Method and apparatus for vacuum rotary sealing

Abstract

The invention relates to a sealing device, in particular to a method and a device for vacuum rotary sealing, the device is used for hermetically connecting a rotary part and a static part in a vacuum cavity, the device comprises a rotary joint, the rotary joint comprises a moving ring and a static ring, the moving ring is connected with the rotary part, and the static ring is connected with the static part; the sealing cavity is arranged at the joint of the moving ring and the static ring; and the exhaust pipe is connected with the sealing cavity and is used for exhausting air in the sealing cavity so as to exhaust air entering the sealing cavity through a gap at the combination part between the moving ring and the static ring. The problems of unstable sealing performance, poor adaptability to complex working conditions and the like in the prior art are solved through the rotary joint, the sealing cavity, the exhaust pipe and other assemblies, gas entering the sealing cavity is exhausted in real time through the unique design of the sealing cavity and the dynamic exhaust function of the exhaust pipe, and the stability of the vacuum environment is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a sealing device, and in particular to a method and device for vacuum rotary sealing. Background Art

[0002] Vacuum rotary sealing technology is a key technology for maintaining a vacuum environment between a rotating component and a stationary component. As the core link connecting the rotating component and the stationary component in a vacuum chamber, its core objective is to ensure the sealing performance of the vacuum environment during the rotating motion state, effectively preventing external gas from infiltrating or internal medium from leaking. Currently, the commonly used vacuum rotary sealing methods mainly include mechanical sealing, magnetic fluid sealing, elastomeric sealing (such as O-rings, lip seals, etc.), and labyrinth sealing, etc. However, these existing rotary sealing technologies all have some problems to be solved urgently during the application process, which are specifically manifested as follows:

[0003] Mechanical sealing: In a vacuum environment, the performance of mechanical sealing is greatly restricted by material wear and lubrication conditions. Due to the lack of lubricating medium in the vacuum environment, mechanical seal components are prone to wear during high-speed rotation, resulting in a decline in sealing performance, and further affecting the stability of the vacuum environment.

[0004] Magnetic fluid sealing: Although magnetic fluid sealing has good sealing performance, it has extremely high requirements for temperature and magnetic field stability. In practical applications, changes in temperature and magnetic field may lead to unstable sealing performance of magnetic fluid sealing, or even failure. In addition, the cost of magnetic fluid sealing is relatively high, which limits its application in large-scale industrial production.

[0005] Elastomeric sealing: Elastomeric seal components such as O-rings and lip seals usually have good sealing performance at normal temperature. However, in a vacuum environment, these seal components are prone to be affected by temperature, resulting in changes in material properties, and further causing outgassing pollution problems, which affect the purity of the vacuum environment.

[0006] Labyrinth sealing: Labyrinth sealing reduces gas leakage through a complex flow channel design, but its leakage rate is relatively high, and it is difficult to meet the requirements of a high-vacuum environment. Especially in the process production with extremely high requirements for vacuum degree, the sealing performance of labyrinth sealing often cannot meet the requirements.

[0007] In summary, the existing vacuum rotary sealing methods all have their own problems, which seriously affect the vacuum sealing performance of key equipment such as vacuum carbothermal reduction equipment, resulting in problems such as insufficient vacuum degree and gas leakage during the process production, and further having a negative impact on the smooth progress of the process production and the product quality. Therefore, researching and developing a new type, efficient, and stable vacuum rotary sealing technology is of great significance for improving the sealing performance of vacuum equipment and ensuring the stable progress of process production. Summary of the Invention

[0008] In view of this, the object of the present invention is to provide a method and device for vacuum rotary sealing to solve the problems existing in various existing vacuum rotary sealing technologies.

[0009] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0010] A device for vacuum rotary sealing, used for sealing and connecting a rotating component and a stationary component in a vacuum chamber, comprising:

[0011] A rotary joint, the rotary joint includes a moving coil and a stationary coil, the moving coil is connected to the rotating component, and the stationary coil is connected to the stationary component;

[0012] A sealing chamber, arranged at the joint part of the moving coil and the stationary coil;

[0013] An exhaust pipe, connected to the sealing chamber, used for evacuating the sealing chamber to remove the gas that enters the sealing chamber through the gap at the joint part between the moving coil and the stationary coil.

[0014] Further, one end of the stationary coil is sleeved on the moving coil, and the sealing chamber is jointly formed by an annular groove on the inner wall of the stationary coil and the outer wall surface of the moving coil.

[0015] Further, the device further includes:

[0016] Supporting balls, arranged on both sides of the sealing chamber along the axis direction of the rotating component, used for supporting the moving coil and the stationary coil to rotate around the axis relative to each other.

