Patent ID: 7314218

Claim:
A seal cavity arrangement for rotating equipment, said arrangement comprising: an annular seal cavity defined by an outer cylindrical surface of a rotatable shaft of such equipment and a shaft housing surrounding at least a portion of said shaft, said cavity having a bottom end within said housing, an open entrance end opposite said bottom end, and said housing having a cylindrical surface extending from said bottom end to said entrance end; a mechanical seal positioned outboard of said shaft housing adjacent said entrance end; and a spiral adaptor comprising: an annular adaptor body having a central bore therethrough; a first annular portion of said adaptor body sized for a tight fit within said shaft housing at said entrance end; a second annular portion of said adaptor body of greater diameter than said first annular portion, said second annular portion having an inboard radial surface adapted for contact with a complementary outer face of said shaft housing and an outboard radial surface adapted for contact with a complementary inner face of said mechanical seal; said central bore including a first portion defining an annular gap with said shaft outer cylindrical surface when said adaptor is in its operating position and a second portion which flares outwardly from said first bore portion towards said outboard radial surface, said first and second bore portions each including a spiral groove formed therein, the hand thereof being in the same direction as the rotation of said shaft, said groove serving to redirect contaminant material contained in fluids surrounding said shaft away from said seal cavity.