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A seal assembly is for a compressor including a casing having first and second chambers and a shaft extending through the casing between the two chambers. The seal assembly includes a main body disposed about the shaft and between the two chambers and having a central axis, an inner surface spaced r

A seal assembly is for a compressor including a casing having first and second chambers and a shaft extending through the casing between the two chambers. The seal assembly includes a main body disposed about the shaft and between the two chambers and having a central axis, an inner surface spaced radially outwardly from the shaft to form a seal chamber. Annular sealing members are connected with the main body and extend radially from the body inner surface toward the shaft, the sealing members preventing flow between the first and second chambers through the seal chamber. A separator is coupled with the shaft adjacent to the main body and has separation passages fluidly connecting one of the two chambers with the seal chamber, each passage extending radially with respect to the shaft axis so as to direct liquids and solids contacting the passage inner surface away from the seal chamber.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A seal assembly for a compressor, the compressor including a casing having first and second chambers and a rotatable shaft extending through the casing between the two chambers, the seal assembly comprising: a main body disposed circumferentially about the shaft and arranged between the two chamb

1. A seal assembly for a compressor, the compressor including a casing having first and second chambers and a rotatable shaft extending through the casing between the two chambers, the seal assembly comprising: a main body disposed circumferentially about the shaft and arranged between the two chambers, the body having a central axis and an inner circumferential surface extending about the axis and spaced radially-outward from the shaft so as to form a seal chamber;at least one annular sealing member connected with the main body so as to extend radially from the inner circumferential surface toward the shaft, the at least one sealing member being configured to prevent fluid flow between the first and second chambers through the seal chamber;a first separator arranged axially adjacent a first axial side of the main body and coupled to the shaft, the first separator defining at least one first separation passage having an inner surface and fluidly connecting the first chamber with the seal chamber, the at least one first separation passage extending at least partially radial with respect to the central axis such that the first separator is configured to direct liquids, solids, or both from the first chamber contacting the inner surface away from the seal chamber; anda second separator arranged axially adjacent a second axial side of the main body and coupled to the shaft, the second separator defining at least one separation passage having an inner surface and fluidly connecting the second chamber with the seal chamber, the at least one separation passage of the second separator extending at least partially radial with respect to the central axis such that the second separator is configured to direct liquids, solids, or both from the second chamber contacting the inner surface away from the seal chamber. 2. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the main body is stationary and the first and second separators are configured such that rotation of the shaft rotates the first and second separators relative to the main body. 3. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second separators includes an annular body with a separator central axis and a plurality of radially-extending holes extending through the annular body and spaced circumferentially about the separator central axis, each radially-extending hole providing a separate one of the at least one separation passage of the at least one of the first and second separators. 4. The seal assembly as recited in claim 3 wherein the annular body has an inner axial end adjacent the main body and at least one of the first and second separators further includes an annular groove extending axially from the inner axial end thereof, the annular groove being fluidly coupled with the seal chamber, and each one of the radially-extending holes having an inner end extending into the annular groove such that the annular groove fluidly couples the plurality of radially-extending holes with the seal chamber. 5. The seal assembly as recited in claim 4 wherein the annular body has an outer circumferential surface and each one of the radially-extending holes extends radially between the annular groove and the separator circumferential surface. 6. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second separators has an inner axial end adjacent the main body and an annular groove extending axially from the inner axial end, the annular groove being fluidly coupled with the seal chamber, the at least one separation passage of the at least one of the first and second separators having an inner end extending into the annular groove such that annular groove fluidly couples the at least one separation passage with the seal chamber. 7. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the seal assembly comprises a plurality of annular sealing members, each annular sealing member being connected with the main body and spaced axially from each adjacent annular sealing member. 8. The seal assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein at least one of the plurality of annular sealing members is configured to prevent fluid flow through the seal chamber in a first direction along the central axis and at least another one of the plurality of annular sealing members is configured to prevent fluid flow through the seal chamber in a second, opposing direction along the central axis. 9. The seal assembly as recited in claim 8 wherein the main body has first and second axial ends and the plurality of annular sealing members includes a first set of sealing members disposed proximal the first axial end and a second set of sealing members disposed between the first set of sealing members and the second axial end, each annular sealing member of the first set of sealing members being configured to prevent fluid flow in a direction toward the second axial end and each annular sealing member of the second set of sealing members being configured to prevent fluid flow in a direction toward the first axial end. 10. The seal assembly as recited in claim 7 wherein each annular sealing member comprises a brush seal having inner and outer circumferential ends, the outer circumferential end being connected with the main body and the inner circumferential end being disposed the rotatable shaft. 