U.S. patent application number 13/788825 was filed with the patent office on 2014-09-11 for mechanical seal cooler.
The applicant listed for this patent is Alfredo A. Ciotola. Invention is credited to Alfredo A. Ciotola.
Application Number | 20140251573 13/788825 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51486384 |
Filed Date | 2014-09-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140251573 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ciotola; Alfredo A. |
September 11, 2014 |
MECHANICAL SEAL COOLER
Abstract
A mechanical seal cooler having a solid body; a continuous first
conduit within the body defining first conduit side walls; and a
continuous second conduit disposed within the body defining second
conduit side walls. The first conduit is spaced from and juxtaposed
with the second conduit. A first fluid inlet port extends through
the body and cooperates with an input end of the first conduit. A
first fluid outlet port extends through the body, cooperating with
an outlet end of the first conduit. A second fluid inlet port
extends through the body, cooperating with an input end of the
second conduit. A second fluid outlet port extends through the body
cooperating with an outlet end of the second conduit. Concavities
are through the first conduit and second side walls. A coupling
attaches the solid body to a heat source device.
Inventors: |
Ciotola; Alfredo A.;
(Warren, NJ) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Ciotola; Alfredo A. |
Warren |
NJ |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
51486384 |
Appl. No.: |
13/788825 |
Filed: |
March 7, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
165/11.1 ;
165/168 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F04D 29/588 20130101;
F28F 13/06 20130101; F04D 29/126 20130101; F28D 2021/004 20130101;
F28D 7/04 20130101; F28F 7/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
165/11.1 ;
165/168 |
International
Class: |
F28D 15/00 20060101
F28D015/00 |
Claims
1. A mechanical seal cooler which comprises a solid body; a
continuous first conduit disposed within the body and defining
first conduit side walls; a continuous second conduit disposed
within the body and defining second conduit side walls; the first
conduit being spaced from and in juxtaposition with the second
conduit; a first fluid inlet port extending through the body
cooperating with an input end of the first conduit, and a first
fluid outlet port extending through the body cooperating with an
outlet end of the first conduit; a second fluid inlet port
extending through the body cooperating with an input end of the
second conduit and a second fluid outlet port extending through the
body cooperating with an outlet end of the second conduit; a
plurality of concavities through the first conduit side walls and a
plurality of concavities through the second conduit side walls; and
a coupling for attaching the solid body to a heat source
device.
2. The mechanical seal cooler of claim 1 wherein the first conduit
and the second conduit are spiral shaped.
3. The mechanical seal cooler of claim 1 wherein the first conduit
and the second conduit are spiral shaped and are concentrically
aligned.
4. The mechanical seal cooler of claim 1 wherein the heat source
device is a pump.
5. The mechanical seal cooler of claim 1 wherein the solid body
comprises stainless steel, copper, aluminum or combinations
thereof.
6. The mechanical seal cooler of claim 1 wherein the coupling
comprises a plurality of bolts.
7. The mechanical seal cooler of claim 1 wherein the side walls and
the concavities have a roughened surface.
8. The mechanical seal cooler of claim 1 further comprising a
thermometer disposed at least one of the first fluid outlet port
and the second fluid outlet port.
9. The mechanical seal cooler of claim 1 further comprising a
pressure gauge disposed at least one of the first fluid outlet port
and the second fluid outlet port.
10. The mechanical seal cooler of claim 1 further comprising a
pedestal and the solid body is mounted on the pedestal.
11. A method for cooling a heat source device which comprises a)
providing a heat source device, and b) coupling the heat source
device to a mechanical seal cooler; the mechanical seal cooler
comprising a solid body; a continuous first conduit disposed within
the body and defining first conduit side walls; a continuous second
conduit disposed within the body and defining second conduit side
walls; the first conduit being spaced from and in juxtaposition
with the second conduit; a first fluid inlet port extending through
the body cooperating with an input end of the first conduit, and a
first fluid outlet port extending through the body cooperating with
an outlet end of the first conduit; a second fluid inlet port
extending through the body cooperating with an input end of the
second conduit and a second fluid outlet port extending through the
body cooperating with an outlet end of the second conduit; a
plurality of concavities through the first conduit side walls and a
plurality of concavities through the second conduit side walls; and
a coupling for attaching the solid body to the heat source device;
c) passing a stream of a first fluid into the first fluid inlet
port and the input end of the first conduit, through the outlet end
of the first conduit and the first fluid outlet port; d) passing a
stream of a second fluid out of an exit end of a conduit of the
heat source device into the second fluid inlet port and the input
end of the second conduit, through the outlet end of the second
conduit and the second fluid outlet port, and returning the second
fluid to an input end of the conduit of the heat source device.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first conduit and the second
conduit are spiral shaped and are concentrically aligned.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the heat source device is a
pump.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein the solid body comprises
stainless steel, copper, aluminum or combinations thereof.
