Sealing arrangement for a drive shaft of a mass dissolution system and mass dissolution system

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a sealing arrangement (100) for a drive shaft (14) of a system (10) for dissolving substances, comprising a housing (110); a receiving space within the housing (110), wherein the receiving space is provided for receiving a drive shaft (14); a plurality of sealing packings (120a, 120b, 120c) between an inner wall (116) of the housing (110) and the receiving space, wherein the plurality of sealing packings (120a, 120b, 120c) are annular and surround the receiving space, wherein the plurality of sealing packings (120a, 120b, 120c) comprise a first sealing packing (120a) and a second sealing packing (120b), and wherein outermost circumferential sections (122a, 122b) of the first sealing packing (120a) and the second sealing packing (120b) are spaced apart from the inner wall (116) of the housing (110);and a sealing ring (130) which is arranged at least partially between the first sealing pack (120a) and the second sealing pack (120b) to provide a distance (d1) between the first sealing pack (120a) and the second sealing pack (120b), wherein an outermost circumferential section (134a, 134b) of the sealing ring (130) is spaced from the inner wall (116) of the housing (110) to allow a radial movement (RB) of the first sealing pack (120a), the second sealing pack (120b) and the sealing ring (130) towards the inner wall (116) of the housing (110) caused by the drive shaft (14).

Description

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a seal assembly for a drive shaft of a pulping system and to a pulping system having such a seal assembly. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a shaft seal with a floating water ring for providing clearance for radial movement of a drive shaft. State of the art

[0002] In waste paper processing, so-called pulpers are often used to break down waste paper or pulp and convert it into a pumpable suspension suitable for paper production. The pulper consists of a large container into which water and waste paper are fed. A rotating rotor, such as a vane rotor, is located within the container to shred the waste paper. Once the desired pulp consistency is reached, the container can be emptied and its contents fed into further process steps for paper production.

[0003] Typical rotor blade shapes include backward-curved blades to achieve a pumping action in the bin without requiring excessive amounts of energy. However, the waste paper fed into the bin is often in the form of bales or other initially solid packages, so that strong forces perpendicular to a rotational axis can arise when the rotor rotates. This leads to a temporary radial deflection of a drive shaft connected to the rotor. Such radial misalignment creates mechanical stress and leads to faster wear of components, particularly a sealing arrangement in which the drive shaft is mounted.

[0004] US Pat. No. 1,085,196, CH430355 A discloses a shaft seal whose essential feature is that the seal is divided into a radial and an axial seal. A U-shaped ring housing accommodates the sealing components. Two sealing rings are arranged in the ring housing, acting radially in the same direction and axially in opposite directions away from each other. A common spring is provided for pressing both sealing rings against their axial sealing points.

[0005] From DE 1 241 726 a shaft seal for use on ships is known, in which a conductive connection to the ship's hull is provided in order to prevent components of the seal from dissolving due to salt water.

[0006] US Patent No. 1,052,735 discloses a shaft seal with a lip seal. The angled lip seal is made of a flexible material such as glass-filled Teflon. A spring element presses the sealing lip radially inward onto the shaft.

[0007] DE 199 04 761 discloses a shaft seal for sealing against paper pulp suspension. In this shaft seal, a sealing water flow is replaced by a sealant and lubricant, which is continuously replenished. A sealing ring is provided axially followed by lip seals. Between these, annular volumes are formed. These annular volumes are filled with the aforementioned sealant. Disclosure of the invention

[0008] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a sealing arrangement for a drive shaft, in particular for a substance dissolving system, and a substance dissolving system with such a sealing arrangement, which can compensate for a radial movement of a drive shaft.

[0009] In particular, it is an object of the present disclosure to minimize wear of the sealing arrangement due to radial movements of the drive shaft and thus to increase a service life of the sealing arrangement.

[0010] This object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are specified in the subclaims.

[0011] According to an independent aspect of the present disclosure, a sealing arrangement for a drive shaft is provided, in particular for a pulping system, in particular a pulper. The sealing arrangement may also be referred to as a "shaft seal."

