Method for carrying out emergent shaft sealing for reactor coolant pump and shaft sealing assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9903473-B2
Application number	US-201415102470-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2014
Priority date	Dec 10, 2013
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

A method for carrying out emergent shaft sealing for a reactor coolant pump and a shaft sealing assembly is provided. The method comprises the steps that a passive stopping sealing member is arranged in a first sealing assembly and forms an opening under the normal operation condition, without affecting the first sealing assembly using a liquid film formed by fluid static pressure to prevent reactor coolant from leaking along a pump shaft; under the station blackout condition, after sensing high-temperature fluid flowing into the first sealing assembly, the passive stopping sealing member is closed and holds the pump shaft of the reactor coolant pump tightly, the gap between the first sealing assembly and the pump shaft of the reactor coolant pump is blocked, and therefore the reactor coolant is prevented from leaking along the pump shaft.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shaft sealing assembly comprising:
a first sealing assembly configured for using a liquid membrane formed by fluid static pressure to seal a reactor coolant pump under a normal operation condition;
a passive stopping sealing member disposed in the first sealing assembly and configured to seal the reactor coolant pump under a station blackout condition, the passive stopping sealing member including an induction driving portion and a sealing ring provided in a circumferential direction of a pump shaft of the reactor coolant pump, the sealing ring having an opening, the induction driving portion being configured to, after sensing a high-temperature fluid flowing into the first sealing assembly upon the station blackout condition, drive the sealing ring to close and hold the pump shaft of the reactor coolant pump tightly such that a gap between the first sealing assembly and the pump shaft of the reactor coolant pump is blocked, and the reactor coolant is prevented from leaking along the pump shaft,
wherein the induction driving portion comprises a fusible support ring and an elastic pressing ring, the fusible support ring being made from a fusible material having a fusing point lower than a temperature of the high-temperature fluid; under the normal operation condition, the fusible support ring being configured to prevent the elastic pressing ring from applying a radial pressure to the sealing ring; under the station blackout condition, the fusible support ring being fused by the high-temperature fluid, and the elastic pressing ring applying a radial pressure to the sealing ring to close the sealing ring,
wherein the first sealing assembly comprises a first sealing member, a first sealing insert and a first sealing insert support disposed in turn between a water power member and a motor; the passive stopping sealing member being disposed in the first sealing insert adjacent to one end of the first sealing insert support or in the first sealing insert support adjacent to one end of the first sealing insert,
wherein the induction driving portion further comprises a piston driving ring disposed around the sealing ring, the elastic pressing ring being disposed on one side of the piston driving ring away from the fusible support ring; a first slope being on one side of the sealing ring toward the piston driving ring; on one side of the piston driving ring toward the sealing ring there being a second slope tangential with the first slope, and a diameter of the piston driving ring gradually increasing in a direction from the elastic pressing ring towards the fusible support ring; under the normal operation condition, one end of the fusible support ring abutting against the first sealing insert support or the first sealing insert, and the other end abutting against the piston driving ring; under the station blackout operation condition, the fusible support ring being fused by the high-temperature fluid, and the piston driving ring, under action of a pressing force of the elastic pressing ring, pushing the sealing ring upwardly to retract inwardly so that the sealing ring holds the pump shaft tightly and achieves the sealing function,
wherein the passive stopping sealing member further comprises a fusible limiting ring configured to limit movement of the sealing ring in a direction substantially parallel to the shaft away from the piston driving ring under the normal operation condition, the fusible limiting ring being made from a fusible material having a fusing point lower than the temperature of the high-temperature fluid.

2. The shaft sealing assembly according to claim 1 wherein the fusible limiting ring is integrally formed with the fusible support ring.

3. The shaft sealing assembly according to claim 1 wherein one end of the opening of the sealing ring is provided with an arcuate insertion portion, the other end of the opening of the sealing ring is provided with an insertion slot for receiving the insertion portion; under the normal operation condition, the insertion portion is partially inserted into the insertion slot; under the station blackout condition, the insertion portion is completely inserted into the insertion slot and the whole sealing ring completely holds the pump shaft tightly.

4. The shaft sealing assembly according to claim 1 , wherein under the normal operation condition, the fusible limiting ring keeps the sealing ring at a distance away from the first sealing insert support or the first sealing insert along said direction substantially parallel to the shaft.

5. A method for carrying out emergent shaft sealing for a reactor coolant pump, comprising:
arranging a passive stopping sealing member in a first sealing assembly such that a sealing ring of the passive stopping sealing member forms an opening under a normal operation condition, without affecting the first sealing assembly using a liquid film formed by fluid static pressure to prevent reactor coolant from leaking along a pump shaft; and
under the station blackout condition, after sensing a high-temperature fluid flowing into the first sealing assembly, driving, by an induction driving portion of the passive stopping sealing member, the sealing ring to close and hold the pump shaft of the reactor coolant pump tightly, a gap between the first sealing assembly and the pump shaft of the reactor coolant pump being blocked, and the reactor coolant being prevented from leaking along the pump shaft,
wherein the induction driving portion comprises a fusible support ring and an elastic pressing ring, the fusible support ring being made from a fusible material having a fusing point lower than a temperature of the high-temperature fluid; under the normal operation condition, the fusible support ring preventing the elastic pressing ring from applying a radial pressure to the sealing ring; under the station blackout condition, the fusible support ring being fused by the high-temperature fluid, and the elastic pressing ring applying a radial pressure to the sealing ring to close the sealing ring,
wherein the first sealing assembly comprises a first sealing member, a first sealing insert and a first sealing insert support disposed in turn between a water power member and a motor; the step of arranging the passive stopping sealing member in the first sealing assembly comprising disposing the passive stopping sealing member in the first sealing insert adjacent to one end of the first sealing insert support or in the first sealing insert support adjacent to one end of the first sealing insert,
wherein the induction driving portion further comprises a piston driving ring disposed around the sealing ring, the elastic pressing ring being disposed on one side of the piston driving ring away from the fusible support ring; a first slope being on one side of the sealing ring toward the piston driving ring; on one side of the piston driving ring toward the sealing ring there being a second slope tangential with the first slope, and a diameter of the piston driving ring gradually increasing in a direction from the elastic pressing ring towards the fusible support ring; under the normal operation condition, one end of the fusible support ring abutting against the first sealing insert support or the first sealing insert, and the other end abutting against the piston driving ring; under the station blackout operation condition, the fusible support ring being fused by the high-temperature fluid, and the piston driving ring, under action of a pressing force of the elastic pressing ring, pushing the sealing ring upwardly to retract inwardly so that the sealing ring holds the pump shaft tightly and achieves the sealing function,
wherein the passive stopping sealing member further comprises a fusible limiting ring configured to limit movement of the sealing ring in a

Assignees

• Areva Np

Inventors

• Thuillier Romain

Classifications

• F16J15/008 Primary

  with provision to put out of action at least one sealing; One sealing sealing only on standstill; Emergency or servicing sealings (F16J15/164 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16J15/3404

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

• F04D29/146

  especially adapted for liquid pumps · CPC title

• F04D29/126

  especially adapted for liquid pumps · CPC title

• F16J15/164

  the sealing action depending on movements; pressure difference, temperature or presence of leaking fluid · CPC title