General Electric Company
Aspirating face seal tooth configuration

Abstract:

An aspirating face seal between high and low pressure regions of a turbomachine at a juncture between rotatable and non-rotatable members of turbomachine includes gas bearing rotatable and non-rotatable face surfaces. A starter seal tooth and optional deflector seal tooth are mounted on a seal teeth carrier on the rotatable member. The primary seal tooth and non-rotatable face surface are mounted on an annular slider on the non-rotatable member. A pull-off biasing means urges the annular slider away from the rotatable member and the non-rotatable face surface away from the rotatable surface. A secondary seal is in sealing engagement with the annular slider in the low-pressure region and the pull-off biasing means is located radially outwardly of the annular slider in the high pressure region.