[0012] The sealing arrangement comprises a housing; a receiving space within the housing, the receiving space being adapted to receive a drive shaft; a plurality of seal packings between an inner wall of the housing and the receiving space; and a sealing ring.

[0013] The plurality of sealing packs are annular and surround the receiving space. The plurality of sealing packs comprise a first sealing pack and a second sealing pack, wherein outermost peripheral portions of the first sealing pack and the second sealing pack are spaced from the inner wall of the housing.

[0014] The seal ring is at least partially disposed between the first seal packing and the second seal packing to provide or maintain a spacing between the first seal packing and the second seal packing. An outermost circumferential portion of the seal ring is spaced from the inner wall of the housing to allow radial movement of the first seal packing, the second seal packing, and the seal ring toward the inner wall of the housing caused by the drive shaft.

[0015] The sealing ring can also be called a “water ring”.

[0016] According to the invention, both the seal packings and the sealing ring are spaced from the inner wall of the housing, creating clearance for temporary radial movement of the drive shaft. As a result, fewer forces act on the seal assembly, reducing wear on the seal assembly due to radial movement of the drive shaft, which in turn increases the service life of the seal assembly.

[0017] The term "packing," as used in this disclosure, generally refers to braided and / or woven materials that are arranged or wrapped, for example, around a driven shaft to minimize fluid loss. A lubricating fluid may also be provided to minimize friction between the packing and the shaft. In some embodiments, the packing may be at least partially impregnated with the lubricating fluid.

[0018] According to some embodiments, the sealing packings comprise fibers as a braided material. The braided material, in particular, determines a surface structure of the sealing packings.

[0019] According to some embodiments, which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the material of the sealing packings may be selected from the group comprising or consisting of Teflon (PTFE), graphite, Kevlar, and combinations thereof.

[0020] According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described here, the housing is at least partially cylindrical. In particular, the inner wall can have a cylindrical shape.

[0021] According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the receiving space has a longitudinal axis that is substantially perpendicular to the radial movement of the drive shaft. In some embodiments, the longitudinal axis of the receiving space may be substantially parallel to a rotational axis of the drive shaft.

[0022] According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described here, the receiving space is cylindrical. The longitudinal axis of the receiving space can correspond to a cylinder axis or be the cylinder axis.

[0023] According to some embodiments, which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the plurality of seal packings surround the receiving space in a circumferential direction. For example, each annular seal packing has a longitudinal axis that is substantially perpendicular to the radial movement of the drive shaft and / or substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the receiving space and / or substantially parallel to the rotational axis of the drive shaft.

[0024] According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the plurality of sealing packs are arranged one after the other along the longitudinal axis of the receiving space. In other words, the sealing packs can be stacked one on top of the other along the longitudinal axis of the receiving space.

[0025] According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the sealing arrangement further comprises a fluid space between the inner wall of the housing and the receiving space.

[0026] In some embodiments, the fluid chamber can be at least partially filled with a cooling and / or cleaning fluid via an inlet. The cooling and / or cleaning fluid can be introduced into the fluid chamber to dissipate frictional heat and / or foreign material. The frictional heat can arise from the rotation of the drive shaft relative to the static sealing arrangement. The foreign material can also arise due to the rotation of the drive shaft relative to the static sealing arrangement, for example in the form of abrasion. The foreign material can be, for example, paper fiber, fillers, and abrasive components from the waste paper (sand, glass, etc.). These are flushed to the left, i.e., back into the process. Only sealing water exits to the right. The fluid mainly takes the path via opening 136 to the sealing gap between 120 and 14.

[0027] In some embodiments, the first sealing packing, the second sealing packing, and the sealing ring are arranged in the fluid chamber. The first sealing packing, the second sealing packing, and the sealing ring occupy only a portion of the volume of the fluid chamber, so that the free portion of the volume of the fluid chamber can be filled with the cooling and / or cleaning fluid.

[0028] According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the sealing ring comprises a first section, a second section, and a middle section between the first section and the second section. The middle section can connect the first section and the second section to each other.

