Mechanical Seal Layout With Reduced Sliding Diameter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional mechanical seals for electric motor coolant systems have sliding tracks with high mean diameters, making them difficult to construct, align, and maintain, and are prone to tilting, which complicates the sealing process.
Innovation Solution
The mechanical seal design features ceramic seal rings with a configuration where the first seal ring is disposed above the second seal ring, utilizing a sheet metal annular receptacle and an elastomeric gasket to minimize sliding surface diameters, and includes a spring mechanism to maintain contact between the rings, with radial fins and a cap to prevent rotation and tilting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the seal rings are disposed with larger diameters to ensure sealing contact, then the sealing reliability is improved, but the alignment difficulty and susceptibility to tilting increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a traditional side-by-side seal ring arrangement to a stacked configuration where the first seal ring is positioned axially above the second seal ring. This dimensional reorganization allows the seal rings to maintain adequate sealing diameters while reducing their radial projection, thereby improving alignment precision and reducing tilting susceptibility without compromising sealing reliability.
2Reliability
If the mean diameter of sliding tracks is increased to ensure proper seal ring contact, then the sealing effectiveness is improved, but the device complexity and difficulty of construction increase
Solution Approach 1:
By stacking the seal rings axially rather than arranging them radially, the patent reduces the required mean diameter of the sliding tracks. This dimensional change simplifies the overall construction while maintaining sealing effectiveness through the vertical stacking arrangement of the first and second seal rings.
3Ease of operation
If the seal rings are positioned further apart to facilitate assembly, then the ease of installation is improved, but the sealing contact reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The axial stacking arrangement allows the seal rings to be positioned at different axial levels, facilitating assembly through the open radial space. The spring mechanism positioned between the seal rings ensures proper contact pressure is maintained, preserving sealing contact reliability while enabling easier installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring positioned between the first and second seal rings acts as an intermediary element that maintains continuous contact pressure between the seal rings. This ensures reliable sealing contact while allowing the seal rings to be positioned at different axial locations for easier assembly.
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 configuration reduces the mean diameter of the sliding surfaces, enhancing the seal's reliability, ease of installation, and preventing coolant leakage into electrical parts, while maintaining effective sealing and alignment.
Implementation Method 1
a spring (M) disposed in the fixed part (1) in such a way to push the first seal ring (10) towards the second seal ring (20)
Implementation Method 2
The two seal rings (10, 20) have sliding surfaces (10a, 20a) that cooperate to provide a front sliding seal
Data Source
AI summary
A mechanical seal having a first seal ring, which is mounted in a receptacle of a fixed part, and a second seal ring, which is mounted in a sleeve of a rotary part having a fixing portion fixed to a rotary shaft. The second seal ring extends radially inwards relative to the fixing portion of the sleeve, above an upper ending surface of the rotary shaft. The first seal ring is disposed above the second seal ring in such a way that the sliding surfaces of the first seal ring and of the second seal ring are in mutual contact. The sliding surfaces of the first seal ring and of the second seal ring have a mean diameter that is lower than an external diameter of the rotary shaft.