Patent ID: 9157532
Filing Date: 2015-10-13
Classification: F01D,F16J,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A hydraulic seal arrangement for a rotating machine, the hydraulic seal arrangement comprising: a hydraulic seal; and an annular reservoir fluidly coupled to the hydraulic seal; wherein the annular reservoir is arranged to retain fluid from the hydraulic seal when the machine is shutdown and to return the retained fluid to the hydraulic seal under centrifugal force after the machine is restarted; the reservoir comprises an inner chamber having an opening, an outer chamber having an opening and a central chamber in fluid communication with the inner and outer chambers; the inner, outer, and central chambers are separated by partitions; the partitions extend around only a portion of the circumference of the annular reservoir and terminate in a transition region where fluid may traverse between chambers; and the transition region is radially confined between a first partition wall and a second partition wall, includes a first circumferential end that is in direct fluid communication with all the chambers, and includes a second circumferential end that is in fluid communication only with the central chamber but separates the transition region from the inner chamber and the outer chamber.