[0017] Further, the supporting balls are installed in an annular groove jointly formed by semi-circular ball retaining grooves on the inner wall of the stationary coil and the outer wall of the moving coil.

[0018] Further, an oil passage for lubricating the supporting balls and an oil cup for filling lubricating oil are provided on the stationary coil.

[0019] Further, a supporting ball mounting hole for mounting the supporting balls and a matching plug are provided on the stationary coil.

[0020] Further, the device further includes:

[0021] Sealing rings, arranged on both sides of the sealing chamber along the axis direction of the rotating component, used for sealing the gap at the joint part between the moving coil and the stationary coil.

[0022] Further, the sealing rings are installed in the mounting grooves on the inner wall of the stationary coil.

[0023] On the other hand, the present invention also provides a method for vacuum rotary sealing. Using the described device, the method includes the following steps:

[0024] Connect the moving coil to the rotating component in the vacuum chamber, and connect the static coil to the stationary component in the vacuum chamber;

[0025] Connect a vacuum pump to the exhaust pipe, and use the vacuum pump to evacuate the sealed chamber to remove the gas that enters the sealed chamber through the gap at the joint, thereby preventing external gas from entering the vacuum chamber.

[0026] Further, when evacuating the exhaust pipe and the vacuum chamber, a common vacuum pump is used.

[0027] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0028] 1. The present invention proposes a device and method for vacuum rotary sealing. The core lies in solving problems such as unstable sealing performance and poor adaptability to complex working conditions in traditional technologies through components such as rotary joints, sealed chambers, and exhaust pipes. Through the unique design of the sealed chamber and the dynamic exhaust function of the exhaust pipe, the gas entering the sealed chamber is removed in real time to ensure the stability of the vacuum environment. This design not only overcomes the problem of external gas interference but also significantly improves the reliability of the seal. Compared with traditional solutions, this technology reduces the dependence on high-precision materials and complex processes, demonstrating its technological breakthrough and innovation value.

[0029] 2. The practicality of this technical solution is prominently manifested in its high sealing performance and broad application prospects. The sealed chamber cooperates with the exhaust pipe to effectively prevent gas leakage during rotation and maintain the stability of the vacuum degree, especially suitable for process requirements such as vacuum carbothermal reduction and separation. In addition, the device introduces support balls and a lubrication system to enhance durability and adapt to complex working conditions such as high temperature and high speed. At the same time, its structural design is simple and reasonable, easy to install and maintain, significantly reducing the use and maintenance costs. These characteristics not only improve production efficiency but also provide an economical and practical solution for industrial applications.

[0030] 3. The device adopts a standardized component design, such as moving coils, static coils, etc., which is convenient for production and assembly. This simple and intuitive design reduces the technical threshold and helps to promote its wide application in actual production.

[0031] Other advantages, objectives, and features of the present invention will be described to some extent in the subsequent specification, and to some extent, will be obvious to those skilled in the art based on the study of the following text, or can be taught from the practice of the present invention. The objectives and other advantages of the present invention can be achieved and obtained through the following specification. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be described in detail preferably with reference to the accompanying drawings, where:

[0033] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a device for vacuum rotary sealing in the embodiment;

[0034] Figure 2 It is a planar structural schematic diagram of a device for vacuum rotary sealing in the embodiment;

[0035] Figure 3 It is Figure 2 the sectional views taken along A-A and B-B in

[0036] Figure 4 It is Figure 3 the enlarged view at position I in

[0037] Reference numerals: static ring 1, sealing ring 2, mounting groove 3, oil cup 4, oil passage 5, exhaust pipe 6, sealing cavity 7, support ball 8, support ball mounting hole 9, plug 10, moving ring 11. Specific embodiments

[0038] The following uses specific specific examples to illustrate the implementation manners of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through different specific implementation manners. Various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It should be noted that the drawings provided in the following embodiments only illustrate the basic concept of the present invention in a schematic manner. Without conflict, the following embodiments and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0039] Among them, the drawings are only for illustrative purposes, showing only schematic diagrams rather than physical diagrams, and should not be construed as a limitation to the present invention; in order to better illustrate the embodiments of the present invention, some components in the drawings will be omitted, enlarged or reduced, and do not represent the dimensions of actual products; for those skilled in the art, it is understandable that some well-known structures and their descriptions in the drawings may be omitted.

