Patent ID: 8408556
Filing Date: 2013-04-02
Classification: F16J

Abstract:
1. A seal assembly for sealing a liquid region from a gas region across an annular surface of a rotating shaft comprising: a plurality of adjoining annularly sealing ring segments facing the rotating shaft wherein each sealing ring segment includes a dead end circumferential groove within a shaft-side face of each sealing ring segment such that, when the sealing ring segments are joined about the annular surface, the dead end circumferential groove of each sealing ring segment extends arcuately in direction of shaft rotation; and one additional groove extending across the shaft-side face of each sealing ring segment; the additional groove includes an axial bore groove, a first longitudinal bore groove, a second longitudinal bore groove, a first pressure chamber, and a second pressure chamber, the first longitudinal bore groove and the second longitudinal bore groove each having a first end and a second end, the axial bore groove extends perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the sealing ring segment, the axial bore groove separate and apart from the dead end circumferential groove, the first ends of the first longitudinal bore groove and the second longitudinal bore groove in direct fluid communication with the axial bore groove adjacent to one end of the dead end circumferential groove, the second end of the first longitudinal bore groove in direct fluid communication with the first pressure chamber, the first pressure chamber in direct fluid communication with the dead end circumferential groove adjacent an other end of the dead end circumferential groove, the second end of the second longitudinal bore groove in direct fluid communication with the second pressure chamber, a bleed hole extending from the second pressure groove to a joint between adjoining sealing ring segments such that the second pressure chamber is in fluid communication with the joint and fluid flow is directed into the joint by way of the bleed hole.