Directed air flow coupling guard
AssigneeDresser-Rand Company
InventorsWilliam Henry Jahnke, Jr., John William Ash, Charles Alexander Greenawalt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus are described for a guard for a rotating member. The guard comprises a shell surrounding the rotating member, and a plenum member concentrically spaced from an interior surface of the shell, the shell comprising an inlet for receiving air and an outlet for discharging the air so that rotation of the rotating member draws air through the inlet and into the plenum member and the air circulates through the plenum member to cool the shell before it exhausts through the outlet.
Claims67
A coupling guard for a rotating member having a labyrinth seal, the coupling guard comprising:
- a shell surrounding the rotating member;
- and
- means for defining a plenum disposed in the shell, the shell comprising an inlet for receiving air and an outlet for discharging the air so that rotation of the rotating member draws air through the inlet and into the plenum and the air circulates through the plenum to cool the shell before it exhausts through the outlet;
- wherein at least a portion of the air in the plenum is directed to the seal for buffering the labyrinth seal.
A coupling guard for a rotating member having a labyrinth seal, the coupling guard comprising:
- a shell surrounding the rotating member;
- and
- a plenum member concentrically spaced from an interior surface of the shell, the shell comprising an inlet for receiving air and an outlet for discharging the air so that rotation of the rotating member draws air through the inlet and into the plenum member and the air circulates through the plenum member to cool the shell before it exhausts through the outlet;
- wherein at least a portion of the air in the plenum member is directed to the labyrinth seal for buffering the seal.
A guard for surrounding a rotating member having a seal, the guard comprising:
- a first shell portion;
- a second shell portion quick-detachably attached to the first shell portion;
- a plenum member disposed adjacent to the first and second shell portions, the plenum member comprising:
- (i) an orthogonal wall
- (ii) a ring attached to the orthogonal wall along a first edge;
- and
- (iii) at least one plate abutting a second edge of the ring, thus defining a plenum space;
- and
- means for receiving air and discharging air so that rotation of the rotating member draws air into the plenum member. and the air circulates around and through the plenum member to cool the shell before it exhausts through an opening in the plenum member, thereby cooling the shell portions;
- wherein at least a portion of the air in the plenum member is directed to the seal for buffering the seal.
A method for cooling a coupling guard having a shell, and surrounding a rotating member having a labyrinth seal, the method comprising:
- providing a plenum member inside the shell to define a plenum space;
- creating an axial air flow path around the outer surface of the plenum member;
- creating an equatorial air flow path inside the plenum member;
- exhausting the equatorial air flow from the plenum space, thereby cooling the rotating member and guard;
- and
- directing the axially flowing air to the seal for buffering the labyrinth seal.
A plenum member for facilitating cooling of a shell surrounding a rotating member having a labyrinth seal, the plenum member comprising:
- (i) an orthogonal wall;
- (ii) a ring attached to the orthogonal wall along a first edge;
- (iii) at least one plate abutting a second edge of the ring;
- means for creating an axial air flow path around the outer surface of the plenum member;
- means for creating an equatorial air flow path inside the plenum member;
- wherein rotation of the rotating member provides an impetus for exhausting air from inside the plenum member, thereby cooling the shell;
- and
- means for directing the axially flowing air to the seal for buffering the labyrinth seal.
A guard for a rotating member, the guard comprising:
- a shell surrounding the rotating member;
- a plenum disposed in the shell, the plenum comprising:
- (i) an orthogonal wall
- (ii) a ring concentrically spaced from an interior surface of the shell, and attached to the orthogonal wall along a first edge;
- and
- (iii) two plates abutting a second edge of the ring;
- and
- a third and fourth plate for sealingly engaging the rotating member;
- wherein the shell comprises an inlet for receiving air and an outlet for discharging the air so that rotation of the rotating member draws air through the inlet and into the plenum and the air circulates through the plenum to cool the shell before it exhausts through the outlet.
A guard for a rotating member, the guard comprising:
- a shell surrounding the rotating member;
- a plenum member concentrically spaced from an interior surface of the shell, the plenum comprising:
- (i) an orthogonal wall
- (ii) a ring concentrically spaced from an interior surface of the shell, and attached to the orthogonal wall along a first edge;
- and
- (iii) two plates abutting a second edge of the ring;
- and
- a third and fourth plate for sealingly engaging the rotating member;
- wherein the shell comprises an inlet for receiving air and an outlet for discharging the air so that rotation of the rotating member draws air through the inlet and into the plenum and the air circulates through the plenum to cool the shell before it exhausts through the outlet.
A guard for surrounding a rotating member, the guard comprising
- a first shell portion;
- a second shell potion quick-detachably attached to the first shell portion;
- a plenum member disposed adjacent to the first and second shell portions, the plenum member comprising:
- (i) an orthogonal wall
- (ii) a ring attached to the orthogonal wall along a first edge;
- and
- (iii) two plates abutting a second edge of the ring, thus defining a plenum space;
- a third and fourth plate for sealingly engaging the rotating member;
- and
- means for receiving air and discharging air so that rotation of the rotating member draws air into the plenum member and the air circulates around and through the plenum member to cool the shell before it exhausts through an opening in the plenum member, thereby cooling the shell portions.
A plenum member for facilitating cooling of a shell surrounding a rotating member, the plenum member comprising:
- an orthogonal wall;
- a ring attached to the orthogonal wall along a first edge;
- two plates abutting a second edge of the ring;
- a third and fourth plate for sealingly engaging the rotating member;
- means for creating an axial air flow path around the outer surface of the plenum member;
- and
- means for creating an equatorial air flow path inside the plenum member, wherein rotation of the rotating member provides an impetus for exhausting air from inside the plenum member, thereby cooling the shell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.