Turbomachine Sealing

Abstract

Designers and customers are demanding higher performance turbomachine systems that have long life between overhauls and satisfy the more restrictive environmental constraints. This overview provides sources of design data, numerical, and experimental results along with selected new seal configurations and static sealing challenges such as in the combustors. The following categories are presented: (1) Seal Rotordynamic Data Base (experimental analytical program at Texas A&M); (2) Secondary Flow Interactions (validation studies at CFDRC, Huntsville AL); (3) Contact Sealing (selected types with finger seal model); and (4) Environmental Constraints (emphasis on combustors).