[0029] In some embodiments, the central portion is arranged between the first sealing packing and the second sealing packing to provide or maintain the spacing between the first sealing packing and the second sealing packing. In particular, the central portion can be arranged between the first sealing packing and the second sealing packing in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the receiving space and / or the longitudinal axis of the sealing ring in order to provide or maintain the spacing between the first sealing packing and the second sealing packing in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the receiving space and / or the longitudinal axis of the sealing ring. Thus, the central portion can serve as a longitudinal spacer and / or as a sealing fluid distributor.

[0030] In some embodiments, the first portion extends at least partially over the outermost peripheral portion of the first sealing packing, and the second portion extends at least partially over the outermost peripheral portion of the second sealing packing. This allows the first sealing packing and the second sealing packing to be secured together.

[0031] According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described here, a distance in the radial direction between the outermost circumferential portion of the sealing ring and the inner wall of the housing is in the range between 0.5 mm and 5 mm or in the range between 0.5 mm and 2 mm in order to enable the radial movement of the first sealing pack, the second sealing pack and the sealing ring towards the inner wall of the housing in this range.

[0032] In some embodiments, the outermost circumferential portion of the sealing ring may correspond to an outermost circumferential portion (e.g., an outer circumferential surface) of the first portion and / or an outermost circumferential portion (e.g., an outer circumferential surface) of the second portion of the sealing ring.

[0033] In particular, a distance in the radial direction between the outermost circumferential section (e.g. the outer circumferential surface) of the first section and the inner wall of the housing can be in the range between 0.5 mm and 5 mm or in the range between 0.5 mm and 2 mm in order to enable the radial movement of the first sealing packing, the second sealing packing and the sealing ring towards the inner wall of the housing in this area. Additionally or alternatively, a distance in the radial direction between the outermost circumferential section (e.g. the outer circumferential surface) of the second section and the inner wall of the housing can be in the range between 0.5 mm and 5 mm or in the range between 0.5 mm and 2 mm in order to enable the radial movement of the first sealing packing, the second sealing packing and the sealing ring towards the inner wall of the housing in this area.

[0034] In some embodiments, a radial distance between an outer peripheral surface of the central portion and the inner wall of the housing may be greater than the radial distance between the outermost peripheral portion (e.g., the outer peripheral surface) of the first portion and the inner wall of the housing. Additionally or alternatively, the radial distance between the outermost peripheral surface of the central portion and the inner wall of the housing may be greater than the radial distance between the outermost peripheral portion (e.g., the outer peripheral surface) of the second portion and the inner wall of the housing.

[0035] In some embodiments, a distance in the radial direction between an outer peripheral surface of the central portion and the inner wall of the housing may be in the range between 0.5 mm and 5 mm or in the range between 0.5 mm and 2 mm.

[0036] According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described here, the sealing ring is formed in one piece. In particular, the first section, the second section, and the middle section can be formed in one piece.

[0037] According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described here, the sealing ring comprises at least one opening, wherein holding means can be inserted into the at least one opening in order to prevent a rotational movement of the sealing ring, for example about its longitudinal axis and / or the longitudinal axis of the receiving space and / or the rotational axis of the drive shaft.

[0038] In some embodiments, the at least one opening comprises or is a hole or bore, in particular a through-hole or through-bore.

[0039] In some embodiments, the retaining means comprise or are at least one retaining bolt that can be inserted into the at least one opening. When the at least one retaining bolt is inserted into the at least one opening, a longitudinal axis of the at least one retaining bolt can be oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the receiving space and / or to the longitudinal axis of the sealing ring and / or to the rotational axis of the drive shaft. In other words, the longitudinal axis of the at least one retaining bolt can extend in the radial direction.

[0040] In some embodiments, the central portion of the sealing ring includes the at least one opening. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the first portion and / or the second portion and / or the central portion may be provided with one or more openings for the retaining means.

[0041] In some embodiments, the retaining means are connectable to the housing. For example, the housing can comprise at least one recess or at least one through-hole (or at least one through-bore) corresponding to the at least one opening in the sealing ring and into which the retaining means can be inserted. This allows the sealing ring to be fixed relative to the housing and prevents rotational movement due to rotation of the drive shaft.

