CA1313207C - Labyrinth seal arrangement - Google Patents

Labyrinth seal arrangement

Info

Publication number
CA1313207C
CA1313207C CA000583834A CA583834A CA1313207C CA 1313207 C CA1313207 C CA 1313207C CA 000583834 A CA000583834 A CA 000583834A CA 583834 A CA583834 A CA 583834A CA 1313207 C CA1313207 C CA 1313207C
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
labyrinth
liquid
labyrinth seal
seal arrangement
return flow
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
CA000583834A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Egbert Scharstein
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Siemens AG
Original Assignee
Siemens AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Siemens AG filed Critical Siemens AG
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1313207C publication Critical patent/CA1313207C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16HGEARING
    • F16H57/00General details of gearing
    • F16H57/02Gearboxes; Mounting gearing therein
    • F16H57/029Gearboxes; Mounting gearing therein characterised by means for sealing the gearboxes, e.g. to improve airtightness
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16HGEARING
    • F16H57/00General details of gearing
    • F16H57/04Features relating to lubrication or cooling or heating
    • FMECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16JPISTONS; CYLINDERS; SEALINGS
    • F16J15/00Sealings
    • F16J15/44Free-space packings
    • F16J15/447Labyrinth packings
    • F16J15/4472Labyrinth packings with axial path

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Sealing Using Fluids, Sealing Without Contact, And Removal Of Oil (AREA)
  • Turbine Rotor Nozzle Sealing (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT
A labyrinth seal arrangement for a rotatable shaft in which a liquid return flow canal is provided with a kinked, constantly filled, liquid collecting section disposed between the labyrinth chamber associated with the last labyrinth seal gap and a sealed housing filled with liquid vapor through which the rotatable shaft sealingly passes.

Description

?1 ~ 3 3L 3 2 ~ ~
' ~8Z~(~EMENrr 1 Backgr d Of The Invention 2 The invention relates generally to a labyrinth seal 3 arrangement for sealing a rotatable shaft within a housing and 4 more particularly to a labyrinth seal arrangement comprising a S rotatab~e shaft passing into a stationary sealed housing filled 6 with liquid vapor with the rotatable shaft having at least two 7 annular spray edges, at least one stationary labyrinth chamber 8 cooperating with the rotatable spray edges to form a plurality 9 of labyrinth seal gaps, and at least one liquid return flow canal communicating with the stationary labyrinth chamber 11 associated with the last labyrinth seal gap and the interior of 12 the sealed housing.
13 Heretofore, such arrangements have comprised 14 obliquely disposed, undivided return ~low canals, or return flow canals comprising several angled sections, in which the 16 inlet opening of the return canal terminates at the last ~7 labyrinth chamber and is situated at an hiyher elevation than 18 the outlet opening, which terminakes at the vapor-~illed 19 housing. In this manner, liquid centri~uged into the labyrinth chamber, i~e., liquid ~orced radially outward due to rotation 21 of the sha~t, can completely flow back lnto the housing 22 unhindered. During this process khe return ~low canals remain, 23 at least partly, open and liquid vapor can escape to the 2~ outside ~rom the housing interior via the last packing gap. By "outside" what is meant is leakage to the atmosphere or to the 26 interior of an adjacent machine whose shaft protrudes into the 27 housing.
28 Labyrinth seal arrangements are employed, in 2~ particular, to seal shafts rotating at high speeds and are expected, over the longest possible operating periods and - ~313~