15. The method of claim 11 wherein the coupling comprises a
plurality of bolts.
16. The method of claim 11 wherein the side walls and the
concavities have a roughened surface.
17. The method of claim 11 further comprising a thermometer
disposed at least one of the first fluid outlet port and the second
fluid outlet port.
18. The method of claim 11 further comprising a pressure gauge
disposed at least one of the first fluid outlet port and the second
fluid outlet port.
19. The method of claim 11 wherein the stream of the first fluid
passing into the first fluid inlet port has a pressure of from
about 50 psi to about 75 psi and a temperature of from about
55.degree. F. to about 80.degree. F. and wherein the stream of the
first fluid passing out of the first fluid outlet port has a
pressure of from about 50 psi to about 75 psi and a temperature of
from about 150.degree. F. to about 200.degree. F.
20. The method of claim 11 wherein the stream of the second fluid
out of an exit end of the conduit of the heat source device into
the second fluid inlet port has a pressure of from about 300 psi to
about 500 psi and a temperature of from about 350.degree. F. to
about 500.degree. F. and the stream of the second fluid passing
through the outlet end of the second conduit and the second fluid
outlet port and returning the second fluid to an input end of the
conduit of the heat source device has a pressure of from about 300
psi to about 500 psi and a temperature of from about 100.degree. F.
to about 160.degree. F.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a mechanical seal cooler
that will allow cooling the hot water around a mechanical seal in a
high pressure, high temperature, hot water centrifugal pump.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Centrifugal pumps are pumps that use a rotating impeller to
increase the pressure of a fluid. The fluid enters the pump
impeller along or near to the rotating axis and is accelerated by
the impeller, flows radially outward into a diffuser or chamber of
a volute, from where it exits an outlet, and into a downstream
piping system. A centrifugal pump typically includes a rotating
impeller that increases the velocity of the incoming fluid. A
casing, or volute, of the pump then acts to convert this increased
velocity into an increase in pressure, resulting in fluid flow. A
centrifugal pump in its most basic configuration comprises a hollow
casing shaped to contain a suction port and a discharge port, as
well as one or more entry points through which a rotating shaft
traverses the casing. An impeller is fastened to the shaft and is
located approximately in the center of the casing. The shaft is
supported by bearing brackets fastened to the outside of the
casing. These brackets contain ball bearings that support the shaft
and allow it to spin when coupled to an electric motor, and allow
the impeller to perform the required pumping by taking the water
coming from the suction port and pushing it centrifugally out of
the discharged port. At the points where the shaft enters the
casing, the water in the casing is contained and prevented from
spilling out into the environment. Centrifugal pumps which operate
at high temperatures, e.g., up to about and exceeding 400.degree.
F., typically incorporate features designed to protect the motor
and seals from the high temperature of the working fluid in the
pump housing.
[0005] The traditional way of accomplishing this task, has been to
shape the entry points of the casing like a tube. The axis of this
tube coincides with the axis of the rotating shaft. The space
between the outside diameter of the shaft and the inside diameter
of the tube, such as about 1/2'' to 3/4'', would be filled with
several rope packing rings so as to fill the cavity with pressure
and reduce the leakage to a minimum. The tubular area where this
rope packing is stuffed is commonly referred as a stuffing box. In
the last 30 to 40 years there has been an increased intolerance for
pumps fitted with rope packing and a way of accomplishing a seal at
the entry points of the shaft into the casing, which is referred to
as mechanical seal. In the simplest arrangement a mechanical seal
has two components, a stationary annular component fitted into the
stuffing box, and a rotating head which is spring loaded and
fastened to the shaft. The stationary component is composed of a
hard material such as silicon carbide and the rotating component is
a softer, sacrificial material such as carbon. There would be an
interface in a plane perpendicular to the shaft axis between the
rotating carbon component and the stationary components.
[0006] The constant friction of the components generates heat which
needs to be flushed with water at about 140.degree. F. to
180.degree. F. This need is even more prevalent when the water
being pumped is already around 400.degree. F. to 500.degree. F.