[0042] According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described here, the sealing ring comprises a plastic or is made of the plastic. It is also possible to form the sealing ring from metal and plastic.

[0043] In some embodiments, the plastic of the sealing ring may comprise or consist of Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE) or polyoxymethylene (POM).

[0044] According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the sealing arrangement further comprises a spacer ring arranged adjacent to the first sealing pack or second sealing pack between the inner wall of the housing and the receiving space.

[0045] In some embodiments, the spacer ring may be axially movable.

[0046] In some embodiments, the spacer ring may comprise or be made of a metallic material. The metallic material may be, for example, aluminum or stainless steel.

[0047] According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the plurality of sealing packs comprise at least one further sealing pack arranged adjacent to the first sealing pack and / or second sealing pack between the inner wall of the housing and the receiving space.

[0048] In some embodiments, the at least one further sealing pack may contact the inner wall of the housing to prevent fluid from leaking between the sealing pack and the inner wall of the housing.

[0049] In some embodiments, the spacer ring may be arranged between the at least one further sealing pack and the first sealing pack or the second sealing pack.

[0050] According to some embodiments, which may be combined with other embodiments described herein, the plurality of seal packs are configured for contact with the drive shaft. Optionally, another annular sealing element or sealing material, such as an O-ring, may also be disposed between the spacer ring 140 and the housing 114.

[0051] According to some embodiments, which can be combined with other embodiments described herein, the sealing arrangement further comprises tensioning means arranged adjacent to the plurality of sealing packs and configured to exert a force on the plurality of sealing packs substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the plurality of sealing packs and / or to the longitudinal axis of the receiving space and / or to the longitudinal axis of the sealing ring and / or to the rotational axis of the drive shaft.

[0052] In some embodiments, the clamping means may comprise a contact element and at least one elastic element connected to the contact element. The contact element may contact a (last or outermost) sealing packing of the plurality of sealing packings and exert the force on this sealing packing. This compresses the plurality of sealing packings, thereby stabilizing the plurality of sealing packings.

[0053] In some embodiments, the contact element is ring-shaped.

[0054] In some embodiments, the contact element is designed as a so-called “gland follower” or as a stuffing box gland.

[0055] In some embodiments, the at least one elastic element comprises or is a spring.

[0056] According to a further independent aspect of the present disclosure, a system for dissolving a substance is provided. The system comprises a container configured to receive a substance to be dissolved; a drive shaft; a rotor attached to one end of the drive shaft, the rotor configured to comminute the substance; and a sealing arrangement according to the embodiments described herein, the drive shaft being rotatably mounted in the sealing arrangement.

[0057] Preferably, the system is set up for waste paper processing, paper-containing virgin material and paper-containing production waste.

[0058] Preferably, the system is a pulper, i.e. a large agitated vat used in the paper, board or cardboard industry to dissolve waste paper, production rejects or pulp and convert them into a pumpable suspension suitable for paper production. Short description of the drawings

[0059] Embodiments of the disclosure are illustrated in the figures and are described in more detail below. They show: Fig. 1 schematically shows a system for dissolving substances according to embodiments of the present disclosure, Fig. 2 schematically shows a sectional view of a sealing arrangement for a drive shaft of a system for dissolving substances according to embodiments of the present disclosure, and Fig. 3 schematically illustrates a perspective view of a seal assembly for a drive shaft of a substance dissolving system according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Embodiments of the disclosure

[0060] In the following, unless otherwise stated, the same reference symbols are used for identical and equivalent elements.

[0061] Fig. 1 schematically shows a system 10 for substance dissolution according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0062] Preferably, the system 10 is a pulper configured to dissolve waste paper, production rejects or pulp and convert them into a pumpable suspension suitable for paper production.

[0063] The system 10 comprises a container 12 into which a material S to be disintegrated, such as waste paper, and water W are supplied. The system 10 further comprises a rotatable drive shaft 14 driven by a drive 18, such as an electric motor, and a rotor 16 attached to one end of the drive shaft 14, wherein the rotor 16 is configured to shred or disintegrate the material S. The drive shaft 14 is rotatably mounted in a sealing arrangement 100.

