Slip Ring Seal Assembly for Fast Maintenance on Large Shafts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mechanical seals for large shafts, particularly in power plants, are cumbersome to assemble and disassemble due to their multi-part design, leading to increased downtime and maintenance costs.
Innovation Solution
A mechanical seal arrangement featuring a one-piece ring-shaped slide ring carrier, a one-piece ring-shaped cover, and a detachable one-piece ring-shaped housing with a fixing device, allowing for easy assembly and disassembly by enabling axial movement and clamping of seal rings without damaging the sliding surfaces, using elastic prestressing elements and O-rings for protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If mechanical seals for large shafts are designed with multiple parts to facilitate assembly, then assembly becomes easier, but assembly and disassembly time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical seal is divided into a stationary part (housing with sealing elements) and a rotating part (sliding rings on the shaft), allowing the stationary housing to remain installed while only the rotating sliding rings are removed and replaced, significantly reducing maintenance time
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding rings are designed to be dynamically removable from the shaft while the stationary housing remains fixed, enabling quick replacement of wear components without complete disassembly of the seal assembly
2Ease of manufacture
If mechanical seals for large shafts are designed with multiple parts, then manufacturing and assembly become more flexible, but the number of components increases leading to higher complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The seal is segmented into functional modules (stationary housing, rotating sliding rings, retaining mechanisms) that can be manufactured separately and assembled, balancing manufacturing flexibility with reduced component count
Solution Approach 2:
The stationary housing serves multiple functions: providing structural support, containing sealing elements, and serving as a mounting structure for the sliding rings, thereby reducing the need for additional separate components
3Ease of operation
If traditional multi-part mechanical seals are used, then assembly is facilitated, but replacement of sliding rings requires complete disassembly increasing downtime
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding rings are designed as dynamically removable components that can be independently accessed and replaced on the rotating shaft without removing the stationary housing, enabling quick maintenance operations
Solution Approach 2:
The sliding rings are extracted as separate replaceable components from the mechanical seal assembly, allowing them to be removed and replaced independently while the stationary housing remains in place, significantly reducing maintenance downtime
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 simplifies the assembly and disassembly process, reduces maintenance costs, and minimizes downtime by allowing quick replacement of seal rings without full disassembly of the housing, enhancing the reliability and efficiency of mechanical seals in power plants.
Implementation Method 1
The sliding ring carrier is also connected to the cover by means of at least one elastic preload element such that the sliding ring carrier, together with the stationary sliding ring, can move in the axial direction of the mechanical seal. This allows shaft shocks or similar disturbances to be compensated for by the mechanical seal without causing damage to the sliding surfaces of the sliding rings.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a slip ring seal arrangement, comprising a slip ring seal (10) with a rotating slip ring (2) and a stationary slip ring (3), which between them define a sealing gap (4), a one-piece annular slip ring carrier (5), which holds the stationary slip ring (3), a one-piece annular cover (6) which is arranged on the slip ring carrier (5), a one-piece annular housing (7) which is fixed releasably to the cover (6) by means of a fixing device (8), and a one-piece first holding ring (9) which is arranged releasably on the slip ring carrier (5), wherein the stationary slip ring (3) is clamped between the first holding ring (9) and the cover (6), and wherein the slip ring carrier (5) is connected to the slip ring carrier (5) by means of at least one elastic pretensioning element (19), in such a way that the slip ring carrier (5) along with the stationary slip ring (3) can execute movements in the axial direction of the slip ring seal arrangement.