1 without maintenance, to allow as little liquid as possible to ~ escape from the housing in the form o~ liquid vapor.
3 Such labyrinth seal arrangements are preferably 4 provided in vehicles driven via electric motor gear boxes and serve to seal the interior of the motor housing against a gear 6 box permanently connected thereto. The housing is typically 7 filled with the vapor of the lubricating oil for the gear box.
8 The quality of a labyrinth seal arrangement determines the ;9 amount of liquid vapor that undesirably escapes from the housing.
11 The invention is dir~cted to the problem of achieving ~2 a significant improvement in the operation of such labyrinth 13 seal arrangements by simple means that pre~ent the leakage of 14 vapor from the housing.
16 Summary O~ The Invention 17 The invention solves this problem by providiny, in a 18 labyrinth seal arrangement having a rotatable shaft passing 19 into a stationary s~aled housing filled with liquid vapor with the rotatable shaft having at least kwo annular spray edges, at 21 least one stationary labyrinth chamber cooperating with the 22 rotatable spray edges to form a plurality of labyrinth seal 23 gaps and at least one liquid return flow canal communicating 2~ with the stationary labyrinth chamber associated with the last labyrinth seal gap and the interior of the sealed housing, a 26 liguid collection seckion in said at least one liguid return 27 flow canal wherein the liquid collecting section is independent 2~ of changing pressure conditions on both sides of the labyrinth 29 seal arrangement, is constantly filled with liquid during rotation of the shaft and is disposed intermediate the liquid ~3~37,~37 1 return flow canal.
2 The liquid collecting section may be formed as a kink 3 in the liquid return flow canal. The return 10w canal may 4 comprise an inlet and outlet khat are inclined towards each other and disposed above the liquid collecting system. The 6 inlet may ~erminate into a sta~ionary labyrinth chamber and the 7 outlet may terminate the interior of khe housing. In another 8 embodiment, more than one stationary labyrinth chamber may 9 communicate with the outlet.
11 Brief Description Of The Drawin~s 12 Figure 1 illustrates a longitudinal sectional view of 13 the end of an electric motor having a ~rive pinion and a 14 labyrinth seal arrangement constructing according to principles lS of the invention.
16 Figure Z illustrates a lonyitudinal sectional view of 17 a portion o~ a ~ha~t connected to a transmission gear disposed 18 within a gear box in which a second embodiment o~ a labyrinth 19 seal arrangement construated according to th0 inventl~n is Z0 shown.

22 Detailed Descr ~tion 23 Figure 1 illustrates an embodiment of a labyrinth 2~ seal arrangement constructed according to the invention. The driving end of shaft 2 of a rotor ~ o* an electric drive motor 26 is mounted in the end plate 3 of an oil-lubricated shaft 27 bearing 4. The shaft 2 is sealed by a labyrinth seal 28 arrangement 7, disposed inside the motor, against a closed gear 29 box, of which only wall part 6 is shown. Located within the gear box is a drive pinion 5 which is joined to the end of 13 13 ~ ~3 ril 1 shaft 2. The drive pinion 5 ~orms part of an oil-lubricated 2 transmission ~not shown). The interior of the gear ~ox is 3 filled with oil vapor.
4 The labyrinth seal arrangement 7 comprises a rotating part 7A, connected to the rotatable shaft 2, having several ~ annular spray edges and a stationary part 7B, connected to the 7 end plate 3~ having annular projections that ~orm narrow 8 passages or seal gaps wikh the rotating part 7An Disposed in 9 the stationary part 7B are labyrinth chambers 7C having an ~0 annular groove shape and a collecting groove 7D for gathering 11 centrifuged amounts of oil. The chambers 7C have connecting 12 canals at their underside communicating with at least one oil 13 return flow canal 7E provided in the stationary part 7B. The 14 oil return ~low canal 7E terminates in the gear box and passes i5 through a support part 10 which is connected to the end plate 3 16 ~or supporting the shaft bearing 4. The inlet 8 of the oil ~7 return ~low canal 7E has a higher elevation, as is known, than 18 its outlet 9 such that centrifuged oil can ~low from the 19 labyrinth chambers 7C into the oil return ~low canal 7E and then back into the year box. In this process, the oil return ~ low canal section o~ the prior labyrinth seal arranyements 22 would allow oil vapor from the gear box to enter directly the 23 last labyrinth chamber 7C or the collecting groove 7D and, in 24 this manner, oil could reach the interior of the motor by 2S bypas~ing the labyrinth seal. To avoid this undesirable result, the oil return flow canal 7E of the invention is 27 provided with an oil collecting section 7F that is independent 28 of the pressure conditions on both sides of the labyrinth seal.
29 The oil collection section 7F is disposed in the support part 10 and formed with an angular section or kink 7G thak ~L 3 ~ 3 ,~

