Patent Publication Number: US-2015076770-A1

Title: Insulated high temperature composite seal

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to seals, including compression seals. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Compression seals are widely used to provide a seal between two surfaces that may be configured to move, at least to a degree, relative to each other. Typically, such seals include a body portion comprising a metal material; although, the body portion may be configured with at least some elastic properties. In some situations, seals may be used to seal high temperature fluids. In high temperature applications, the high temperature fluid may be hot enough to cause the metallic body portion to lose its elastic properties, which may reduce the effectiveness of the seal. 
     SUMMARY 
     An embodiment of the present disclosure includes a seal assembly. The seal assembly may include a metallic seal, an insulating sleeve, and a retaining clip configured to retain the insulating sleeve relative to the metallic seal. 
     In an embodiment, seal assembly may include a metallic seal, an insulating sleeve encompassing the metallic seal, a plurality of retaining clips configured to retain the insulating sleeve relative to the metallic seal, and first and second modified sealing surfaces, wherein the retaining clips are configured to provide the first and second sealing surfaces. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view generally illustrating portions of a seal assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view generally illustrating portions of a seal assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view generally illustrating portions of a seal in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view generally illustrating portions of a seal assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view generally illustrating a portion of a seal assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. While the invention will be described in conjunction with embodiments, it will be understood that they are not intended to limit the invention to these embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by appended claims. 
     Referring to the drawings,  FIG. 1  generally illustrates an embodiment of a seal assembly  10 . Seal assembly  10  may include a seal  20 , an insulating layer  30 , and one or more retaining clips  40 . 
     Seal assembly  10  may be configured to provide fluid sealing between two surfaces  12 ,  14 . Surfaces  12 ,  14  may be part of single component or may be part of a plurality of components. 
     Seal  20  may comprise one or more of a variety of sizes, shapes, materials, and/or configurations. The shape of seal  20  may be configured to provide seal  20  with at least some elastic and/or pre-load characteristics. The elastic and/or pre-load characteristics may cause portions of seal  20  to be biased toward one or both of surfaces  12 ,  14 , which may create a sealing relationship. For example, and without limitation, seal  20  may include a generally E-shaped seal. While seal  20  may be generally described herein as including a generally E-shaped seal, seal  20  is not so limited and may include other shapes, for example, seal  20  may include a v-shaped seal, a microplex seal, and/or a u-plex seal. 
     In embodiments, an seal  20  may include one or more legs, such as, for example, first leg  22  and second leg  24 . In embodiments, first leg  22  may be configured to be biased toward first surface  12  and/or second leg  24  may be biased toward second surface  14 . 
     In embodiments, seal  20  may include an insulating layer  30 . Insulating layer may include ceramic, composite, and/or other materials. Insulating layer may be configured to at least partially thermally insulate seal  20 . For example, insulating layer  30  may be arranged at a first side  26  of seal  20  to thermally insulate first  26 . Insulating layer may be arranged around the entire exterior of seal  20 , which may thermally insulate first and second sides  26 A,  26 B of seal  20 . 
     Insulating layer  30  may reduce the temperatures to which seal  20  is exposed. Such reduced temperatures may help maintain the corrosion resistance of seal  20 . Such reduced temperatures may also restrict the degree to which seal  20  may be susceptible to stress relaxation. Stress relaxation and corrosion resistance may lead to a failure because of loss of seal pre-load and/or a general material failure. 
     As generally illustrated in  FIG. 1 , insulating layer  30  may be arranged in contact with seal  20  in one or more locations. For example, insulating layer  30  may be arranged in contact with some or all of legs  22 ,  24  of seal  20 . Additionally or alternatively, insulating layer  30  may be arranged at a distance from seal  20  in one or more areas (e.g., area  32 ). Insulating layer may include portions (e.g., portion  34 ) that are generally similar in shape to the shape of seal  20  and/or insulating layer  30  may include one or more portions (e.g., portion  36 ) that are not similar in shape to the shape of seal  20 . Insulating layer  30  may extend generally outward from the ends  22 A,  24 A of legs  22 ,  24  and/or may include a greater thickness at and/or near the ends  22 A,  24 A of legs  22 ,  24 . 
