Sealing arrangement for thermally enhanced sealing

摘要

A sealing arrangement and method are disclosed for enhancing a seal in response to conditions of changing temperature. An annular seal is disposed in an annular sealing cavity, with the seal and the cavity having different changes in dimensions in response to a temperature changes. The sealing cavity has a radially outwardly positioned end portion that converges radially outward and a radially inwardly positioned end portion that converges radially inward. Differential changes in the dimensions of the sealing cavity and the sealing member force the sealing material to wedge into one of the converging end portions to enhance the sealing relationship.