Centrifugal pump with self cooling and flushing features
AssigneeCummins Inc.
InventorsTimothy D. Britt, Randall J. Stafford, Donald W. Stanton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid pump including provisions for cooling and/or flushing in the vicinity of a static seal. In one embodiment, the invention includes an open channel fluid passageway defined on a generally flat surface of a pump housing. A centrifugal rotor with a generally flat backplate rotates proximate a surface of the housing. The fluid passageways are adapted and configured to have a pathway that includes a directional component parallel to the direction of rotation, such that fluid drag from the rotating backplate induces flow within the passageway. The passages of the exit can be positioned such that flow exiting the passageway is at least partly tangential to the seal and/or the seal housing.
Claims23
A fluid pump comprising:
- a centrifugal rotor having a hub and an outer diameter;
- a housing for rotatably supporting said rotor and including a seal housing;
- a first rotating seal member coupled to the hub of said rotor;
- a second static seal member coupled within said seal housing and having a portion thereof in contact with a portion of said first seal member;
- wherein said housing defines an open channel fluid passageway adapted and configured for providing a flow of fluid from the outer diameter of said rotor toward the portion of said second seal in contact with the portion of said first seal, said passageway having portion along the length thereof with a cross sectional area that decreases in the direction from the outer diameter toward the portion of said second seal.
A fluid pump comprising:
- a centrifugal rotor having a backplate;
- a housing for rotatably supporting said rotor and including a seal housing and a surface facing said backplate;
- a first rotating seal member coupled to said rotor;
- a second static seal member coupled within said seal housing and having a portion thereof in contact with a portion of said first seal member;
- wherein the surface of said housing includes an open channel fluid passageway, said passageway having cross sectional shape for at least a portion thereof which is selected from the group consisting of trapezoidal, triangular, oval, polygonal, and circular, said passageway directing fluid flow toward said seal housing.
A fluid pump comprising:
- a centrifugal rotor having a backplate;
- a housing for rotatably supporting said rotor and including a surface substantially parallel to and spaced apart from said backplate;
- a first rotating seal member coupled to said rotor;
- a second static seal member coupled within said housing, a portion of said second seal member being in contact with a portion of said first seal member;
- wherein the surface of said housing includes an open channel fluid passageway for providing a flow of fluid to the portion of said second seal in contact with the portion of said first seal, said passageway having a curved portion along the length thereof.
A fluid pump comprising:
- a centrifugal rotor having a backplate and a hub;
- a housing for rotatably supporting said rotor and including a seal housing and a surface facing said backplate and spaced apart from said backplate;
- a first rotating seal member coupled proximate the hub of said rotor;
- a second static seal member coupled within said housing, a portion of said second seal member being in contact with a portion of said first seal member;
- wherein the surface of said housing includes an at least partially open-channel fluid passageway, said rotor has a direction of rotation, and said passageway is adapted and configured such that rotation of said backplate in the direction increases the energy of the fluid in said passageway flowing toward said seal housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.