Composite Pressure Breaker Rings for High-Pressure Compressor Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
High differential pressures in high-pressure gas processing equipment, such as reciprocating compressors, lead to increased wear on seals, reduced reliability, and undesired gas emissions, making it difficult to maintain effective sealing and increase system speed.
Innovation Solution
A packing case with two or more progressive seals and a pressure breaker featuring composite rings, where at least one seal ring includes a polymeric material and a metal outer region, and a non-metallic coating on the ring surfaces, to enhance sealing efficiency and reduce wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high differential pressure is increased to meet customer specifications, then system performance and productivity are improved, but seal wear increases and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining a polymeric material (such as PTFE or other low-friction polymers) with a metal substrate to create a composite ring. The polymeric layer provides low friction and wear properties that reduce seal wear under high differential pressure, while the metal substrate provides structural strength. This composite structure enables the system to operate at higher speeds and pressures while maintaining seal reliability and reducing wear.
2Productivity
If high differential pressure is increased to meet customer specifications, then system performance is improved, but gas emissions to atmosphere increase
Solution Approach 1:
The composite ring with its low-friction polymeric surface reduces gas leakage through the sealing system by minimizing wear gaps and maintaining tighter seals under high differential pressure conditions, thereby reducing harmful gas emissions while preserving system performance.
3Productivity
If high differential pressure is increased to meet customer specifications, then system performance is improved, but pressure pulsation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The composite ring's low-friction surface reduces pressure pulsation by minimizing intermittent contact and vibration between sealing surfaces during operation, thereby stabilizing pressure conditions while maintaining high system performance.
4Productivity
If high differential pressure is increased to meet customer specifications, then system performance is improved, but lubrication oil consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The polymeric layer of the composite ring provides inherent low-friction properties that reduce dependence on lubrication oil, thereby decreasing lubrication oil consumption while maintaining system performance under high differential pressure.
5Ease of manufacture
If traditional seal materials are used under high differential pressure, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but wear on seals increases
Solution Approach 1:
The composite ring combines a polymeric low-wear layer with a metal substrate, providing enhanced wear resistance and extended seal life under high differential pressure while maintaining reasonable manufacturing simplicity through established composite fabrication processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution promotes longer run life of compressor systems, reduces lubrication needs, minimizes seal ring wear, and improves rigidity, while enhancing heat transfer and reducing scoring on piston rods.
Implementation Method 1
an inner region including a polymeric material and configured to contact a surface of a piston rod
Implementation Method 2
a non-metallic coating on the ring surfaces, to enhance sealing efficiency and reduce wear
Implementation Method 3
enhancing heat transfer
Data Source
AI summary
A packing case for a gas compressor includes two or more progressive seals and a pressure breaker. At least one of the two or more progressive seals includes one or more seal rings at least partially disposed in the packing cup, and one or backup rings at least partially disposed in the packing cup on the driver-side of the one or more seal rings and configured to inhibit extrusion of at least one of the seal rings. The pressure breaker includes one or more composite rings. At least one of the composite rings includes an inner region including a polymeric material and configured to contact a surface of a piston rod of the gas compressor, and an outer region around the inner region and including a metal.