Nuclear coolant pump seal and methods of sealing
AssigneeCandu Energy Inc.
InventorRichard DAM
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A seal assembly for a pump comprises a gland housing mounted to the pump casing. A staging flow pathway is defined within the gland housing with multiple seal chambers. A seal stage is positioned in each seal chamber, each having a static sealing element and a rotating sealing element, the sealing elements engaging one another to form a fluid-tight seal. A rotor assembly pumps coolant through the gland housing. Fluid passing through the staging flow pathway is accelerated by an acceleration surface of the rotor assembly. An inlet passage feeds coolant fluid into the staging flow pathway and past the acceleration surface.
Claims35
A coolant pump for a nuclear power generation facility, comprising:
- a casing assembly having a gland housing;
- a seal assembly having a staging flow pathway defining first and second seal chambers;
- a rotor assembly pumping a coolant fluid through said gland housing, the rotor assembly having at least one acceleration surface, wherein fluid passing through the staging flow pathway is accelerated by said at least one acceleration surface;
- first and second seal stages within said first and second seal chambers, each having a static sealing element and a rotating sealing element, said sealing elements engaging one another to form a fluid-tight seal;
- an inlet passage for feeding the coolant fluid into said staging flow pathway and past said acceleration surface.
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
A method of sealing a pump in a nuclear power generation facility, comprising:
- directing pressurized fluid through a first section of a staging flow path towards a first seal;
- increasing angular velocity of the pressurized fluid as it traverses said staging flow path by motion of a rotor assembly of said pump;
- directing the pressurized fluid through a second section of said staging flow path towards a second seal.
(canceled)
(canceled)
(canceled)
A seal assembly for a pump, comprising:
- a gland housing for mounting to the pump casing;
- a staging flow pathway within the gland housing defining first and second seal chambers;
- a rotor assembly pumping a coolant fluid through said gland housing, the rotor assembly having at least one acceleration surface, wherein fluid passing through the staging flow pathway is accelerated by said at least one acceleration surface;
- first and second seal stages within said first and second seal chambers, each having a static sealing element and a rotating sealing element, said sealing elements engaging one another to form a fluid-tight seal;
- an inlet passage for feeding the coolant fluid into said staging flow pathway and past said at least one acceleration surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.