Rotary separator drum seal

• US 8,434,998 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2007
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dresser-Rand Group Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Dresser-Rand Group Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Maier, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiehe, Nathaniel
• Assistant Examiner(s): HTAY, AYE SU MON
• Application Number:
  US12/441,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20090304496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,059 Days
• Field of Search: 415/121.2, 415/170.1, 4151711-1713, 415/171.5, 415/56.1, 4151741-1743, 415/174.5
• US Class Current: 415/121.2
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/083 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/102 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/701 especially adapted for elastic fluid pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/44 Free-space packings
• CPC Class Codes: F16J 15/444 with facing materials having honeycomb-like structure

Abstract

A seal assembly for a compressor includes a static member fixedly disposed within a compressor casing and having an end surface and a rotatable separator coupled with a compressor shaft and spaced from the static member. The separator has an axial end with a radial end surface located adjacent to the static member end surface such that a clearance space is defined therebetween. The separator has a plurality of openings extending inwardly from the end surface and spaced about the shaft axis such that land surface sections are defined on the end surface. The land surface sections or/and the openings are configured to prevent fluid flow radially inwardly through the clearance space. The static member has two annular walls receiving an end portion of the separator, with annular ridges providing labyrinth seals disposed against inner and outer surfaces of the separator, and an annular deflector with an angled deflector surface.

Claims

1. A seal assembly for a fluid machine, comprising:

a static member fixedly disposed within a casing and including a static member axial end having an end surface; and

a rotatable member coupled with a shaft and spaced axially from the static member, the rotatable member having an axial end with a radial end surface extending circumferentially about a shaft axis, the rotatable member radial end surface being located adjacent to and facing the static member end surface such that a clearance space is defined between the two end surfaces, the rotatable member further having a plurality of openings extending axially inwardly from the rotatable member radial end surface and spaced circumferentially about the shaft axis such that land surface sections are defined on the rotatable member radial end surface, at least one of the land surface sections and the openings being configured to prevent fluid flow radially inwardly through the clearance space, wherein

the rotatable member includes a tubular drum having opposing inlet and outlet axial ends and a central bore extending between the two axial ends, the rotatable member radial end surface being disposed on the tubular drum outlet axial end,

the static member has a central opening configured to fluidly connect the rotatable member tubular drum central bore with an impeller inlet, and

the rotatable member tubular drum central bore is fluidly connected with a source of fluid and the tubular drum has an inner separation surface extending circumferentially about the shaft axis, the inner separation surface being configured to separate at least a portion of liquid in fluid contacting the inner separation surface.

2. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the land surface sections of the rotatable member radial end surface are slidably displaced against the static end surface and configured to function as a plurality of labyrinth seal teeth or to direct fluid contacting the land surface sections radially outwardly away from the shaft axis during rotation of the rotatable member.

3. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the rotatable member end surface is configured to direct liquid entering the clearance space radially outwardly along at least one of the land surface sections or into at least one of the plurality of openings so as to prevent liquid flow through the clearance space.

4. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein each one of the plurality of openings of the rotatable member is configured to collect liquid flowing inwardly through the clearance space.

5. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the land surface sections of the rotatable member radial end surface include radially-extending portions, each land surface radially-extending portion being configured to direct liquid contacting the radially-extending portion radially outwardly away from the shaft axis during rotation of the rotatable member, or wherein the land surface sections include circumferential portions, each land surface circumferential portion being configured to direct fluid contacting the circumferential portion toward an adjacent land surface radial portion during rotation of the rotatable member.

6. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1 or 5, wherein each of the plurality of openings of the rotatable member are configured to collect liquid flowing radially inwardly through the opening and to subsequently direct collected liquid out of the opening and radially outwardly away from the shaft axis during rotation of the rotatable member.

7. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of openings of the rotatable member is formed as a circular hole having an enclosed inner end or are arranged in a first and second circular rows of openings, the second row of openings being spaced radially outwardly from the first row of openings and each opening of the first row of openings being radially aligned with a separate one of the openings of the second row of openings.

8. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a first annular wall section extending axially from the static member axial end toward the rotatable member and having an inner circumferential wall surface; and

a second annular wall section extending axially from the static member toward the rotatable member axial end, the second annular wall being spaced radially inwardly from the first annular wall section and having an outer circumferential wall surface, and the inner and outer circumferential wall surfaces defining an annular pocket sized to receive a portion of the rotatable member axial end.

9. The seal assembly as recited in claim 8, wherein:

the outer circumferential wall surface includes at least one annular ridge extending radially inwardly toward the rotatable member axial end and circumferentially about the shaft axis; and

the inner circumferential wall surface includes at least one annular ridge extending radially outwardly toward the rotatable member axial end and circumferentially about the shaft axis.

10. The seal assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein at least the outer circumferential wall surface includes a plurality of the radially inwardly extending annular ridges.

11. The seal assembly as recited in claim 9, wherein:

the at least one annular ridge of the inner circumferential wall surface of the first annular wall section is configured to provide a labyrinth seal for at least inhibiting fluid flow between the first annular wall section and an outer circumferential surface of the rotatable member; and

the at least one annular ridge of the outer circumferential wall surface of the second annular wall section is configured to provide a labyrinth seal for at least inhibiting fluid flow between the second annular wall section and an inner circumferential surface of the rotatable member.

12. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1, wherein the static member axial end has an annular deflector portion extending axially and radially outwardly from the static member axial end and extending circumferentially about the shaft axis, the annular deflector portion being spaced radially outwardly from the static member end surface and having an angled surface facing toward the shaft axis and away from the static member end surface, the deflector angled surface being configured to deflect liquid contacting the angled surface in a direction away from the rotatable member axial end.

13. A compressor comprising:

a casing;

a shaft disposed within the casing so as to be rotatable about a central axis;

a static member fixedly disposed within the casing and including a static member axial end having an end surface;

a separator member coupled with the shaft and spaced axially from the static member and having an axial end with a radial end surface extending circumferentially about the shaft axis, the separator member end surface being located adjacent to and facing the static member end surface such that a clearance space is defined between the two end surfaces; and

at least one impeller mounted on the shaft and disposed within the casing, the at least one impeller having an inlet and an outlet, the static member being disposed adjacent the impeller inlet and having a passage with an inlet fluidly coupled with the impeller outlet and an outlet extending through the static member end surface such that the passage is configured to direct fluid from the at least one impeller into the clearance space, wherein;

the separator member has a plurality of openings extending axially inwardly from the separator member end surface and spaced circumferentially about the shaft axis such that land surface sections are defined on the separator member end surface, and the land surface sections and the openings are configured to prevent fluid flow through the clearance space;

or

the static member includes at least one outer annular ridge extending from an inner circumferential surface of the static member and toward an outer circumferential surface of the separator member, and the separator member includes at least one inner annular ridge extending from an outer circumferential surface of the static member and toward an inner circumferential surface of the separator member;

or

the static member has inner and outer annular wall sections each extending axially from the static member axial end and toward the separator member, the inner and outer annular wall sections defining an annular pocket configured to receive a portion of a separator outlet end;

or

the static member has an annular deflector portion extending axially and radially outwardly from the static member axial end and extending circumferentially about the shaft central axis, the annular deflector portion being spaced radially outwardly from the static member end surface and having an angled surface facing toward the central axis and away from the static member end surface.