Patent ID: 6991235

Claim:
A gas-buffered brush seal assembly for controlling the flow of a fluid adjacent a rotatable member, the seal assembly comprising: at least one brush seal having a circumferential member and a plurality of elongate members, the circumferential member structured to extend circumferentially around the rotatable member and the elongate members being connected to the circumferential member and structured to extend generally radially inward to define an interface with the rotatable member; and a dispersion ring defining a bore for receiving the rotatable member therethrough and defining a gas passage extending at least partially circumferentially around the bore of the dispersion ring, the dispersion ring being disposed adjacent the at least one brush seal such that the gas passage of the dispersion ring is configured to receive a gas, communicate the gas therethrough, and deliver the gas to the interface of the elongate members and the rotatable member such that the gas at least partially prevents the flow of fluid through the interface, wherein the seal assembly is configured to operate in first and second modes, the first mode being characterized by the gas being delivered at a first flow rate such that the fluid flows through the interface according to a first predetermined rate, and the second mode being characterized by the gas being delivered at a second flow rate less than the first flow rate such that the fluid flaws through the interface according to a second predetermined rate, the second predetermined rate being greater than the first predetermined rate.