Manifold for lube and seal oil apparatus

Abstract

A manifold for a lube oil or oil seal apparatus includes a block having a plurality of ports on exterior surfaces. A plurality of passages extend through the block to fluidically couple certain of the ports. In one aspect, a pair of ports on different exterior surfaces are coupled by a common passages to enable a fluid operative device attachable to one of the ports to be mounted on either side of the manifold. In another aspect, mounting connections are provided on the block for attachment to complementary mounting connections on a filter to directly mount the filter to the block. In another aspect, certain of the ports are defined for receiving a fluid responsive instrument.

Description

BACKGROUND [0001] Large process pumps and drivers often use hydrodynamic bearings due to their established reliability over anti-friction bearings at high bearing surface velocity. The oil film that forms in bearings provides the needed separation between the pump shaft and pump bearings. This continuously replenished oil film also removes bearing heat and wear parties. A constant oil supply is essential to keep the bearing system in balance. A loss of oil supply means a loss of cooling, loss of oil film properties, and eventually the loss of a bearing. [0002]FIG. 1 shows a prior art API610, 8th edition Lube Oil System schematic. The base system requires the main lube oil pump to be shaft driven off of the process pump. A single auxiliary lube oil pump is electric motor driven. The balance of the system includes an oil reservoir, single shell and tube cooler, and a duplex filter. Each pump is equipped with its own relief and check valves. Typical pump drivers include turbines, AC mo...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0021] The present manifold affords numerous advantages over previous manifolds for lube oil or seal oil systems. The present manifold allows the lube oil or seal system filter to be mounted directly to the manifold thereby eliminating interconnecting piping, reducing pressure drop within the oil flow circuit, and reducing assembly costs require to mount the filter to the system. The manifold also allows the orientation of the main and auxiliary lube oil or seal oil pumps to be located on either side of the manifold thereby again reducing the cost to assemble the system. The present manifold also allows the orientation of heat exchanger to be located on either side of the manifold again reducing costs to assemble the apparatus.

[0022] The present manifold also provides connection points for pressure, differential pressure, and temperature sensors on the manifold thereby contributing to a cost reduction in assembling the apparatus. The manifold is designed to accommodate multiple circuits, such a lube oil system and a seal oil system, and variations thereof The manifold is internally cored to support the need for low pressure associated with lube oil systems, and the flexibility to obtain high pressures associated with a seal oil system.

[0023] The present manifold also provides additional advantageous including lower pressure drop, flexibility of design and cost reductions through the elimination of previously required piping and connection components.

Problems solved by technology

A loss of oil supply means a loss of cooling, loss of oil film properties, and eventually the loss of a bearing.

However, prior manifold designs have been provided with a limited versatility.

For example, prior lube oil system manifold designs have the duplex filter mounted separately from the manifold and connected to the manifold by typically lengthy pipes, each with its own end fittings.

This has resulted in increased complexity of the construction to the lube oil system as well as increasing the cost of the system.

This has further increased the cost of the lube oil system and has required additional components due to the need for two different manifold designs.

Finally, prior lube oil systems have the instrumentation mounted in pipes, rather than to the manifold, which has increased the assembly time and cost of the lube oil system.

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