Zero Emissions Reciprocating Pump

A sealing system for a pump having a reciprocating plunger, comprising:

• a housing having an internal chamber adapted to receive a portion of the plunger;
• a primary seal positioned within the internal chamber in sealing relation with the housing and including an elastomeric member adapted to sealingly engage the plunger and in contact with a generally rigid member;
• a secondary seal located within the internal chamber and adapted to sealingly engage the plunger, the secondary seal being spaced apart from the primary seal;
• a barrier fluid chamber containing a barrier fluid and being defined by the elastomeric member and the secondary seal;
• and
• a pressurizing device to maintain a pressure of the barrier fluid at a magnitude greater than a peak pressure of a fluid pumped by the plunger such that the pumped fluid is restricted from entering the barrier fluid chamber.

A sealing system for a pump having a plunger, comprising:

• a housing having an internal chamber adapted to receive a portion of the plunger;
• a primary seal located within said internal chamber in communication with a fluid being pumped and in sealing relation with said housing, said primary seal adapted to sealingly engage the plunger;
• a secondary seal located within said internal chamber and adapted to sealingly engage the plunger, the secondary seal being spaced apart from said primary seal;
• a barrier fluid chamber formed within said internal chamber and containing a barrier fluid in contact with said primary seal and said secondary seal;
• a pressure referencing device having an inlet port in communication with said pumped fluid and having an outlet port providing fluid at a pressure magnitude equal to a peak pressure of said pumped fluid;
• and
• a pressurizing device in communication with said fluid at said peak pressure and said barrier fluid, wherein said pressurizing device maintains a pressure of said barrier fluid at a magnitude greater than said peak pressure of said pumped fluid such that said pumped fluid is restricted from leaking past said primary seal.

A pumping system, comprising:

• a pump having a reciprocating plunger with a first end coupled to a drive mechanism and a second end positioned in a fluid housing in communication with fluid to be pumped;
• a stuffing box housing coupled to the fluid housing and having an internal chamber having a portion of the plunger extending therethrough;
• a primary seal located within said internal chamber in communication with said pumped fluid and in sealing relation with said housing, said primary seal sealingly engaging said plunger;
• a secondary seal located within said internal chamber and sealingly engaged with said plunger, the secondary seal being spaced apart from said primary seal;
• a barrier fluid chamber formed within said internal chamber between said primary seal and said secondary seal and containing a barrier fluid therein;
• a pressure referencing device being in communication with said pumped fluid, said pressure referencing device outputting fluid at a pressure magnitude equal to a peak pressure of said pumped fluid;
• and
• a pressurizing device in communication with said fluid output from said pressure referencing device, wherein said pressurizing device maintains a pressure of said barrier fluid at a magnitude greater than said peak pressure of said pumped fluid such that said pumped fluid is restricted from leaking past said primary seal.