Diaphragm Wall Cutter Drive Sealing With Pressurized Intermediate Chamber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing drive devices for slurry wall cutters face challenges in sealing against high external pressures and contaminated environments, leading to issues like dirt and water penetration, and previous solutions either limit pressure equalization or result in high churn losses and bulky compressed gas systems.
Innovation Solution
A drive device with an intermediate chamber for pressure equalization, sealed both internally and externally, using a metal face seal and elastomeric seals to manage pressure differences, reducing the volume of pressure accumulators needed and minimizing churn losses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pressure equalization is implemented using compressed air or gas to balance external pressure, then sealing reliability improves, but device complexity and volume increase due to required pressure accumulators or compressors
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the essential function of pressure equalization from complex compressed air systems. By using a simple membrane that can deform to equalize pressure between the inner case space and environment, the patent eliminates the need for pressure accumulators, compressors, and complex control systems while maintaining sealing reliability under high external pressures
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane acts as an intermediary element between the inner case space and the external environment. It mediates the pressure difference by deforming to allow pressure equalization without requiring complex mechanical systems. The membrane transfers the pressure balancing function from a complex active system to a simple passive component
2Quantity of substance
If the inner case space is completely filled with lubricating oil to minimize air space, then volume of pressure medium is reduced, but churn losses increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the inner case space into two distinct zones: a lubricating oil region for mechanical component lubrication and a small air space for pressure equalization. This segmentation allows the lubricating oil volume to be minimized to only what is necessary for lubrication, rather than filling the entire space, thereby reducing churn losses while maintaining adequate pressure medium volume for equalization
3Device complexity
If sealing is attempted against high external pressure without pressure equalization, then device simplicity is maintained, but dirt and water penetration occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a flexible membrane as a thin film barrier that actively responds to external pressure changes. The membrane deforms to equalize pressure across it, preventing the pressure differential that would otherwise force dirt and water through seals. This simple flexible barrier effectively eliminates harmful factor penetration without requiring complex active sealing systems
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
This solution provides reliable sealing at high pressures without significant churn losses or bulky gas systems, maintaining efficiency and reducing temperature issues, while allowing for independent pressure control and monitoring of the intermediate chamber.
Implementation Method 1
pressure equalization device for pressure equalization between the inner space and the environment
Implementation Method 2
sealed with respect to one another by a sealing device
Data Source
AI summary
A drive device for a diaphragm wall cutter, having a drive housing and/or gear housing, which encloses an interior for accommodating drive and/or gear elements and comprises two housing parts which are rotatable relative to one another and sealed off from one another by a sealing device, and having a pressure equalization device for pressure equalization between the interior and the surroundings. A diaphragm wall cutter having such a drive device. The pressure equalization device comprises at least one intermediate chamber, which is pressurized and is sealed off from the interior by an inner seal and off from the surroundings by an outer seal. By virtue of such a sealed intermediate chamber that can be considerably smaller in terms of volume than the interior, the pressurization for pressure equalization between interior and surroundings is considerably simpler.