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US 8,506,266 B2Granted
Sealing system assembly for high pressure fluid handling devices
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorRalph Hobmeyr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process fluid handling device in an electrochemical cell system having a sealing system assembly between a process fluid compartment and a drive compartment of the fluid handling device. The sealing system includes a double seal configuration forming an interconnection compartment which is supplied with barrier fluid. The sealing system provides isolation of pressurized process fluids from the drive compartment.
Claims16
A fluid handling device for a process fluid comprising:
- a process fluid compartment in contact with process fluids having a first pressure;
- a drive compartment having a second pressure and having a drive unit for moving the process fluids in said process fluid compartment, wherein said first pressure is greater than said second pressure;
- and a sealing assembly disposed between said process fluid compartment and said drive compartment, comprising a ring, a first seal, and a second seal, wherein said first seal and said second seal form an interconnection compartment through which said drive unit extends, wherein the ring is fixed to the drive unit inside the interconnection compartment on a first surface of the ring by a first collar and on a second surface of the ring by a second collar, wherein the first collar is sealingly fixed to the drive unit and extends between the drive unit and the first seal and the second collar is sealingly fixed to the drive unit and extends between the drive unit and the second seal;
- wherein said sealing assembly substantially prevents migration of said process fluids to said drive compartment.
1 more element
A method of operating a fluid handling device in a fuel cell, the method comprising:
- forming an interconnection compartment between a first seal bounded by a process fluid compartment and a second seal bounded by a drive compartment, said interconnection compartment containing a shaft that extends from said process fluid compartment containing process fluids to said drive compartment wherein said interconnection compartment further houses a ring for sealing that rotates with said shaft wherein the ring is fixed to the shaft inside the interconnection compartment on a first surface of the ring by a first collar and on a second surface of the ring by a second collar, wherein the first collar is sealingly fixed to the shaft and extends between the shaft and the first seal and the second collar is sealingly fixed to the shaft and extends between the shaft and the second seal;
- and supplying a barrier fluid to said interconnection compartment, wherein said barrier fluid has a pressure greater than or equal to said process fluid compartment, thereby preventing migration of process fluids through said first seal to said interconnection compartment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.