Single Seal Tube Assembly for Vane Pump Leakage and Seizure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Labyrinth seals in aircraft pump systems are prone to leakage and efficiency loss due to thermal growth, misalignment, and contamination, leading to seizure and reduced pump performance.
Innovation Solution
A single seal tube assembly with internal O-rings and backup rings is introduced, replacing the labyrinth seals, which is made of leaded bronze and securely coupled to the vane pumps to inhibit fluid flow and maintain axial pressure balance, allowing for increased robustness and extended service life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If tight clearance is used in labyrinth seals, then leakage is limited, but thermal growth and misalignment cause seizure
Solution Approach 1:
The seal system is segmented into multiple independent sealing elements (O-rings in seal tubes) rather than relying on a single tight clearance labyrinth seal. This segmentation allows each sealing element to independently accommodate thermal growth and misalignment while maintaining sealing effectiveness, preventing seizure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the sealing mechanism from relying on tight geometric clearance to using elastomeric O-rings that can deform and adapt to parameter changes such as thermal expansion and misalignment. The O-rings maintain sealing through their elastic properties rather than fixed clearance.
2Loss of energy
If tight clearance is used in labyrinth seals, then leakage is limited, but contamination causes galling and seizure
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses flexible O-ring seals within seal tubes instead of rigid tight-clearance labyrinth seals. The flexible elastomeric material of the O-rings can deform to accommodate contamination particles without causing galling or seizure, while still maintaining effective sealing to limit leakage.
3Device complexity
If single seal tube is used instead of labyrinth seals, then device complexity is reduced, but sealing effectiveness must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple sealing functions into a single integrated seal tube assembly that contains O-rings and backup rings. This consolidated design reduces the number of separate components and assembly steps compared to traditional labyrinth seals, while maintaining or improving sealing effectiveness through the redundant O-ring and backup ring configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal tube assembly uses composite construction with the seal tube body made of one material (e.g., metal) and the sealing elements made of elastomeric O-ring material. This combination of materials provides both structural integrity and flexible sealing capability, ensuring reliability while simplifying the overall design.
Data Source
AI summary
A seal tube assembly of a pump system is provided. The seal tube assembly includes a single seal tube having a first axial end sealably coupled to a first vane pump and a second axial end sealably coupled to a second vane pump. The single seal tube includes transverse contact surfaces at the first axial end and transverse contact surfaces at the second axial end. The single seal tube is formed to define a first seal tube cavity at the first axial end and a second seal tube cavity at the second axial end.