John Crane UK Limited

Other

Nicholas Derek Quarmby

Bhikhubhai Chhanabhai Patel

Kjell Klintenstedt

Paul Phelan

An elastomeric or polymeric seal assembly () includes an annular elastomeric or polymeric sealing element (), an internal circumferential surface of which sealingly engaging a first component (), the sealing element abutting a radial annular face of a second component () and an external circumferential surface of the sealing element sealingly engaging an internal circumferential surface of a second component, a vent () being provided in the internal circumferential surface of the second component adjacent to the radial face, to vent the space between the external circumferential surface of the sealing element and the internal circumferential surface of the second component, an inlet to the vent being defined by an annular groove () in the internal circumferential surface of the second component, an annular helically wound element () being provided in the annular groove to prevent extrusion of the sealing element into the vent, the helically wound element being formed from a strip of material of elongate section, adjacent winds of material being spaced from one another.

Seals

A seal assembly for providing a seal between a pair of relatively rotatable components has; a first seal ring () mounted in sealing relationships, non-rotatably and for limited axial movement on a first of the components; a second seal () ring mounted in axially aligned relationship to the first seal ring, said second seal ring being mounted in sealing relationship, non-rotatably and for limited axial movement on a second of the components; first resilient means associated with the second seal ring urging it axially towards the first seal ring, second resilient means () acting on the first seal ring urging it away from the second seal ring to separate the first and second seal rings; and a centrifugal actuator () associated with the first seal ring, said centrifugal actuator comprising a radially extending chamber () between the first seal ring and the component associated therewith, said chamber being connected to a source of fluid, whereby when the components rotate relative to one another with fluid in the chamber, centrifugal pressurization of the fluid in the chamber will apply an axial load to the first seal ring urging it axially against the second resilient means and a sealing face of the first seal ring into sealing engagement with a sealing face of the second seal ring.

Seal assemblies

A seal assembly having a first seal ring sealed to a rotatable component and a second seal ring sealed to another rotatable component, and the second ring is urged towards the first ring such that sealing faces of the seal rings engage. A process chamber is formed inside the seal rings and opens to an outside the seal rings, and a barrier chamber outside of the seal rings opens to inside the seal rings. A shroud shields the external surface of the seal rings from process fluid in the process chamber such that heat transfer from the process fluid to the seal rings occurs at outer regions of the seal rings adjacent the sealing faces, and a sleeve is secured inside the seal rings such that heat transfer between the seal rings and barrier fluid in the barrier chamber occurs at radially extending surfaces of the seal rings adjacent the sealing faces.

Internally pressurized seals

A composite seal face ring has an inner ring () made of material with good tribological properties, the inner ring () being pre-compressed by an outer ring () with a high tensile strength and a thermal coefficient of expansion substantially equal to that of the inner ring (). The seal face ring is assembled by compressing the inner ring () and/or expanding the outer ring () by fluid under pressure, before inserting the inner ring () into the outer ring ().

Growing community of inventors

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Nicholas Derek Quarmby