1 constantly remains filled with collected oil during opera~ion.
2 The collected oil in section 7F thus forms a barrier pr~v~nting 3 the outflow of oil vapor from the gear box to the interior of 4 the motor.
In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, the shaft 6 12, which may be part of a drive unit for a vehicle, is 7 connected to a transmission gear 15 and passes into a gear box B 16 (only partially shown~. The shaft 12 is seal~d against gear 9 box 16 on the side having shaft bearing 14 by a labyrinth seal arrangement 17 and against the other side by a labyrinth seal 11 arrangement 20. Each labyrinth seal has a rotating part 17A, 12 Zo~ provided with annular spray edges and a stationary part 13 17B, 20B having annular labyrinth chambers 17C, 20C. At least 14 those annular labyrinth chambers dispo~ed at the ends are provided with oil return flow canals 17E, 20E having oil 16 collection sections 17F, 20F with kinks 17G, 20G dispos~d b~low 17 ths level o~ inlets 18 and outlets 1~. Alternatively, th~
18 kinks may be formed as curved portions o~ the oil collection 19 sect~ons. More than one labyrinth chamber 20C may be connecte~
to re~urn ~low canal 20E. ~rhe other parts o~ khe labyrinth 21 ~eal arrangement 17 are de~ignated and brought into functional 22 relationship with the shaft bearing in the usual manner.
23 The labyrinth seal arrangement of the invention has 24 been described in conjunction with gear box seals, but may also be applied with equal advantage to other applications that 26 require sealing closed spaces filled with liquid vapor against 27 rotating components that protrude into the closed spaces from 2B one side or pass therethrough, i.e., the invention is 29 applicable to all labyrinth seal arrangements having liquid return flow canals.

Claims (4)

1. In a labyrinth seal arrangement having a rotatable shaft passing into a stationary sealed housing filled with liquid vapor with said rotatable shaft having at least two annular spray edges, at least one stationary labyrinth chamber cooperating with the rotatable spray edges to form a plurality of labyrinth seal gaps, at least one liquid return flow canal communicating with the stationary labyrinth chamber associated with the last labyrinth seal gap and the interior of the sealed housing, the improvement comprising a liquid collection section provided in said at least one liquid return flow canal wherein the liquid collecting section is independent of changing pressure conditions on both sides of the labyrinth seal arrangement, is constantly filled with liquid during rotation of the shaft and is disposed intermediate the liquid return flow canal.
2. In a labyrinth seal arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the liquid collecting section is formed as kink in the liquid return flow canal.
3. In a labyrinth seal arrangement according to claim 1 wherein the ends of the liquid return flow canal comprise an inlet and outlet that are inclined towards each other and disposed above the liquid collecting section to form collecting points, with one of said inlet and outlet terminating in said at least one stationary labyrinth chamber and the other of said inlet and outlet terminating in the interior of the sealed housing.
4. In a labyrinth seal arrangement according to claim 3 wherein at least two stationary labyrinth chambers are provided each of which communicates with the other of said inlet and outlet.
CA000583834A 1987-11-25 1988-11-23 Labyrinth seal arrangement Expired - Lifetime CA1313207C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE8715621U DE8715621U1 (en) 1987-11-25 1987-11-25 Labyrinth seal
DEG8715621.0 1987-11-25

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1313207C true CA1313207C (en) 1993-01-26

