Abstract A liquid ring seal particularly suitable for shafts subject to high differential operating pressures across a rotatable element such as a turbine runner such as in a gas turbine includes means for supplying a lubricant through a central bore, through a check valve, and radially outwardly into a return conduction space formed adjacent the turbine runner seal gap. The construction is characterized by the formation of a throttle passage or gap which extends axially from the conduction space into an annular chamber having a ring valve which is located adjacent the shaftsupporting bearing. The ring valve produces a certain backwash or a longer dwell time of the lubricant stream in the zone of the packing directly adjacent the supporting bearing. When a predetermined backwash pressure is reached the valve lifts off its seat and the lubricant stream flows into the bearing. At least one of the throttle passages or control passages are provided for the discharge of the lubricant into the chamber alongside the support bearing.
A liquid ring seal construction particularly for a rotatable turbine shaft of an engine such as a liquid-fueled thrust engine operating at high pressure differential, comprising a rotatable turbine shaft, a turbine-rotation-lubricated-bearing rotatably supporting said shaft, means defining a seal liquid return spice around said shaft, self-liquid-pressurizing means connected to said shaft and operable in the seal liquid return space, means for supplying lubricant at a predetermined pressure into said return space, means defining a passage extending from said return space to said bearing for the discharge of lubricant to said bearing including a cylindrical housing extending around and spaced from said shaft, a ring extending around said shaft in close proximity thereto enclosing a portion of one end of said housing, and a bushing engaged with said shaft and spaced from said ring and defining an annular gap comprising said passage, means around said shaft defining a chamber adjacent said bearing, and a ring valve in said chamber set to open at a predetermined pressure to permit flow of said lubricant from said bearing to said return space for causing a certain backwash or longer dwell per unit of time of the lubricant in said chamber in the zone of said bearing, said ring being in direct contact with said lubricant.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
212 words
A liquid ring seal construction particularly for a rotatable turbine shaft of an engine such as a liquid-fueled thrust engine operating at high pressure differential, comprising a rotatable turbine shaft, a turbine-rotation-lubricated-bearing rotatably supporting said shaft, means defining a seal liquid return spice around said shaft, self-liquid-pressurizing means connected to said shaft and operable in the seal liquid return space, means for supplying lubricant at a predetermined pressure into said return space, means defining a passage extending from said return space to said bearing for the discharge of lubricant to said bearing including a cylindrical housing extending around and spaced from said shaft, a ring extending around said shaft in close proximity thereto enclosing a portion of one end of said housing, and a bushing engaged with said shaft and spaced from said ring and defining an annular gap comprising said passage, means around said shaft defining a chamber adjacent said bearing, and a ring valve in said chamber set to open at a predetermined pressure to permit flow of said lubricant from said bearing to said return space for causing a certain backwash or longer dwell per unit of time of the lubricant in said chamber in the zone of said bearing, said ring being in direct contact with said lubricant.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A seal according to claim 1, wherein said means for supplying lubricant comprises a bore defined axially through said shaft and a plurality of radial passages in said shaft communicating with said bore and with said return space.