[0007] Centrifugal pumps may also be air cooled. In this regard,
U.S. Pat. No. 8,152,458 provides a tube heat exchanger in fluid
communication with the seal housing interior reservoir. The heat
exchanger is a coil type heat exchanger having inlet and outlet
ends connected to the seal housing with the coil extending exterior
to the seal housing. Lubricating fluid in the seal housing
reservoir is directed into the inlet end of the heat exchanger,
travels through and cools the coil, and then returns to the seal
housing reservoir through the outlet end of the heat exchanger. The
lubricating fluid is constantly recirculated and cooled through the
seal housing reservoir, thus increasing the amount of heat carried
away from the lubricating fluid which protects the mechanical seal
from heat damage. The coil is adjacent a cooling fan located
between the motor and seal housing. U.S. Pat. No. 8,092,154
provides an integrated fan plus a pump and heat exchanger housed in
a cooling system. Air cooling is provided via an airflow created by
the axial-flow fan, liquid cooling is provided via the centrifugal
pump, and a heat transfer process is performed at the surface of
drilled pump diffuser elements of the centrifugal pump where heat
transfers from the relatively hot liquid to the air stream. U.S.
Pat. No. 6,973,782 provides a pressurized hydraulic fluid system
including a main pump and a charge pump provided for maintaining a
sufficient inlet head pressure in the main pump. A heat exchanger
and an electric motor driven cooling fan associated with the heat
exchanger force cooling of hydraulic fluid flowing through the heat
exchanger. U.S. Pat. No. 4,236,572 provides a fluid cooled heat
exchanger system comprising a heat exchanger, first conduit means
connected to the heat exchanger, a pump for pumping a cooling fluid
to the heat exchanger via the first conduit means, second conduit
means for receiving fluid from the pump that is in excess of the
heat exchanger requirements. A valve is connected to the first and
second conduit that fluid that has passed through. The heat
exchanger via the first conduit means mixes in the valve with fluid
that has by-passed the heat exchanger via the second conduit means,
and the valve having a movable valve element which is moved off a
valve seat by an amount dependent on the flow of fluid in the
second conduit means. The flow of fluid through the heat exchanger
is maintained substantially constant. By providing a substantially
constant fluid flow through the heat exchanger, a substantial
pressure drop across the heat exchanger at maximum fluid flow from
the pump can be avoided. U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,906 discloses a
cooling apparatus for drives having a housing containing a sump for
a fluid which is heated by the generation of heat energy during
operation of the drive. A centrifugal pump is driven by the input
shaft and circulates fluid to a heat exchanger disposed about the
outside surface of the housing. The cooled fluid is returned to a
fluid sump which assures an ample supply of fluid at a relatively
low pressure. A fan carried by an input shaft blows ambient air
over the heat exchanger and exterior surface of the housing to
enhance the level of heat dissipation.
[0008] The present invention provides an improved seal cooler which
works by piping pump discharge water at around 400.degree. F. into
one side of the inventive cooler and piping water at around
50.degree. F. to 65.degree. F. on the other side of the seal
cooler. The hot water enters the cooler in the center and exits on
the outer port, while cold water enters the cooler in the outer
port and exits at the center. This arrangement allows the two
fluids to run counter each other and increases the heat exchange
rate. Previous seal coolers had a tendency to clog and deteriorate
prematurely due to the galvanic action between the different
materials of construction such as copper and steel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The invention provides a mechanical seal cooler which
comprises a solid body; a continuous first conduit disposed within
the body and defining first conduit side walls; a continuous second
conduit disposed within the body and defining second conduit side
walls;
[0010] the first conduit being spaced from and in juxtaposition
with the second conduit;
[0011] a first fluid inlet port extending through the body
cooperating with an input end of the first conduit, and a first
fluid outlet port extending through the body cooperating with an
outlet end of the first conduit;
[0012] a second fluid inlet port extending through the body
cooperating with an input end of the second conduit and a second
fluid outlet port extending through the body cooperating with an
outlet end of the second conduit;
[0013] a plurality of concavities through the first conduit side
walls and a plurality of concavities through the second conduit
side walls; and
[0014] a coupling for attaching the solid body to a heat source
device.
