lateral notch on each side of the first flat ridge for receiving the first arcuate securing segment and the second arcuate securing segment, wherein the first securing notch and the second securing notch open away from each other, and wherein the arcuate coupling segment has at least one passage in the first flat ridge for receiving a part of a coupling bolt; an arcuate mounting segment including a second flat ridge forming a lateral notch on each side of the second flat ridge for receiving the first arcuate securing segment and the second arcuate securing segment, wherein the arcuate mounting segment has at least one passage in the second flat ridge for receiving a part of the coupling bolt, and wherein the second flat ridge aligns with the first flat ridge.

A second aspect of the invention provides a seal platform for mounting a seal and securing the seal to one of a rotor or a casing, comprising: at least two first arcuate securing segments each first arcuate securing segment including a first securing notch for receiving a first securing ridge of the rotor or the casing, wherein the at least two first arcuate securing segments are aligned end-to-end to form a first securing ring; at least two second arcuate securing segments each second arcuate securing segment including a second securing notch for receiving a second securing ridge of the rotor or the casing, wherein the at least two second arcuate securing segments are aligned end-to-end to form a second securing ring; at least two arcuate coupling segments each arcuate coupling segment including a first flat ridge forming a first and second lateral notch on each side of the first flat ridge for receiving one of the first arcuate securing segments and one of the second arcuate securing segments, wherein the first securing notch and the second securing notch open away from each other, wherein each arcuate coupling segment has at least one passage in the first flat ridge for receiving a part of a coupling bolt, and wherein the at least two arcuate coupling segments are aligned end-to-end to form a coupling ring; at least two arcuate mounting segments each arcuate mounting segment including a second flat ridge forming a lateral notch on each side of the second flat ridge for receiving one of the first arcuate securing segments and one of the second arcuate securing segments, wherein each arcuate mounting segment has at least one passage in the second flat ridge for receiving a part of the coupling bolt, and wherein the second flat ridge aligns with the first flat ridge, and wherein the at least two arcuate mounting segments are aligned end-to-end to form a mounting ring.

A third aspect of the invention provides a rotor or a casing of a turbine, comprising: at least one seal platform for a nozzle or a bucket including: at least two first arcuate securing segments each first arcuate securing segment including a first securing notch for receiving a first securing ridge of the rotor or the casing, wherein the at least two first arcuate securing segments are aligned end-to-end to form a first securing ring; at least two second arcuate securing segments each second arcuate securing segment including a second securing notch for receiving a second securing ridge of the rotor or the casing, wherein the at least two second arcuate securing segments are aligned end-to-end to form a second securing ring; at least two arcuate coupling segments each arcuate coupling segment including a first flat ridge forming a first and second lateral notch on each side of the first flat ridge for receiving one of the first arcuate securing segments and one of the second arcuate securing segments, wherein the first securing notch and the second securing notch open away from each other, wherein each arcuate coupling segment has at least one passage in the first flat ridge for receiving a part of a coupling bolt, and wherein the at least two arcuate coupling segments are aligned end-to-end to form a coupling ring; at least two arcuate mounting segments each arcuate mounting segment including a second flat ridge forming a lateral notch on each side of the second flat ridge for receiving one of the first arcuate securing segments and one of the second arcuate securing segments, wherein each arcuate mounting segment has at least one passage in the second flat ridge for receiving a part of the coupling bolt, and wherein the second flat ridge aligns with the first flat ridge, and wherein the at least two arcuate mounting segments are aligned end-to-end to form a mounting ring.

These and other aspects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, where like parts are designated by like reference characters throughout the drawings, disclose embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings,FIGS. 1 and 2show cross-sectional views of a portion of a turbine100seal platforms according to one embodiment of the invention. Turbine100may include a gas turbine or a steam turbine. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, turbine100includes a rotor102, a casing104, a nozzle106, at least two buckets108, and at least two seal platforms110,112.FIG. 1shows a segmented seal platform110connected to the rotor102.FIG. 2shows a seal platform112connected to the casing104. The rotor102is configured to couple with seal platform110. The casing104is configured to couple with seal platform112. The rotor102or the casing104may include at least one seal platform channel114. At least one seal platform channel114may include a first securing ridge116and a second securing ridge118for securing seal platform110,112to the rotor102or the casing104.

FIG. 3shows a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the seal platform110,112.FIG. 4shows a perspective view of one embodiment of one convex arc of the seal platform110adapted for the rotor102.FIG. 5shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the seal platform110adapted for the rotor102. Seal platform may include a first arcuate securing segment120, a second arcuate securing segment122, an arcuate coupling segment124, and an arcuate mounting segment126. The first arcuate securing segment120may include a first securing notch128for receiving the first securing ridge116(FIG. 3) of the rotor102or the casing104. The second arcuate securing segment122may include a second securing notch130for receiving the second securing ridge118(FIG. 3) of the rotor102or the casing104. The arcuate coupling segment122may include a first flat ridge132forming a first and second lateral notch134,136on each side of the first flat ridge132for receiving the first arcuate securing segment120and the second arcuate securing segment122. The first securing notch128and the second securing notch130may open away from each other. The arcuate coupling segment122may include a first passage138in the first flat ridge132for receiving a part of a coupling bolt140. The arcuate mounting segment126may include a second flat ridge142forming a first and a second lateral notch144,146on each side of the second flat ridge142for receiving the first arcuate securing segment120and the second arcuate securing segment122, respectively. The arcuate mounting segment126may include a second passage148extending through to the second flat ridge142for receiving a part of the coupling bolt140. The second flat ridge142may align with the first flat ridge132to receive the coupling bolt140through the first passage148and the second passage138.

As shown inFIG. 4, a mounting surface150of the arcuate mounting segment126supports a pair of seals152. The seals152may include a seal tooth, a seal brush, or any combination of seal teeth or seal brushes. A person skilled in the art will readily recognize that any known seal tooth or seal brush may be included on the mounting surface150. The arcuate mounting segment126may include a recessed ridge154. The recessed ridge154may include the at least one second passage148for receiving the part of the coupling bolt140.

Still referring toFIG. 4, each segment of the seal platform110has an arc no greater than 180 degrees. Referring toFIG. 5, two segments of the seal platform110collectively form an approximately 360 degree arc. Each segment of seal platform110is convex relative to the rotor. InFIG. 5, the at least two first arcuate securing segments120(not shown inFIG. 5) may be aligned end-to-end to form a first securing ring (not shown inFIG. 5); the at least two second arcuate securing segments122may be aligned end-to-end to form a second securing ring156; the at least two arcuate coupling segments124may be aligned end-to-end to form a coupling ring158; and the at least two arcuate mounting segments126may be aligned end-to-end to form a mounting ring160. Accordingly, seal platform110may include more than two segments, providing that the more than two segments of the seal platform110collectively form an approximately360degree arc and that no segment forms an arc greater than180degrees.

FIG. 6shows a perspective view of one embodiment of one segment of the seal platform112adapted for the casing104(FIG. 2).FIG. 7shows a perspective view of one embodiment of the seal platform112adapted for the casing104(FIG. 2). Seal platform112is identical to seal platform110(FIG. 5) with the exception that seal platform112arcs concavely relative to the casing104(FIG. 2).

While various embodiments are described herein, it will be appreciated from the specification that various combinations of elements, variations or improvements therein may be made by those skilled in the art, and are within the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from essential scope thereof Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.