Combustor liner support and seal assembly

Abstract

A method is disclosed herein for reducing binding between a combustor liner of a gas turbine engine and a free-standing ring disposed about the combustor liner. The method comprises the step of disposing a rolling assembly to roll between the combustor liner and the free-standing ring during relative radial displacement.

1 . A method for reducing binding between a combustor liner of a gas turbine engine and a free-standing ring disposed about the combustor liner comprising the  of:
 disposing a rolling assembly to roll between the combustor liner and the free-standing ring during relative radial displacement while substantially preventing relative circumferential movement.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 limiting the extent of relative radial displacement between the combustor liner and the free-standing ring to a predetermined design amount. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of:
 disposing a seal of variable width between the combustor liner and the free-standing ring, the variable width varying in at least one of a radial direction and a circumferential direction relative to an axis along which the gas turbine engine extends. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the rolling assembly rolls radially along a length of a surface defined by one of the combustor liner and the free-standing ring during the relative radial displacement. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the rolling assembly substantially prevents relative circumferential movement between the combustor liner and the free-standing ring while permitting the relative radial displacement between the combustor liner and the free-standing ring in a radial direction. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the rolling assembly is rotatably engaged with both the combustor liner and the free-standing ring. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the rolling assembly includes a plurality of pins engaged between the combustor liner and the free-standing ring. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the plurality of pins are each received in one of a plurality of slots extending in a substantially radial direction relative to an axis along which the gas turbine engine extends to permit the relative radial displacement between the combustor liner and the free-standing ring. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the plurality of pins are rotatably engaged with both the combustor liner and the free-standing ring. 
     
     
         10 . A method for reducing binding between a combustor liner of a gas turbine engine and a free-standing ring disposed about the combustor liner comprising the step of:
 disposing a rolling assembly to roll between the combustor liner and the free-standing ring during relative radial displacement, wherein the rolling assembly substantially prevents relative circumferential movement between the combustor liner and the free-standing ring while permitting the relative radial displacement between the combustor liner and the free-standing ring in a radial direction.   
     
     
         11 . A method for reducing binding between a combustor liner of a gas turbine engine and a free-standing ring disposed about the combustor liner comprising the step of:
 disposing a rolling assembly to roll between the combustor liner and the free-standing ring during relative radial displacement, wherein the rolling assembly comprises:   a plurality of slots defined in one of the combustor liner and the free-standing ring and extending in a substantially radial direction with respect to an axis along which the gas turbine engine extends; and   a plurality of pins each rotatably engaged with the other of the combustor liner and the free-standing ring and each received in one of the plurality of slots to thereby engage the combustor liner and the free-standing ring together to permit the relative radial displacement between the combustor liner and the free-standing ring.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the free-standing ring is supported solely by the combustor liner. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the free-standing ring floats relative to the combustion liner in a radial direction. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the free-standing ring provides circumferential support to the combustion liner in a circumferential direction. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the free-standing ring floats relative to the combustion liner in a radial direction and provides circumferential support to the combustion liner in a circumferential direction. 
     
     
         16 . A method for reducing binding between a combustor liner of a gas turbine engine and a free-standing ring disposed about the combustor liner comprising the step of:
 disposing a rolling assembly to roll between the combustor liner and the free-standing ring during relative radial displacement;   limiting the extent of relative radial displacement between the combustor liner and the free-standing ring to a predetermined design amount, wherein the limiting of the relative radial displacement between the combustor liner and the free-standing ring to the predetermined design amount comprises positioning a projection extending from one of the combustor liner and the free-standing ring in a radially-extending slot defined by the other of the combustor liner and the free-standing ring.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the radially-extending slot includes opposite first and second closed ends to provide limits to the extent of the relative radial displacement.