초록 ▼

A seal ring assembly for use with a rotary machine that includes an axis of rotation includes a seal housing comprising a secondary sealing surface and a secondary seal assembly coupled to the seal housing. The secondary seal assembly includes a seal ring coupled to the seal housing, wherein the sea

A seal ring assembly for use with a rotary machine that includes an axis of rotation includes a seal housing comprising a secondary sealing surface and a secondary seal assembly coupled to the seal housing. The secondary seal assembly includes a seal ring coupled to the seal housing, wherein the seal ring is configured to form a secondary seal with the secondary sealing surface. The secondary seal assembly also includes at least one protection ring positioned upstream from the seal ring. The secondary seal assembly is configured to be biased along the axis such that biasing the at least one protection ring facilitates removing debris from at least a portion of the secondary sealing surface over which the seal ring travels during biasing.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A seal assembly for use with a rotary machine that includes an axis of rotation, said seal assembly comprising: a seal housing comprising an axially extending secondary sealing surface;a stationary seal ring assembly coupled to said seal housing for axial movement relative to said seal housing, s

1. A seal assembly for use with a rotary machine that includes an axis of rotation, said seal assembly comprising: a seal housing comprising an axially extending secondary sealing surface;a stationary seal ring assembly coupled to said seal housing for axial movement relative to said seal housing, said stationary seal ring assembly comprising a radially extending face sealing surface and an opposite second surface;a biasing ring adjacent to said second surface, said biasing ring coupled to said seal housing for axial movement relative to said seal housing;a seal ring positioned in a first groove defined in at least one of said biasing ring and said stationary seal ring assembly, said seal ring configured to form a secondary seal with said secondary sealing surface; anda first protection ring positioned in a second groove defined in said biasing ring, said first protection ring comprising an upstream side, a downstream side, and a radially inner surface extending therebetween, said upstream and downstream sides each comprising a wedge-shaped cross-sectional profile that tapers to a sharp edge, each of said sharp edges is configured to contact said secondary sealing surface, wherein said first protection ring further comprises a cylindrical radially outer surface spaced a predefined distance from a cylindrical radially inner surface of said second groove such that said first protection ring is rotatable about the axis in said second groove, said biasing ring is configured to be biased along the axis of rotation such that said first protection ring travels substantially parallel to the axis of rotation along said secondary sealing surface to facilitate removing debris from at least a portion of said secondary sealing surface. 2. The seal assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said seal assembly further comprises a second protection ring positioned in a third groove defined in said stationary seal ring assembly, said second protection ring positioned adjacent said secondary sealing surface to facilitate removing debris from at least a portion of said secondary sealing surface, said seal ring is between said first protection ring and said second protection ring. 3. The seal assembly in accordance with claim 2, wherein said second protection ring is rotatable about the axis in said third groove. 4. The seal assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said biasing ring and said stationary seal ring assembly cooperate to define said first groove. 5. The seal assembly in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a biasing component coupled to said biasing ring, said biasing component configured to bias said biasing ring and said stationary seal ring assembly along the axis of rotation such that said first protection ring and said seal ring are moveable therewith. 6. The seal assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said stationary seal ring assembly further comprises a support ring coupled to a primary sealing ring in face-to-face relationship, wherein said primary sealing ring comprises said face sealing surface, and said support ring comprises said opposite second surface. 7. The seal assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said stationary seal ring assembly further comprises at least one alignment slot defined therethrough, said at least one alignment slot configured to slidably couple with a respective alignment member of said seal housing. 8. The seal assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first protection ring includes a sweeping element, said sweeping element configured to contact said secondary sealing surface to facilitate removing debris. 