Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080290604 | BARRIER SEALING SYSTEM FOR CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSORS - A rotary machine includes a machine rotor, a bearing coupled to the machine rotor, a machine stator, and a sealing device disposed between the machine rotor and the machine stator. The sealing device includes a dry gas seal and first and second seals disposed between the dry gas seal and the bearing. One or both of the first and second seals includes a brush seal or more specifically a brush seal including a plurality of non-metallic fibers. | 11-27-2008 |
20090066033 | BARRIER SEALING SYSTEM - A barrier seal system comprises a rotatable shaft disposed within an outer housing. The rotatable shaft axially extends from a high-pressure region to a low-pressure region within the outer housing. At least a portion of the rotatable shaft, typically the portion disposed adjacent to the low-pressure region, comprises an oleophobic surface. The system further comprises a barrier seal that radially extends from the outer housing to the rotatable shaft and defines a gap between the barrier seal and the rotatable shaft. A barrier gas injector is provided for injecting a barrier gas into the gap to flow from the high-pressure region to the low-pressure region. | 03-12-2009 |
20090087303 | EMBEDDED FIBER OPTIC SENSING DEVICE AND METHOD - A device operating in an environment includes a fiber optic sensing system having one or more fiber optic sensors disposed in the device and configured to detect one or more parameters related to the device. The parameters may include temperature, strain, pressure, vibration, or combinations thereof. | 04-02-2009 |
20090250879 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING STIFFNESS OF A BRUSH SEALING SYSTEM - A brush sealing system includes a plurality of bristles, each having a first end coupled to a holding device and a second end protruding outwards from the holding device. One or more shims are disposed between the first end of each of the bristles and the holding device; wherein the shims are configured to controlling a pinch point diameter of the bristles. | 10-08-2009 |
20090302543 | SEALING SYSTEMS FOR ROTARY MACHINES AND METHODS FOR MODIFICATION - A hydrogen-cooled generator includes a sealing device disposed between a rotor and a stator. The sealing device is configured for at least partially segregating hydrogen atmosphere on one side of the sealing device and a cavity on an opposite side of the sealing device. The sealing device includes a non-contacting seal and a contacting seal including an aluminum body coupled to the non-contacting seal and a plurality of non-metallic bristles projecting from the aluminum body with tips of the bristles engaging the rotor of the generator. | 12-10-2009 |
20090324148 | FIBER OPTIC SENSING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MONITORING FOIL BEARINGS - A rotary machine includes a rotary component disposed to rotate with respect to a stationary component. A foil bearing is disposed between the stationary component and the rotary component and configured to rotatably support the rotary component. A fiber optic sensing system including one or more fiber optic sensors is disposed in the foil bearing and configured to detect one or more parameters related to the foil bearing. | 12-31-2009 |
20100072706 | MECHANICAL SEALING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ROTARY MACHINES - A rotary machine includes a machine rotor, a machine stator, and a fluid seal disposed between the machine rotor and the machine stator. The fluid seal includes a fluid seal stator, a fluid seal rotor, and an active gap control mechanism coupled to the fluid seal stator. The fluid seal is configured to control a gap between the fluid seal stator and the fluid seal rotor. | 03-25-2010 |
20100142880 | FIBER OPTIC SENSING SYSTEM - A fiber optic sensing system comprises a housing disposed in a flow path, and a fiber optic sensor. The fiber optic sensor comprises an optical fiber secured in the housing, a Bragg grating, a light source for transmitting light to the optical fiber, and a detector for detecting light filtered by the Bragg grating of the optical fiber and monitoring wavelength changes of the detected light. The fiber is substantially perpendicular to the flow path. The housing defines an opening at an upstream side to allow flow through the flow path to exert a pressure on the optical fiber and cause a deformation of the Bragg grating. | 06-10-2010 |
20100143118 | Wind Turbine Aerodynamic Separation Control - The present application provides a wind turbine system. The wind turbine system may include a number of blades, a number of wind speed sensors positioned on the blades, a controller in communication with the wind speed sensors, and one or more performance adjustment, mechanisms in communication with the controller. The controller activates the performance adjustment mechanisms in response to the wind speed sensors. | 06-10-2010 |
20100270747 | NON-METALLIC BRUSH SEAL - The invention provides, in one aspect, a brush seal comprising brush seal bristles made up of component brush seal filaments. The component brush seal filaments comprise a polyether ketone comprising structural units derived from a diaryl ketone and a diphenolic compound and having a glass transition temperature in excess of 100° C. In a particular embodiment, the component brush seal filaments comprise PEEK. The novel brush seals provided by the present invention present a number of advantages over conventional non-metallic brush seals comprising KEVLAR filaments, such as enhanced friction characteristics and greater stability to fluid lubricants comprising groups reactive with the amide moieties present in aramid filaments such as KEVLAR. | 10-28-2010 |
20110072640 | METHODS FOR MODIFYING SEALING SYSTEMS FOR ROTARY MACHINES - A method for modifying a sealing system of a hydrogen-cooled generator includes coupling to a sealing device of the generator a contacting seal comprising a plurality of non-metallic bristles projecting from an aluminum body with tips of the bristles engaging a rotor of the generator. Another method includes removing a portion of a non-contacting seal, providing a replacement sealing device comprising an aluminum body and a plurality of non-metallic bristles projecting therefrom, and replacing the removed portion of the non-contacting seal by coupling the aluminum body to the non-contacting seal such that tips of the bristles contact the rotor. Another method includes removing an original sealing device, providing a replacement sealing device comprising an aluminum body and a plurality of non-metallic bristles projecting therefrom, and inserting the replacement sealing device into the generator such that tips of the bristles contact a rotor of the generator. | 03-31-2011 |
20110102765 | FIBER-OPTIC BASED THRUST LOAD MEASUREMENT SYSTEM - A fiber-optic based thrust load measurement system is coupled to a bearing housing. The measurement system includes at least one fiber optic sensor configured to detect one or more parameters related to the bearing housing. An optical coupler is configured to regulate light signals emitted from a light source and light signals reflected from the fiber optic sensor. A detector system is configured to receive light signals from the optical coupler. A processor is configured to receive an output from the detector system and to determine a thrust load on a thrust bearing based on the detected one or more parameters related to the bearing housing. | 05-05-2011 |
20110210513 | NON-METALLIC BRUSH SEAL - A rotary machine comprises a housing, a rotor that is rotatably disposed within the housing and having an axis about which the rotor may spin, and a seal disposed upon the housing. The seal comprises a support disposed on the housing and a plurality of flexible non-metallic bristles that extend from the housing and engage the rotor, such that the seal provides a barrier to fluid flow between a first region located in a first axial direction from the seal and a second region located in an opposite axial direction from the first region. The first region is filled with a bearing liquid and the second region is filled with a process fluid. | 09-01-2011 |