Spring-Loaded Seal Carrier for Reverse Pressure Gland Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sealing designs for rotating equipment fail to effectively handle higher and broader ranges of reverse differential pressures, leading to skew-induced wear, especially when the environment fluid is abrasive, as they are typically suited for instances where environment fluid pressure does not exceed lubricant fluid pressure.
Innovation Solution
A sealing assembly with a spring-loaded gland wall seal carrier that includes a housing with a dynamic seal and a seal carrier allowing limited axial movement, positioned between a housing and an end cap, which maintains contact with the environment fluid side, even under reverse pressure, using a spring to accommodate varying seal widths and prevent axial shuttling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a seal is used without axial spring loading under reverse differential pressure, then the device complexity is reduced, but skew-induced wear of the seal occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The seal carrier is designed to float and move axially dynamically in response to differential pressure changes. The spring provides a dynamic loading mechanism that automatically adjusts to forward and reverse pressure conditions, eliminating the need for complex axial spring loading mechanisms while maintaining seal reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The spring acts as an intermediary element between the seal carrier and the housing, providing the necessary axial loading force. This intermediary mechanism simplifies the overall structure by replacing complex multi-component spring loading assemblies with a single spring element that performs the same function
2Reliability
If a seal carrier with limited axial movement is used, then the seal maintains contact with the environment fluid side under reverse pressure, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal carrier incorporates floating walls that can move axially within limited boundaries defined by the housing and end cap. This dynamic movement capability allows the seal to maintain contact with the environment fluid side under reverse pressure without requiring complex positioning mechanisms, achieving reliability through simple geometric constraints
Solution Approach 2:
The seal carrier is segmented into multiple floating walls (first floating wall and second floating wall) that can move independently. This segmentation allows each wall to respond to pressure differentials locally, maintaining seal contact effectiveness while keeping the overall structure simple and manageable
3Stress or pressure
If the seal carrier is designed for higher reverse pressure loads, then the pressure handling capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The seal carrier design utilizes parameter changes in the floating wall geometry and spring characteristics to accommodate higher reverse pressure loads. By adjusting the spring rate, wall thickness, and carrier dimensions, the structure achieves enhanced pressure capacity without fundamentally changing the design architecture, thus avoiding increased complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The spring provides a counterbalancing force that opposes the reverse differential pressure acting on the seal. This counterweight mechanism allows the seal carrier to handle higher reverse pressure loads by distributing the force through the spring, preventing excessive axial movement and maintaining seal integrity without requiring overly complex structural reinforcements
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 enables the sealing assembly to handle higher and broader ranges of reverse pressure loads, reducing or eliminating seal skew by maintaining contact with the environment fluid side, thus enhancing durability and performance across varying pressure conditions.
Implementation Method 1
A spring is located around the neck and between the housing surface and the outwardly extending wall of the seal carrier
Data Source
AI summary
A sealing assembly for forward and reverse differential pressure, the sealing assembly including a housing having a first bore portion joined by a housing surface to a second bore portion, a shaft relatively movable with respect to the housing, an annular seal carrier located radially outward of and encircling at least a portion of the shaft. The seal carrier has an annular neck transitioning to an outwardly extending wall and having an axial extension adjoining the outwardly extending wall. The annular neck extends through the first bore portion and the axial extension and wall is positioned within the second bore portion. A dynamic seal is located between and has sealing contact with the axial extension and the shaft and partitions a lubricant fluid from an environment fluid. The dynamic seal has a lubricant fluid side exposed to the lubricant fluid and an environment fluid side exposed to the environment fluid. An end cap having an inner axial extension with an end face is secured to the housing. A spring is located around the neck and between the housing surface and the outwardly extending wall of the seal carrier. The seal carrier is allowed to have limited axial movement relative to the housing and the end cap and the dynamic seal is axially located between the end face of the end cap and the outwardly extending wall of the seal carrier.