Sealing Device Lubrication for Paper Machine Wear Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sealing elements in paper machines, particularly suction rolls, experience uneven wear and require frequent adjustment and replacement due to abrasion and temperature issues, with existing lubrication methods often failing to effectively reach both sealing strips and being prone to contamination and high maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A sealing device with feed channels that end in open supply channels with specific side walls and a bed, allowing continuous lubricant distribution along the sealing element's length, reducing friction and wear, and using a conical distribution channel to ensure uniform lubricant pressure and temperature across multiple feed channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If spray nozzles are used to cool and lubricate the sealing element, then the sealing element is cooled and lubricated, but the lubricant is scraped off before reaching subsequent sealing strips and the spray nozzles are susceptible to contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the lubricant delivery function from external spray nozzles and integrates it into the sealing element itself through feed channels and supply channels. This eliminates the spray nozzles that required maintenance and ensured lubricant delivery to all sealing strips without being scraped off.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces feed channels and supply channels as intermediary structures within the sealing element to transport lubricant from the lubricant supply to the sealing surface. This intermediary system ensures continuous lubricant delivery to all sealing strips along the entire length.
2Ease of operation
If a radial feed channel is introduced into the sealing element, then lubricant can be brought into the area between the casing and sealing element, but uneven wear of the sealing element occurs in the CD direction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the lubricant delivery system into multiple feed channels and supply channels distributed along the length of the sealing element. This segmentation ensures uniform lubricant distribution to all sealing strips, preventing uneven wear in the CD direction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent provides local lubrication quality by creating supply channels that extend along the entire length of the sealing element, ensuring each local section receives adequate lubricant. This local quality approach prevents the uneven wear that occurred with radial feed channels.
3Reliability
If a cylinder rotatably mounted in a round rod groove is used for sealing, then sealing is achieved, but the solution becomes complex and expensive to manufacture with increased maintenance requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential sealing function from the complex rotatable cylinder mechanism and implements it through a simpler sealing element with integrated feed and supply channels. This maintains sealing effectiveness while eliminating the complex moving parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing element is designed to be self-lubricating through its own integrated feed channels and supply channels, eliminating the need for external lubrication mechanisms and complex moving parts that required maintenance.
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 design significantly reduces wear and maintenance needs by ensuring continuous lubrication and cooling of the sealing elements, maintaining an effective seal over the entire length while being simpler and less expensive to manufacture.
Implementation Method 1
The sealing surface lying against the moving surface can be supplied with lubricant continuously and over the entire length of the sealing element via such a supply channel. This reduces friction and cools the sealing element.
Implementation Method 2
the air boundary layer carried over the moving surface, after crossing the edge, sucks the lubricant from the bed of the supply channel up the first side wall into the contact area between the sealing element and the moving surface
Implementation Method 3
This reduces friction and cools the sealing element
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a sealing device (1) for sealing at least one underpressure or overpressure zone (6) adjoining a surface (3) which is moved in a movement direction (4) in a paper, tissue or cardboard machine, comprising at least one sealing element (10) which is located opposite the moved surface (3) and has at least one feed channel (11) for a lubricant. In order to considerably decrease the wear of a sealing element uniformly over the entire length thereof, the at least one feed channel (11) ends in a supply channel (12), which is arranged at the beginning of the sealing element (10) in the movement direction (4).