A corrosion and erosion resistant seal 1 placed under a load is used to bridge a gap or aperture [4, fig. 1] between two surfaces 2, 3 exposed to smooth or laminar fluid flow. The exposed thickness of the seal and its profile should be such that they do not undermine laminar flow, and there should be low friction at the seal-to-surface contact 5. The seal may contact the surface at an inclined plane, and the seal might only contact the surface at the extremities of the seal. The seal may contact the plane via a low-friction substance. The seal may comprise thin sheets or layers 13 bonded with adhesive to form a laminate. The seal may be fabricated with the profile of a T-section [14, fig. 5]. A spring may provide the load to the seal. The seal may be bonded together to a surface using adhesive. The seal may accommodate surface curvatures, and may be applied to a surface using an automated process. The surfaces may be the external surfaces of hulls, wings or blades, where a gap or other imperfection may cause turbulence.
Bridging Seal
2020-04-01
Patent
Elektronische Ressource
Englisch