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    Us 2001028845 A 1

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    Us 2001028845 a 1

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    Us 2001028845 A 1

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    uy United States US 200100288451 «2) Patent Application Publication (1) Pub. No.: US 2001/0028845 A1 Langston et al. (43) Pub. Date: Oct. 11, 2001 (4) AIR TURBINE STARTER WITH SEAL ‘ASSEMBLY (78) tnventors: ‘Todd A. Langston, Chandler, AZ (US) William Lee Giesler, Phoenix, AZ. (us) Comrespondence Address: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC. 101 COLUMBIA ROAD PO BOX 2245 MORRISTOWN, NJ 07962-2245 (US) (21) Appl. Nos 09/841,660 (2) Filed! ‘Apr 23, 2001 2~ Related U.S. Application Data (63) Continuation-in-part of application No, 09/370,675, filed on Aug, 9, 1999, which is a non-provisional of provisional application No, 60/097,467, fled on Aug, 21, 1998, Publication Classification G1) Int. cl? Fos 11/02 (2) US. CL 415/221 «7 ABSTRACT ‘An air turbine starter with an improved seal assembly is provided. A fluid conduit or channel allows higher pressure fluid into one side of a bearing seal. For example, the seal assembly may include a face seal, and a second seal forming ‘chamber therebetween and a flow passage opens into the ‘chamber for exposing the chamber to the higher pressure. 10 Patent Application Publication Oct. 11,2001 Sheet 1 of 8 US 2001/0028845 AL ° 8 10 12 1 (PRIOR ART) FIG. Patent Application Publication Oct. 11,2001 Sheet 2 of 8 US 2001/0028845 AL 12 FIG. 2 (PRIOR ART) Patent Application Publication Oct. 11,2001 Sheet 3 of 8 US 2001/0028845 AL 12 FIG. 3 Patent Application Publication Oct. 11,2001 Sheet 4 of 8 US 2001/0028845 AL ae 120 FIG. 4 Patent Application Publication Oct. 11,2001 Sheet 5 of 8 e | 12 28 1 40- 22. XY 26 136 128—] Poa ( FIG. 5 Patent Application Publication Oct. 11,2001 Sheet 6 of 8 ox re} ( 148 150 FIG. 6 Patent Application Publication Oct. 11,2001 Sheet 7 of 8 400A UP SEAL 147A~___ | 162 FIG. 7A FLOATING RING 100A ~N SEAL 147C [ 162 S Lp SHORT BUSHING FIG. 7C 100A 147E 162 FIG. 7E US 2001/0028845 AL 100A PISTON RING SEAL Tm RSS 147B LS — 162 FIG. 7B 100A —_ BRUSH SEAL 1470 = u FIG. 7D 100A LONG BUSHING “TA FIG. 7F 147F Patent Application Publication Oct. 11,2001 Sheet 8 of 8 US 2001/0028845 AL ro | 166 208 160 —168 150 3 74 170 —176 _— NX FIG. 8 172 OO US 2001/0028845 AL AIR TURBINE STARTER WITH SEAL ASSEMBLY ‘TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] ‘These inventions relate generally to seals for tur- bines and have particular application to air turbine starters and to seals used ia such starters. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] An air turbine starter is a device used to start a ‘ugbine engine, sich as an airraft jet engine, The air turbine starter is mounted by the et engine, much a8 a starter for an ‘automobile is located by the automobile’s engine. In order to start the jet engine, the air turbine starter is activated. The applicant forthe present invention, Honeywell International, Ine., has for years successfully designed, developed and ‘manufactured air turbine starters. [0004] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 2 shows a prior art turbine face seal used in air turbine starters. The face seal includes a rotor 2 mounted to shaft 24 adjacent a bearing 26. ‘The rotor 2 has an axially facing flange 3. The face seal further includes a stator 4 mounted to turbine exhaust housing 27. Disposed between the rotor 2 and the stator 4 is ‘carbon seal ring 5 that engages the flange 3 to form a sea Ina typical air turbine starter such the ATS 100 shown in FIG. 1, the rotation of the turhine wheel 22 ean generate ‘under certain circumstances a low pressure or “vacuum” on the downstream side of the wheel which is also the airside Of the turbine seal, This differential pressuce may result in large oil leakage rates ifthe turbine seal has any flaws or ccoke build up in the contact zone. The coke build-up destroys the fatness of the sealing contact surfaces between the rotor and the seal carbon ring. In particular, the coke can separate the two surfaces resulting in a clearance therebe~ ‘ween. As a result, an airfoil mist may be pulled from the bearings through the seal and into the turbine exhaust air. If 100 to 300 cubic centimeters (ce) of oil is displaced to the ‘ucbine exhaust air without detection by the pilot or ground crew, loss of the air turbine starter by turbine bearing failure is possible. While this air turbine starter bas acceptable reliability and generally functions as desired, the sensitivity Of the starter design to turbine seal flaws can resull in significant maintenance expenses and downtime for the starter. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONS, [0005] ‘The present inventions provide an improved tur- bine and an improved bearing seal for turbines, such as may be used with an air turbine starter or with other turbine applications. In one or more aspects of the present inven= tions, a more reliable turbine seal is provided which ean be easily put in place and may provide longer in service time before routine maintenance. The turbine seal may also be easily retrofit on a number of turbine configurations, with & limited amount of added structure. The improved turbine seal may use existing turbine conligurations to produce & pressure differential across an existing turbine seal to reduce the amount of il or other uid leakage that might otherwise occur around the existing seal. It may also reduce the pressure on the contacting surfaces of the bearing seal, reducing heat and coke build up, ancl in the process increase the lifespan of the seal. [0006] In one form of one aspect ofthe present inventions, ‘atucbine starter assembly having a turbine whee! includes & Oct. 11, 2001 seal for sealing around a turbine shaft downstream from the turbine Wheel. A fluid conduit extends from a higher pres- sure arva to a downstream side of the turbine wheel and to 2 point at an upstream side of the seal so that fluid pressure at the upsieam side of the seal is greater than the fui pressure on the downstream side of the seal. The higher ‘pressure area would be an area where a pressure exists that is suliciently higher than the pressure at the downstream Side of the seal that a positive pressure differential is ereated From the upstream side of the seal to the downsteeam side of the seal. For example, the higher pressure area could be an inlet side of the turbine wheel, such asthe turbine inlet or the buffer region behind a turbine shield. Other areas may also be used. [0007] In another form of one aspect of the present inven- tions, a turbine assembly having a turbine wheel includes a seal for sealing around a turbine shaft downstream from the turbine wheel. A fluid conduit extends from an upstream side fof the turbine wheel to a downstream side of the turbine ‘wheel and to a point at an upstream side of the seal so that fluid pressure atthe upsizeam side of the seal is greater than the fluid pressure on the downstream side of the seal. Preferably, there is a positive pressure differential from the ‘upstream to the downstream side ofthe seal so that fiuid flow ‘would fend to be from the upsiream side of the seal to the downstream side of the seal. In one preferred aspect of the ventions, an oil seal is downstream from the turbine wheel ‘at approximately atmospheric pressure and the conduit feeds, higher pressure aie to the upstream side of the seal [0008] In another form of another aspect of one of the present inventions, a turbine has a turbine wheel with an lupstceam side and a downstream side ancl a turbine shatt for supporting the turbine wheel for rotation. A bearing is, ppesitioned about the turbine shaft and a seal is placed adjacent the bearing. A conduit extends from the upstream turbine whee! side to a point om the side of the seal opposite the bearing for providing a positive pressure differential ‘across the seal from the conduit toward the bearing, In one preferred embodiment, a bore is formed in the front of the turbine wheel and extends along a ceatral axis of the turbine ‘wheel. A second bore is formed to extend from the first bore 10 4 point external tothe turbine wheel and the tusbine shaft fon the downstream side of the turbine wheel. Higher pres- sure air ean then be shunted to the seal [0009] In a further form of another aspect of one of the present inventions, a method is provided for cresting pressure differential