Family

ID=6814456

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000583834A Expired - Lifetime CA1313207C (en) 1987-11-25 1988-11-23 Labyrinth seal arrangement

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0317867B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE68862T1 (en)
CA (1) CA1313207C (en)
DE (2) DE8715621U1 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN101705996B (en) * 2009-10-12 2011-09-14 江苏牡丹离心机制造有限公司 Sealing device for drive mechanism of horizontal centrifuge
CN105003814A (en) * 2015-07-22 2015-10-28 佛山市威灵洗涤电机制造有限公司 Lubricating-oil recycling system for oil-retaining bearing of motor

Families Citing this family (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3930280A1 (en) * 1989-09-11 1991-03-28 Skf Gmbh CONTACTLESS SEAL
US5238166A (en) * 1990-09-21 1993-08-24 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Sealing arrangement for retaining liquid lubricant in selected areas of a machine
AT402132B (en) * 1991-01-11 1997-02-25 Siemens Ag ELECTRIC MOTOR
DE4403776C2 (en) * 1994-02-01 1998-04-09 Aeg Westinghouse Transport Seal with labyrinthine sealing gap
EP0683338A1 (en) * 1994-05-17 1995-11-22 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Shaft sealing system
DE19530155A1 (en) * 1995-08-16 1997-02-20 Siemens Ag Single axle drive of electric traction vehicles
DE19616553C1 (en) * 1996-04-25 1997-11-20 Siemens Ag Rail vehicle drive unit
DE19844417C1 (en) * 1998-09-28 2000-05-11 Siemens Ag Pinion-protection
DE19928450C2 (en) * 1999-06-23 2002-03-14 Daimlerchrysler Rail Systems labyrinth seal
DE10303419B4 (en) * 2003-01-29 2008-01-17 Voith Turbo Gmbh & Co. Kg Assembly with an oil-filled housing and a guided through the housing shaft
DE10322027B4 (en) * 2003-05-16 2013-03-07 Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Web drive with seal arrangement
DE20312235U1 (en) * 2003-08-06 2004-12-09 Voith Turbo Gmbh & Co. Kg Gearboxes, in particular wheelset gearboxes for use in rail vehicles
DE102007014657A1 (en) * 2007-03-27 2008-10-09 Siemens Ag Shaft sealing device
DE102010063874A1 (en) * 2010-12-22 2012-06-28 Zf Friedrichshafen Ag Gear housing for axle gear for rail vehicle, has contactless sealing for axial sealing in area of axial shaft feed through of gear housing
DE102013208290A1 (en) * 2013-05-06 2014-11-06 Zf Friedrichshafen Ag gearbox
DE102017207022A1 (en) * 2017-04-26 2018-10-31 Zf Friedrichshafen Ag Housing part for a transmission with a siphon having inlet channel
CN113236745B (en) * 2021-06-09 2023-03-21 南京高速齿轮制造有限公司 Wind power gear box
CN117366217B (en) * 2023-12-07 2024-02-27 南京南高齿新能源汽车传动设备有限公司 Planetary gear box assembly

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2081819A (en) * 1980-08-14 1982-02-24 Rolls Royce Lubricating
JPS5740634U (en) * 1980-08-19 1982-03-04
DE3535445A1 (en) * 1985-10-04 1987-04-16 Goetze Ag SHAFT SEALING SYSTEM

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN101705996B (en) * 2009-10-12 2011-09-14 江苏牡丹离心机制造有限公司 Sealing device for drive mechanism of horizontal centrifuge
CN105003814A (en) * 2015-07-22 2015-10-28 佛山市威灵洗涤电机制造有限公司 Lubricating-oil recycling system for oil-retaining bearing of motor

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE8715621U1 (en) 1988-02-18
EP0317867B1 (en) 1991-10-23
DE3865813D1 (en) 1991-11-28
ATE68862T1 (en) 1991-11-15
EP0317867A1 (en) 1989-05-31

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