Dual mechanical seal with embedded bearing for volatile fluids

Abstract

A fluid pump configured to prevent contact between volatile fluids and a ball bearing of the pump while providing the ball bearing with adequate lubrication. The fluid pump includes a pump casing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, and a rotor set disposed within the pump casing for conveying fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet. The fluid pump further includes a recirculation chamber located adjacent the fluid outlet for collecting leaked fluid. The leaked fluid may be conveyed from the recirculation chamber back to the fluid inlet due to a pressure differential therebetween. The fluid pump may further include first and second seals that surround a drive shaft of the rotor, the first and second fluid seals defining a lubricant chamber therebetween that houses a ball bearing of the pump and that is filled with a continuously circulated, nonvolatile lubricant.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.