Augmented Labyrinth Seals
Augmenting labyrinth seals with brush seals, or installing complete replacement labyrinths with brush seals, is a simple and effective approach to reducing clearances and eliminating problems from shaft contact wear.
Brush Seals
Increase Operational Efficiencies
Bearings Plus compliant brush sealing systems can be applied to a wide variety of rotating equipment in air, steam, or process gas applications to reduce the leakage gap between the sealing surface and rotor.
The compliancy of a brush seal allows the bristles to deflect with minimal wear, thereby maintaining a small leakage gap over time and increasing operational efficiencies. In fact, brush seals have been shown to reduce leakage by up to 80%.
Beyond Aerospace Applications
Our patented brush seal (US Patent 6,231,047) was originally developed for and continues to serve aerospace applications, with millions of successful operating hours since the first installation in the 1980s. Bearings Plus has taken the technology beyond aerospace into the harsh and demanding environments of industrial turbomachinery. Our installation list includes more than 1,600 units – and continues to grow.
Product Flexibility
The uniqueness of our product rests with its flexible sizing and replaceable bristle pack. These two features alone are technology differentiators and provide the benefits of quick turnaround times, ease of installation, and seal repair.
These benefits coupled with the efficiency gains provide valuable savings in solving your critical sealing needs.
Technical Data
- Pressure: Up to 300 psid (20 bar) per row
- Temperature: Up to 650°C (1,200°F)
- Surface speed: Up to 335 m/s (1,100 ft/sec)
- Environments: gas path (air, steam); bearing (air/oil)
- Housing material: Stainless steel, Inconel, others
- Bristle material: Haynes 25
- Diameter: 19 mm (0.75″) to more than 3,050 mm (120″)
- Configurations:
- Solid ring
- Split ring
- Segmented
- Cartridge
- Linear strip
Bearings Plus brush seals are manufactured using the latest CNC technology, including precision wire EDM, which allows us to hold tight tolerances and dimensions.
Typical Applications
- Land-based gas turbines
- Utility steam turbines
- Centrifugal compressors
- Turbo-expanders
Gas Turbine Brush Seals
Industrial gas turbines have adopted the brush seal in three primary locations: the bearing housing, HPP sealing, and hot gas path interstage sealing.
Utility Steam Turbine Brush Seals
Three locations of brush seal implementation are typically considered in utility steam turbines: end-packing seals, interstage shaft seals, and turbine bucket tip seals.