[0015] The invention also provides a method for cooling a heat
source device which comprises
[0016] a) providing a heat source device, and
[0017] b) coupling the heat source device to a mechanical seal
cooler;
[0018] the mechanical seal cooler comprising a solid body; a
continuous first conduit disposed within the body and defining
first conduit side walls; a continuous second conduit disposed
within the body and defining second conduit side walls;
[0019] the first conduit being spaced from and in juxtaposition
with the second conduit;
[0020] a first fluid inlet port extending through the body
cooperating with an input end of the first conduit, and a first
fluid outlet port extending through the body cooperating with an
outlet end of the first conduit;
[0021] a second fluid inlet port extending through the body
cooperating with an input end of the second conduit and a second
fluid outlet port extending through the body cooperating with an
outlet end of the second conduit;
[0022] a plurality of concavities through the first conduit side
walls and a plurality of concavities through the second conduit
side walls; and
[0023] a coupling for attaching the solid body to the heat source
device;
[0024] c) passing a stream of a first fluid into the first fluid
inlet port and the input end of the first conduit, through the
outlet end of the first conduit and the first fluid outlet
port;
[0025] d) passing a stream of a second fluid out of an exit end of
a conduit of the heat source device into the second fluid inlet
port and the input end of the second conduit, through the outlet
end of the second conduit and the second fluid outlet port, and
returning the second fluid to an input end of the conduit of the
heat source device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mechanical seal cooler
according to the invention.
[0027] FIG. 2 shows a view of one side of a central disk of a
mechanical seal cooler showing a continuous first conduit disposed
within the body on the cold water side of the central disk.
[0028] FIG. 3 shows a view of the reverse side of a central disk of
a mechanical seal cooler showing a continuous second conduit
disposed within the body on the hot fluid side of the central
disk.
[0029] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the reverse side of a
central disk of a mechanical seal cooler showing a continuous
second conduit disposed within the body on the hot fluid water side
of the central disk.
[0030] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a central disk of a
mechanical seal cooler showing a continuous second conduit disposed
within the body on the hot fluid side of the central disk, and
having a plurality of concavities through its conduit walls.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0031] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mechanical seal cooler 10
according to the invention. It comprises a solid body 12 optionally
mounted on a pedestal 14. Preferably the solid body 12 comprises
three metal disks, namely a cold side outer disk 16, a central disk
18, and a hot side outer disk 20. Disks 16, 18 and 20 are
sandwiched together as shown and held together by a series of bolts
through holes 22. The cold side outer disk 16 has a centrally
located cold water inlet port 24 and a peripherally located cold
water outlet port 26. Inlet port 24 leads to a cold water supply,
such as a municipal water supply and outlet port 26 returns cold
water which has been warmed to a higher temperature by extracting
heat from the mechanical seal cooler. Hot side outer disk 20 is a
mirror image of cold side outer disk 16 except it has a
peripherally located hot fluid inlet, not shown, which receives a
supply of hot fluid, such as hot water, from a centrifugal pump
which is to be cooled, and a centrally located hot fluid outlet,
not shown, which returns hot fluid to the centrifugal pump at a
lower temperature than originally supplied.
[0032] FIG. 2 shows a view of a central disk 18 of the mechanical
seal cooler showing the cold water side 28 of the central disk 18.
It has a continuous first conduit 30, which is preferably spiral
shaped, disposed within the body and defining first conduit side
walls 32. Conduit 30 has a cold water inlet end 34 which is
preferably positioned at about the center of the cold water side 28
of the central disk 18, and a cold water outlet end 36 which is
preferably positioned at about the periphery of the cold water side
28 of the central disk 18.
[0033] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show a central disk 18 of the mechanical
seal cooler showing the hot fluid side, such as hot water side, 38
of the central disk 18. It has a continuous second conduit 40,
which is preferably spiral shaped, disposed within the body and
defining second conduit side walls 42. Conduit 40 has a hot water
inlet end 44 which is preferably positioned at about the periphery
of the hot fluid side 38 of the central disk 18, and a hot water
outlet end 46 which is preferably positioned at about the center of
the hot fluid side 38 of the central disk 18. The first conduit 30
is spaced from and in juxtaposition with the second conduit 40.
Preferably the first conduit 30 and the second conduit 40 are
milled into opposite sides of central disk 18, but there is no
connection between the first conduit 30 and the second conduit 40.
As may be seen in FIG. 1, conduits 30 and 40 are sealed from
leakage by sandwiching a smooth side of outer disk 16 and a smooth
side of outer disk 20 onto opposite side of central disk 18, and
all three disks are bolted together. Cold water inlet port 24 of
cold side outer disk 16 cooperates with cold water inlet end 34 at
about the center of the cold water side 28 of the central disk 18.
Cold water outlet port 26 of cold side outer disk 16, cooperates
with cold water outlet end 36 at about the periphery of the cold
water side 28 of the central disk 18. A hot water inlet port of hot
side outer disk 20 cooperates with hot water inlet end 44 at about
the periphery of the hot water side 38 of the central disk 18. A
hot water outlet port of hot side outer disk 20, cooperates with
hot water outlet end 46 at about the center of the hot water side
38 of the central disk 18.
