Lubrication system for reciprocating plunger compressors
AssigneeEl Paso Polyolefins Company
InventorsKarl W. Wikelski, Henry K. Tyson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved lubrication system is provided for the cylinder of a reciprocatory plunger rod compressor, having a stationary annular seal assembly around said plunger rod. The key feature of this system resides in the incorporation of check valves in lubricant supply passages located internally within the seal assembly surrounding the plunger rod. Preferably, said check valves are located within suitable recesses bored into the rear face of an interior packing cup element of said seal assembly. The use of such internal lubricant check valves protects the lubricator quills, fittings, and other components of the lubrication system against fatigue failures and lengthens the continuous on-line operating life of the entire lubrication system.
Claims10
An assembly for compressing an operating fluid to a high pressure comprising a reciprocatory plunger rod compressor cylinder lubricated with a fluid other than the operating fluid;
- an attendant plunger rod;
- a crank mechanism connected to one end of the plunger rod for imparting thereto a reciprocatory motion of alternating suction and discharge strokes;
- laterally surrounding said plunger rod an annular seal assembly which includes a plurality of closely abutting continuous annular seal elements the inner peripheries of which lie immediately adjacent the outer periphery of said plunger rod and at least one of which annular seal elements contains a bored, lubricant-supply passageway running internally through the solid body of same;
- upstream of said seal element and in communication with said passageway a lubricant supply source;
- a two-part pressure-actuated check valve located in the lubricant supply passageway of said annular seal element for permitting flow of lubricant from the supply source during a suction stroke of the plunger rod, and which check valve is non-responsive to the ambient pressure outside the compressor assembly.
An improved oacking cup for incorporation in a pressure wrapped seal assembly of a lubricated plunger rod reciprocatory compressor cylinder comprising a continuous annular ring having inner and outer peripheral surfaces and substantially radially extending faces at either end, an inner peripheral recess in at least one of said radially extending faces for receiving a sealing ring, at least one longitudinal passage extending through at least a portion of said cup in a generally axial direction at a radial distance beyond said recess and an enlarged bore in one of said radially extending faces communicating substantially concentrically with said lubricant passage and adapted to house a two-port fluid check valve assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.