9. A face seal assembly for use with a rotary machine that includes an axis of rotation, said face seal assembly comprising: a rotating seal ring comprising a radially extending first face sealing surface;a seal housing comprising an axially extending secondary sealing surface;a stationary seal ring assembly coupled to said seal housing for axial movement relative to said seal housing, said stationary seal ring assembly comprising a support ring coupled to a primary sealing ring in face-to-face relationship, said primary sealing ring comprising a radially extending second face sealing surface configured to form a face seal with said first face sealing surface;a biasing ring adjacent to said support ring, said biasing ring coupled to said seal housing for axial movement relative to said seal housing;a secondary seal ring positioned in a first groove defined in at least one of said biasing ring and said support ring, said secondary seal ring configured to form a secondary seal with said secondary sealing surface; anda first protection ring positioned in a second groove defined in said biasing ring, said first protection ring comprising a wedge-shaped upstream side, a wedge-shaped downstream side, and a radially inner surface extending therebetween, said upstream and downstream sides each comprising a sharp edge configured to contact said secondary sealing surface, said first protection ring comprising a cylindrical radially outer surface spaced a predefined distance from a cylindrical radially inner surface of said second groove such that said first protection ring is rotatable about the axis in said second groove, said biasing ring is configured to be biased along the axis of rotation such that said first protection ring travels substantially axially along said secondary sealing surface to facilitate removing debris from at least a portion of said secondary sealing surface. 10. The face seal assembly in accordance with claim 9, wherein said secondary seal assembly further comprises a second protection ring positioned in a third groove defined in said support ring, said second protection ring positioned adjacent to said secondary sealing surface to facilitate removing debris from at least a portion of said secondary sealing surface, said secondary seal ring is between said first protection ring and said second protection ring. 11. The face seal assembly in accordance with claim 9, wherein said biasing ring and said support ring cooperate to define said first groove. 12. The face seal assembly in accordance with claim 9, further comprising a biasing component coupled to said biasing ring, said biasing component configured to bias said biasing ring and said stationary seal ring assembly along the axis of rotation such that said first protection ring and said secondary seal ring are moveable therewith. 13. The face seal assembly in accordance with claim 10, wherein said second protection ring is rotatable about the axis in said third groove. 14. The face seal assembly in accordance with claim 10, wherein said first protection ring includes a sweeping element, said sweeping element configured to contact said seal housing to facilitate removal of debris. 15. A method of assembling a seal assembly for use with a rotary machine having an axis of rotation, said method comprising: providing a seal housing that includes an axially extending secondary sealing surface;coupling a stationary seal ring assembly to the seal housing for axial movement relative to the seal housing, the stationary seal ring assembly including a radially extending face sealing surface and an opposite second surface;coupling a biasing ring to the seal housing for axial movement relative to the seal housing, the biasing ring adjacent to the second surface;positioning a seal ring in a first groove defined in at least one of the biasing ring and the stationary seal ring assembly, such that the seal ring and the secondary seal surface form a secondary seal; andpositioning a first protection ring in a second groove defined in the biasing ring, the first protection ring including an upstream side, a downstream side, and a radially inner surface extending therebetween, the upstream and downstream sides each having a wedge-shaped cross-sectional profile that tapers to a sharp edge, each sharp edge is configured to contact the secondary sealing surface, the first protection ring further including a cylindrical radially outer surface spaced a predefined distance from a cylindrical radially inner surface of the second groove such that the first protection ring is rotatable about the axis in the second groove, the biasing ring is configured to be biased along the axis of rotation such that the first protection ring travels substantially axially along the secondary sealing surface to facilitate removing debris from at least a portion of the secondary sealing surface. 16. The method in accordance with claim 15, further comprising positioning a second protection ring in a third groove defined in the stationary seal ring assembly, the second protection ring positioned adjacent the secondary sealing surface to facilitate removing debris from at least a portion of the secondary sealing surface, the seal ring is between the first protection ring and the second protection ring. 17. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein positioning the seal ring in the first groove comprises positioning the seal ring in the first groove cooperatively defined by the biasing ring and the stationary seal ring assembly. 18. The method in accordance with claim 17 further comprising coupling a biasing component to the biasing ring, wherein the biasing component is configured to bias the biasing ring and the stationary seal ring assembly along the axis of rotation such that the first protection ring and the seal ring are moveable therewith.