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At least 919 records · Page 51

Rub energetics of compressor blade tip seals

The rub mechanics of aircraft gas turbine engine compressor abradable blade tip seals was studied at simulated engine conditions. In 12 statistically planned, instrumented rub tests using single titanium blades and fiber-metal rubstrips the rub velocity, incursion rate, incursion depth, blade thickness, and abradable strength were varied to determine the effects on rub energy, heat split between the blade, rubstrip surface and rub debris, and blade and seal wear. The rub energies were found to be most significantly affected by the incursion rate while rub velocity and blade thickness were of secondary importance. In five additional rub tests using single nickel alloy blades and multiple titanium alloy blades, rub energy and wear effects were found to be similar for titanium and nickel alloy blades while rub energies increased for multiple blades relative to single blade test results.

Laverty, W. F.↗

Cryogenic Pressure Seal for Wires

High-pressure-seal formed by forcing polyurethane into space surrounding wire or cable in special fitting. Wire or cable routed through fitting then through a tightly fitting cap. Wire insulation left intact. Cap filled with sealant and forced onto the fitting: this pushes sealant into fitting so it seals wire or cable in fitting as well as in cap.

Ciana, J. J.↗

Feedthrough Seal For High-Pressure Vessel

Combination of ceramic and plastic withstands many depressurizations. Stack of washers surrounds leadthrough electrode. Under pressure washers expand to fill leadthrough hole in high-pressure vessel. Seal thus formed withstands 20 or more pressurization/depressurization cycles. Seal composed of neoprene, polytetrafluoroethylene, nylon and high-purity, high-density commercial alumina ceramic.

Williams, R.↗

Leak Test for Pressure-Sealing Zippers

Test jig checks either side of pressure-sealing zippers for leaks. Procedure takes little time, and seal failure determined before zipper incorporated into suit.

Erickson, E.↗

Temporary Sealing of Cavities for Leak Testing

Wax Seals cavity openings to permit helium leak test of cavity welds. Technique facilitates leak testing of cavities in components of larger systems not otherwise sealed off at time leak testing done.

Little, J.↗

Film thickness measurement for spiral groove and Rayleigh step lift pad self-acting face seals

One Rayleigh step lift pad and three spiral groove self-acting face seal configurations were tested to measure film thickness and frictional torque as a function of shaft speed. The seals were tested at a constant face load of 73 N (16.4 lb) with ambient air at room temperature and atmospheric pressure as the fluid medium. The test speed range was from 7000 to 17,000 rpm. The measured film thickness was compared with theoretical data from mathematical models. The mathematical models overpredicted the measured film thickness at the lower speeds of the test speed range and underpredicted the measured film thickness at the higher speeds of the test speed range.

Dirusso, E.↗

Materials for advanced turbine engines. Volume 1: Advanced blade tip seal system

Project 3, the subject of this technical report, was structured toward the successful engine demonstration of an improved-efficiency, long-life, tip-seal system for turbine blades. The advanced tip-seal system was designed to maintain close operating clearances between turbine blade tips and turbine shrouds and, at the same time, be resistant to environmental effects including high-temperature oxidation, hot corrosion, and thermal cycling. The turbine blade tip comprised an environmentally resistant, activated-diffussion-bonded, monocrystal superalloy combined with a thin layer of aluminium oxide abrasive particles entrapped in an electroplated NiCr matrix. The project established the tip design and joint location, characterized the single-crystal tip alloy and abrasive tip treatment, and established the manufacturing and quality-control plans required to fully process the blades. A total of 171 blades were fully manufactured, and 100 were endurance and performance engine-tested.

Zelahy, J. W.↗

Vibration and destabilizing effects of floating ring seals in compressors

Operating experience on a compressor commissioned 12 years ago has presented an interesting history of sporadic increases in shaft vibration. Initial operation was satisfactory with low levels of vibration. However, after some time the shaft vibration level increased to several mils. Initially this was believed to be due to rotor unbalance from deposits formed in the passages due to process upsets. After cleaning up the rotor, operation was again increased. It was then found that the rotor vibration was primarily subsynchronous. Further investigation revealed that the original seal design was subject to wear and was no longer properly pressure balanced. A modified seal design was installed and it has operated successfully for the past six years.

Emerick, M. F.↗

Ampoule sealing apparatus and process

An apparatus and process for sealing fused quartz ampoules housing a semiconductor growth charge under vacuum is described. An elongated fused quartz ampoule having an enlarged diameter open end and a reduced diameter closed end is vertically retained in a vacuum assembly. A semiconductor charge is disposed within the reduced diameter portion of the ampoule. A quartz plug of substantially the same diameter as the reduced diameter portion is suspended within the open and of the ampoule via a rotary vacuum feed. After evacuation of the ampoule a plug is lowered into the reduced diameter area and sealed therein while maintaining the vacuum on the ampoule. The charged ampoule area is then separated from the remaining structure by breaking along the scored line.

