Mechanical Sealing System with Labyrinth and Grease Seals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mechanical seals in rotating equipment are prone to leakage, especially with caustic or corrosive fluids, due to sensitivity to shaft deflections and misalignment, leading to potential environmental and safety hazards, and existing solutions are costly and complex.

Innovation Solution

A mechanical sealing system utilizing a combination of a narrow fluid flow path, labyrinth seal, stationary seal, and grease seal to constrain fluid leakage, with adjustable tolerances and automated grease injection, and a drain system to direct leaks to a safe containment area, activating alarms or shut-downs as needed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a mechanical seal is used to seal the shaft entry, then fluid leakage is reduced, but the system becomes sensitive to shaft deflections and misalignment causing seal failure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveseal reliabilityVSAvoidsensitivity to shaft deflection

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing system is divided into multiple independent sealing stages: a primary mechanical seal, a secondary mechanical seal, and intermediate sealing elements. Each seal operates independently, so that shaft deflection or misalignment affecting one seal does not necessarily cause failure of the entire sealing system. The segmentation allows the system to maintain reliability despite variations in shaft position.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent incorporates compliant or flexible elements between the seal components and the shaft to absorb and cushion the effects of shaft deflection and misalignment before they reach the sealing surfaces. This beforehand cushioning protects the seals from damaging forces and maintains sealing effectiveness under varying operating conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Reliability

If double mechanical seal arrangements are used to prevent leakage, then sealing reliability improves, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesealing reliabilityVSAvoidseal arrangement complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple sealing functions into a single integrated sealing assembly that includes primary and secondary seals, barrier fluid supply, and drainage systems in one unified structure. This merging reduces the overall complexity compared to separate double mechanical seal arrangements while maintaining the reliability benefits of multiple sealing stages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing assembly is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: primary sealing, secondary sealing, barrier fluid containment, lubrication, and cooling. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate systems for each function, reducing device complexity while achieving high sealing reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Strength

If mechanical seals are used with hard but brittle materials such as Silicon Carbide, then wear resistance improves, but impact during upset conditions causes cracking or shattering

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewear resistanceVSAvoidresistance to impact

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing faces utilize composite material structures that combine hard, wear-resistant materials with more ductile or compliant materials. This composite construction maintains the wear resistance of hard materials like silicon carbide while adding toughness and impact resistance to prevent cracking during upset conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

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 system effectively prevents fluid leakage, reduces sensitivity to shaft deflections, and provides cost-efficient, reliable, and safe operation with fewer failure modes compared to traditional double mechanical seal arrangements.

Implementation Method 1

A mechanical sealing system for preventing the leakage of a fluid by constraining a flow of leaked fluid through the usage of a narrow fluid flow path and various seals. The various seals can include a labyrinth seal

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLabyrinth seal:

Implementation Method 2

A typical mechanical seal will utilize a sealing face that is rotating against another sealing face. The sealing faces are held together by mechanical means, such as springs, hydraulic pressure, or a combination thereof.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentUS10054226B1Mechanical sealing system

Publication Date: 2018.08.21 WATSON BILLY DEAN

AI summary

A mechanical sealing system for preventing leakage of a fluid from a housing. The mechanical sealing system has a housing, wherein the housing contains the fluid. A shaft penetrates the housing. A narrow fluid flow path directs a leaked fluid from the housing. A labyrinth seal constrains the leaked fluid from the narrow fluid flow path. A stationary seal constrains a flow of the leaked fluid from the labyrinth seal and a grease seal for constraining the flow of the leaked fluid from the stationary seal.