[0040] In the accompanying drawings of the embodiments of the present invention, the same or similar reference numerals correspond to the same or similar components; in the description of the present invention, it should be understood that if there are terms such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "rear", etc. indicating the orientation or positional relationship, they are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. This is only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the terms describing the positional relationship in the accompanying drawings are only for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0041] Embodiment 1

[0042] This embodiment provides a device for vacuum rotary sealing, which is used for sealing and connecting the rotating component and the stationary component in a vacuum chamber. As Figure 1 shown, the device includes a rotary joint, a sealing chamber 7 and an exhaust pipe 6.

[0043] Rotary joint: It consists of a moving coil 11 and a stationary coil 1. The moving coil 11 is connected to the rotating component (such as a rotary cylinder) in the vacuum chamber by bolts or welding, etc., and the stationary coil 1 is fixed to the stationary component (such as a housing) in the vacuum chamber. One end of the stationary coil 1 is sleeved on the moving coil 11, and the two form a joint part.

[0044] Sealing chamber 7: It is arranged at the joint part of the moving coil 11 and the stationary coil 1. As Figure 3 and Figure 4 shown, the sealing chamber 7 is jointly surrounded by an inverted U-shaped annular groove on the inner wall of the stationary coil 1 and the outer wall surface of the moving coil 11, forming a closed annular space.

[0045] Exhaust pipe 6: One end is connected to the sealing chamber 7, and the other end is connected to an external vacuum pump, which is used to evacuate the sealing chamber 7 to remove the gas that enters the sealing chamber 7 through the gap at the joint part of the moving coil 11 and the stationary coil 1.

[0046] In addition, the device further includes the following components:

[0047] Supporting balls 8: They are arranged on both sides of the sealing chamber 7 along the axis direction of the rotating component, and are used to support the relative rotational movement of the moving coil 11 and the stationary coil 1. As Figure 3 shown, the supporting balls 8 are installed in a ring groove composed of semi-circular ball retaining grooves on the inner wall of the stationary coil 1 and the outer wall of the moving coil 11.

[0048] Lubrication system: An oil passage 5 and an oil cup 4 are provided on the stationary coil 1. The oil passage 5 communicates with the ring groove and the oil cup 4. Lubricating oil (such as machine oil) is filled through the oil cup 4 and the supporting balls 8 are lubricated through the oil passage 5 to reduce friction.

[0049] Installation structure: The stationary ring 1 is provided with a support ball mounting hole 9 and a plug 10. During installation, the support ball 8 is placed into the annular groove through the mounting hole 9, and then the hole opening is sealed with the plug 10.

[0050] Sealing ring 2: It is arranged on both sides of the sealing cavity 7 along the axial direction and is installed in the mounting groove 3 on the inner wall of the stationary ring 1. It is used to seal the gap between the moving ring 11 and the stationary ring 1, playing a role in sealing and reducing the gap at the joint of the moving ring 11 and the stationary ring 1.

[0051] The working principle is as follows:

[0052] When the vacuum cavity operates, the moving ring 11 rotates with the rotating component, the stationary ring 1 remains stationary, and the support ball 8 ensures smooth relative rotation between the two. The inside of the vacuum cavity is maintained at a negative pressure by a process vacuum pump, and outside air may seep in through the gap at the joint. The sealing ring 2 serves as the first barrier to block gas leakage. However, if the sealing ring 2 ages or the pressure difference is too large, a small amount of gas may enter the sealing cavity 7. At this time, the vacuum pump connected to the extraction pipe 6 starts to extract the infiltrated gas to ensure the vacuum degree inside the vacuum cavity.

[0053] This device is applicable to the vacuum carbothermal reduction process in solid waste treatment and is used for the sealing between the rotary drum and the fixed component to ensure the stability of the vacuum environment during the process.

[0054] Embodiment 2

[0055] This embodiment is improved based on Embodiment 1, adding a double seal and optimizing the lubrication design to enhance the sealing performance and durability.

[0056] Double sealing rings: On both sides of the sealing cavity 7 along the axial direction, two sealing rings are respectively arranged and installed in the mounting grooves on the inner wall of the stationary ring 1 to form a double barrier.

[0057] Enhanced lubrication system: The oil passage 5 is improved to a branched structure, with multiple branched channels branching out from the oil cup 4 to evenly deliver lubricating oil to the annular groove where the support ball 8 is located.

[0058] Other structures (such as the moving ring 11, the stationary ring 1, the sealing cavity 7, the extraction pipe 6, the support ball 8, etc.) are the same as those in Embodiment 1.

[0059] The working principle is as follows:

[0060] The moving ring 11 rotates with the rotating component, the stationary ring 1 remains stationary, and the support ball 8 supports the rotational movement. The double sealing rings 2a and 2b enhance the sealing effect of the gap, reducing gas leakage even in high-temperature or high-pressure environments. The branched oil passage 5 provides uniform lubrication, reducing the wear of the balls. The extraction pipe 6 continuously extracts gas through the vacuum pump to discharge the gas infiltrated into the sealing cavity 7 and maintain the vacuum environment.