[0064] The waste paper fed into the container 12 is often in the form of bales or other initially solid packages, so that when the rotor 16 rotates, strong forces perpendicular to a rotational axis DA can arise. This leads to a temporary radial deflection of the drive shaft 14 connected to the rotor 16. Such a radial offset generates mechanical stress and leads to faster wear of components, in particular the sealing arrangement 100 in which the drive shaft 14 is mounted. The radial deflection of the drive shaft 14 can cause fluid to penetrate the sealing arrangement 100 and accelerate wear.

[0065] The embodiments of the present disclosure enable such wear of the seal assembly 100 due to the temporary radial deflection of the drive shaft 14 connected to the rotor 16 to be reduced.

[0066] Fig. 2 schematically shows a sectional view of a seal assembly 100 for a drive shaft 14 of a substance dissolving system according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 3 schematically shows a perspective view of the sealing arrangement 100.

[0067] In principle, a sealing arrangement 100 according to the invention can be used for any drive shaft 14. However, the sealing arrangement 100 is described below by way of example for a drive shaft 14 for a pulping system, ie, for a drive shaft of a pulper used in paper production or waste paper processing.

[0068] The sealing arrangement 100 comprises a housing 110 and a receiving space within the housing 110. The receiving space is configured to accommodate a drive shaft 14. At least two sealing packings 120a, 120b, 120c are arranged between an inner wall 116 of the housing 110 and the receiving space. The sealing arrangement 100 further comprises a sealing ring 130.

[0069] The at least two or more packing gaskets 120a, 120b, 120c are annular and surround the receiving space. In particular, the plurality of packing gaskets 120a, 120b, 120c contact the drive shaft 14. The plurality of packing gaskets 120a, 120b, 120c can be braided, rope-like, or woven structures that fit tightly around or on the drive shaft 14 to minimize fluid loss. Furthermore, a lubricating fluid can be provided to minimize friction between the plurality of packing gaskets 120a, 120b, 120c and the drive shaft 14 and to minimize backwashing of contaminants into the process.

[0070] The plurality of seal packs 120a, 120b, 120c comprise a first seal pack 120a and a second seal pack 120b, wherein outermost peripheral portions 122a, 122b of the first seal pack 120a and the second seal pack 120b are spaced from the inner wall 116 of the housing 110. That is, a distance exists between the inner wall 116 of the housing 110 and the two seal packs 122a, 122b.

[0071] The sealing ring 130 is at least partially disposed or inserted between the first sealing packing 120a and the second sealing packing 120b to provide or maintain a distance d1 between the first sealing packing 120a and the second sealing packing 120b.

[0072] An outermost circumferential portion 134a, 134b of the sealing ring 130 is spaced from the inner wall 116 of the housing 110 by a distance d2 (e.g., in the range between 0.5mm and 5mm or in the range between 0.5mm and 2mm) to allow radial movement RB of the first seal packing 120a, the second seal packing 120b, and the sealing ring 130 toward the inner wall 116 of the housing 110, caused by the drive shaft 14.

[0073] The receiving space has a longitudinal axis LA1 that runs substantially perpendicular to the radial movement RB of the drive shaft 14. In some embodiments, the longitudinal axis LA1 of the receiving space can run substantially parallel to a rotational axis DA of the drive shaft 14. The receiving space can be cylindrical and correspond to a shape of the drive shaft 14.

[0074] The plurality of seal packings 120a, 120b, 120c surround the drive shaft 14 in a circumferential direction of the drive shaft 14 within the receiving space. For example, each annular seal packing 120a, 120b, 120c has a longitudinal axis LA2 that is substantially perpendicular to the radial movement RB of the drive shaft 14 and / or substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis LA1 of the receiving space and / or substantially parallel to the rotational axis DA of the drive shaft 14.

[0075] The plurality of sealing packs 120a, 120b, 120c are arranged one after the other in the direction of the longitudinal axis LA1 of the receiving space. In other words, the sealing packs 120a, 120b, 120c can be stacked along the longitudinal axis LA1 of the receiving space.