     As generally illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , seal may include one or more retaining clips  40 . Retaining clips  40  may be configured to be arranged around and/or connected to seal  20 . Retaining clips  40  may include first and second portions that may be provided at opposite sides of a leg of seal  10 . 
     As generally illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , retaining clips  40  may be formed as a single unit including first  42  and second portions  44 . For example, retaining clips  40  may be roll formed into a rounded clip that may be configured to fit over insulated legs of a seal. 
     In embodiments, as generally illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , retaining clips  40 A may include separate first portions  42 A,  42 C and second portions  44 A,  44 C that may be connected together. First portions  42 A,  42 C and second portions  44 A,  44 C may be connected in one or more of several ways, including, for example, via a weldment  28 . As generally illustrated in  FIG. 2 , retaining clips  40 A may include a tab  46 , which may be configured to facilitate manufacturing, assembly, installation, and/or removal of seal assembly  10 . Tab  46  may provide strength and/or stiffness to retaining clips  40 , which may help retain insulation layer  30  relative to seal  20 . 
     First and second portions  42 ,  44  may include curved and/or angled portions  48  that may correspond with each other. Curved portions  48  may correspond with each other to retain insulating layer  30  relative to seal  20  (e.g., in a clip arrangement). In embodiments, retaining clips  40  may be the only means by which insulating layer  30  is retained relative to seal  20 . 
     In embodiments, retaining clips  40  may be configured to be a continuous ring provided at a leg of seal  20 . For example, second portions  44  may be configured as a continuous ring and/or first portions  42  may be configured as one or more tabs that may be folded and/or crimped over a leg of seal  20  to retain insulating layer  30  relative to seal  20 . 
     In embodiments, retaining clips  40  may be configured to act as a modified sealing surface  60  for seal assembly  10 . Modified sealing surface  60  may be configured to provide a more resilient seal surface than a sealing surface created only by insulating layer  30 . For example, and without limitation, retaining clips  40  may include a high temperature super alloy, which may include nickel and or nickel-chromium super alloys such as Inconel 718® and/or Waspaloy®. 
     In embodiments, seal assembly  10  may include insulating layer  30  and/or retaining clips  40 . Insulating layer  30  may reduce the temperatures that seal  20  is exposed to and retaining clips  40  may be configured around legs  22 ,  24  of seal  20  to act as modified sealing surfaces  60  to reduce potential wear of insulating layer  30  and to retain insulating layer  30  relative to seal  20 . 
     As generally illustrated in  FIG. 4 , first portion  42 C of retaining clip  40 C may be shorter than second portion  44 C of retaining clip  40 C. Second portion  44 C may be configured with a greater length to provide resilient sealing surface  60  with a greater surface area. 
     As generally illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , insulating layer  30  may be in contact with all or substantially all of an inner surface  50  of a retaining clip (e.g. retaining clips  40 ,  40 C). In embodiments, insulating layer  30  may not be in contact with portions of the inner surface  50  of a retaining clip  40  and/or an air gap  62  may exist between insulating layer  30  and the retaining clips (e.g., retaining clips  40 A,  40 B). 
     In embodiments, as generally illustrated in  FIG. 5 , seal assembly  10  may include a third layer  70 , which may include a layer of foil arranged at and/or around a portion and/or all of insulating layer  30 . Third layer  70  may be referred to herein as foil layer  70 . Seal assembly  10  may include foil layer  70  in addition to or in place of retaining clips  40 . If seal assembly  10  does not include retaining clips  40 , foil layer  70  may be arranged between insulating layer  30  and surfaces  12 ,  14  and foil layer  70  may be configured to provide a resilient sealing surface  60 A. 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not indented to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and various modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It should be understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the examples and/or embodiments described herein. For example, references to a single element are not so limited and may include one or more of such element. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto and their equivalents.