Turbulence member, system and fluid handling device for protecting a seal assembly

A seal protection system for a fluid handling device, comprising:

• a seal assembly, a shaft that extends through the seal assembly, an impeller mounted on the shaft, and a gland plate in surrounding relationship to the shaft, wherein the gland plate, the impeller, the seal assembly, and a housing cooperate to form an annular seal cavity;
• and
• a turbulence member positioned within the annular seal cavity and coupled to the gland plate, the turbulence member comprising:
• an inner face adjacent to the seal assembly and positioned to cooperate with the seal assembly to define an inner channel between the inner face and the seal assembly;
• an outer face adjacent to the housing and positioned to cooperate with the housing to define an outer channel in the annular seal cavity;
• a front face extending between the inner face and the outer face;
• and
• a rear face spaced from the front face and extending between the inner face and the outer face, wherein the turbulence member is operable to disrupt fluid flow within the annular seal cavity to inhibit formation of an air pocket adjacent to the seal assembly.

A water pump for an engine cooling system in an internal combustion engine, the water pump comprising:

• an inlet having a central axis;
• an outlet fluidically coupled to the inlet;
• a shaft rotatably disposed downstream from the inlet and parallel to the central axis;
• an impeller coupled to the shaft;
• a seal assembly in surrounding relationship to the shaft, the seal assembly including a first end adjacent to a gland plate and a second opposing end adjacent to the impeller;
• and
• a turbulence member coupled to the gland plate and extending from the gland plate into an annular seal cavity, the turbulence member comprising:
• an inner face positioned to cooperate with the seal assembly in the annular seal cavity to define an inner channel between the inner face and the seal assembly;
• and
• an outer face positioned to cooperate with a housing to define an outer channel in the annular seal cavity, wherein the turbulence member is operable to disrupt fluid flow within the annular seal cavity to inhibit formation of an air pocket adjacent to the seal assembly.