Shaft seal assembly

A shaft seal assembly for a shaft, the shaft seal assembly comprising:

• a stator configured to engage a housing, wherein the stator comprises:
• a stator main body;
• a stator inward radial projection extending radially inward from the stator main body, wherein the stator inward radial projection comprises an inboard planar surface and a distal end;
• a collection groove adjacent the stator inward radial projection, the collection groove having an axial dimension defined by a distance between an inboard wall and an outboard wall, the collection groove comprising a floor formed in the stator main body between the inboard wall and the outboard wall;
• and
• an inboard stator radial projection inboard of the collection groove, wherein an outboard planar surface of the inboard stator radial projection forms the inboard wall that at least partially defines the collection groove;
• and
• a rotor positioned within the stator, the rotor configured to engage the shaft, the rotor comprising:
• a rotor main body;
• and
• a rotor radial projection comprising a first radially exterior surface;
• and
• a rotor axial projection extending from the rotor main body, wherein the rotor axial projection comprises a second radially exterior surface, and wherein the rotor axial projection is positioned adjacent the distal end of the stator inward radial projection, such that the rotor axial projection and an annular recess on the stator inward radial projection cooperate to form an axial clearance between the second radially exterior surface and a radially interior surface that at least partially defines the annular recess;
• wherein the collection groove is further defined such that the first radially exterior surface of the rotor radial projection forms a radially inner limit of the collection groove,
• wherein the inboard stator radial projection and the rotor radial projection each comprise a distal end,
• wherein the distal end of at least one of the inboard stator radial projection or the rotor radial projection comprises a ramp surface,
• wherein:
• a first portion of the inboard planar surface of the stator inward radial projection forms the outboard wall that at least partially defines the collection groove, the first portion starting at the floor of the collection groove and ending radially at a same level as the radially inner limit of the collection groove,
• a second portion of the inboard planar surface of the stator inward radial projection faces an outboard surface of the rotor such that a gap adjoining the collection groove is formed between the inboard planar surface of the stator inward radial projection and the outboard surface of the rotor, the second portion starting radially at the same level as the radially inner limit of the collection groove and ending radially inward from the radially inner limit,
• the distal end of the stator inward radial projection is configured to form a close gap seal clearance between the distal end of the stator inward radial projection and an external surface of the shaft, and
• the axial clearance is radially positioned between the close gap seal clearance and the radially inner limit of the collection groove.

A method of sealing a shaft and a housing by a shaft seal assembly for a shaft, the method comprising:

• engaging a stator with a housing, wherein the stator comprises:
• a stator main body;
• a stator inward radial projection extending radially inward from the stator main body, wherein the stator inward radial projection comprises an inboard planar surface and a distal end, and wherein the distal end of the stator inward radial projection provides is configured to form a close gap seal clearance between the distal end of the stator inward radial projection and an external surface of the shaft;
• and
• a collection groove adjacent the stator inward radial projection, the collection groove having an axial dimension defined by an inboard wall and an outboard wall, the collection groove comprising a floor formed in the stator main body between the inboard wall and the outboard wall;
• engaging a rotor with the shaft extending from and rotatable with respect to the housing, wherein the rotor comprises:
• a rotor main body comprising a first radially exterior surface;
• and
• a rotor axial projection extending from the rotor main body, wherein the rotor axial projection comprises a second radially exterior surface, and wherein the rotor axial projection is positioned adjacent the distal end of the stator inward radial projection, such that the rotor axial projection and an annular recess on the stator inward radial projection cooperate to form an axial clearance between the second radially exterior surface and a radially interior surface that at least partially defines the annular recess;
• wherein:
• the collection groove is further defined such that the first radially exterior surface of the rotor forms a radially inner limit of the collection groove, and the floor formed in the stator between the inboard wall and the outboard wall forms a radially outer limit of the collection groove;
• a first portion of the inboard planar surface of the stator inward radial projection forms the outboard wall of the collection groove, the first portion starting at the floor of the collection groove and ending radially at a same level as the radially inner limit of the collection groove;
• a second portion of the inboard planar surface of the stator inward radial projection faces an outboard surface of the rotor such that a gap adjoining the collection groove is formed between the inboard planar surface of the stator inward radial projection and the outboard surface of the rotor, the second portion starting radially at the same level as the radially inner limit of the collection groove and ending radially inward from the radially inner limit;
• and
• the axial clearance is radially positioned between the close gap seal clearance and the radially inner limit of the collection groove;
• collecting a contaminant in the collection groove;
• and
• allowing the contaminant to exit the shaft seal assembly via a drain in fluid communication with the collection groove.