Debnam, W. J., Jr.↗

Laser surface fusion of plasma sprayed ceramic turbine seals

The thermal shock resistance of a ceramic layer is improved. An improved abradable lining that is deposited on a shroud forming a gas path seal in turbomachinery is emphasized. Improved thermal shock resistance of a shroud is effective through the deliberate introduction of 'benign' cracks. These are microcracks which will not propagate appreciably upon exposure to the thermal shock environment in which a turbine seal must function. Laser surface fusion treatment is used to introduce these microcracks. The ceramic surface is laser scanned to form a continuous dense layer. As this cools and solidifies, shrinkage results in the formation of a very fine crack network. The presence of this deliberately introduced fine crack network precludes the formation of a catastrophic crack during thermal shock exposure.

Wisander, D. W.↗

Analysis of spiral-groove face seals for liquid oxygen

Analyses and predicted performance of a 50-mm diameter, spiral-groove face seal to seal liquid oxygen at 5.17 MPa pressure, and operating at surface speeds of 183 m/s are described. The pressure-balanced spiral-groove concept is introduced that circulates spiral-groove flow independent of leakage flow. Independent flow paths preclude overheating from vaporization and consequent flow blockage. The analysis accounts for fluid turbulence and inertia, thermoelastic distortions, and dynamic response. An operating-range map was developed as a function of speed and pressure. The fluid-film analysis is summarized in the Appendix.

Shapiro, W.↗

Vacuum Seal Permits Limited Rotation

Flexible metal seal permits rotation of object in vacuum chamber. Seal made from two cylindrical azimuthally fluted bellows attached to ends of cylindrical axially fluted bellows with connecting tubes at both ends. Designed for rotation of sample probes in electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA), other applications likely.

Lombardi, F.↗

Design analysis of Rayleigh-step floating-ring seals

The analysis and design of a 50-mm diameter floating-ring helium buffer seal are described. The seal rings incorporated Rayleigh-step lift pads to provide hydrodynamic forces to separate the rings from the shaft. Maximum surface speed is 183 m/s (600 fps) and maximum buffer gas pressure is 1389 kPa (200 psia). An operating range map was computed as a function of speed and pressure. Contradictory problems arise due to excessive friction preventing ring tracking at low-speed, high-pressure conditions and insufficent friction to retard inertia driven motions at high-speed, low-pressure conditions. Steady-state and dynamic analyses and performance are described, as well as the results of thermal studies.

Artiles, A.↗

Analysis for leakage and rotordynamic coefficients of surface-roughened tapered annular gas seals

The present analysis calculates the leakage and rotor-dynamic coefficients for tapered annular gas seals whose rotor and stator have been subjected to different surface roughness treatments. The analysis is demonstrated for the effects of changes in the Space Shuttle Main Engine High Pressure Oxygen Turbopump's turbine interstage seal length, taper, clearance, and fluid prerotation. It is noted that changes in these parameters generally resulted in major changes in leakage and rotordynamic coefficients.

Nelson, C. C.↗

Damping capacity of a sealed squeeze film bearing

The advantages of incorporating an open-ended or weakly-sealed squeeze-film bearing in a flexible support structure simulating an aero-engine assembly were examined. Attention is given to empirically modelling the hydrodynamics of the more usual tightly-sealed squeeze-film bearing, with a view to assessing its damping performance.

Dede, M. M.↗

Experimental and analytical study of ceramic-coated turbine-tip shroud seals for small turbine engines

The results of an experimental and analytical evaluation of ceramic turbine tip shrouds within a small turbine engine operating environment are presented. The ceramic shrouds were subjected to 1001 cycles between idle and high power and steady-state conditions for a total of 57.8 engine hr. Posttest engine inspection revealed mud-flat surface cracking, which was attributed to microcracking under tension with crack penetration to the ceramic and bond coat interface. Sections and micrographs tend to corroborate the thesis. The engine test data provided input to a thermomechanical analysis to predict temperature and stress profiles throughout the ceramic gas-path seal. The analysis predicts cyclic thermal stresses large enough to cause the seal to fail. These stresses are, however, mitigated by inelastic behavior of the shroud materials and by the microfracturing that tensile stresses produce. Microfracturing enhances shroud longevity during early life but provides the failure mechanism during life but provides the failure mechanism during extended life when coupled with the time dependent inelastic materials effects.

Biesiadny, T. J.↗

Experimental study of ceramic coated tip seals for turbojet engines

Ceramic gas-path seals were fabricated and successfully operated over 1000 cycles from flight idle to maximum power in a small turboshaft engine. The seals were fabricated by plasma spraying zirconia over a NiCoCrAlX bond boat on the Haynes 25 substrate. Coolant-side substrate temperatures and related engine parameters were recorded. Post-test inspection revealed mudflat surface cracking with penetration to the ceramic bond-coat interface.

Biesiadny, T. J.↗