Seal system for centrifugal pumps having axially split casings

An axially split, centrifugal pump comprising:

• a lower casing half, carrying a flange having a mating surface, said flange having at least a first groove;
• a first elastomeric cord positioned within said first groove, said first elastomeric cord having a vertical height greater than the depth of said first groove;
• an upper casing half, carrying a flange having a mating surface;
• a side cover having a mating surface with at least a portion of the mating surface in contact with said upper casing half and at least a portion of said mating surface in contact with said lower casing half, said mating surface of said side cover further carrying a second groove with a second elastomeric cord positioned in said second groove, said second elastomeric cord having a vertical height greater than the depth of said second groove, wherein said first elastomeric cord positioned within said first groove contacts said second elastomeric cord positioned within said second groove;
• said upper and lower casing halves secured to one another such that said mating surfaces of said upper and lower casing halves have direct contact when assembled.

An axially split, centrifugal pump comprising:

• a lower casing half, carrying a flange having a mating surface, said flange having a first groove and a second groove, said first groove isolating a high pressure zone from a low pressure zone;
• a first elastomeric cord positioned within said first groove, said first elastomeric cord having a vertical height greater than the depth of said first groove and a second elastomeric cord positioned within said second groove;
• an upper casing half, carrying a flange having a mating surface;
• a side cover having a mating surface in contact with said upper and said lower casing halves;
• said upper and lower casing halves secured to one another such that said mating surfaces of said upper and lower casing halves have direct contact when assembled.

An axially split, centrifugal pump comprising:

• a lower casing half, carrying a flange having a mating surface, said flange having a first groove and a second groove, said first groove isolating a high pressure zone from a low pressure zone and said second groove isolating said low pressure zone from the external environment;
• a first elastomeric cord positioned within said first groove, said first elastomeric cord having a vertical height greater than the depth of said first groove and a second elastomeric cord positioned within said second groove;
• an upper casing half, carrying a flange having a mating surface;
• a side cover having a mating surface in contact with said upper and said lower casing halves;
• said upper and lower casing halves secured to one another such that said mating surfaces of said upper and lower casing halves have direct contact when assembled.

An axially split, centrifugal pump comprising:

• a lower casing half, carrying a flange having a mating surface, said flange having a first groove and a second groove, said first groove isolating a high pressure zone from a low pressure zone and said second groove isolating said low pressure zone from the external environment;
• a first elastomeric cord positioned within said first groove, said first elastomeric cord having a vertical height greater than the depth of said first groove and a second elastomeric cord positioned within said second groove, said second elastomeric cord having a vertical height greater than the depth of said second groove;
• an upper casing half, carrying a flange having a mating surface;
• a side cover having a mating surface with at least a portion of the mating surface in contact with said upper casing half and at least a portion of said mating surface in contact with said lower casing half, said mating surface of said side cover further carrying a side cover groove with a side cover elastomeric cord positioned in said side cover groove, said side cover elastomeric cord having a vertical height greater than the depth of said side cover groove;
• said upper and lower casing halves secured to one another such that said mating surfaces of said upper and lower casing halves have direct contact when assembled and prior to operation.

A method of manufacturing axially split centrifugal pumps comprising the steps of:

• forming a lower casing half having a flange, said flange having a mating surface wherein said mating surface carries at least one groove;
• forming an upper casing half having a flange with a mating surface;
• providing a side cover, said side cover having a mating surface carrying a groove;
• positioning a first elastomeric cord in said at least one groove on the mating surface of said lower casing half flange and a second elastomeric cord in said groove carried by said side cover;
• assembling said upper casing half to said lower casing half such that each mating surface directly contacts the opposing mating surface and such that at least a portion of said side cover mating surface contacts said upper casing half and at least a portion of said side cover mating surface contacts said lower casing half wherein said first elastomeric cord positioned within said at least one groove in said lower casing half contacts said second elastomeric cord positioned within said groove carried by said mating surface of said side cover;
• machining impeller seats into said upper and lower casing halves.

A method of manufacturing axially split centrifugal pumps comprising the steps of:

• forming a plurality of lower casing halves, each lower casing half having a flange, said flange having a mating surface wherein said mating surface carries at least one groove;
• providing a master upper casing half having a flange with a mating surface;
• positioning an elastomeric cord in at least one groove on the mating surface of said lower casing half flange;
• assembling each lower casing half to said master upper casing half wherein each mating surface directly contacts the opposing mating surface;
• machining impeller seats into each lower casing half;
• forming a plurality of upper casing halves, each upper casing half having a flange with a mating surface;
• providing a master lower casing half having a flange, said master lower casing half flange having a mating surface carrying at least one groove;
• positioning an elastomeric cord in at least one groove on said master lower casing half flange;
• assembling each upper casing half to said master lower casing half wherein each mating surface directly contacts the opposing mating surface;
• and,
• machining impeller seats into each upper casing half;
• assembling one of said plurality of upper casing halves to one of said plurality of lower casing halves to provide a complete casing for an axially split centrifugal pump.