Rotary machine and method for the heat exchange in a rotary machine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10557474-B2
Application number	US-201515116633-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2015
Priority date	Feb 19, 2014
Publication date	Feb 11, 2020
Grant date	Feb 11, 2020

Abstract

A rotary machine for conveying a fluid includes a drive unit configured to drive a shaft, an impeller arranged at the shaft, and configured to convey the fluid, at least one mechanical seal configured to seal the shaft, a first and a second heat exchange system configured to cool or heat the mechanical seal, the first heat exchange system configured for direct application of a fluid heat carrier at the mechanical seal and the second heat exchange system comprising a heat exchange jacket capable of having a fluid heat carrier flow therethrough without direct contact with the mechanical seal, the first and the second heat exchange systems forming a common heat exchange system in which a common fluid heat carrier is capable of being circulated, and a fan wheel configured to circulate the common fluid heat carrier in the common heat exchange system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A rotary machine for conveying a fluid, comprising:
a drive unit configured to drive a shaft;
an impeller arranged at the shaft, and configured to convey the fluid;
at least one mechanical seal configured to seal the shaft;
a first and a second heat exchange system configured to cool or heat the mechanical seal, the first heat exchange system comprising an inlet and configured for direct application of a fluid heat carrier at the mechanical seal and the second heat exchange system comprising a heat exchange jacket capable of having a fluid heat carrier flow therethrough without direct contact with the mechanical seal and comprising a hollow space having an inlet and an outlet, the fluid heat carrier of the second heat exchange system of passing from the inlet of the hollow space to the outlet of the hollow space without being in fluid communication with the inlet of the first heat exchange system, and the inlet for the first heat exchange system being different from both the inlet and the outlet for the second heat exchange system, the second heat exchange system at least partially defining the flow path of the first heat exchange system, and the first and the second heat exchange systems forming a common heat exchange system in which a common fluid heat carrier comprising the fluid heat carrier of the first heat exchange system and the fluid heat carrier of the second heat exchange system is capable of being circulated; and
a fan wheel configured to circulate the common fluid heat carrier in the common heat exchange system.

2. A rotary machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the rotary machine is a pump, and the drive unit comprises a motor arranged in a motor housing.

3. A rotary machine in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the impeller is arranged in a pump housing connected to the motor housing forming a common housing.

4. A rotary machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the drive unit is arranged above a pump unit in a normal position of use.

5. A rotary machine in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the motor housing is filled with a sealing liquid in an operating state.

6. A rotary machine in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the sealing liquid is the common fluid heat carrier.

7. A rotary machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the fan wheel is driven for the circulation of the common fluid heat carrier by the drive unit and is disposed at a side of the drive unit remote from the impeller.

8. A rotary machine in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the rotary machine is an undersea pump.

9. A method, comprising:
operating the rotary machine of claim 1 to convey hot fluids having temperature of at least 150° C.

10. A method for heat exchange in a rotary machine for conveying a fluid, the rotary machine having a drive unit for driving a shaft, an impeller arranged at the shaft for conveying the fluid, at least one mechanical seal for sealing the shaft, the method comprising:
cooling or heating the mechanical seal with a first and a second heat exchange system, by directly applying a fluid heat carrier by the first heat exchange system, the first heat exchange system including an inlet and the second heat exchange system including a hollow space having an inlet and an outlet for a fluid heat carrier, the fluid heat carrier of the second heat exchange system is capable of passing from the inlet of the hollow space to the outlet of the hollow space without being in fluid communication with the inlet of the first heat exchange system, and the inlet for the first heat exchange system being different from both the inlet and the outlet for the second heat exchange system; and
flowing the fluid heat carrier of the second heat exchange system through a heat exchange jacket without direct contact with the mechanical seal in the second heat exchange system, the second heat exchange system at least partially defining the flow path of the first heat exchange system;
the first and the second heat exchange systems being connected to a common heat exchange system, circulating a common fluid heat carrier comprising the fluid heat carrier of the first heat exchange system and the fluid heat carrier of the second heat exchange system in the common heat exchange system; and
circulating the common fluid heat carrier in the common heat exchange system by a fan wheel.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the common heat exchange system is a cooling system.

12. A method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the rotary machine is a pump, and the drive unit comprises a motor arranged in a motor housing, using the common fluid heat carrier as a sealing liquid with which the motor housing is filled.

13. A method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the common fluid heat carrier is a water-based liquid.

14. A method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the fluid to be conveyed has a temperature of at least 150° C.

15. A method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the rotary machine is an undersea pump.

16. A method in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the fan wheel is driven by the drive unit.

Assignees

• Sulzer Management Ag

Inventors

• Gassmann Simon
• Trottmann Benedikt
• Inforsati Marcelo
• Felix Thomas

Classifications

• F04D13/08

  for submerged use · CPC title

• F04D29/128 Primary

  with special means for adducting cooling or sealing fluid · CPC title

• F04D7/06

  the fluids being hot or corrosive, e.g. liquid metals · CPC title

• F04D29/5873

  flow schemes and regulation thereto · CPC title

• F04D29/588 Primary

  cooling or heating the machine (F04D29/5886, F04D29/5893 take precedence) · CPC title