[0061] This embodiment is applicable to vacuum rotary seals in high-temperature, high-pressure or corrosive environments, such as vacuum evaporators or vacuum dryers in the chemical industry, ensuring the stable operation of the device under harsh conditions.

[0062] In another embodiment, one end of the moving coil 11 can be sleeved on the static coil 1, and the positions of the sealing cavity 7 and the supporting balls 8 can be adjusted adaptively; for example, the sealing cavity 7 is jointly formed by an inverted U-shaped annular groove on the inner wall of the moving coil 11 and the outer wall surface of the static coil 1 to form a closed annular space; the supporting balls 8 are arranged between the inner wall of the moving coil 11 and the outer wall of the static coil 1, and the oil channels 5 and the supporting ball mounting holes 9 are correspondingly arranged on the moving coil 11.

[0063] Embodiment 3

[0064] This embodiment provides a method for vacuum rotary sealing, using the device of Embodiment 1 or Embodiment 2.

[0065] The method steps are as follows:

[0066] Connect the device: Fix the moving coil 11 to the rotating part of the vacuum cavity by bolts, and fix the static coil 1 to the stationary part.

[0067] Prepare for air extraction: Connect the extraction pipe 6 to an external vacuum pump to ensure the pipeline is sealed.

[0068] Start rotation: Start the rotating part, the moving coil 11 rotates with the rotating part, the static coil 1 remains stationary, and the supporting balls 8 support the rotational movement.

[0069] Maintain vacuum: Use the vacuum pump to continuously extract air from the sealing cavity 7 through the extraction pipe 6, remove the gas infiltrating through the gaps at the joint part, and prevent external air from entering the vacuum cavity.

[0070] Furthermore, the extraction pipe 6 and the vacuum extraction system of the vacuum cavity can share a vacuum pump. Through pipeline shunting and valve control, the vacuum extraction of both the sealing cavity 7 and the vacuum cavity can be achieved simultaneously, simplifying the equipment structure and reducing costs.

[0071] This method is applicable to equipment such as vacuum furnaces, vacuum evaporators, and vacuum carbothermal reduction devices, ensuring the stability of the vacuum degree during the process and improving the product quality.

[0072] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit them. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that the technical solutions of the present invention can be modified or equivalently replaced without departing from the purpose and scope of the present technical solution, and they should all be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device for vacuum rotary sealing, characterized in that, For hermetically connecting a rotating component and a stationary component in a vacuum chamber, comprising: A rotary joint, the rotary joint including a moving coil and a stationary coil, the moving coil being connected to the rotating component, and the stationary coil being connected to the stationary component; A sealing chamber, provided at the joint between the moving coil and the stationary coil; An exhaust pipe, connected to the sealing chamber, for evacuating the sealing chamber to remove the gas that enters the sealing chamber through the gap at the joint between the moving coil and the stationary coil.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein One end of the stationary coil is sleeved on the moving coil, and the sealing chamber is jointly formed by an annular groove on the inner wall of the stationary coil and the outer wall surface of the moving coil.

3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that, Further comprising: Supporting balls, provided on both sides of the sealing chamber along the axis of the rotating component, for supporting the relative rotation of the moving coil and the stationary coil about the axis.

4. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that The supporting balls are installed in a ring groove jointly formed by semi-circular ball retaining grooves on the inner wall of the stationary coil and the outer wall of the moving coil.

5. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that An oil passage for lubricating the supporting balls and an oil cup for filling lubricating oil are provided on the stationary coil.

6. The device according to claim 2, wherein Supporting ball mounting holes for mounting the supporting balls and matching plugs are provided on the stationary coil.

7. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that, Further comprising: Sealing rings, provided on both sides of the sealing chamber along the axis of the rotating component, for sealing the gap at the joint between the moving coil and the stationary coil.

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that, The sealing rings are installed in mounting grooves on the inner wall of the stationary coil.

9. A method for vacuum rotary sealing, characterized in that, Using the device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the method comprising the following steps: Connect the moving coil to the rotating component in the vacuum chamber, and connect the stationary coil to the stationary component in the vacuum chamber; Connect a vacuum pump to the exhaust pipe, and use the vacuum pump to evacuate the sealing chamber to remove the gas that enters the sealing chamber through the joint gap, thereby preventing external gas from entering the vacuum chamber.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein When evacuating the exhaust pipe and the vacuum chamber, a common vacuum pump is used.

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