Generator Seal Cooling With Internal Oil Spray in High-Heat Housings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seal cooling systems are inadequate for high ambient temperature environments, such as engine tail cone environments, where conventional methods fail to maintain elastomeric seals below their temperature limit.
Innovation Solution
A generator assembly with a housing that encloses generator components and attached components sealed to the housing, featuring oil spray orifices directed at interior portions of the attached components to circulate oil for cooling the seals and maintain them below the seal temperature limit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If elastomeric seals are used in high temperature environments, then sealing function is achieved, but seal temperature limit is exceeded causing seal failure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces oil as an intermediary cooling medium that absorbs heat from the seal environment. The oil circulation system acts as a mediator between the high-temperature external environment and the seal, preventing direct thermal exposure while maintaining sealing effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the heat from the seal environment by introducing separate oil circulation channels and spray orifices that remove thermal energy from the critical seal areas. This separates the thermal management function from the sealing function, allowing the seal to operate in a controlled temperature zone.
2Reliability
If conventional sealing methods are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but sealing effectiveness in high temperature environments is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The oil circulation system serves multiple functions simultaneously: it cools the seal, lubricates moving components, and removes heat from the generator assembly. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate cooling systems, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity while achieving reliable high-temperature sealing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the sealing system with the oil circulation system, where the oil circuit serves both as a lubrication system for generator components and as a cooling system for the seals. This integration combines multiple functions into a unified system, avoiding the complexity of entirely separate systems.
3Ease of manufacture
If standard fluoroelastomer seals are used, then cost is reduced, but temperature limit is exceeded in extreme conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the inherent limitation of fluoroelastomer seals (low temperature resistance) into a benefit by using the oil circulation system to actively manage and reduce seal temperature. The harmful high-temperature environment is transformed into a controllable condition where the seal remains cool despite operating in a hot environment.
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 effectively cools elastomeric seals in high temperature environments, preventing seal failure and allowing for the use of standard low-cost fluoroelastomer seals in extreme conditions.
Implementation Method 1
one or more oil spray orifices within the housing and in fluid communication with the oil circuit. Each of the one or more oil spray orifices can be directed at an interior portion of the one or more attached components and/or an interior housing area adjacent the one or more attached components to provide oil spray thereto for cooling each of the one or more seals
Data Source
AI summary
A generator assembly for a high temperature environment that exceeds a seal temperature limit in operation can include a generator housing enclosing one or more generator components and one or more attached components sealed to the housing. The assembly can include one or more seals disposed between each of the one or more attached components and the generator housing and an oil circuit within the housing configured to circulate oil. The assembly can include one or more oil spray orifices within the housing and in fluid communication with the oil circuit. Each of the one or more oil spray orifices can be directed at an interior portion of the one or more attached components and/or an interior housing area adjacent the one or more attached components to provide oil spray thereto for cooling each of the one or more seals to maintain the one or more seals below the seal temperature limit.