Flexible brush seals, made from backward-angled alloy bristles, are immune to rubbing and maintain their original clearance longer than labyrinth seals alone, ensuring minimum compressor stage leakage and improved turbine efficiency.
Waukesha Bearings manufactures brush seals using the latest CNC technology, including precision wire EDM, which enables the holding of tight tolerances and dimensions.
Advantages
Reduce labyrinth bypass air flow by up to 50%
Increase turbine efficiency by up to 2%
Minimize shaft bowing and heating caused by rub-in features
Fit into existing labyrinths, eliminating the need for casing modifications
Extend time between seal replacements
Reduce future repair costs with patented modular assembly
Installation Locations
Industrial gas turbines have adopted the brush seal in three primary locations:
Bearing housing – to minimize leakage of high-pressure air at the #2 bearing housing seal and increase turbine performance
High pressure packing (HPP) sealing (compressor section inner barrel sealing) – to reduce clearances and cut leakage of high-pressure air into the turbine wheel space
Hot gas path interstage sealing – to reduce leakage between the diaphragm and turbine rotor into the stage 2 forward wheel space area, increasing efficiency
Waukesha Bearings has provided hundreds of gas turbine brush seals for the most common GE Frames (the 9, 7, 6, and 5 models) and the Westinghouse 501 series.
Flexible brush seals, made from backward-angled alloy bristles, are immune to rubbing and maintain their original clearance longer than labyrinth seals alone, ensuring minimum compressor stage leakage and improved turbine efficiency.
Waukesha Bearings manufactures brush seals using the latest CNC technology, including precision wire EDM, which enables the holding of tight tolerances and dimensions.
Advantages
- Reduce labyrinth bypass air flow by up to 50%
- Increase turbine efficiency by up to 2%
- Minimize shaft bowing and heating caused by rub-in features
- Fit into existing labyrinths, eliminating the need for casing modifications
- Extend time between seal replacements
- Reduce future repair costs with patented modular assembly
Installation Locations
Industrial gas turbines have adopted the brush seal in three primary locations:
- Bearing housing – to minimize leakage of high-pressure air at the #2 bearing housing seal and increase turbine performance
- High pressure packing (HPP) sealing (compressor section inner barrel sealing) – to reduce clearances and cut leakage of high-pressure air into the turbine wheel space
- Hot gas path interstage sealing – to reduce leakage between the diaphragm and turbine rotor into the stage 2 forward wheel space area, increasing efficiency
Waukesha Bearings has provided hundreds of gas turbine brush seals for the most common GE Frames (the 9, 7, 6, and 5 models) and the Westinghouse 501 series.
