Pump Sealing Device Thermal Barrier and Cooling Circuit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pump sealing devices for nuclear power station pumps are difficult to maintain and have a short service life due to excessive heat exposure and friction-induced wear, exacerbated by the need for numerous tappings and welding, which complicates maintenance and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
A pump sealing device with a fluid header that incorporates two circuits: a thermal barrier circuit between the pump housing and mechanical packing to protect against heat, and a cooling circuit to lower the temperature of the packing, facilitating maintenance and extending service life by eliminating the need for tappings on the housing and packing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If tappings are arranged in the pump housing and mechanical packing to provide thermal barrier and cooling functions, then the sealing device can protect mechanical packing from excessive heat, but the structure becomes complex and maintenance becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the thermal barrier function and cooling function into a single integrated fluid header structure. The fluid header incorporates both the thermal barrier circuit (first circuit) and the cooling circuit (second circuit) within one component, eliminating the need for separate tappings in the pump housing and mechanical packing. This merging reduces structural complexity while maintaining the dual functionality of heat protection and active cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid header serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the thermal barrier to protect the mechanical packing from pump housing heat, delivers cooling fluid to reduce packing temperature, and eliminates the need for separate tapping structures. This multi-functionality approach consolidates what would otherwise require multiple separate components and installation steps.
2Temperature
If numerous tappings are arranged in standard components to supply cooling fluid, then the sealing device can cool the mechanical packing, but manufacturing costs increase due to holes and welding
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the thermal barrier and cooling functions into a single fluid header, the patent eliminates numerous separate tappings that would require individual holes and welding operations. The fluid header is designed as an integrated component with internal channels for both circuits, significantly reducing the number of manufacturing steps and associated costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the cooling and thermal barrier functions from the standard pump housing and mechanical packing components, consolidating them into a dedicated fluid header. This extraction eliminates the need to modify standard components with numerous tappings, thereby reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
3Temperature
If tappings are made in the mechanical packing and pump housing to enable cooling, then the mechanical packing can be cooled, but maintenance becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The fluid header integrates both cooling circuits (thermal barrier and cooling circuits) into a single accessible component. This consolidation means that maintenance personnel only need to access and work on the fluid header rather than disassembling the pump housing and mechanical packing to reach multiple tapping points, significantly simplifying maintenance procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluid header acts as an intermediary component that provides all cooling functions externally accessible from the pump housing. By positioning the fluid header between the pump housing and mechanical packing, it serves as a mediator that delivers cooling fluid without requiring direct modifications to the mechanical packing or pump housing structures.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If the mechanical packing is cooled to extend service life, then wear is reduced, but the device complexity increases due to additional cooling circuits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the thermal barrier circuit and cooling circuit into a single fluid header, so that the dual cooling function is achieved without proportionally increasing device complexity. The integrated design allows both circuits to share common structural elements and access points, reducing the overall complexity increase that would result from adding cooling functionality.
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 simplifies maintenance, protects the mechanical packing from excessive heat, reduces wear, and extends the service life of the sealing device by effectively managing thermal barriers and cooling, preventing leakage and maintaining seal integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a first fluid circuit (33) that forms a thermal barrier (31) between a pump housing (10) and the mechanical packing (70)
Implementation Method 2
a second fluid circuit (34) that supplies fluid to the mechanical packing (70) in order to cool it
Implementation Method 3
A space 90 that defines an exchange zone, between the mechanical packing 70 and the fluid header 30, which is adjacent to friction elements of said mechanical packing 70, contains a fluid for cooling said elements
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to a device (1) for sealing a pump of a nuclear power station, said device (1) comprising : • a mechanical packing (70), • a fluid header comprising: - a first plurality of surfaces (35) that cooperate with said mechanical packing (70); - a second plurality of surfaces (36) that are designed to cooperate with a pump housing (10); - a plurality of ducts (44, 45, 46, 47) that form, in an operating state, a first fluid circuit (33) that constitutes a thermal barrier (31) between the first plurality of surfaces (35) and the second plurality of surfaces (36), and a second fluid circuit (34) that supplies fluid to said mechanical packing (70) in order to cool it.