CONTACT-FREE END SEALING (VARIANTS) Russian patent published in 2001 - IPC

FIELD: hydraulic machine engineering, possibly sealing devices of multimode turbomachines. SUBSTANCE: end sealing device includes fixed against rotation axially movable sealing ring and unit for regulating gap. Said ring is fluid-tightly mounted on elastic members by means of secondary rubber sealing in housing and it forms sealing slit together with rotating ring mounted on shaft. Unit for regulating gap is arranged on end sealing surface of sealing ring and it is in the form of double helical gasodynamic grooves joined by means of single inlet with high pressure cavity and oriented in circumferential direction to opposite sides. Duct is branched out from inlet of grooves; said duct is oriented radially downwards and it has depth exceeding that of gasodynamic grooves. In variant duct oriented radially downwards is joined with grooves along their inner diameter by bridges; depth of duct exceeds that of gasodynamic grooves. EFFECT: improved design providing increased carrying capacity and rigidity of gas layer and also possibility for regulating gap at operation of turbomachine at rotation of shaft in any direction. 2 cl, 3 dwg