11. The seal assembly as recited in claim 7 further comprising a plurality of retainer members each connected with the main body and configured to maintain the plurality of annular sealing members coupled with the main body. 12. The seal assembly as recited in claim 11 wherein each retainer member has an outer circumferential surface disposed against the inner circumferential surface of the main body and the seal assembly further comprises a plurality of secondary sealing members each disposed between a separate one of the retainer members and the main body and configured to prevent fluid flow between the outer circumferential surface of the retainer member and the inner circumferential surface of the main body. 13. The seal assembly as recited in claim 11 wherein each retainer has is axially spaced from adjacent retainer members and each annular sealing member is interposed between either two adjacent retainer members or one retainer member and a portion of the main body. 14. The seal assembly as recited in claim 11 wherein each retainer member includes opposing axial ends defining at least one annular groove, each annular groove being configured to receive a head portion of the plurality of annular sealing member. 15. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1 further comprising at least one annular retainer member coupleable with the main body and configured to connect the at least one annular sealing member with the main body. 16. The seal assembly as recited in claim 1 wherein the main body and at least one of the first and second separators define an outlet passage configured to fluidly couple the seal chamber with one of the first and second chambers, the main body further providing an exit sealing member configured to prevent flow from one of the first and second chambers and into the outlet passage. 17. The seal assembly as recited in claim 16 wherein the main body has opposing axial ends with a counterbore section extending axially outward from at least one of the axial ends and defining an annular cavity, at least one of the first and second separators being at least partially disposed within the annular cavity such that the outlet passage is defined between the separator and the main body. 18. The seal assembly as recited in claim 17 wherein: the main body further has a central bore that defines the seal chamber and a radial surface extending between the central bore and the counterbore section, the counterbore section having an inner circumferential surface; andat least one of the first and second separators has a circular disk portion disposed within the annular cavity of the main body, the disk portion having outer circumferential surface and a radial end surface, the outer circumferential surface of the circular disk portion being spaced radially inward from the inner circumferential surface of the counterbore section so as to define an annular outer portion of the outlet passage and the radial end surface of the circular disk portion being spaced axially from the radial end surface of the main body so as to define a radial inner portion of the outlet passage. 19. The seal assembly as recited in claim 18 wherein the exit sealing member includes an annular body disposed within the annular outer portion of the outlet passage. 20. A seal assembly for a compressor, the compressor including a casing having first and second chambers and a shaft extending through the casing between the two chambers, the seal assembly comprising: a main body disposed circumferentially about the shaft and between the first and second chambers, the main body having first and second axial sides, a central axis and an inner circumferential surface extending about the central axis and spaced radially outward from the shaft so as to form a seal chamber;at least one sealing member connected with the main body so as to extend radially from the inner circumferential surface and toward the shaft, the at least one sealing member being configured to prevent fluid flow between the first and second chambers through the seal chamber;a first separator including an annular body coupled with the shaft and disposed axially adjacent the first axial side of the main body, the annular body having a central axis and a plurality of holes extending at least partially radial through the annular body and spaced circumferentially about the central axis, each hole being configured to fluidly connect one of the first and second chambers with the seal chamber and further having an inner surface configured to direct liquids, solids, or both from the first chamber contacting the inner surface away from the seal chamber; anda second separator coupled with the shaft and disposed axially adjacent the second axial side of the main body, the second separator configured to direct liquids, solids, or both from the second chamber away from the seal chamber. 21. A seal assembly for a compressor, the compressor including a casing having first and second chambers and a shaft extending through the casing between the two chambers, the seal assembly comprising: a main body disposed circumferentially about the shaft and between the first and second chambers, the main body having first and second axial ends, a central axis extending between the first and second axial ends, and an inner circumferential surface extending about the central axis and spaced radially outward from the shaft so as to form a seal chamber;a plurality of annular sealing members each connected with the main body so as to extend radially from the inner circumferential surface and toward the shaft and being spaced axially from adjacent annular sealing members, wherein at least one of the plurality of annular sealing members is configured to prevent fluid flow through the seal chamber in a first direction along the central axis and wherein at least another one of the annular plurality of sealing members is configured to prevent fluid flow through the seal chamber in a second, opposing direction along the central axis;a first separator coupled with the shaft and disposed axially adjacent the first axial end, the first separator including at least one separation passage fluidly connecting the first chamber with the seal chamber and having an inner surface, the at least one separation passage of the first separator extending at least partially radial with respect to the central axis such that the first separator is configured to direct liquids and solids contacting the inner surface of the at least one separation passage of the first separator away from the seal chamber and into the first chamber; anda second separator coupled with the shaft and disposed axially adjacent the second axial end, the second separator including at least another separation passage fluidly connecting the second chamber with the seal chamber and having an inner surface, the at least another second separator passage of the second separator extending at least partially radial with respect to the central axis such that the second separator is configured to direct liquids and solids contacting the inner surface of the at least another separation passage of the second separator away from the seal chamber and into the second chamber.