A shaft seal assembly comprising: a. a stator configured for engagement with an equipment housing, said stator comprising: i. a stator body; ii. a cooperating projection extending from said stator body; b. a rotor configured for engagement with a shaft having an axis of rotation and extending from and rotatable with respect to said equipment housing, said rotor comprising: i. a rotor body; ii. a cooperating recess, wherein said cooperating recess and said cooperating projection form a ring cavity; and c. a cooperating ring positioned in said ring cavity, said ring cavity comprising: i. a radial vertex at a radially outward point of said cooperating recess; ii. a first recess outer surface extending away from said radial vertex in a generally axially and radially inward direction, wherein said first recess outer surface is oriented such that it is angled with respect to said axis of rotation of said shaft and a plane normal to said axis of rotation of said shaft; iii. a second recess outer surface extending away from said radial vertex in a generally radially inward and axially outward direction, wherein said second recess outer surface is oriented such that it is angled with respect to said axis of rotation of said shaft and said plane normal to said axis of rotation of said shaft; iv. an axial vertex at a terminus of said second recess outer surface opposite said radial vertex; v. a recess ramp extending away from said axial vertex in a generally radially inward and axially inward direction; vi. an inflection point at a terminus of said recess ramp opposite said axial vertex; vii. a rotor radial projection extending in a generally radially inward direction from said inflection point; and viii. a recess lip at a terminus of said first recess outer surface opposite said radial vertex; characterised in that the ring cavity further comprises an angled surface with respect to said axis of rotation of said shaft and a plane normal to said axis of rotation of said shaft, wherein said angled surface is formed on said cooperating projection. a. a stator configured for engagement with an equipment housing, said stator comprising: i. a stator body; ii. a cooperating projection extending from said stator body; i. a stator body; ii. a cooperating projection extending from said stator body; b. a rotor configured for engagement with a shaft having an axis of rotation and extending from and rotatable with respect to said equipment housing, said rotor comprising: i. a rotor body; ii. a cooperating recess, wherein said cooperating recess and said cooperating projection form a ring cavity; and i. a rotor body; ii. a cooperating recess, wherein said cooperating recess and said cooperating projection form a ring cavity; and c. a cooperating ring positioned in said ring cavity, said ring cavity comprising: i. a radial vertex at a radially outward point of said cooperating recess; ii. a first recess outer surface extending away from said radial vertex in a generally axially and radially inward direction, wherein said first recess outer surface is oriented such that it is angled with respect to said axis of rotation of said shaft and a plane normal to said axis of rotation of said shaft; iii. a second recess outer surface extending away from said radial vertex in a generally radially inward and axially outward direction, wherein said second recess outer surface is oriented such that it is angled with respect to said axis of rotation of said shaft and said plane normal to said axis of rotation of said shaft; iv. an axial vertex at a terminus of said second recess outer surface opposite said radial vertex; v. a recess ramp extending away from said axial vertex in a generally radially inward and axially inward direction; vi. an inflection point at a terminus of said recess ramp opposite said axial vertex; vii. a rotor radial projection extending in a generally radially inward direction from said inflection point; and viii. a recess lip at a terminus of said first recess outer surface opposite said radial vertex; i. a radial vertex at a radially outward point of said cooperating recess; ii. a first recess outer surface extending away from said radial vertex in a generally axially and radially inward direction, wherein said first recess outer surface is oriented such that it is angled with respect to said axis of rotation of said shaft and a plane normal to said axis of rotation of said shaft; iii. a second recess outer surface extending away from said radial vertex in a generally radially inward and axially outward direction, wherein said second recess outer surface is oriented such that it is angled with respect to said axis of rotation of said shaft and said plane normal to said axis of rotation of said shaft; iv. an axial vertex at a terminus of said second recess outer surface opposite said radial vertex; v. a recess ramp extending away from said axial vertex in a generally radially inward and axially inward direction; vi. an inflection point at a terminus of said recess ramp opposite said axial vertex; vii. a rotor radial projection extending in a generally radially inward direction from said inflection point; and viii. a recess lip at a terminus of said first recess outer surface opposite said radial vertex;