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Title: Shaft seal system

Abstract

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 labyrinthmore » 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.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Carlsbad, CA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
GA TECHNOLOGIES INC
OSTI Identifier:
865343
Patent Number(s):
4500093
Assignee:
GA Technologies Inc. (San Diego, CA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F16 - ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS F16J - PISTONS {
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10S - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
DOE Contract Number:  
AT03-76SF70046
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
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; /277/

Citation Formats

Kapich, Davorin D. Shaft seal system. United States: N. p., 1985. Web.
Kapich, Davorin D. Shaft seal system. United States.
Kapich, Davorin D. Tue . "Shaft seal system". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/865343.
@article{osti_865343,
title = {Shaft seal system},
author = {Kapich, Davorin D},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985},
month = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985}
}