Rotary Pump Seal Cooling via Rotor Slots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rotary pumps, such as rotary lobe and circumferential piston pumps, face overheating and premature seal failure when pumping viscous fluids due to inadequate cooling of the shaft seals.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating slots in the hubs of the rotors and openings of the casing to allow fluid to pass through and reach the drive and driven shaft seals, providing a method for cooling the seals without additional cooling mechanisms, such as jackets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If rotary pumps are used to pump viscous fluids, then pumping capability is improved, but shaft seals overheat and fail prematurely
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cooling fluid as an intermediary substance that transfers heat away from the shaft seals. The cooling fluid passes through a cooling passage in the drive shaft, absorbing heat generated at the seal interface and carrying it to a discharge point, thereby protecting the seals from overheating while maintaining pumping capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a hydraulic cooling system where a liquid cooling fluid circulates through the drive shaft. This hydraulic approach uses the high heat capacity and thermal conductivity of liquid to efficiently remove heat from the shaft seals, preventing premature seal failure during viscous fluid pumping operations
2Reliability
If cooling mechanisms are added to prevent seal overheating, then seal life is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cooling function with the existing drive shaft structure by incorporating cooling passages directly into the drive shaft body. This integration eliminates the need for separate cooling components and reduces overall system complexity while still providing effective cooling to prevent seal overheating
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling system is designed to be self-regulating, where the cooling fluid automatically circulates through the drive shaft passages and absorbs heat as needed. The system uses the natural flow properties of the cooling fluid and the thermal gradient to provide cooling without requiring complex control mechanisms, maintaining simplicity while improving seal reliability
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 solution effectively cools the shaft seals, extending their life and preventing premature failure, especially when handling viscous fluids, without the need for specialized cooling systems.
Implementation Method 1
Incorporating slots in the hubs of the rotors and openings of the casing to allow fluid to pass through and reach the drive and driven shaft seals, providing a method for cooling the seals
Implementation Method 2
allow fluid to pass through and reach the drive and driven shaft seals, providing a method for cooling the seals
Data Source
AI summary
Various rotary pumps are disclosed that are designed to pump viscous fluids or slurries. Often, the seals of such pumps can become over heated. The disclosed pumps include slots disposed in the rotors and/or slots disposed in the openings through which the drive and driven shafts task so that some of the fluid being pumped through the pumping chamber can migrate through the proximal wall of the pump casing to the seal assemblies disposed on the other side of the proximal wall of the pump casing. Thus, the seal assemblies of the pumps are cooled without resorting to the use of a cooling jacket or other cooling mechanism.