Balanced mechanical seal assembly and flow ring therefor
AssigneeAWChesterton Company
InventorsHenri V. Azibert, Margaret B. Willbrant, Ann T. Attenasio
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An axially floating annular flow ring is provided for use in a gland mounted to rotary equipment concentrically to the equipment shaft. The ring has an outer circumferential surface for mounting to the gland interior adjacent to gland port mouths opening out of the gland interior surface and axially between the ends of primary seal members associated with the gland. The ring non-rotatably mates with the primary seal members and the gland, and can shift axially. The ring supplies a fluid flow channel in conjunction with fluid-flow vanes associated with the shaft and which ring can travel axially with the vanes to accommodate shaft endplay.
Claims25
A double mechanical seal assembly having a gland for fixed attachment to the housing of equipment having a rotary shaft means, the shaft means comprising a shaft which is subject to endplay and fluid-flow acceleration vanes associated with said shaft, said gland having an interior surface for non-rotatably receiving a pair of annular primary seal members having seal faces which mate with a respective seal face of a second pair of annular primary seal members which are non-rotatably mounted to said shaft means, said primary seal members forming two pairs of mated seal faces defining a sealed barrier-fluid environment, a first pair of said mated seal faces sealing process fluid along said shaft means in a process-fluid environment, said gland having a pair of ports extending radially therethrough and each port having a mouth located for opening into said barrier-fluid environment adjacent to said vanes for providing barrier-fluid flow thereat in the direction of rotation of said shaft means when said gland is mounted to said equipment concentrically to said shaft, the seal comprising
- an axially floating, annular flow ring having an outer circumferential surface for mounting to said gland interior adjacent to said port mouths and axially between said primary seal members associated with said gland, the interior of said floating ring comprising an obstructed flow channel,
- said floating ring having sidewalls extending radially inwardly to the inner diameter of said floating ring, said flow channel defined along an inner circumferential surface of said floating ring axially located between said sidewalls,
- said floating ring further comprising a pair of passages extending radially through said outer and inner circumferential surfaces, said ring interior further including a dam located between said passages, said dam blocking fluid flow between said passages in a first rotational direction in said flow channel, said passages floatingly communicating with ones of said gland port mouths to facilitate flow of barrier fluid through said ports, passages, and flow channel, in a second rotational direction, and
- mounting means for non-rotatably mounting said floating ring and said primary seal members associated with said gland to said gland, said mounting means permitting axial travel of said gland-mounted primary members and said floating ring to accommodate axial shifting of said shaft means while sealing barrier fluid flow in said barrier-fluid environment, whereby said axial travel of said floating ring maintains said flow channel located adjacent to said vanes regardless of shaft endplay while said mated seal faces remain mated.
A flow ring for use in a mechanical seal assembly having a first primary seal member associated with a stationary structure of equipment to be sealed and a second primary seal member associated with the shaft of the equipment, and having a barrier fluid chamber defined between the first primary seal member and second structure mounted concentrically to the shaft, the seal members defining relatively rotatable mating seal faces which define a contact area therebetween for sealing a process fluid within said equipment, the seal assembly including a gland for stationary mounting to said equipment concentrically to said shaft, said gland defining a central annulus for receipt of said shaft and further defining fluid ports opening out through the gland interior for flowing of barrier fluid in said seal assembly to cool said primary seal members, said gland interior receiving said first primary seal member for mounting in said seal assembly, said flow ring comprising
- an axially floating, annular ring having an outer circumferential surface for mounting to the interior of said gland adjacent to said ports and axially adjacent the end of said primary seal member associated with said gland, said ring having a lock means for being non-rotatably locked to said gland, said ring having an interior circumferential surface comprising an obstructed flow channel for flowing of barrier fluid in said seal assembly.
A method for improving the flow of barrier fluid within a mechanical seal assembly, the seal assembly of the type having a first primary seal member associated with a stationary structure of equipment to be sealed and a second primary seal member associated with the shaft of the equipment, and having a barrier fluid chamber defined between the first primary seal member and a second structure mounted concentrically to the shaft, the seal members defining relatively rotatable mating seal faces which define a contact area therebetween for sealing a process fluid within said equipment, the seal assembly including a gland for stationary mounting to said equipment concentrically to said shaft, said gland defining a central annulus for receipt of said shaft and further defining fluid ports opening out through the gland interior for flowing of barrier fluid in said seal assembly to cool said primary seal members, said gland interior receiving said first primary seal member for mounting in said seal assembly, said method comprising the steps of
- providing an axially floating, annular flow ring having an outer circumferential surface for mounting to the interior of said gland adjacent to said parts and axially adjacent the end of said primary seal member associated with said gland,
- providing said ring with a lock means for being non-rotatably mounted to said gland, and
- providing said ring with an interior circumferential obstructed flow channel for flowing of barrier fluid in said seal assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.