Seal arrangement along the shaft of a liquid ring pump

Abstract

A first bore is formed in a liquid ring pump. A shaft is in the first bore. A second bore is formed in the pump and is axially inward of the first bore. A first and second seal are in the second bore and around the shaft. The second seal is axially outward of the first seal. The second seal is free of an abutment axially outward of it and abutting up against it.

1 . A liquid ring pump comprising:
 a housing having an axis;   a shaft having a longitudinal axis parallel to said housing's axis and offset therefrom, said shaft extending into said housing;   a working chamber formed in said housing;   an inlet formed in said housing and fluidly connected to said working chamber;   an outlet formed in said housing and fluidly connected to said working chamber;   a rotor fixedly coupled to said shaft and rotatable within said working chamber;   a first bore formed in said liquid ring pump, said shaft in said first bore;   a second bore formed in said pump and axially inward of said first bore, a first and second seal in said second bore and around said shaft, said second seal is axially outward of said first seal, and wherein   said second seal is free of an abutment axially outward of it and abutting up against it.   
     
     
         2 . The liquid ring pump of  claim 1  wherein the second seal comprises:
 a first sleeve and a second sleeve, said first and second sleeves are coupled to one another and rotate relative to one another; 
 the shaft extends through an opening formed by the first sleeve and contacts the first sleeve; 
 the first sleeve is fixed relative to the shaft and during operation of the pump rotates with the shaft; 
 the second sleeve contacts a surface of the pump which forms the second bore, and during operation of the pump, the second sleeve does not rotate relative to the surface of the pump it contacts. 
 
     
     
         3 . The liquid ring pump of  claim 2  wherein the second sleeve comprises:
 an axially extending flange having elastomeric material thereon contacting said surface which forms said bore. 
 
     
     
         4 . The liquid ring pump of  claim 2  wherein the first sleeve comprises:
 an axially extending flange having elastomeric material thereon contacting said shaft. 
 
     
     
         5 . The liquid ring pump of  claim 4  wherein said first sleeve further comprises:
 a radially extending flange. 
 
     
     
         6 . The liquid ring pump of  claim 5  wherein said radially extending flange bounds an axial outward end of said bore. 
     
     
         7 . The liquid ring pump of  claim 5  wherein said radially extending flange is an axially outwardly most facing side of said second seal. 
     
     
         8 . The liquid ring pump of  claim 2  wherein said first seal has a plurality of grooves therein. 
     
     
         9 . The liquid ring pump of  claim 8  wherein,
 a first groove of said plurality of grooves is a circumferential groove extending along an outer surface of said first seal; 
 said first groove is at a first axial end of said first seal. 
 
     
     
         10 . The liquid ring pump of  claim 9  wherein,
 a second groove of said plurality of grooves is an inner circumferential groove extending along an inner surfaced of said first seal; 
 said second groove radially opposite said first groove, said second groove at said first axial end. 
 
     
     
         11 . The liquid ring pump of  claim 2  wherein,
 said second bore is formed in a head of said liquid ring pump, said head has an inlet and an outlet therein. 
 
     
     
         12 . The liquid ring pump of  claim 1  further comprising a third and fourth bore, said shaft in said third and fourth bore, said fourth bore axially inward of said third bore;
 said fourth bore having a third and fourth seal in said fourth bore and around said shaft, said fourth seal is axially outward of said third seal, and wherein 
 said fourth seal is free of an abutment axially outward of it and abutting up against it. 
 
     
     
         13 . A liquid ring pump comprising:
 a housing having an axis;   a shaft having a longitudinal axis parallel to said housing's axis and offset therefrom, said shaft extending into said housing;   a working chamber formed in said housing;   an inlet formed in said pump and fluidly connected to said working chamber;   an outlet formed in said pump and fluidly connected to said working chamber;   a rotor fixedly coupled to said shaft and rotatable within said working chamber;   a first bore formed in said liquid ring pump, said shaft in said first bore;   a second bore axially inward of said first bore, a first and second seal in said second bore and around said shaft, said second seal is axially outward of said first seal, and wherein said second seal comprises,
 a first sleeve and a second sleeve, said first and second sleeves are coupled to one another and rotate relative to one another; 
 the shaft extends through an opening formed by the first sleeve and contacts the 
   first sleeve;
 the first sleeve is fixed relative to the shaft and during operation of the pump rotates with the shaft; 
 the second sleeve contacts a surface of the pump which forms the second bore, and during operation of the pump, the second sleeve does not rotate relative to the surface of the pump it contacts. 
   
     
     
         14 . A method of retrofitting a liquid ring pump, a portion of said liquid ring pump having a bore formed therein, at least one seal is in said bore, said seal held in place by an abutment removeably coupled to the portion of said pump forming said bore, said method comprising:
 removing said abutment holding said seal in place;   removing said seal from said bore;   placing at least one seal in said bore axially outward of another seal in said bore;   leaving said seal placed in said bore free of an abutment axially outward of it and abutting up against it.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the step of placing at least one seal in said bore further comprises:
 contacting a first sleeve of said seal placed in said bore to a shaft of said pump so that said first sleeve rotates with said shaft during operation of said pump; 
 contacting a second sleeve of said seal placed in said bore to contact a surface forming said bore so that said second sleeve does not rotate relative to said surface during operation of said pump. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said at least one seal is a second seal and said method further comprises:
 placing a first seal in said bore prior to placing said second seal in said bore 
 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 forming a channel in said liquid ring pump which opens up into said bore. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  further wherein the channel is formed in a head of the liquid ring pump and the channel opens through an exterior surface of the head. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the step of placing the at least one seal in said bore includes arranging said seal as an axially outward most seal in said bore. 
     
     
         20 . A method of retrofitting a liquid ring pump, a portion of said liquid ring pump having a bore formed therein, at least one seal is in said bore, said seal held in place by an abutment removeably coupled to said portion of said pump forming said bore, said method comprising:
 removing said abutment holding said seal in place;   removing said seal from said bore;   placing a seal in said bore;   contacting a first sleeve of said seal placed in said bore to a shaft of said pump so that said first sleeve rotates with said shaft during operation of said pump;   contacting a second sleeve of said seal placed in said bore to contact a surface forming said bore so that said second sleeve does not rotate relative to said surface during operation of said pump.