[0076] The sealing arrangement 100 can further comprise a fluid chamber FR between the inner wall 116 of the housing 110 and the receiving chamber. The fluid chamber FR can be at least partially filled with a cooling and / or cleaning fluid via an inlet. The cooling and / or cleaning fluid can be introduced into the fluid chamber FR to dissipate frictional heat and / or foreign material. The frictional heat can arise from the rotation of the drive shaft 14 relative to the static sealing arrangement 100. The foreign material can also arise due to the rotation of the drive shaft 14 relative to the static sealing arrangement 110, for example in the form of abrasion.

[0077] In some embodiments, the first sealing packing 120a, the second sealing packing 120b, and the sealing ring 130 are arranged in the fluid chamber FR. The first sealing packing 120a, the second sealing packing 120b, and the sealing ring 130 occupy only a portion of the volume of the fluid chamber FR, so that the free portion of the volume of the fluid chamber FR can be filled with the cooling and / or cleaning fluid. In the example of Fig. 2, the fluid space FR is formed between the inner wall 116 of the housing 110 and an upper side of the sealing ring 130 and between an underside of the sealing ring 130 and the receiving space or the drive shaft 14.

[0078] The sealing ring 130 may comprise or be made of a plastic. In some embodiments, the plastic of the sealing ring 130 may comprise or be Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE).

[0079] The sealing ring 130 includes a first portion 132a, a second portion 132b, and a middle portion 132c between the first portion 132a and the second portion 132b. The middle portion 132c may interconnect the first portion 132a and the second portion 132b.

[0080] The first section 132a, the second section 132b and the middle section 132c may be formed integrally or in one piece.

[0081] The central portion 132c is arranged between the first sealing packing 120a and the second sealing packing 120b to provide or maintain the distance d1 between the first sealing packing 120a and the second sealing packing 120b. In particular, the central portion 132c can be arranged between the first sealing packing 120a and the second sealing packing 120b in the direction of the longitudinal axis LA1 of the receiving space and / or the longitudinal axis LA3 of the sealing ring 130 to provide or maintain the distance d1 between the first sealing packing 120a and the second sealing packing 120b in the direction of the longitudinal axis LA1 of the receiving space and / or the longitudinal axis LA3 of the sealing ring. Thus, the central portion 132c can serve as a spacer in the longitudinal direction.

[0082] The first portion 132a extends at least partially over the outermost peripheral portion 122a of the first sealing packing 120a, and the second portion 132b extends at least partially over the outermost peripheral portion 122b of the second sealing packing 120b. Thus, the first sealing packing 120a and the second sealing packing 120b can be fixed in the longitudinal direction.

[0083] A distance (e.g., distance d2) in the radial direction between the outermost circumferential portion 134a of the first portion 132a and the inner wall 116 of the housing 110 can be in the range between 0.5 mm and 5 mm or in the range between 0.5 mm and 2 mm. Furthermore, a distance (e.g., distance d2) in the radial direction between the outermost circumferential portion 134b of the second portion 132b and the inner wall 116 of the housing 110 can be in the range between 0.5 mm and 5 mm or in the range between 0.5 mm and 2 mm. Thus, the radial movement RB of the first seal packing 120a, the second seal packing 120b, and the sealing ring 130 toward the inner wall 116 of the housing 110 can be enabled in this range.

[0084] In some embodiments, a distance d3 in the radial direction between an outer peripheral surface 134c of the central portion 132c and the inner wall 116 of the housing 110 may be greater than the distance (e.g., the distance d2) in the radial direction between the outermost peripheral portion 134a of the first portion 132a and the inner wall 116 of the housing 110. Furthermore, the distance d3 in the radial direction between the outermost peripheral surface 134c of the central portion 132c and the inner wall 116 of the housing 110 may be greater than the distance (e.g., the distance d2) in the radial direction between the outermost peripheral portion 134b of the second portion 132b and the inner wall 116 of the housing 110.

[0085] The sealing ring 130 may further comprise at least one opening 136, for example in the central section 132c, wherein holding means HM can be inserted into the at least one opening 136 in order to prevent a rotational movement of the sealing ring 130, for example about its longitudinal axis LA3 and / or the longitudinal axis of the receiving space LA1 and / or the rotational axis DA of the drive shaft 14.

