Reduced pressure load finger seal assembly

摘要

A sealing assembly (10) for achieving a fluid seal between a rotatable shaft and a housing circumscribing the rotatable shaft to inhibit fluid leakage therebetween a high pressure fluid region and a relatively lower pressure fluid region. The sealing assembly includes at least one primary seal, comprising an axial stack of a plurality of diaphragm members (16), including an upstream diaphragm (22) and a downstream diaphragm (24). A plurality of finger seal plates (28) are positioned between the upstream diaphragm and the downstream diaphragm. The plurality of diaphragm members define a passageway in fluid communication with the high pressure fluid region (23) and a low pressure fluid region. The sealing assembly includes at least one secondary seal (50) positioned within the passageway and configured to convert fluid from a high pressure axial pressure balance to a low pressure axial pressure balance thereby reducing a radially inward pressure load.