Patent ID: 7648143

Claim:
A sealing system for use with two rotating shafts, comprising: a first tandem seal arrangement contacting a first surface of a first one of said shafts, said first tandem seal arrangement comprising a first pair of segmented ring assembles for contacting said first surface; each of said segmented ring assemblies forming said first pair having a contact surface in contact with said first surface; a second tandem seal arrangement contacting a second surface of a second one of said shafts, said second tandem seal arrangement comprising a second pair of segmented ring assemblies for contacting said second surface; each of said segmented ring assemblies forming said second pair having a contact surface in contact with said second surface; said first tandem seal arrangement being housed in a first housing and said second tandem seal arrangement being housed in a second housing and a main housing forming a wall portion of said first housing and a wall portion of said second housing; said first housing having a first cavity for receiving a fluid, said first cavity bounded by a surface of said first tandem seal arrangement opposed to said contact surfaces of said segmented ring assemblies on a first side and a first surface of said wall portion of said main housing on a second opposed side and said second housing having a second cavity for receiving said fluid, said second cavity being bounded by a surface of said second tandem seal arrangement opposed to said contact surface of said segmented ring assemblies on a first side and a second surface of said wall portion of said main housing on a second opposed side; each of said first housing and said second housing having a seal plate which is integrally formed with said main housing and which extends inwardly from said main housing towards one of said shafts; said seal plates forming two opposed sides of a central cavity; and said fluid in said first cavity having a pressure greater than a pressure in said central cavity.