Shaft seal system

Patent · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:865343

Kapich, Davorin D ^[1]

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1. Carlsbad, CA

A shaft seal system is disclosed for isolating two regions of different fluid mediums through which a rotatable shaft extends. The seal system includes a seal housing through which the shaft extends and which defines an annular land and an annular labyrinth both of which face on the shaft so that each establishes a corresponding fluid sealing annulus. A collection cavity is formed in communication with the annular sealing spaces, and fluids compatible with the fluids in each of the two regions to be isolated are introduced, respectively, into the annular sealing spaces and collected in the collection cavity from which the fluid mixture is removed and passed to a separator which separates the fluids and returns them to their respective annular sealing spaces in a recycling manner. In the illustrated embodiment, the isolated fluid mediums comprise a liquid region and a gas region. Gas is removed from the gas region and passed through a purifier and a gas pump operative to introduce the purified gas through the labyrinth sealing annulus to the collection cavity. After passing to the separator, the separated gas is passed through a dryer from which the dried gas is caused to pass through the labyrinth sealing annulus into the collection cavity independently of the purified gas so as to insure isolation of the gas region in the event of sealing gas pump malfunction.

• Research Organization: GA TECHNOLOGIES INC
• DOE Contract Number: AT03-76SF70046
• Assignee: GA Technologies Inc. (San Diego, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 4500093
• OSTI ID: 865343
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

shaft
seal
disclosed
isolating
regions
fluid
mediums
rotatable
extends
housing
defines
annular
land
labyrinth
establishes
corresponding
sealing
annulus
collection
cavity
formed
communication
spaces
fluids
compatible
isolated
introduced
respectively
collected
mixture
removed
passed
separator
separates
returns
respective
recycling
manner
illustrated
embodiment
comprise
liquid
region
gas
purifier
pump
operative
introduce
purified
passing
separated
dryer
dried
caused
pass
independently
insure
isolation
event
malfunction
shaft seal
rotatable shaft
annular sealing
gas region
fluid medium
fluid mixture
annular seal
purified gas
gas pump
shaft extends
fluid sealing
sealing gas
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