Seal ring composite for improved hydrodynamic seal performance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10337619-B2
Application number	US-201414913636-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2014
Priority date	Aug 27, 2013
Publication date	Jul 2, 2019
Grant date	Jul 2, 2019

Abstract

A seal ring having a sealing surface (22) includes first and second portions (24, 26), and may be configured for mating with a mating ring. The first portion (24) may include a first surface roughness, the second portion (26) may include a second surface roughness, and the second surface roughness may be comparatively rougher than the first surface roughness. In embodiments, a seal assembly may include a seal ring including a first sealing surface (22), the sealing surface including first and second portions (24, 26); and a mating ring including a second sealing surface; wherein, the first portion (24) has a first surface roughness the second surface (26) includes a second surface roughness, and the second surface roughness being rougher than the first surface roughness.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seal assembly, comprising:
a stationary seal ring including a first sealing surface, the first sealing surface including first and second portions; and
a rotating mating ring including a second sealing surface;
wherein the first portion includes a first surface roughness,
the second portion includes a second surface roughness,
the second surface roughness is rougher than the first surface roughness,
the first portion is at least partially aligned with a smooth portion of the second sealing surface,
the second portion is at least partially aligned with a grooved portion of the second sealing surface,
the second portion is provided on a side of the stationary seal ring for scavenging a working fluid,
the second portion is configured to increase flow of said working fluid to the grooved portion, and
the increased flow of said working fluid is configured to provide a fluid boundary layer between the stationary seal ring and the rotating mating ring.

2. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the grooved portion of the mating ring includes hydrodynamic grooves.

3. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second surface roughness includes peaks and valleys.

4. The seal assembly of claim 3 , wherein the peaks and valleys are disposed in a pattern.

5. The seal assembly of claim 3 , wherein the peaks and valleys are disposed in a random configuration.

6. The seal assembly of claim 3 , wherein a depth of one or more of the valleys is about 100 to 500 millionths of an inch.

7. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first portion and the second portion are adjacent and separate.

8. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second portion is configured as a pumping area.

9. A method of operating the seal assembly of claim 1 , including:
rotating the rotating mating ring while the stationary seal ring remains substantially stationary;
promoting, via the second portion, flow of said working fluid to said groove portion of the second sealing surface;
conveying, via said grooved portion, said working fluid from an inner diameter of the stationary seal ring toward an outer diameter of the stationary seal ring; and
creating said fluid boundary layer between the first portion and a non-grooved portion of the second sealing surface.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein promoting flow of said working fluid includes creating a turbulent zone of said working fluid from which the grooved portion is configured to draw said working fluid.

11. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein an axial length of the second portion is less than an axial length of the first portion.

12. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first portion extends further radially outward than the second portion.

13. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second portion includes alternating rough sections and less rough sections.

14. The seal assembly of claim 13 , wherein the alternating rough sections are disposed at an oblique angle relative to a radial direction.

15. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second portion is sloped such that the second portion is disposed at an oblique angle relative to the first portion.

16. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second surface roughness is at least four times rougher than the first surface roughness.

17. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first portion includes a first radial width, the second portion includes a second radial width, and the first radial width is wider than the second radial width.

18. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first portion and the second portion do not circumferentially overlap with each other.

19. The seal assembly of claim 14 , wherein the rough sections include the second surface roughness and the less rough sections include the first surface roughness.

20. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein an axial length of the second radial portion is less than an axial length of the first radial portion.

21. The seal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first portion is provided radially inward of the second portion.

Assignees

• Eaton Corp
• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Ruggeri Edward N

Classifications

• F16J15/3408 Primary

  at least one ring having an uneven slipping surface · CPC title

• F16J15/3424

  with microcavities · CPC title

• F16J15/3412 Primary

  with cavities (F16J15/3424 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16J15/3452

  the pressing force resulting from the action of a spring · CPC title