Floating Ring Seal with Magnetic Support for Shaft Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional seal devices for rotating fluid machines, such as pumps, face issues with surface roughening and anchoring of components, leading to loss of alignment and improper sealing due to contact between the seal ring and plate springs, and require complex assembly processes.
Innovation Solution
A seal device featuring a floating ring with contactless circumferential support using magnetic repulsion forces from opposing magnets, allowing the ring to follow the rotation shaft's movement and maintain clearance, while being easily assembled and reducing vibration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If plate springs are used to support the seal ring, then the seal ring can be supported in the circumferential direction, but surface roughening and anchoring occur at contact portions leading to loss of alignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical contact support system (plate springs) with a magnetic field-based support system. Magnets are embedded in the seal ring to provide contactless support in the circumferential direction, eliminating surface roughening and anchoring while maintaining the support function. This substitution of mechanical support with magnetic field support resolves the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a magnetic field as an intermediary between the seal ring and the housing to provide support. Instead of direct mechanical contact, the magnetic field acts as a mediator that maintains the seal ring's position without causing wear or anchoring, thus preserving alignment over time while providing necessary support.
2Ease of operation
If plate springs are used to support the seal ring, then the seal ring can be supported, but the seal ring and plate springs become anchored leading to increased radial gap
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical contact support with magnetic field support to prevent anchoring between the seal ring and plate springs. This substitution eliminates the cause of radial gap increase while maintaining the support function, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and manufacturing precision.
3Reliability
If magnets are embedded in the floating ring for contactless support, then alignment and sealing efficacy are maintained long-term, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the support function and sealing function into a single integrated floating ring structure. The magnets are embedded within the floating ring itself, combining the support mechanism with the sealing element. This merging reduces overall device complexity compared to having separate support components while maintaining long-term alignment and sealing efficacy.
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 ensures long-term alignment and sealing efficacy by maintaining radial gaps, reducing wear, and simplifying assembly, while effectively damping vibrations through magnetic repulsion and dynamic pressure.
Implementation Method 1
a first magnet (14) arranged in the housing (11), the first magnet (14) having a magnetic pole face directed in the circumferential direction, and a second magnet (17) arranged in the floating ring (15), the second magnet (17) having a magnetic pole face directed in the circumferential direction
Implementation Method 2
By the wedge effect (effect of dynamic pressure generated in a wedge portion) generated between an inner peripheral face of the seal ring 41 and the sleeve 44 of the rotation shaft 45
Implementation Method 3
the Lomakin effect (aligning effect by flow losses of a fluid between surfaces of a seal ring and a shaft at the time of generation of a seal pressure difference)
Data Source
AI summary
In an exemplary embodiment, a seal device 10 that seals between a housing 11 and a rotation shaft 20 passing through the housing 11 includes a floating ring 15 arranged with a gap h with respect to the rotation shaft 20, wherein the floating ring 15 includes at least one supporting means 18 that supports in the circumferential direction. In the seal device, the floating ring follows movement of the rotation shaft even upon running for a long time, a clearance between the rotation shaft and the seal ring can be properly held, and the sealing operation by the floating ring and the vibration damping function can be exerted, and the seal device is easily assembled.