across a seal. A first bore is formed! in 4 turbine wheel and a second bore is formed in the turbine ‘wheel intersecting the first bore wherein the first bore opens. ‘on an upstream side ofthe turbine wheel and the second bore ‘opens on a downstream side of the turbine wheel, In one preferred embodiment, the turbine wheel is supported through a set of bearings about a turbine wheel shalt and the bearings are sealed by a frst seal, A second seal is provided ‘on a side of the second bore opposite the first seal to provide a space or cavity for maintaining a pressure in the cavity higher than a pressure on the opposite side of the first seal. ‘This method can be used to produce an improved seal for & turbine assembly that reduces oil leakage from the seal adjacent the bearing. [0010] ‘The seal may be disposed between the turbine and the housing. The seal assembly comprises a face seal, a US 2001/0028845 AL ‘noa-contacting seal axially spaced therefrom to deline an ait filled annular chamber there between and a flow passage hhaving an exit fluidly communicating with said chamber and an inlet fluidly communicating with a source of air. [0011] ‘The air filled chamber acts as a buller separating the differential pressure generated by pumping ofthe turbine ‘rom the face seal. Thus ifthe face seal develops a law (due to coke build up on the contact face or grain pull out from the carbon face) the seal leakage is low even if the sealing faces separate. [0012] In a further aspect of another of the present inven= tions, @ turbine wheel may be provided that has How channel, conduit or other flow configuration that extends {rom a front face or other upstream portion of the turbine ‘wheel to a dowastream portion of the turbine wheel, so that airor other suitable fluid ean pass through the turbine whe. ‘With this turbine wheel, conventional ai turbine starters, for example, can be rebuilt, and new air turbine starters ean be built incorporating one or more aspects of the present inventions, Additionally, the turbine wheel incorporating the conduit deseribed herein can be included as a kit, In a preferred embodiment, the kit includes the turbine wheel hhaving a first channel formed in the first face of the turbine ‘wheel and a second channel extending from the fist channel to the outside surface ofthe turbine wheel, such as atthe hub surface, between the turbine wheel and the turbine shalt. A [kit may also include other components that may be consid= ered necessary to properly install the turbine wheel for its intended purpose, and such additional components may include a seal assembly, fasteners, and the like [0013] These and other features and advantages of the present inventions are set forth in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiments when read in con- junetion with the accompanying drawings, BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS. [0014] FIG. 1 presents a plan cross-sectional view of an AlliedSignal air turbine starter having the designation ATS 100, [0015] FIG. 2 isa blow-up of the turbine section of the air turbine starter of FIG. 1 with a prior art turbine seal [0016] FIG. 3s blow-up of the turbine section of the air turbine starter of FIG. 1 with a turbine seal contemplated by the present invention, [0017] FIG. 4 is @ partial cross-sectional view of the airto-air seal of the seal assembly contemplated by the present inveation, [0018] FIG. 5 is an enlarged side sectional view of lusbine section with a seal in accordance with another aspect of one of the present inventions, [0019] FIG. 6is an enlarged side sectional view of the seal of FIG. 5. [0020] FIGS. 7A-7F are examples of seals that can be used in the turbine section of FIG. 5, [0021] FIG. 8 is an exploded view of a kit and packaging Tor a kit that can be used in accordance with another aspect ‘of one of the present inventions to provide an improved air tusbine starter, For example. Oct. 11, 2001 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0022] Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows an air turbine starter 10 embodying the present invention. The air turbine starter 10 has a first housing assembly 12 aod a second housing assembly 13. The housing assembly 12

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