Patent ID: 8651801
Filing Date: 2014-02-18
Classification: F04D,F16J,G01M

Abstract:
1. A seal monitoring system for a gas lubricated non-contacting seal disposed in sealing relationship between a rotatable shaft and a housing of a compressor, said seal having a surrounding seal chamber, said system comprising: a phase sensor disposed to provide a phase signal indicative of non-gaseous matter adjacent to said gas lubricated non-contacting seal; and a programmable logic control system disposed to receive said phase signal, wherein said programmable logic control system is further disposed to determine an operating condition of said gas lubricated non-contacting seal based on said phase signal and prove an output signal in response to said operating condition; wherein the programmable logic controller is further disposed to determine a presence of an anomalous operating condition based on said operating condition, and perform at least one mitigating process to correct said anomalous operating condition by adjusting at least one operating parameter of said gas lubricated non-contacting seal; a process gas treatment module arranged to provide a flow of process gas to said gas lubricated non-contacting seal via a process gas inlet passage formed in the housing of the compressor, said process gas treatment module including: a process gas conduit adapted to provide said flow of process gas from an upstream end to a downstream end thereof; at least one coalescing filter fluidly intersecting said process gas conduit; a differential pressure sensor disposed across said at least one coalescing filter along said process gas conduit and providing a process gas differential pressure signal; a process gas phase sensor disposed to provide a process gas phase signal indicative of non-gaseous matter in said process gas conduit downstream of said at least one coalescing filter; a process gas temperature sensor disposed to provide a process gas temperature signal; a process gas flow sensor disposed to provide a process gas flow signal indicative of a flow rate of said flow of process gas downstream of said at least one coalescing filter; wherein said programmable logic control system is further disposed to perform said at least one mitigating process based on at least one of said process gas differential pressure signal, process gas phase signal, process gas temperature signal, and process gas flow signal.