[0086] The holding means HM can comprise at least one holding bolt that can be inserted into the at least one opening 136. When the at least one holding bolt HM is inserted into the at least one opening 136, a longitudinal axis of the at least one holding bolt can be oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis LA1 of the receiving space and / or to the longitudinal axis LA3 of the sealing ring 130 and / or to the rotational axis DA of the drive shaft 14. In other words, the longitudinal axis of the at least one holding bolt can extend in the radial direction.

[0087] The retaining means HM can be connected to the housing 110. For example, the housing 110 can comprise at least one recess or at least one through-hole 118, e.g., in the inner wall 116, which corresponds to the at least one opening 136 in the sealing ring 130 and into which the retaining means HM can be inserted. This allows the sealing ring 130 to be fixed relative to the housing 110, and prevents rotational movement due to the rotation of the drive shaft 14.

[0088] The sealing assembly 100 may further include a spacer ring 140 disposed adjacent to the second seal packing 120b (or adjacent to the first seal packing 120a; not shown) between the inner wall 116 of the housing 110 and the receiving space. In some embodiments, the spacer ring 140 may be axially / radially movable or have play. The spacer ring 140 may comprise or be made of a metallic material, such as aluminum or stainless steel.

[0089] At least one further sealing packing 120c may be provided, which is arranged adjacent to the first sealing packing 120a and / or second sealing packing 120b between the inner wall 116 of the housing 110 and the receiving space. In some embodiments, the spacer ring 140 may be arranged between the at least one further sealing packing 120c and the second sealing packing 120b. The at least one further sealing packing 120c may contact the inner wall 116 of the housing 110.

[0090] The sealing arrangement 100 may further comprise tensioning means 150 arranged adjacent to the plurality of sealing packs 120a, 120b, 120c and configured to exert a force F on the plurality of sealing packs 120a, 120b, 120c substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis LA2 of the plurality of sealing packs 120a, 120b, 120c and / or to the longitudinal axis of the receiving space LA1 and / or to the longitudinal axis of the sealing ring LA3 and / or to the rotational axis DA of the drive shaft 14.

[0091] In some embodiments, the clamping means 150 may comprise, for example, an annular contact element 152 and at least one elastic element 154 connected to the contact element 152. The at least one elastic element 154 may comprise a spring or be a spring. The contact element 152 may contact a (last or outermost) sealing pack of the plurality of sealing packs 120a, 120b, 120c and exert the force F on this sealing pack. The plurality of sealing packs 120a, 120b, 120c are thus pressed, whereby a stabilization of the plurality of sealing packs 120a, 120b, 120c can be achieved.

[0092] According to the invention, both the seal packings and the sealing ring are spaced from the inner wall of the housing, creating clearance for temporary radial movement of the drive shaft. As a result, fewer forces act on the seal assembly, reducing wear on the seal assembly due to radial movement of the drive shaft, which in turn increases the service life of the seal assembly.

[0093] Although the invention has been illustrated and explained in detail by means of preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples, and other variations may be derived therefrom by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. It is therefore clear that a multitude of possible variations exist. It is also clear that the embodiments mentioned by way of example are truly only examples and should not be construed as limiting the scope, possible applications, or configuration of the invention in any way.Rather, the preceding description and the description of the figures enable the person skilled in the art to implement the exemplary embodiments in concrete terms, whereby the person skilled in the art, with knowledge of the disclosed inventive concept, can make various changes, for example with regard to the function or the arrangement of individual elements mentioned in an exemplary embodiment, without departing from the scope of protection defined by the claims and their legal equivalents, such as further explanations in the description. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] US 1,085,196

[0004] CH 430355 A

[0004] DE 1 241 726

[0005] US 1,052,735

[0006] DE 199 04 761

[0007]

