Non-contacting seal including an interference fit seal ring

A dual pressurized non-contacting seal assembly for use with a rotating machine that includes a rotating shaft, the seal assembly comprising:

• a process side non-contacting seal, wherein the process side non-contacting seal includes:
• a process side mating ring having a process side mating ring seal face;
• a process side seal ring defining an interior member having an axially extending annular surface and a radially extending process side seal ring seal face;
• a process side bellows that urges the process side seal ring toward the mating ring;
• wherein at least one of the mating and seal ring seal faces includes one or more surface features formed thereon that cause a gas to be drawn between the mating ring and the seal ring due to relative rotation between the seal ring and the mating and form a gas layer between the mating ring and the seal ring that urges the primary ring away from the mating ring;
• an annular seal ring shell defining an exterior member having a foot portion defining an axially extending engagement surface, the axially extending engagement surface of the foot portion and the axially extending annular surface of the seal ring in direct interference fit along an interference diameter Ds between the axially extending engagement surface of the foot portion and the axially extending annular surface of the seal ring, the seal ring shell further including a radially extending shin portion connected to the foot portion and located radially outward of the foot portion, the foot portion at its engagement surface having an axial length greater than the axial length of the shin portion.
• an atmosphere side non-contacting seal;
• and
• a housing surrounding portions of the process side and atmosphere side non-contacting seals and including a gas inlet channel through which sealing gas can pass from outside the seal assembly into a region between the process side and gas atmosphere side non-contacting seals.