US 2010/0164183 A1 · SEGMENTED SEAL WITH HYDRODYNAMIC FEATURE AND ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A segment of a seal assembly for sealing a higher pressure area against a rotating member is disclosed. In an embodiment the segment comprises a radial external surface, a radial internal surface for sealing against a rotating member, a feed cavity, a ramp portion in communication with the feed cavity, a segment trough in communication with the ramp portion, one or more hydrodynamically-configured pads including an entrance; and a sealing dam disposed between the lift pad and the radial internal surface. In an embodiment of the segment, the ramp portion is configured to pick up air flow with an increase in velocity from said rotating member, and the trough or a flow-control portion is configured to prevent fluid from flowing around or circumventing the pad entrance to, at least in part, provide a dynamic feed.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A segment of a seal assembly for sealing against a rotating member, the segment comprising:

a radial internal surface for sealing against said rotating member;
at least a partial transverse groove for maintaining a pressure around portions of the segment;
and
one or more pads, including a ramp portion, a flow-control formation, a pad entrance, and a pad reservoir portion;
wherein the ramp is configured to pick up fluid flow with an increase in velocity, and the flow-control portion is configured to prevent fluid from flowing around or circumventing the pad entrance.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Segmented seal with hydrodynamic feature and assembly

Life of this patent

Segmented seal with hydrodynamic feature and assembly

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20