Patent Publication Number: US-2011052376-A1

Title: Inter-stage seal ring

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present application relates generally to gas turbine engines and aircraft and more particularly relates to a welded inter-stage seal and torque transmission ring. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Multistage turbines generally include a spacing device and an inter-stage seal positioned between the stages. The spacing device maintains a predetermined spacing between each turbine stage. The inter-stage seal prevents leakage of the gas compressed by the preceding stage. Specifically, an inter-stage seal may be located between two rotating disks and may cooperate with a turbine nozzle for providing a fluid seal therebetween to prevent or limit leakages therethrough. Aircraft engines may use similar designs. 
     Such inter-stage seals, however, may have issues with maintainability and reliability. For example, uneven temperature distributions during operation may result in relatively large tensile forces therein. Such forces may impact life cycle fatigue and even may propagate cracks therein. Moreover, known inter-stage seals generally may be attached to the rotors or elsewhere via bolts or other types of mechanical connection 
     There is thus a desire for an improved inter-stage seal. Such a seal preferably can provide adequate gas flow sealing and torque transmission while being easy to install and relatively light weight. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present application thus describes a turbine section. The turbine section may include a pair of rotors, a seal ring positioned between the pair of rotors, and a first weld at a first end of the seal ring and a second weld at a second end of the seal ring. 
     The present application further provides for a turbine section of a gas turbine engine. The turbine section may include a pair of rotors spaced apart from each other, a seal ring positioned between the pair of rotors, a first weld at a first end of the seal ring and a second weld at a second end of the seal ring, and a number of teeth positioned on the seal ring. 
     These and other features of the present application will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the several drawings and the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a gas turbine engine. 
         FIG. 2  is a side plan view of a portion of a turbine section with the inter-stage seal ring as is described herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, in which like numbers refer to like elements throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  shows a schematic view of a gas turbine engine  10 . As is known, the gas turbine engine  10  may include a compressor  20  to compress an incoming flow of air. The compressor  20  delivers the compressed flow of air to a combustor  30 . The combustor  30  mixes the compressed flow of air with a compressed flow of fuel and ignites the mixture. (Although only a single combustor  30  is shown, the gas turbine engine may include any number of combustors  30 .) The hot combustion gases are in turn delivered to a turbine  40 . The hot combustion gases drive the turbine  40  so as to produce mechanical work. The mechanical work produced by the turbine  40  drives the compressor  20  and an external load  50  such as an electrical generator and the like. The gas turbine engine  10  may use natural gas, various types of syngas, and other types of fuels. The gas turbine engine  10  may have other configurations and may use other types of components herein. 
       FIG. 2  shows a turbine section  100  that may be part of the turbine  40  described above, an aircraft, or other types of devices with rotating disks. The turbine section  100  may include any number of rotor disks with a first rotor disk  110  and a second rotor disk  120  shown. The rotor disks  110 ,  120  are spaced from one another at a predetermined distance. Each of the rotor disks  110 ,  120  supports a turbine blade with a first turbine blade  130  and a second turbine blade  140  shown. A stator  150  or a similar fixed structure may project between the turbine blades  130 ,  140  and portions of the disks  110 ,  120 . Similar designs may be used herein. 
     The turbine section  100  further may include a seal ring  160  as is described herein. The seal ring  160  may be attached to the first rotor disk  110  at a first end  170  thereof and to the second rotor disk  120  at a second end  180  thereof. The seal ring  160  may be attached at the first end  170  via a first weld  190  and at the second end  180  via a second weld  195 . Other types of connection means maybe used herein. The welds  190 ,  195  may be continuous or intermittent. The seal ring  160  may include any number of labyrinth teeth  200  or similar types of seals. The labyrinth teeth  200  may be positioned so as to face the stator  150 . Any number of labyrinth teeth  200  may be used. The labyrinth teeth  200  may have any desire size or shape. 
     In use, the seal ring  160  adequately prevents leakage via the use of the labyrinth teeth  200 . The seal ring  160  itself also transmits torque therethrough. The use of the welds  190 ,  195  eliminates the nuts and bolts as used in known designs so as to provide a light weight design. The seal ring  160  further eliminates the use of the spacer so as to further reduce the costs and weight of the overall turbine  40 . Further, seal displacements thus can be minimized so as to provide better clearance. Overall costs likewise may be reduced given the use of fewer parts. The seal ring  160  may be used between any type of rotating parts. 
     It should be apparent that the foregoing relates only to certain embodiments of the present application and that numerous changes and modifications may be made herein by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims and the equivalents thereof.