Zero-emission mechanical seal arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11680644-B2
Application number	US-201917057780-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2019
Priority date	May 29, 2018
Publication date	Jun 20, 2023
Grant date	Jun 20, 2023

Abstract

The invention relates to a gas-lubricated mechanical seal arrangement (1) comprising a first mechanical seal (2) having a first rotating slide ring (21) and a first slide ring (22) defining a first sealing gap (23) between sealing surfaces (21a, 22a), the first slide ring (22) having a passageway (25) for supplying a barrier fluid to the first sealing gap (23), wherein the passageway (25) extends from a rear surface (22b) to the sliding surface (22a) of the first stationary slide ring (22), and wherein on the first rotating slide ring (21) a first secondary seal (4) for sealing and a centering device (5) for centering of the first rotating slide ring (21) are arranged.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gas lubricated mechanical seal arrangement comprising:
a first mechanical seal having a first rotating slide ring and a first stationary slide ring defining a first sealing gap between sliding surfaces,
wherein the first stationary slide ring includes a passageway for supplying a barrier fluid to the first sealing gap, the passageway extending from a rear surface to the sliding surface of the first stationary slide ring,
wherein on the first rotating slide ring a first secondary seal for sealing and a centering device for centering of the first rotating slide ring are arranged,
wherein the centering device is disposed on a radially inner surface of the first rotating slide ring and/or a radially outer surface of the first rotating slide ring,
wherein a second secondary seal and a third secondary seal are disposed in grooves in a retaining ring of the first stationary slide ring and directly contact a rear surface of the first stationary slide ring, wherein a fluid path of the barrier fluid to the passageway in the first stationary slide ring extends through the retaining ring and between the second and third secondary seals,
wherein a first radius of the first secondary seal is in a first range between a second radius of the second secondary seal and a third radius of the third secondary seal, and
wherein a fourth radius of an outer periphery of the first rotating slide ring is in a second range between the first radius and the third radius.

2. The mechanical seal arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising a second mechanical seal having a second rotating slide ring and a second stationary slide ring defining a second sealing gap between sliding surfaces.

3. The mechanical seal arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the centering device is a circumferential biasing spring or a circumferential biasing band or an O-ring.

4. The mechanical seal arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the barrier fluid is nitrogen and the mechanical seal arrangement further comprises a nitrogen source.

5. The mechanical seal arrangement according to claim 4 , further comprising a nitrogen generator.

6. The mechanical seal arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising a control unit, a differential pressure control valve in the supply line, and a pressure sensor for determining a product pressure in a product chamber, wherein the control unit is adapted to control the differential pressure control valve based on the product pressure.

7. The mechanical seal arrangement according to claim 1 , further comprising a monitoring device disposed in a return line.

8. A compressor or supercharger for gaseous media, comprising a mechanical seal arrangement according to claim 1 .

9. The mechanical seal arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the passageway and the first secondary seal are provided on the same or a similar radius.

Assignees

• Eagleburgmann Germany Gmbh

Inventors

• Werdecker Ferdinand
• Fesl Andreas
• Müller Michael
• Strobl Josef
• Strohmeier Johannes
• Hellmig Benjamin

Classifications

• F16J15/342 Primary

  with means for feeding fluid directly to the face · CPC title

• F16J15/3404 Primary

  and characterised by parts or details relating to lubrication, cooling or venting of the seal · CPC title

• F16J15/34 Primary

  with slip-ring pressed against a more or less radial face on one member · CPC title

• F16J15/3412

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