Cryogenic Seal Stack Assembly for High-Pressure Pump Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seal stack assemblies fail to effectively maintain a seal under extreme operating conditions, such as those encountered in cryogenic applications involving liquid hydrogen, due to the inability to withstand extreme pressures and temperatures.
Innovation Solution
An annular seal stack assembly comprising a first seal, second seal, spacer, and plurality of third seals, each with specific configurations and materials, designed to provide a continuous annular seal between a housing and a shaft, capable of withstanding cryogenic temperatures and elevated pressures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional seal stack assemblies are used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but they fail to maintain effective sealing under extreme pressures and cryogenic temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The seal stack assembly is divided into multiple discrete seal elements (first seal, second seal, third seal, fourth seal) arranged in series along the shaft. Each seal operates independently to provide sealing at different locations, allowing the system to maintain sealing effectiveness under extreme conditions while keeping individual seal components simple and manufacturable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs seals made from composite or specially formulated materials that can withstand both extreme pressures and cryogenic temperatures. The seals are designed with material compositions that maintain their elastic and sealing properties across the full operating range from liquid hydrogen temperatures to high pressure conditions, resolving the contradiction between reliability and manufacturing complexity.
2Reliability
If seals are designed to withstand extreme pressures and temperatures, then sealing reliability improves, but the seal materials and structure become more complex and difficult to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than creating a single complex seal capable of withstanding all extreme conditions, the invention segments the sealing function into multiple simpler seals arranged in a stack. Each seal can be manufactured using standard processes with materials optimized for specific portions of the operating range, while the collective assembly handles the full extreme pressure and temperature conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal design incorporates materials and structures that change their physical parameters (such as elasticity, hardness, and thermal conductivity) in response to temperature and pressure changes. This allows the seals to maintain effective sealing across extreme conditions without requiring complex active control systems, simplifying manufacturing while ensuring reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods include providing an annular seal stack for an assembly. The seal stack assembly includes, at least one second annular seal, a spacer disposed axially adjacent to the at least one second annular seal, and a third annular seal disposed axially adjacent to the spacer. The seal stack assembly is disposed between a probe and a housing of the assembly and configured to provide an annular seal between the probe and the housing during operation of the assembly at cryogenic temperatures, during exposure of at least a portion of the seal stack assembly to cryogenic temperatures, during a change in pressure, during a change in temperature, or a combination thereof.