Shaft Seal Assembly

Abstract

A shaft seal assembly for maintaining a seal during shaft misalignment comprising a first sealing means adjacent said shaft with a defined clearance between said shaft and said sealing means, said shaft moveable axially in relation to said first sealing means; a second sealing means, said first sealing means partially encompassed within second sealing means and in cooperative communication with said second sealing means; a third sealing means, said second sealing means partially encompassed within third sealing means and in cooperative communication with said third sealing means, said third sealing means attached to said housing or vessel and allowing said first sealing means and second sealing means to cooperatively respond to said forces produced by angular misalignment of said shaft during rotation of said shaft while maintaining defined clearance between said shaft and said sealing means.

1 . A shaft seal assembly for isolating a bearing cavity within a housing comprising:
 a. a shaft extending through a housing;   b. a labyrinth seal having first and second opposing surfaces wherein said first surface of said labyrinth seal is cooperatively engaged with said shaft and wherein said second surface is radiused;   c. a passage in said labyrinth seal between said first and second opposing surfaces;   d. a floating stator having first and second opposing surfaces, wherein said first surface is radiused and engages with said second surface of said labyrinth seal to create a spherical interface and wherein said floating stator also has first and second opposing faces substantially in perpendicular relation to said shaft;   e. a passage in said floating stator from said second surface to said first radiused surface;   f. a fixed stator, the exterior of said fixed stator engaged with said housing and wherein said fixed stator has a passage from its exterior to said floating stator;   g. an annular channel, said annular channel formed within said fixed stator member, said annular channel having first and second surfaces substantially in perpendicular relation to said shaft;   h. an inner annular interface formed by said first perpendicular annular channel surface of said fixed stator cooperatively engaging with said first perpendicular face of said floating stator;   i. an outer annular interface formed by said second perpendicular annular channel surface of said fixed stator cooperatively engaging with said second perpendicular face of said floating stator;   j. a first and second inner sealing means, said first and second inner sealing means positioned perpendicular to said shaft for continuous sealing intersection with said spherical interface;   k. a first outer sealing means, said first outer sealing means positioned perpendicular to said shaft for continuous sealing intersection with said inner annular interface;   l. a second outer sealing means, said first outer sealing means positioned perpendicular to said shaft for continuous sealing intersection of said outer annular interface;   m. a source of sealing fluid; and   n. said radiused surface of said labyrinth seal member and said floating stator perpendicular faces are moveable within said annular channel of said fixed stator in response to misalignment of said shaft with said housing.   
     
     
         2 . The invention as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said labyrinth seal has an annular groove perpendicular to and facing said shaft wherein said annular groove is connected to said passages for delivery of sealing fluid to said shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The invention as set forth in  claim 2  wherein said labyrinth seal has at least two throttle grooves, said throttle grooves having throttles placed therein to contact said shaft and pressurize said shaft seal assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The invention as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said floating stator has an annular groove perpendicular to said shaft and positioned between said inner sealing means. 
     
     
         5 . The invention as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said spherical interface between said labyrinth seal and said floating stator is maintained in response to radial movement of said labyrinth seal produced by misalignment between said shaft and said housing. 
     
     
         6 . The invention as set forth in  claim 2  wherein said spherical interface between said labyrinth seal and said floating stator is maintained in response to radial movement of said labyrinth seal produced by misalignment between said shaft and said housing. 
     
     
         7 . The invention as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said spherical interface between said labyrinth seal and said floating stator is maintained in response to radial movement of said labyrinth seal produced by misalignment between said shaft and said housing. 
     
     
         8 . The invention as set forth in  claim 4  wherein said spherical interface between said labyrinth seal and said floating stator is maintained in response to radial movement of said labyrinth seal produced by misalignment between said shaft and said housing. 
     
     
         9 . The invention as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said floating stator is prevented from rotating by anti-rotation means. 
     
     
         10 . The invention as set forth in  claim 2  wherein said floating stator is prevented from rotating by anti-rotation means. 
     
     
         11 . The invention as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said floating stator is prevented from rotating by anti-rotation means. 
     
     
         12 . The invention as set forth in  claim 4  wherein said floating stator is prevented from rotating by anti-rotation means. 
     
     
         13 . The invention as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said first and second inner sealing means are comprised of at least two o-ring grooves in cooperation with at least two o-rings. 
     
     
         14 . The invention as set forth in  claim 2  wherein said first and second inner sealing means are comprised of at least two o-ring grooves in cooperation with at least two o-rings. 
     
     
         15 . The invention as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said first and second inner sealing means are comprised of at least two o-ring grooves in cooperation with at least two o-rings. 
     
     
         16 . The invention as set forth in  claim 4  wherein said first and second inner sealing means are comprised of at least two o-ring grooves in cooperation with at least two o-rings. 
     
     
         17 . The invention as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said first and second outer sealing means are comprised of at least two o-ring grooves in cooperation with at least two o-rings. 
     
     
         18 . The invention as set forth in  claim 2  wherein said first and second outer sealing means are comprised of at least two o-ring grooves in cooperation with at least two o-rings. 
     
     
         19 . The invention as set forth in  claim 3  wherein said first and second outer sealing means are comprised of at least two o-ring grooves in cooperation with at least two o-rings. 
     
     
         20 . The invention as set forth in  claim 4  wherein said first and second outer sealing means are comprised of at least two o-ring grooves in cooperation with at least two o-rings.