Tandem mounted face seals

Abstract: Tandem mounted face seals for use in centrifugal pumps with dynamic seals. One face seal (28) has a flexible lip and the other face seal (32) has a non-flexible lip to ensure sealing at high static or dynamic pressures.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to pump seals, and more particularly to a static seal arrangement for centrifugal pumps with dynamic seal arrangements. Arrangements of flexible face seals are known from U.S. Patent Nos. 3,713,659; 3,504,917; 4,311,315; and 3,016,251. These seal arrangements are designed to seal at relatively low pressures, so that at pressures higher than 140 kPa (20 psi), the flexible lip is easily damaged with resultant leakage. US Patent No. 4,186,929 shows another type arrangement with a conventional lip seal, a non-flexible washer, and a flexible member. The conventional lip seal requires lubrication, and the flexible members run with a relatively big axial gap. At static conditions, the axial gap will get packed with contaminants. When pressure occurs, it forces contaminants into the lip seal area. In addition, the flexible member does not perform effectively because of the axial gap. The generic document, French Patent 2 381 952, shows another solution with a tandem lip seal arrangement in a gland chamber, both seals being provided with flexible lips, which are sensitive to contaminants. Other seal arrangements showing the state of the art are U.S. Patent Nos. 623,127; 3,284,145; 3,588,129; and 4,509,773. Various face seal arrangements of the prior art are shown in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,207,521; 3,771,799: 4,186,929; 2,368,137; 2,990,220; 3,612,547; and 3,727,923. The tandem mounted face seals are an advance over the prior art arrangements represented above, and provide a novel solution to overcome severe application problems where high static or dynamic pressure occurs. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to provide an improved arrangement tandem mounted face seals for pumps. Another object of the invention is to provide tandem mounted pump face seals, with one seal flexible and another seal less or non-flexible. According to the broader aspects of the invention as defined in claim 1, the face seal with the flexible lip performs the primary sealing function and the face seal with the non-flexible lip functions as a deflector during rotation of the pump impeller to prevent leakage at the flexible lip when high static or dynamic pressures occur. A feature of the invention is that the tandem mounted face seals are mounted between the dynamic seal arrangement and the frame of a centrifugal pump. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other features and objects of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which illustrates the tandem seal arrangement of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawing, an impeller shaft 10 has mounted thereon a first stage expeller and a second stage expeller 14 which coact with end plate 16 and inner plate 18 to form in a known manner a two stage dynamic seal 20. Gland 22 is fastened to end plate 16 and may be fabricated from steel, bronze, or brass material. Gland 22 includes a gland insert 24 which may be of similar material. Gland 22 and gland insert 24 are spaced from shaft sleeve 26 to permit passage of the shaft through the central opening. A flexible lip face seal 28 is press mounted on shaft sleeve 26 within gland chamber 30 formed by the gland 22 and insert 24. A non-flexible lip face seal 32 is also press mounted on shaft sleeve 26. The lip of seal 28 is positioned to press firmly against counter face 29, and the lip of seal 32 is positioned to press firmly against counter face 33. One type of seal suitable to perform the function of the flexible lip face seal is a Forsheda V-ring seal (Forsheda Shaft Seal Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio) made from a rubber grade material, for example, Nitrile, Neopren, Vitron. One type of seal suitable to perform the function of the non-flexible lip face seal is a Checkseal (Greene, Tweed & Co., Northwales, Pa.), made from, for example, a polymer material such as a carboxylated nitrile, fluroelastomer, or ethylene propylene depending on the service conditions. Pump frame portion 34 forms part of the dynamic seal cavity 35, and dynamic seal stuffing box portion 36 is positioned between the impeller housing (not shown) and the frame 34. Dynamic seal stuffing box portion 36 is connected to the pump housing as are plates 16, 18. In operation the face seal 28 with the flexible lip performs the primary sealing function. The flexible lip face seal seals at low static pressures from 0 to 35 kPa (0 to 5 psi). The non-flexible lip face seal functions as a flinger-deflector during rotation of the impeller to propel contamination away from seal 28 to protect seal 28 from high pressures at least up to 210 kPa (30 psi). If high pressure occurs and seal 28 starts to leak, the differential pressure created between the two seals 28, 32 will force seal 32 against the counter face 33 to prevent leakage. The foregoing described a unique tandem seal arrangement, one flexible and another non-flexible seal. Material of the non-flexible seal is selected depending on the maximum static pressure which can occur during the pumping operation. The flexible seal is installed in the box like enclosure of the gland, and the non-flexible is run against the outside surface of the box like enclosure. Both of the face seals are self-adjusting, shaft mounted and used to deflect and exclude contaminants such as dust, dirt, mud and water migrating from the impeller housing to the stuffing box. Both seals are easily mounted on and rotate with the impeller shaft. The seals self-adjust after several rotations of the impeller shaft. It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that the tandem seal arrangement of the invention is most suitable for severe applications where high static or dynamic pressure occurs.

Claims: Sealing apparatus for a rotatable shaft and comprising a tandem static seal arrangement, the latter with a first seal member (28) having a flexible lip mounted on the shaft (10), a fixed gland (22) being provided with a central opening and a gland chamber (30) through which the shaft (10) passes with clearance and containing the seal member (28), the flexible lip of which being pressed against an interior wall (29) of the chamber (30) and the other seal member (32) in the tandem static seal being mounted on the shaft (10) arranged axially spaced from the first seal member (28), characterized in that the other seal member (32) is provided with a non-flexible lip which is pressed against an outside wall (33) of the chamber (30), whereby said other seal member (32) functions as a deflector to propel contaminants away from the seal member (28) and prevent leakage at high pressures, said sealing apparatus further comprising a dynamic seal arrangement (20) being positioned adjacent said second seal member (32) and distal from said first seal member (28) and that the flexible as well as the non-flexible lips protrude in the same direction away from said dynamic seal arrangement (20). Sealing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the gland (22) includes a L-shaped ring member insert (24) which forms a portion of the chamber (30). Sealing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the seal member (28) effectively seals at static pressures from zero to 35 kPa (5 psi). Sealing apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that the seal member (28) is made of a rubber type material. Sealing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the other seal member (32) is made of a polymer type material. Sealing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the other seal member (32) will be forced against the outside wall face (33) of the chamber (30) and prevent leakage in a direction away from the dynamic seal (20) in case a leakage with the latter would increase the pressure in this area as compared with the pressure in the chamber (30). Sealing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a sleeve member (26) is arranged on the shaft (10) for mounting of the seal member (28) as well as the other seal member (32), which sleeve member abuts a rotational member (14) of the dynamic seal (20). Sealing apparatus according to claim (1), characterized in that the other seal member (32) effectively prevents leakage at pressures greater than 140 kPa (20 psi).

Inventors: KORENBLIT IZYA, KORENBLIT, IZYA
Applicants: INT STANDARD ELECTRIC CORP, INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ELECTRIC CORPORATION
Application year: 1990
Main classification: F16J15
IPC codes: F16J15, F04D29