[0034] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of central disk 18 of a
mechanical seal cooler showing a continuous second conduit 40
disposed within the body on the hot fluid side of the central disk,
and having a plurality of concavities 48 through its conduit walls
42. Corresponding concavities are disposed through the walls 32 of
conduit 30 on the cold water side of central disk 18. These
concavities through the walls 32 and 42 of conduits 30 and 40 are
an important feature of the invention since they increase the
effective surface areas of walls 32 and 42 which contact the hot
and cold fluids which flow in conduits 30 and 40, thus increasing
heat exchange and cooling from the hot fluid to the cold water. In
another embodiment, the concavities have a roughened surface
obtained by a suitable roughening treatment which further increases
the surface area of the concavities contacting the fluids.
[0035] A suitable coupling, such as threaded piping, attaches the
solid body to a heat source device, which is preferably a
centrifugal pump. Another suitable coupling, such as threaded
piping, attaches the solid body to a water supply source. Thus a
hot water outlet conduit from a centrifugal pump is coupled to an
inlet port of hot side outer disk 20 which cooperates with hot
water inlet end 44 of central disk 18. A hot water inlet conduit
from a centrifugal pump is coupled to an outlet port of hot side
outer disk 20 which cooperates with hot water outlet end 46.
Another suitable coupling comprises a plurality of bolts coupling
the solid body to a heat source device.
[0036] Cold water outlet from a municipal supply is coupled to an
inlet port of 24 of cold side outer disk 16 which cooperates with
cold water inlet end 34 of central disk 18. A cold water conduit
back to a municipal supply is coupled to an outlet port of cold
side outer disk 16 which cooperates with cold water outlet end
36.
[0037] In use, one passes a stream of a first fluid, such as water,
into the first fluid inlet port 24 and the input end 34 of the
first conduit 30, and passes the now heated water through the
outlet end 36 of the first conduit 30 and the first fluid outlet
port 26 back to a water supply source or to a drain. One passes a
stream of a hot second fluid out of an exit end of a conduit of the
heat source device into the second fluid inlet port and the input
end 44 of the second conduit 40, through the outlet end 46 of the
second conduit 40 and the second fluid outlet port, and returning
the now cooled second fluid to an input end of the conduit of the
heat source device.
[0038] In one embodiment of the invention, the first conduit 30 and
the second conduit 40 are spiral shaped. In another embodiment the
first conduit 30 and the second conduit 40 are spiral shaped and
they are concentrically aligned, such as on opposite sides of
central disk 18. Alternately, conduits 30 and 40 may be milled
completely through central disk 18 such that they are juxtaposed
with one another in an interdigitated fashion such that their
fluids do not intermix. In one embodiment the heat source device is
a pump, such as a mechanical pump, however, it can also be any
other device containing a flow of hot fluid which must be cooled.
The solid body members may be composed of any suitable materials,
such as metals, in particular, stainless steel, copper, aluminum or
combinations thereof. Further embodiments of the invention dispose
a suitable thermometer at one or both of the first fluid outlet
port and the second fluid outlet ports. Further embodiments of the
dispose a pressure gauge at one or both of the first fluid outlet
port and the second fluid outlet ports.
[0039] In a typical operation, the stream of the first fluid
passing into the first fluid inlet port has a pressure of from
about 50 psi to about 75 psi and a temperature of from about
55.degree. F. to about 80.degree. F., preferably from about
55.degree. F. to about 65.degree. F., and the stream of the first
fluid passing out of the first fluid outlet port has a pressure of
from about 50 psi to about 75 psi and a temperature of from about
150.degree. F. to about 200.degree. F.
[0040] In a typical operation, the stream of the second fluid out
of an exit end of the conduit of the heat source device into the
second fluid inlet port has a pressure of from about 300 psi to
about 500 psi and a temperature of from about 350.degree. F. to
about 500.degree. F. and the stream of the second fluid passing
through the outlet end of the second conduit and the second fluid
outlet port and returning the second fluid to an input end of the
conduit of the heat source device has a pressure of from about 300
psi to about 500 psi and a temperature of from about 100.degree. F.
to about 160.degree. F., preferably from about 120.degree. F. to
about 140.degree. F.
[0041] While the present invention has been particularly shown and
described with reference to preferred embodiments, it will be
readily appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that
various changes and modifications may be made without departing
from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended that the
claims be interpreted to cover the disclosed embodiment, those
alternatives which have been discussed above and all equivalents
thereto.
* * * * *