Claims

[1] Sealing arrangement (100) for a drive shaft (14) of a system (10) for dissolving substances, comprising: a housing (110); a receiving space within the housing (110), the receiving space being adapted to receive a drive shaft (14); a plurality of sealing packs (120a, 120b, 120c) between an inner wall (116) of the housing (110) and the receiving space, wherein the plurality of sealing packs (120a, 120b, 120c) are formed annularly with braided and / or woven material and surround the receiving space, wherein the plurality of sealing packs (120a, 120b, 120c) comprise a first sealing pack (120a) and a second sealing pack (120b), and wherein outermost peripheral portions (122a, 122b) of the first sealing pack (120a) and the second sealing pack (120b) are spaced from the inner wall (116) of the housing (110); and a sealing ring (130) arranged at least partially between the first sealing packing (120a) and the second sealing packing (120b) to provide a distance (d1) between the first sealing packing (120a) and the second sealing packing (120b), wherein an outermost circumferential portion (134a, 134b) of the sealing ring (130) is spaced from the inner wall (116) of the housing (110) to allow radial movement (RB) of the first sealing packing (120a), the second sealing packing (120b) and the sealing ring (130) toward the inner wall (116) of the housing (110) caused by the drive shaft (14). [2] Sealing assembly (100) according to claim 1, wherein braided material of the sealing packs (120a, 120b; 120c) comprises fibers. [3] Sealing arrangement (100) according to claim 1, further comprising a fluid space (FR) between the inner wall (116) of the housing (110) and the receiving space, wherein the first sealing packing (120a), the second sealing packing (120b) and the sealing ring (130) are arranged in the fluid space (FR), and wherein the fluid space (FR) can be filled at least partially with a cooling and / or cleaning fluid via an inlet. [4] Sealing arrangement (100) according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the sealing ring (130) comprises a first portion (132a), a second portion (132b) and a middle portion (132c) between the first portion (132a) and the second portion (132b), wherein the middle portion (132c) is arranged between the first sealing packing (120a) and the second sealing packing (120b) to provide the distance (d1) between the first sealing packing (120a) and the second sealing packing (120b), wherein the first portion (132a) extends at least partially over the outermost peripheral portion (122a) of the first sealing packing (120a), and wherein the second portion (132b) extends at least partially over the outermost peripheral portion (122b) of the second sealing packing (120b). [5] Sealing arrangement (100) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a distance between the outermost circumferential portion (134a, 134b) of the sealing ring (130) and the inner wall (116) of the housing (110) is in the range between 0.5 mm and 2 mm in order to enable the radial movement (RB) of the first sealing packing (120a), the second sealing packing (120b) and the sealing ring (130) towards the inner wall (116) of the housing (110) in this range. [6] Sealing arrangement (100) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the sealing ring (130) comprises at least one opening (136), wherein holding means (HM) can be inserted into the at least one opening (136) in order to prevent a rotational movement of the sealing ring (130), in particular wherein the holding means (HM) can be connected to the housing (110). [7] Sealing arrangement (100) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the sealing ring (130) comprises a plastic or consists of plastic, in particular wherein the plastic is Teflon and / or POM and / or the sealing ring (130) consists of a combination of plastic and metal. [8] Sealing arrangement (100) according to one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a spacer ring (140) arranged adjacent to the first sealing packing (120a) or second sealing packing (120b) between the inner wall (116) of the housing (110) and the receiving space. [9] Sealing arrangement (100) according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: the plurality of sealing packs (120a, 120b, 120c) comprise at least one further sealing pack (120c) arranged adjacent to the first sealing pack (120a) and / or second sealing pack (120b) between the inner wall (116) of the housing (110) and the receiving space; and / or the plurality of sealing packings (120a, 120b, 120c) are arranged for contact with the drive shaft (14). [10] Sealing arrangement (100) according to one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising tensioning means (150) arranged adjacent to the plurality of sealing packs (120a, 120b, 120c) and arranged to exert a force (F) on the plurality of sealing packs (120a, 120b, 120c) substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the plurality of sealing packs (120a, 120b, 120c). [11] System (10) for dissolving substances, comprising: a container (12) adapted to receive a substance material (S) to be dissolved; a drive shaft (14); a rotor (16) attached to one end of the drive shaft (14), the rotor (16) being adapted to shred the material (S); and a sealing arrangement (100) according to one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the drive shaft (14) is rotatably mounted in the sealing arrangement (100).

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